Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for July 11, 2024

Measure A funds should go to ranches, dairy farms

I have lived in Marin since the 1950s and remember when bottled milk with cream on top was delivered with a cardboard sealer.

Today, thanks in part to the Marin Agricultural Land Trust and Measure A funding, Marin has a flourishing local food movement. I value this because, as part of our effort to control climate warming, we are encouraged to eat locally.

One of the many great things about living in Marin is our access to locally grown and produced organic meat, eggs, butter, milk, cheese, yogurt and, most recently, kefir. I love that I can buy local organic milk and kefir in glass containers. They do not leach microplastics and the bottles are returnable. Doing this helps put a small dent in the plastic crisis.

Animals raised here live in more humane conditions than those at big factory farms. Chickens run free over pasture and cattle graze our rolling hills.

If you don’t buy local organic meat, dairy and other produce, I hope you would think about those of us who are trying to make better choices for animals, our health and our climate future. I support MALT for helping make these choices possible.

Our local organic ranchers and farmers are not making exorbitant profit. Most struggle to come out ahead. I appreciate MALT’s support for carbon farming to sequester it in pastureland. It offers many ranching programs to help with water conservation, habitat restoration and climate resilience.

These are the gifts. This is how we all benefit from MALT and Measure A agricultural funding.

— Julie Carlson, Mill Valley

Community is showing interest in Alto Tunnel plan

I strongly disagree with people who assert that using mathematics and “common sense” result in a negative cost-benefit ratio for reopening Alto Tunnel to pedestrian and cyclist travel between Mill Valley and Corte Madera.

I believe otherwise because I personally gathered hundreds of signatures during the Sausalito Art Festival in favor of reopening it.

I suspect that signatures are just a tiny fraction of those supporting this “rails to trails” project. I take it to show that there is a huge pent-up demand for walkers and bicyclists to use the Alto Tunnel.

By using federal funds from the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Project, Marin can be a model for other communities. I hope to promote the increased use of bicycles by locals and tourists alike. Learn more about the project at bit.ly/3LeRfPR.

— Christopher H. Lang, Fairfax

Biden set to join list of those making big mistakes

President Joe Biden is failing to acknowledge that his problem has morphed from concerns about his ability to serve to his electability. The issue has become circular, the very reason that led to the need for him to step down is the same reason why he refuses.

I believe the critical nature of this situation was spawned by three people: 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and former President Barack Obama.

I believe that Clinton lost to Donald Trump because she permitted her campaign to turn complacent and sloppy. Ginsberg selfishly refused to do what’s best for the county by stepping down and allowing her seat to be filled by a different president. Obama relied on official channels to deal with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell during the blocked nomination of Merrick Garland. The dispute should have been settled unofficially by respective staff members behind the scene well in advance of going public.

Biden is well on his way to becoming the fourth member of the group. Moreover, there are no short term avenues to recover from the errant actions of the Supreme Court. Even if Trump loses in November, his supporters will still be here post election. Our country has proven to be remarkably resistant. It better be.

— Steve McClure, Larkspur

Why don’t standards apply to Donald Trump?

I continue to have concerns about Donald Trump as a presidential candidate. If Hillary Clinton was found guilty of 34 counts of falsification of business records five months before the election when she was the nominee in 2016, there is no way she would have been allowed to stay in the race.

Before voting, ask yourself if you would be able to get away with the behavior which you are witnessing by our powerful individuals. If you can’t, they can’t.

— Karla Kvam, San Rafael