14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com LIVE TO WORK Shit, we barely make that as a couple (“What is considered low income in Monterey County rises to over $115,000 for a family of four,” posted May 22). Kara McMullen | via social media My husband and I made good money for customer service workers in Monterey, but still couldn’t afford it when the new landlord wanted to charge $4,000 a month for a 2-bedroom/1-bathroom where I had been paying $1,750 for eight years without ever missing rent once. I’m still waiting for my deposit and the $4,000 I was promised for vacating quickly so they could close the sale. It cost us $10,000 to move to the East Coast. Jan Brown Lane | via social media Something that was not specifically called out in the article is that in every category of household size, the county median income is below what is considered low income for housing assistance. This means the majority of people are low-income. This is not sustainable. (Nothing new here, just more documentation that most people are struggling.) Disclaimer: with a white-collar job, I’m still “low income” and below median. And I’m fortunate enough to have that secure job and share housing costs with roommates. Nona Childress | Salinas GETTING OLD Thanks to Pam Marino for following this story (“A senior living company facing bankruptcy spins an elaborate web of companies,” May 22-28). I have lived at Park Lane for more than 10 years, watching it deteriorate. The food is terrible (I cook for myself), the maintenance appalling; the staff do not stay for long. I openly advise would-be residents to look across the street! Pacifica is a huge, multinational company. The owners (headquartered in San Diego) have no interest in Monterey—except to pull out the profits and build their empire. Jean Duff | Monterey CLASS WAR Gabriel Medina has demonstrated that he is more interested in his own political agenda than the welfare of the school district that he was elected to represent (“Pajaro Valley Unified School District brings back ethnic studies consultant, but faces internal rift,” May 22-28). His lack of respect for fellow board members, and the public are Trumpian. He has insulted members of the PVUSD and anyone who has the courage to speak against him and his agenda. Worse for us in the PVUSD, the current board has ratified this behavior by refusing to censure him. Now he threatens a lawsuit against his own district. I hope that the district stands firm and refuses to be intimidated by these tactics. If not, it will only get worse. Gilbert Stein | Aptos PENNY PINCHING Better not ask for more taxes. Learn to budget like the rest of us (“Monterey is facing a budget crisis with the costs needed to fix its aging city infrastructure,” May 15-21). Cheryl Robinson | Prunedale We need some DOGE over here! AnnaMarie Amaral Silva | via social media What would YOU do if your expenses exceed your revenue? Cut your expenses? Maybe get a second or third job? The City needs to cut out non-necessities. Things like the $400,000plus rental registry. Staff salaries in excess of $100,000 need to be reduced. Unused and under-used real estate should be sold. The Rental Assistance Program, while it is a nicety, helps a very limited amount of individuals per month. Cuts hurt, but are sometimes necessary. Taxpayers can only bear so much of the never-ending burden. Bonds enslave our grandchildren to repayment for decades. Susi Allen | Monterey HOME REPAIRS As a former tenant who lived at 359 Larkin St. for 20-plus years, it’s truly heartbreaking to see this once beautiful property falling into such a state (“Monterey property owner maneuvers to delay sale of his blighted property from prison,” May 15-21). I was there until the very end, slowly watching other tenants leave because of mold or other issues. Even though I’ve since moved, I’ll be interested to follow the progress of this situation, as I have fond memories of the many nice neighbors who came and went during my stay there. Best wishes to all involved. Derek Dean | via web BIG STAGE So excited for Sensory Tribe—they’re amazing (“Monterey band Sensory Tribe’s Cali Roots debut has its members fired up,” May 22-28). Lori Zaknich Bala | via social media KINDERGARTEN CLASS This is a heartwarming report, as I attended Monterey Park from first to fifth grades, and it’s nice to see the continuity (“Younger students have different options to enroll in transitional kindergarten programs,” May 15-21). It opened to students in 1956, when I entered first grade, and had only four classrooms, K-3. The following year, additional classrooms had been completed and served grades K-6. Let’s do all we can for our youngsters! Walter Wagner | Salinas DOG DAYS That is a beautiful tribute to an unsung hero (“RIP to Odie, a courthouse service dog who helped hundreds of crime victims,” posted May 26). Laura Bianchi Payne | Salinas FEDERAL FUNDING Such a clear and distinctive view of not only the impact federal cuts will have on our local community, but how uncaring and indifferent the people behind them are (“As they talk trillions in Washington, D.C., a look at the much smaller line items that matter locally,” posted May 21). How necessary a free press in this age of misinformation and intimidation. The Monterey County Weekly is doing a terrific job! Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts | Carmel Thank you for your tireless work. Thank you for being a journalist and reporting news that matters and affects all of us on the Central Coast. Heidi Towne | Salinas LETTERS • COMMENTSOPINION Submit letters to the editor to letters@montereycountynow.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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