Why not all immigrants deserve ‘sanctuary’

Much of what Scott Newman wrote in his Guest Commentary last Sunday (Jan. 26) about immigrants is true. Many are hard workers, prospering themselves, their families and the community. But this description of the situation is incomplete. During the past four years, untold numbers of undocumented immigrants have entered our country. It is known that rapists, murders, thieves, drug smugglers, terrorists, sex traffickers and gang members were among them. While some of the immigrants deserve mercy and help to integrate into our society, others are a threat to our citizens and our nation. Discerning the difference is important.

I don’t claim to have the answer, however actively resisting the federal government is the wrong thing to do. That risks harboring dangerous felons. Let us stop pretending that the leaders of sanctuary cities and states are part of some noble rebellion. Instead let us agree to work together to find a better solution.

It is the president and other federal authorities’ duty to protect the citizens and the border of this nation. We should all support these efforts.

— Edward Peltzer, Soquel

Resents PG&E’s response on high utility bills

It is vexing to read the Letter to the Editor from Teresa Alvarado of PG&E (Jan. 30) ... telling us we may have noticed a drop in our January PG&E bills of 4% or $11. My bill for a small 2 bedroom home – with the thermostat set at 67 degrees – was the highest I have ever gotten at over $330 for the month. She seems to suggest empathy on the part of PG&E. I resent the tone – because the PG&E CEO clears over $17 million/year. Everyone I know is paying the highest power bills they’ve ever gotten.

It’s a monopoly that is gouging its rate-payers to pay high salaries to their officials.

— Ken Shelden, Santa Cruz

Why lithium battery plant fires were preventable

We believe that the Moss Landing lithium battery plant fires were preventable. There are three factors: the shorting out of the lithium battery cells and no way to stop or prevent the shorts, a poor or non-existent fire suppression system, and inadequate management understanding of lithium battery storage.

The shorting out of lithium batteries happened several years ago in Boeing airplanes, and then in Chevrolet Volt cars. An international meeting of scientists and engineers more than 10 years ago established the International Standard IEC 62133 for lithium batteries. It requires that a fuse, or circuit breaker, be included. This is much like the circuit breakers in your home. The Moss Landing batteries did not have that.

The latest fire used water as the suppressant, a bad choice; it would make the fire worse. Carbon dioxide gas would have smothered the fire.

Monterey County management and fire were not knowledgeable about lithium batteries. They should have brought in the right people to set the regulations and requirements.

— Bill Beecher, Bill Ingram, Don Wollesen, Aptos

St. George tenant seeks transparency on lawsuit

The ongoing lawsuit between GVC St. George and the City of Santa Cruz raises serious questions about transparency and accountability.

In June 2023, GVC signed a settlement agreement with the State of California, which includes provisions limiting rent increases on “covered properties” to no more than 8.8%. This agreement covers GVC, its affiliates and its heirs. Given this, why is GVC still pursuing a lawsuit against the City of Santa Cruz? The settlement seems to align with the city’s efforts to protect tenants, making the lawsuit appear unnecessary and contradictory.

Furthermore, as a tenant, I have made four requests to GVC for ownership information, which California Civil Code section 1962 requires landlords to provide. Despite this legal obligation, GVC has not responded. This lack of transparency is troubling. Why the secrecy? Tenants have a right to know who owns the properties they live in, especially when the landlord is involved in legal disputes that could impact their housing security.

If they are committed to fair housing practices, why the resistance to transparency and the continued litigation?

— Kevin Cummings, Santa Cruz

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor should be no more than 175 words and be accompanied by the writer’s home address and a phone number. Letters can be emailed to editorial@santacruzsentinel.com.