Ranching in Pt. Reyes park should continue

In its March 30 editorial, “Some fallout of Point Reyes ranch closures appears to be Marin’s responsibility,” the IJ editorial board identifies the impact on local schools, West Marin businesses and agriculture in Marin County as fallout from a deal funded by environmentalists to remove most ranches from the Point Reyes National Seashore. The editorial quotes Marin County Supervisor Dennis Rodoni saying, “the county has been left holding the bag.”

Maybe it’s not too late to save agriculture in Marin, housing in the park and the West Marin schools and economy. As Bolinas ranchers with a lifetime reservation of use and occupancy within the park, Nicholette Hahn Niman and William Niman filed suit (“Marin ranchers sue US over Point Reyes land deal,” March 4). They are asking the U.S. District Court to “analyze the alternative of leasing the lands” being vacated to “other farmers and ranchers, on conditions that allow for economically and environmentally sustainable farming and ranching operations.” The lawsuit also seeks an order requiring the National Park Service to develop a management plan for the tule elk.

Marin supervisors should intervene in the Niman litigation and assert the broad interests of the people of Marin County in having agriculture continue in the park.

— Judy Teichman, Point Reyes Station

First night in Sacramento was a big disappointment

I went to opening night for the Athletics at their temporary home in Sacramento on Monday night. I write this with all the love I have for the game: It was a horrible atmosphere.

From a fan’s perspective, I think the A’s ownership showed a lack of effort on a night that could have set a positive tone. I was insulted. A’s owner John Fisher called it “the most intimate, positive experience” in Major League Baseball. But that’s not true. I’ve been as close (or closer) elsewhere.

I think Fisher is trying to get a “free ride” through revenue sharing with other MLB owners, sweetheart deals with local governments (here and in Las Vegas) and invest as little as possible in the franchise while reaping the benefits. MLB should force him to sell.

Opening night is about putting a best foot forward and creating optimism about what is to come. All I saw was utter ineptitude. The lines in the team store were beyond ridiculous. There were technical difficulties during the singing of the national anthem and the speakers went out. I found the in-game entertainment to be lacking and inept.

Sacramento Kings and River Cats owner Vivek Ranadive was the one who called “play ball” to start the game. He got booed. The A’s should have asked the family of A’s legend Rickey Henderson or former A’s All-Star pitcher Dave Stewart to do that job. Then the scoreboard froze and had to be rebooted.

All of the missteps led to a lack of atmosphere around the park. I think some pop-up merchandise stands and food trucks would have made a difference.

I will say that the tribute to Henderson following his recent death was lovely. But, to be honest, it felt like a farewell not just to Rickey but for Oakland baseball.

— Roger Dickerson, Ross

Solar is still good deal under the updated plan

In his letter of March 31, I think Chet Seligman’s need to express concerns that the governor and his appointees at the California Public Utilities Commission have discussed eliminating the net energy metering 2.0 program, as well as placing all rooftop solar owners in the current NEM 3.0 program, does a disservice to the environment.

Seligman accurately states the difference between the two programs: Under NEM 2.0, utilities pay for excess solar generation at retail rates, while under NEM 3.0 they pay a lower wholesale rate. However, the claim that it is uneconomical for most people to go solar under NEM 3.0 is simply false. Many studies have shown that while the payback period is longer, it still pays to install solar panels under NEM 3.0.

Moreover, Seligman overlooks the fact that most new solar installations include battery storage, which allows homeowners to save their excess power for use at night, rather than sell it to utilities at reduced rates. With these systems you can almost entirely wean yourself from grid power and reduce the payback period considerably.

I have rooftop solar, but I understand the competing priorities Gov. Gavin Newsom and the CPUC must balance. Under NEM 2.0, many wealthy people pay literally nothing to utilities, leaving lower income customers — especially apartment residents — bearing a larger share of the cost to maintain and upgrade the power grid. By some estimates the cost shift is approaching $10 billion a year.

This complex debate is not advanced by misleading and alarmist rants that discourage others from considering rooftop solar.

— David L. Fiol, Novato

Trump should focus cuts on big military budget

In the name of government efficiency, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are taking a chain saw to spending, devastating programs for the middle class. But the continuing resolution to temporarily fund the government leaves defense spending intact. How about cutting the $895 billion military war machine budget instead?

We have over 890,000 homeless Americans sleeping on the streets, in tents or in their cars. Two-thirds of Trump voters said they were having trouble paying for groceries. It is absolutely immoral and wrong to spend so much of our tax dollars on the military. We don’t need 807 bases throughout the world or troops in over 85 countries.

According to a United Nations report, the U.S. has the highest rates of youth poverty, infant mortality, incarceration, income inequality and obesity among all countries in the developed world. As Congress plays chicken with the debt ceiling yet again, let’s pressure them to cut the military budget in half and use that money to reduce income inequality.

— Brian Donohue, Mill Valley

Musk, DOGE should be regaled for finding waste

Americans have known their whole lives that there has been massive reckless spending and inefficiencies by our federal government. Both Democrat and Republican presidents have acknowledged the problem and vowed to do something about it with negligible results.

Now we finally have an administration that has the gumption to actually tackle the problem head-on. Elon Musk, a brilliant American entrepreneur adored by the environmental movement, volunteered his services to spearhead the Department of Government Efficiency. He has been joined by many top innovators and business leaders to audit what our agencies have been doing with taxpayer dollars.

I have been shocked by some of the examples of unnecessary spending. I think the whole populace should be regaling Musk for DOGE’s revolutionary efforts in finding inefficiencies and waste. Instead, I see people who appear to be “knee-jerk liberals” reflexively opposing Trump on all matters. Some pout, some protest and some are even destroying Teslas.

For the record, Tesla is not owned by Musk. He is the CEO of the publicly traded company. The stock is owned by many mutual and pension funds. It is 100% American made. Musk owns less than 20% of Tesla stock.

— Henry Burgin, San Rafael

Behavior with Zelenskyy illustrates Trump issues

I am writing about the unfortunate behavior of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during a meeting before the press in the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I think Trump and Vance embarrassed themselves. Zelenskyy looked like the bigger man.

The Ukrainian president stands for everything Americans should be standing up for. Staying silent now is not an option.

I worry that Americans are now pariahs in the world. I suspect many others believe Trump has no feelings for democracy, justice, compassion or country. I think he is self-motivated and weak. My heart hurts.

— Joanne Gotelli, San Rafael