Cost of adding a director is too high for San Rafael

San Rafael officials recently announced the hiring of two new directors in the finance department (“San Rafael hires top managers in personnel, finance,” July 9).

The function of the two new positions were previously performed by one person. The reason for the split was to allow a “wider pool of candidates.” So, for the direction of that department, salary costs of overseeing the same functions just increased from $202,896 to $399,000.

In these times of tight budgets, I don’t think the city can justify this increase.

— John Doherty, San Rafael

Marin Transit needed more buses on Fourth of July

While the Marin County Fair appeared to be a big success this year, I want to share an experience that leads me to believe there is a need for better communication.

More than 100 people (including me and several families with many very small children) were left with no transit options after the Fourth of July fireworks display because we were apparently waiting at the wrong free Marin Transit bus pickup location, based on a map that proved not to be true.

I took Marin Transit to the Civic Center. In confirming the return trip, I checked with the driver about the Peter Behr Drive bus stop. However, after the fireworks, as the crowd grew, we waited nearly an hour for a bus. Two finally appeared, but they were packed and drove right by.

As more time passed, it became clear we all would need to walk. With the roads around the Civic Center in a near gridlock, calling a car service was out of the question. For me, it was a couple of inconvenient miles to walk back. For those with tiny, tired kids, this was an unfortunate hardship.

It appears that the issue stems from a lack of clear, hands-on information on the internet. None of us standing there realized the bus loading was actually near the main entrance. Only afterward, during a lengthy online search, did I find a statement announcing that the main entrance would be the pickup point.

The fair was fun and wonderful. Musician Melissa Etheridge’s performance was absolutely fantastic. However, those of us who had a long, late-night slog through no fault of our own had a bit of a damper put on the experience. In the future, there is a clear need for more frequent buses to ensure everyone expecting to use mass transit has the opportunity.

— Larry Minikes, San Rafael

AB 965 does not deserve to become a state law

California Assembly Bill 965 is an irresponsible and harmful bill disguised and marketed as a solution to closing the digital divide. AB 965 is a wireless permit bill that has already gone through the state Assembly and is currently moving through the Senate.

Spoiler: It won’t solve that problem. Instead, it takes decision-making power away from cities who best know the needs of their underserved residents and puts money in the pockets of telecoms. Telecom companies have actually created digital divides by not serving communities where their profits would be lower.

In Marin, officials from municipalities and the county have responded to constituents and put protective ordinances in place to minimize cell-antenna radiation near residences and schools. It seems AB 965 will prevent local authorities from having sufficient time to review permit applications. It also removes the requirement for public notification and input, which is unacceptable.

I believe that saying the bill will help those most in need and close the digital divide is the latest method of marketing forced proliferation. AB 965 is a bill driven by greed, rather than justice and accessibility.

Why not allow all our communities, especially those who need it most, to have the power to make those decisions? Local elected officials were voted in to help our communities directly.

Why not reach out to the grassroots organizers and residents, and allow them to have a voice and be empowered, rather than force one decision on all from the top down?

The only reason to pass this bill is to move money more quickly into the pockets of corporations.

Our elected officials need to ask more questions, look at the data, protect our decision-making ability and not sell our communities to corporations.

— Jess Lerner, Fairfax