Oversight committees are waste of time, effort

There has been some excellent, recent back-and-forth discussion of the value of citizens’ oversight committees on the IJ Opinion page recently. COC language is often placed on a ballot measure to assure taxpayers that independent citizens will be surveilling decision-makers to determine if tax dollars are being spent wisely.

I read the Marin Voice commentary by Ron Arlas and Stephen Keese (“Toothless citizens’ oversight committees should be dropped,” April 4). They appear to believe that most COCs have no real oversight power. Most simply approve the outside auditors’ report, which is required for tax measures by law.

A contrary view was expressed by Larry Minikes in a letter to the editor published April 15. Minikes was the initial chair of the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority COC formed in 2020. In a May 3 letter, Rebecca Suggs, another chair, responded to Minikes. The way I read it, I think Suggs appeared to side with Keese and Arlas in saying the MWPA committee has become a rubber stamp.

Since I served on that same committee (and was also a chair), as well as the COC for the Transportation Authority of Marin, both for four years, I can add insight to the discussion. I recently resigned from both entities.

I had no problem with excellent staff work. Committee members were engaged and generally respectful. What I did not find were any real opportunities to affect decision-making or policy development by either boards. Also, I witnessed some committee members who asked awkward questions or ran afoul of specific directors finding it hard to get reappointed when their terms finished. I found that to be true in particular with the MWPA committee, as it evolved over the last two years.

Too often, tax initiatives tout COCs as independent, strong oversight groups that will speak truth to power and protect taxpayers. That was simply not my experience. Taxpayers and voters should not rely upon ballot language promising otherwise. Serving on these panels is also, unfortunately, a waste of time and effort.

— Kingston Cole, San Rafael

Recalling Blash, Hellman won’t fix housing laws

I am writing in response to Sean Fitzgerald’s recently published Marin Voice commentary (“Recall Blash, Hellman because Fairfax deserves better,” April 21). I take issue with, among other things, his claim to be committed to the recall with “courage and transparency.”

By definition, transparent means free from pretense or deceit, and yet recall petitioners are luring signatures by claiming that a vote for the recall will stop the development of high-rises downtown.

Local control housing advocates need to realize that state legislators are not influenced by who is serving on the Fairfax Town Council. Housing mandates are just that, mandatory. Defy the mandates and be subject to enormous financial penalties. A small town like Fairfax cannot take such a fiscally irresponsible risk.

A recall will result in a complex and predictably contentious process to determine who fills the vacant seats. One certainty prevails: Whoever is on the council will still be grappling with the same issues facing every municipality throughout California. What plan do the recall folks have for dealing with this?

— Marleen Roggow, Fairfax

DMV rush for Real IDs causing a big backlog

All this coverage of the rush to get a Real ID for air travel (“Most airports are operating smoothly on the first day of the REAL ID requirement,” May 7) ignores another problem at the Department of Motor Vehicles. What about the rest of us who have DMV business to transact?

If an in-person visit is required for a license renewal or vehicle registration, it has been nearly impossible to get an appointment. For example, drivers over the age of 70 must renew their licenses in person. If they can’t get an appointment at the DMV before their license expires, what are their options (other than going without an appointment and waiting for hours)?

If that’s unrealistic, they will be forced to give up driving for a period or drive with an expired license. It doesn’t seem fair that those who wait until the deadline to get a Real ID have caused DMV operations to grind to a halt.

A simple solution would be to extend soon-to-be-expired licenses and other DMV documents for six weeks to six months until the clog in the system is resolved. I think state legislators just solve this issue right away.

— Elaine Levy, San Rafael

Residents on both sides need to come together

In reading Bill McLaughlin’s recently published letter in support of President Donald Trump, I was struck with two thoughts. One, there are many people on both sides of the political divide who agree that our economy has become untenable for many Americans, at the expense of our working and middle class. Two, this administration’s approach of “slash and burn, retribution and personal vendetta” is damaging the lives of many more, especially marginalized, citizens all in the name of improving the lives of certain supporters.

I believe that changes definitely were in order, but at what cost? McLaughlin writes, “Those who claim to stand for democracy while trying to silence political opposition and enforcing ideological conformity are practicing the very authoritarianism they claim to oppose.” I think that’s laughable when this administration appears to be leading with chaos intentionally to foment fear, is ignoring the rule of law and has threatened to do even more if people get in their way.

When Trump’s political opponents protest or march, they are not trying to silence the other side — they are exercising their civil right to be heard. But when the president threatens to jail protesters, that is when the line has been crossed.

I hope McLaughlin will sit down with some of us and try to develop a path forward that allows both sides to be both heard and respected. I welcome the opportunity.

— Stephanie O’Brien, Woodacre

Renaming tendencies of Trump are out of hand

First President Donald Trump pushed to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Now he wants to call the Persian Gulf, as it has been known since the 16th century, the Gulf of Arabia (“Trump plans to announce that the US will call the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf, officials say,” May 7). We can only guess what will come next.

With behavior like this, I think Trump is more like a dog that lifts its leg to every bush it passes.

— Stewart Lindh, Sausalito

Statements about Trump by Huffman are misguided

I am writing in response to the IJ story about Rep. Jared Huffman’s visit to a rally at College of Marin (“Democratic lawmakers exhort Marin supporters to defend democracy,” April 25).

According to the article, “Huffman divided his comments between making the case that (President Donald Trump) is a legitimate threat to democracy and what he and fellow Democrats are doing to restrain Trump.” Later, Huffman is quoted as saying, “He is bringing historically independent agencies, including the Department of Justice and the FBI, under his direct personal control.”

What a joke. To the contrary, I think Trump is working for justice. He may be rash in some of his moves, but that’s what the majority of American people voted for.

Those who say Democrats are “fighting fascism” by protesting the Trump administration should look at the federal government the last 30 years. I think the implementation of policies to create a dependent socialist state against our will go all the way back to the 1960s with then-President Lyndon B. Johnson.

In my opinion, we all need to wake up and realize Trump is fighting the socialist state that this country has become. He’s actually trying to do that. The only strength protesters have is each other and a narrative I consider to be false. It is breeding hate, fear and discontent.

— Susan J. Crittenden, Terra Linda