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Preserving Seven Hills
boon for Walnut Creek
I was fortunate enough to be able to work with Walnut Creek citizens who created the existing Open Space. The passage of that bond issue spoke volumes about the residents of this incredible city, and set us apart from other ho-hum suburbs.
To repeat that effort and keep Seven Hills in its current state will do the same, once again–we will be admired and praised for preventing the city from slipping back and becoming pretty much just like every other Bay Area suburb.
Keeping Seven Hills as open space will make Walnut Creek unique among cities in the entire country; another cluster of homes will not.
Bruce Reeves
Walnut Creek
Democrats’ complacency
could unseat Newsom
Democrats, don’t become complacent and risk a GOP governor even for one year let alone a GOP replacement should something happen to Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
All voters, don’t encourage another estimated 276 million taxpayer dollars to be spent on future extra elections.
We have enough politics in our lives, and better ways to spend public funds. Turn in your mail ballot as soon as possible with a no on the recall.
Eloise Hamann
Dublin
Hold your vote until
write-in list revealed
The California Secretary of State Elections Division informed me that, on Part 2 of the recall ballot, if I want to vote for a write-in candidate, it has to be from their approved list that will be issued on September 3. Gavin Newsom will NOT be on that list.
For those of us who don’t want to vote for anyone listed on the ballot, wait until after September 3 to vote. It will be very interesting to see just who is on the write-in list and maybe some explanation as to how they were chosen.
Douglas Dray
Concord
GOP aims to capitalize
on crises; don’t let them
Re. “Recall Q&A,” Page A1, Aug, 14:
Winston Churchill said: “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. Disgruntled Californians were misled to believe that signing a petition to recall Gov. Newsom would improve their lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. Republicans are using the pandemic crisis to sway voters into a costly special election to oust the Democratic governor they worked hard to elect.
Breathe Californians and calm yourself. Don’t let the GOP use this crisis to manipulate you to do something you’ll regret later. We all saw the extreme measures the GOP is willing to take to try and wrest power from the Democratic Party during the Jan. 6 attack on our national government. This recall is another attack on our democracy.
We can defeat this new attack disguised as a recall by voting no on our mail-in ballots for the first question. Remember to sign and return your ballot before September 14.
Rosemary Obeid
Fremont
Recall could be ripe
for legal challenge
In the old joke about two men chased by a bear, one says, “We can’t outrun the bear.” The other says, “I don’t need to outrun the bear. I just need to outrun you.”
In the off-cycle election for governor (i.e., the recall), the bear’s name (Newsom) is not allowed on the ballot along with the people running to replace him. Otherwise, he would electorally maul them. This process disenfranchises every voter who favors Newsom.
The dean of the UC Berkeley law school and a law professor co-authored a newspaper op-ed arguing this violates the “one-person, one-vote” principle established by the Supreme Court in 1964, based on the “Equal Protection” clause of the Constitution. If the recall squeaks through, it should be vigorously challenged in court, and Newsom should remain in office until the matter is adjudicated or until next year’s general election.
John Walkmeyer
San Ramon
Not voting in recall
strengthen’s GOP
There are folks who do not want to recall Gov. Newsom, and they have decided not to vote at all. They are wrong.
If they don’t vote no on the ballot to recall the governor, they may be sorely disappointed when the people who do want to recall the governor get their way. They are motivated to get out and vote.
So don’t make that tragic mistake — if you don’t want the governor recalled, please vote, and vote no. It makes a huge difference.
Suzanne Barba
Oakland
Mailed survey casts
police in bad light
Having received in the mail an Impact Assessment Referendum on Potential Low Income Section Eight in Calle Enrique Area, I was completely shocked and dismayed by its fear-mongering message. It makes out welfare recipients, homeless people, ex-felons as people to be feared.
I have always supported the police, but if the National Police Association, who sent me this survey, expects donations to support such fear-mongering, I’m afraid I might have to change my position on “defunding the police”. Our local police departments should be concerned.
Irene Veit
Pleasanton
