Friday’s Letters to the Editor

Triple-digit heat

EDITOR: We in California should do like Arizona. When I asked why they stayed on standard time, I was told, “We don’t want any more sunshine.” I realize it is still the same amount of hours, but if sunset was an hour earlier, it would begin to cool an hour earlier.

The state also should make exceptions, when needed, to use a less than perfect form of electricity versus expecting us to suffer from the heat and cut back during a flex alert. It is easy enough to cut back on everything but the air conditioner.

In my case, living in a mobile home, the air conditioner is most effective when set at a constant temperature. Seventy-eight degrees is not a comfortable constant for sleeping.

Of course, I will never understand why the state demands new construction when we don’t have enough resources already. I’m sure some are laughing at us when we say it is time to go all-electric versus gasoline and clean natural gas cooking. Having a full tank of gasoline is comforting when we might be asked to evacuate in minutes.

JIM MANEY

Santa Rosa

‘Fairness’ and taxes

EDITOR: Sue Conley (“Adding staff at IRS,” Letters, Aug. 31) had it right up until the statement that Congress voted to “go after tax dodgers so that they pay their fair share.” The Internal Revenue Service goes after tax dodgers so that they pay their legally required taxes. There is no determination of “fairness” in IRS audits.

Pet peeve time. There is no mythical state of fairness in taxes. Congress makes changes in the tax code in pursuit of raising revenue, cutting taxes and giving tax breaks to stimulate various economic activities, etc. Fairness is advertised to get votes in Congress and reelection to Congress.

One would think that by all this time we would have a fair system of taxes. Do you think taxes are fair today? I want to pay my reasonably apportioned share of taxes. I suppose that would be fair.

DONALD ROWELL

Santa Rosa

Citizen training

EDITOR: I agree that police protocol for uncooperative subjects needs to be revised (“Improve police training,” Letters, Aug. 27). With that, officers may face training that includes procedures counterintuitive to their earlier training, resulting in a longer ramp up for changes. Something that often crosses my mind when I read of a citizen stop that goes wrong is citizen training. So many of us don’t know the consequences of reacting to police officers in a way similar to how we would react to other fellow citizens. This is where public education about police stops can make a huge difference in the outcome for both officers and citizens.

MEL KONRAD

Santa Rosa

Trust lawyers’ work

EDITOR: Your coverage of the Fire Victim Trust demonstrates a serious lack of understanding regarding the fire claims process and what the trust and its lawyers have accomplished on behalf of fire victims (“Fund lawyers seek to shield fees,” Aug. 27).

You fail to mention that after receiving proposals from numerous firms, the trust hired the best lawyers to pursue claims against others besides PG&E responsible for the fires, specifically to enlarge the fund to be distributed to fire victims.

Instead, your article mimics allegations of a single complainant, which only serves to confuse and enrage fire victims. You imply that these lawyers are paid as a part of the Trust Oversight Committee when in fact they are not. The lawyers are paid a contingency fee if and only if these cases result in an additional recovery of funds for fire victims. You wrongly imply that these fees deplete the existing fund; to the contrary, the work of these lawyers will only serve to enhance the fund available to fire victims.

As a fire victim myself, and as a lawyer who represents nearly 1,300 other fire victims, I expect more vigorous investigation and factual reporting, rather than false allegations regarding this important subject.

BRENDAN KUNKLE

Santa Rosa

Energy saving strategies

EDITOR: A letter from Ron Richardson, a regional vice president for PG&E, suggested five items that might lower your power bill (“Saving on energy bills,” Aug. 31). The first was to “pre-cool your home by running your AC in the morning or overnight.” This is like a tobacco executive suggesting you can quit cigarettes during the day by smoking more in the morning and evening.

Fortunately, the Bay Area has lower overnight temperatures that allow cooling our homes by simply opening some windows. An inexpensive portable fan can help move out the warm air of the day and bring in the cool air overnight. As daytime temperatures rise, you can close windows and curtains to reduce the heat of the day.

Further reductions in your bill can be achieved by investing in energy efficiency. Consider adding insulation as needed and replacing older air conditioning units with a more efficient heat pump. There are many online resources to help homeowners stay comfortable during the hot days of summer and avoid the pain of the next PG&E bill. Stay cool.

BRIAN GLYNN

Petaluma

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.