Staying realistic about public power

I love the option for municipal power. I think anyone who wants to reduce their ecological footprint should be allowed to purchase their energy from a company that works toward this goal.

But we have to be realistic about the expectations we place on the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, knowing that the cumbersome and costly process of a municipal system will be full of problems and will never be as efficient or dependable as Pacific Gas and Electric. It could become all about disclosure to the public.

For businesses that depend on reliable electricity, we need to ensure the dependable level of service is never compromised. But for those who are prepared to accept a few “down” days after an earthquake, for instance (and many homeowners may be willing), a strong message can be sent by consumers that we need energy alternatives.

This kind of movement could spur innovative technology development in our own backyards.

Judy West

The City

Race in schools

In response to Ken Garcia’s column on the challenges faced by the new school superintendent, he can eliminate one challenge by dropping support for using race as a factor in school assignments (“New schools chief faces plenty of challenges, and prickly school board,” June 16). Parents don’t want their kids used as lab rats in some ideological social experiment.

We want our kids to get a quality education at a neighborhood school to get skills they need to be good citizens and compete in the global economy. They won’t get this if they are fatigued and even put in danger through a daily, two-hour bus ride to satisfy some political ideologue.

Injecting race into school assignments will have only one tangible result — driving more parents out of the San Francisco public schools. This is a bad idea that we should let die.

E. F. Sullivan

The City

Race and Ed Jew

I am disappointed that the Chinese American Democratic Club has ignored the facts and is instead claiming that Supervisor Jew is a victim of race discrimination (“Groups rally in support of supervisor,” June 16).

What total bull. When there are no facts to support someone’s position, the claim of racial discrimination tends to always pop up. The fact is that race is not a factor in this issue. If Supervisor Jew is anywhere near as innocent as he and his supporters claim, then all he needs to do is provide evidence that he indeed lives at the address at which he has not used any utilities for years and provide evidence that the money he was given was not given to him ostensibly for political favors.

If he cannot provide this evidence, then we all know exactly what has taken place. And it was not racial discrimination. The Chinese American Democratic Club has disgraced itself with this ridiculous racial discrimination argument.

Bill Horton

The City

Probe other residences

The way the cards seem to be stacking up against Supervisor Ed Jew, a new member of the Board of Supervisors who is a little too independent for some tastes and consequently has few allies in the halls of power, is a bit too convenient. This isn’t the first time doubts have been raised as to whether a San Francisco area official properly resides in the district he or she represents, but I don’t recall anyone else being prosecuted by the district attorney and investigated by the city attorney over the issue.

I hereby call on Kamala Harris and Dennis Herrera to finish the business they have started by conducting an audit of all city officials to see whether they resided in the districts they represent at the time they were elected, and whether they have maintained those residencies throughout their terms in office.

While they’re at it, they should also investigate which San Francisco water officials leaked to the media the billing records for the house on 28th Avenue at which Ed Jew claims residence. Could this have been an attempt at political payback against Supervisor Jew for previously opposing water rate increases?

Starchild

The City

Save taxi industry

Once again we see this mayor’s bumbling taxi commission creating unnecessary problems. The taxi industry has not had a cost of living raise in nine years and is falling apart as we speak. Unless someone acts soon this industry is headed for bankruptcy. However, the current commission doesn’t seem to be up to the task.

The Board of Supervisors needs to intervene immediately to save this industry and the jobs of thousands of drivers.

Dennis Korkos

The City

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