Reading about the problems homeowners in manufactured home parks have in Santa Maria (“A long haul,” March 31) reminds me of the issues with these associations all over the state. Some county district attorneys have even gotten involved. San Mateo County attorneys tried to step in when a water park of houseboats lost their berths […]
Letters To The Editor
Coastal Commission, State Parks need accountability now more than ever
On March 21, the SLO Superior Court denied our motion requesting to intervene as defendants in the suit brought forth by Friends of Oceano Dunes and EcoLogic against the California Coastal Commission challenging its 2021 decision to ban most vehicle use in the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. The Oceano Beach Community Association is […]
The U.S. needs a fair, equitable overhaul of the income tax system
American taxpayers should be up in arms and madder than hell over the taxes they are paying every year. Our taxes are at 50 percent of our income per year. We must work until about May 15 (tax freedom day) each year just to pay our taxes. Most families must have two members working to […]
In the midst of COVID, where’s the Fourth Estate today?
Santa Barbara recently enjoyed a return of its International Film Festival. Films have played a legendary role in the culture of not only this country but internationally as well. It happened that the same week, Steven Spielberg’s movie The Post came up on my Netflix deliveries. Several things struck me. Spielberg … said it was […]
We support inflation, says no one anywhere ever
After reading Mr. Ron Fink’s opinion piece in the Opinion section of the Sun’s March 24 edition (“Our county needs change”), I am primed for the claptrap that follows the subhead, “Three county supervisors support inflation.” I would challenge anyone to ask any of the supervisors, or anyone with knowledge of how our socioeconomic systems […]
Democracy is dead in Santa Maria, ‘Waterfield Worm’ lives on in the city’s districts
The leaders of our City Council do not listen to the people of Santa Maria. Everyone who spoke to the council on the re-creation of our voting districts supported a change to four clear quadrants, so we could easily know our district and council person. Alice Patino and Etta Waterfield voted “no.” The mayor asked […]
Downsize the proposed Dana Reserve housing development
I am very much opposed to the development proposed in Nipomo (“Develop and preserve,” Feb. 17). I usually exit Highway 101 at Willow Road to avoid the traffic on Tefft Street. If this development goes through, the traffic at this intersection will increase dramatically. I also am appalled that the developer will be removing 3,400 […]
Santa Maria BMX racetrack brings back fond memories of home
I was feeling nostalgic for my hometown of Santa Maria and thinking of all the things that my family left behind and found your paper’s 2015 article on the Santa Maria BMX track (“Trick-less speed: Santa Maria BMX racing is alive and well,” March 31, 2015). My father and our family built that track back […]
No pot of gold
Why is it so important to save Diablo Canyon Power Plant from closing, from losing vital energy to sustain a reliable electrical grid, and avoid power shortages? As I have written many times before, there is no perfect source or solution to fill the needs for electric power. Every single one has environmental and or […]
Los Alamos is being subjected to development without planning
Los Alamos is a small town that relies on the county for governance. But we have been suffering under its bureaucracy and its unwillingness to admit obvious shortcomings of a development plan. And the county disbanded our planning advisory committee that might have reviewed this poorly conceived development project. More than 200 residents have signed […]
Federal pandemic aid falls short of helping seniors and the disabled
While it is commendable that the Biden administration has done much to aid families with children and those seeking work with the recently passed infrastructure bill and stimulus checks, that aid did nothing to help the elderly living on Social Security or the disabled who cannot work. Even if the Build Back Better bill is […]
Big energy fights solar
The Santa Barbara Planning Commission recently voted to deny ExxonMobil’s proposal to restart offshore drilling and truck oil to Kern County on the dangerous and windy route 166; in March the final decision will be voted on by the Board of Supervisors. Meanwhile, we face another threat to California’s goal of 100 percent clean energy […]

