Don’t underestimate threat China poses
Regarding the April 19 Morning Forum article on China (“Don’t fall for the hype on China, expert advises Morning Forum”): Wow! “Hyperbolic warnings”? Unprecedented military buildup aside, the Chinese acquisition of U.S. real estate-farmland/food supply, increased intelligence operations, cyberattacks, Chinese “police stations” (ask your local “dissident”), etc., how can you not consider China/CCP a threat?
China’s push for global domination is not misinformation or an overstatement. It’s not Left or Right. It’s merely a fact that we all should be concerned with.
God forbid we resign ourselves to this Chamberlain-esque attitude in the name of political correctness.
William Dunkle
Los Altos
Sewer rate increase: Devil’s in the details
Regarding the proposed sewer rate increases, I guess I’m supposed to feel better that Los Altos has the second-lowest rates in 2022-2023 compared to other cities as they prepare to stick us with a 15% annualized increase for the next five years.
If you look closer at the chart published in the April 26 Town Crier, after this year’s rate increase, we will have moved up to one of the highest rates, and I can only imagine where we’ll rank after five years.
Every time new rates are proposed, I hear the same tired explanations around “operations and maintenance and minor capital improvements.” However, this time Aida Fairman, director of the city’s environmental services and the utilities department, wants to throw a scare at us that we could face possible litigation, fines and sanctions if such improvements are not made.
I would really like to see the detail behind what makes up these operations and maintenance costs. How much is for raises, bonuses or unfunded pension liabilities? Granted, inflation this past year accounts for part of the increase, but a doubling of rates in five years? Seriously? The devil’s in the details.
If this was my cellphone carrier and they raised my rates 15% per year, I’d go to another carrier. Oh, wait, I can’t do that here because I’m held captive by a monopoly.
And where do our mayor and city council members stand on this? After all, they have the option to amend the rate plan.
I thought they were supposed to have our backs? Remind them that elections are coming up soon.
I’m sorry to come across so cynical about quasi-government agencies, but there’s a lot of history to support my skepticism. I believe they just want us to accept the rate increase, be quiet and go away.
Paul Zucker
Los Altos
