I was distressed to see your uncritical endorsement of Prop A (School parcel tax). While admittedly most of the expenditures are welcome (though do we really need to raise the pay of classified USD workers again?), I am concerned about the method of paying. There was a more equitable way to pay for this. Shame on the school board and new director for taking this easy way out.

You mentioned that tenants would not pay. Given how little they would actually be charged, they should have been brought into this question of general public investment. Like Social Security, if everyone benefits, everyone should pay, [at least] something.

As for the business community, the fact that the Bank of America buildings’s 150,000 sqare feet and my 1500 square foot lot should pay roughly the same is curious.

I am not opposed to supporting education. I am opposed to bearing a disproportionate share. The Examiner has been good about noting the ill effects of San Francisco policy edicts on small business and small property owners. It’s too bad they’ve fallen down in noting the discrepancies of this measure.

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Peter Holden

San Francisco

Power taken from the people

The people of California voted overwhelmingly, not through their legislature but in the most democratic way possible, by direct vote referendum, to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

Now the seven unelected Supreme Court Judges overturn this citizen vote and impose their own values. But what about “Power to the People?” Didn’t the left once believe in that?

Scott Abramson

San Mateo

Still waiting to celebrate

Thank you for your excellent column in the Examiner, “California gay marriage ruling affirms, times they are ‘a changing.’” (Michael Olesker, May 19, Baltimore Examiner)

When it comes to marriage for same-sex couples, they can’t change fast enough to suit me. I’ve been waiting 22 years, and still counting, to celebrate my son and his partner’s wedding. They are just as deserving of recognition and legal protections, and every bit as good, upstanding and precious to us as our two other children and their partners.

Too bad that that the Maryland Supreme Court decision went the way it did (sigh). Thanks again.

June Horner

Sykesville, Maryland

Fear of the unknown

This is a response to Robert L., Papillion, Nebraska (Letters, May 20). Barack Obama is the only presidential candidate who dares address “touchy” issues — even if it means jeopardizing his candidacy. If you’d understand, it’s precisely fear that determines how you think and feel about him.

We all fear the unknown, and we tend to choose succumbing to familiarity over taking on new challenges. This attitude is applied to voting as well as to practically every realm of our lives. As proven, you have real reservations about McCain; yet you decide against your better judgment.

Although I can understand fear as a primary factor for making certain decisions, I can’t imagine how McCain can do the job of leading this country. He epitomizes everything that is maintaining the dichotomies of wealthy/impoverished, white/non-white, citizen/immigrants (illegal or not), etc.

Also, whose prosperity are you referring to? What’s considered a “normal” way of life? Is being poor supposedly “normal”?

Keng L.L.

San Francisco

No one should park for free

If The City wants to improve their parking revenue, they should discontinue allowing the handicapped to park free at meters. If they wish to allow them to park free on city streets, they should mark them with blue as businesses do and not have a meter.

Many have doctors lie about their health; others steal placards from cars; and others borrow them from legal disabled persons in order to park free at meters. Many park all day.

The disabled should pay the same as others when parked in a meter.

John Huber

San Francisco

Age also a factor in primary

It would be difficult to argue against the premise that some portion of the voter demographic that supports Hillary Clinton has racist proclivities (“Racism emerges in the Democratic primaries,” May 16.) Let me suggest, however, another line of analysis for her support.

Older people who have had a more difficult life may want the persons they are supporting to have “paid their dues,” possibly to help validate their own lives.

On the other hand, younger or more upwardly mobile people may not want that, perhaps to reject for now their possible future difficulties.

Bert Welti

San Francisco

To add your voice-

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Editorial Page Editor

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San Francisco, CA 94105

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