16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY august 3-9, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Keeping Secrets Your story on the secrecy of reports on compliance with the conditions in the Monterey County Jail is a perfect example of the importance of a free press in our system (“Reports on conditions at the Monterey County Jail remain secret. It’s past time to change that,” posted July 26). Sadly, this necessity has been diluted via political manipulations with “alternative facts” and outlets that portray opinions as facts and then hide behind a legal shield claiming they are entertainment. I wonder what Wellpath is afraid of, spending its resources to push against releasing these reports. Most of us would not even know this was happening without your work (and the work of other honest news agencies). Thank you to you and the rest of the staff at the Monterey County Weekly. Your work has never been more important as the institutions and policies that ultimately protect our freedom in this country are (sadly) sailing dangerous waters these days. Berj Amir | Seaside Thank you to the Weekly for your involvement in this important case (“A court battle over sealed reports detailing conditions at Monterey County Jail escalates,” July 27-Aug. 2). Great to have you recognizing how important individual rights and transparency are! Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts | Carmel Leadership Change I don’t know what was going on with Ben Harvey, but I have to admit, I am not a fan (“The Pacific Grove City Council and its city manager agree to part ways,” posted July 28). Pacific Grove residents were overwhelmingly against putting cannabis dispensaries in the city. The City Council voted the idea down multiple times. And yet, somehow, Ben Harvey kept resurrecting it, presenting it as a revenue opportunity. Meanwhile, it was obvious that a) dispensaries would be a threat to P.G. children; b) no one is going to come to P.G. dispensaries from out of town when other cities are more freeway-accessible; and c) the dispensaries would be a threat to public safety as they would attract crime. As for the revenue opportunity, surely P.G. can do better than stores that dispense drugs and alcohol. I’m happy to see Harvey go, but I wish we didn’t have to pay him $400K on the way out. I hope the next city manager is better. Rich Smith | Pacific Grove Your blatant bias in favor of Harvey does not become you, Pam [Marino]! Reporter? I think not! We Pagrovians finally elected a City Council that ended this farce of a self-serving city manager. Inge Lorentzen Daumer | Pacific Grove This breaks my heart. From my point of view, he was totally bullied out of Pacific Grove. Kelsea Richmond | Pacific Grove Rent Rising The July 18 Marina City Council meeting proposal to raise rents on Preston and Abrams long-term residents who are likely seniors, retirees and working-class families to match the regional egregiously high rents is disgraceful (“Marina City Council raises rents at city-owned housing complexes, and opens the door for more,” July 27-Aug. 2). Per the U.S. Housing and Urban Development, Monterey County rents have increased by an average of 48 percent over the last two years while the Consumer Price Index increased only by 10.5 percent in the same period. This clearly shows that rent increases are not about owners recouping increased costs, or a fair rate of return, but is due instead to pure greed that pushes people into homelessness. Evidently, the City of Marina wants to match that greed and create even more unhoused. Paula Pelot | Marina Note: Pelot is a member of the Preston & Abrams Parks Tenants Association. Shame on Marina City Council for contemplating not being part of the solution but rather contributing to homelessness and workers leaving the region. Making hundreds of residents in these subdivisions worry if they will be priced out is deplorable. If the city isn’t spending its budget smartly, that burden is not to be placed on these residents as they continue to add million-dollar, market-priced homes like The Dunes. Esther Malkin | Monterey Note: Malkin is founder of Monterey County Renters United. Unhealthy Relationship I call bullshit (“Salinas Valley Health and Anthem Blue Cross, at a negotiation stalemate, prepare thousands of patients to go out-of-network,” posted July 27). Anthem Blue Cross putting the squeeze on our local healthcare providers is typical of the corporate profiteering, and puts lives at risk. We see what they are paying out to our doctors when we receive an explanation of benefits. They aren’t dealing in good faith. Trish Sohlé | via social media Policing the Police I’m all for this much-needed oversight committee, mostly because I feel it will help provide transparency and direct communication between the agency and the community (“The public weighs in to support the creation of a sheriff’s oversight committee,” posted July 28). Derek Dean | via web Thank you for reporting this accurately and with sensitivity and discretion. Anabel Chavez | Watsonville Let Them Eat Cake That’s a great story (“Cake4Kids delivers their 1,000th cake, a reminder that everyone deserves to celebrate their birthday,” posted July 25). Thank you very much. Stanley Mellin | via email Clarification A caption on The Buzz Page (“Weekly Tally,” July 20-26) implied that the entire cost of agreement was just the pay increase. Per the city of Monterey’s MOU with the Monterey Police Association, the city pays $7.8 million in year one and $8.2 million in year two for all salaries, including 4-percent increases each year—those dollar amounts are totals, not just the raises. Letters • CommentsOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@mcweekly.com. Please keep your letter to 150 words or less; subject to editing for space. Please include your full name, contact information and city you live in.
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