So let us begin anew, remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate. -more-
It’s tax time again. The cover of the New Yorker depicts IRS forms folded into the shapes of missiles, warplanes and tanks, in case anyone has any doubts about where most of their taxes are being wasted. On the inside, another cartoon: Robin Hood sitting in the office of his accountant, who says “You have to declare what you rob from the rich, but you can deduct what you give to the poor.” -more-
If corporations are threatened to be taxed or regulated by the government in ways that may reduce their profits, they use their riches to invest on K Street (otherwise known as “Lobbyist Boulevard”) in Washington. Currently, there are over 34,000 lobbyists in the United States. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the Citizens for Tax Justice, and Public Campaign, “41 companies (including GE, Microsoft, and Disney) ‘contributed’ $150 million to political parties and campaigns for U.S. Federal candidates between 1999 and 2001, and enjoyed $55 billion in tax breaks in three tax years alone.” The pharmaceutical industry employs the highest number of 3,000 lobbyists and has spent $759 million to influence 1,400 congressional bills between 1998 and 2004. -more-
Mark Sapir’s angry April 6 commentary about KPFA includes the following sentence: “When people...behave provocatively and are unwilling to clarify and negotiate over their differences within the institution, this advances the surreptitious attack on KPFA.” -more-
The superior court’s decision should ensure that the UC-City settlement continues to receive deserved examination, both legally and politically. That is because one premise of the court’s judgment—that the city could lawfully cut the public out of the settlement of a significant CEQA case—conflicts with the leading appellate decision on that subject, and thus deserves its own appellate review. -more-
It is indeed exciting for an alumnus of UC Berkeley to read in the Daily Planet stories related to citizens’ concern for greener and sustainable development in Berkeley city, particularly the stories on Sustainable Berkeley and the People’s Park renovation. -more-
If Berkeley is to lead the world in greatly reducing emissions, the city needs to set a target year of 2020 rather than the 2050 of Measure G. The looming crisis of climate change requires swift action. We can reduce emissions most effectively with a green tax shift. -more-
There has been much discussion recently on the merits of the proposed development of the Oak-to-Ninth waterfront. -more-
Marc Sapir’s April 6 commentary is an amalgam of factual inaccuracies, crisis-mongering, and unprincipled attacks on my character. That Sapir has launched an ad hominem attack on me is no surprise, given his track record of lashing out at KPFA staff for the past several years. But I was surprised that he chose to both agent-bait and red-bait me (and, bizarrely, my parents), in an attempt to discredit my work as KPFA’s interim program director. -more-
As a University of California Berkeley student and an avid supporter of the Cal Football team, I support the plan to construct a new training center for our student-athletes and to seismically upgrade Memorial Stadium. I believe that the successful completion of this project will benefit the school and the city. A highly successful athletic program brings in more money to the university, and the subsequent development of the area can help the city by potentially increasing the tax base. -more-
Do we need fewer oaks and more jocks? UC Berkeley seems to believe that we do. There is a plan to tear down a woodland grove of coast live oaks and several redwoods only to build a new sports training facility. Although these oaks are protected under the City of Berkeley’s Live Oak Protection Ordinance, the university claims that because it is a state institution they are “not obliged to obey local environmental laws.” A grassroots citizens’ campaign has sprung made up of various leaders, students, and community members to pressure the university to reconsider, look for other sites to build the facility, and save the oaks! -more-
“You’re Never Too Old to Camp.” Ha! In response to Marta Yamamoto’s article in the March 13 edition, I have to say that I was already too old in my 20s to go camping. No one I grew up with in Atlanta in the 1930s and 1940s had gone camping or intended to go camping ever. In the early 1950s, when I was a college student, I had a brief experience as a counselor at a summer camp for children, and one night I camped on the ground with a group of children. -more-
We hear news every day about the “greening” of our world. Architects are designing with green materials, contractors are installing recycled floors, and appliances are put into kitchen and laundry rooms that use less energy. People buy products (from light bulbs to clothing) that show that we care for our environment. Some days it seems overwhelming! “What can I do about it?” can seem daunting. -more-
Where is all of this green stuff taking us? Who is in charge? Is this a Green Revolution? I’m waist deep in this sustainability muck and I haven’t a clue. Many say that time is short. The problems are huge—that there are more problems to fix than Gore’s climate challenge. Some suggest that drastic measures to control the planet’s population are required stop the destruction of our natural resource base. The list of problems is endless. -more-
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