16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 12-18, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com ABCS Bruce Taylor’s $250 “Golden Ticket” incentive for Salinas third-graders may come from a well-meaning place, but paying kids to read is not the solution to our literacy crisis (“Bruce Taylor is betting that cash can help incentivize kids to learn to read,” May 29-June 4). Research shows extrinsic rewards can actually harm long-term motivation. We should be fostering a love of reading, not turning it into a transaction. Even more troubling is Taylor’s claim that teachers’ unions are to blame for poor educational outcomes. This scapegoating ignores the real challenges—poverty, underfunded schools, and systemic inequality. Unions often advocate for smaller class sizes, better training and support for students— solutions that actually move the needle. If we want lasting change, let’s invest in classrooms, not cash prizes. Public education needs thoughtful reform—not business-style gimmicks. Maggie Power | Salinas While I agree that improving education starts at the local level with parents more involved, it is not as simple as giving cash for reading. As the owner of Sylvan Learning, a credentialed teacher, and a History/ DSPS instructor at Hartnell, I work with students from pre-K to adult. Students need direct instruction in reading, math and writing. I would love to talk to Mr. Taylor about education and improving education in Salinas. Cary Swensen | Salinas While this idea seems well intentioned, it just doesn’t work. Kids need daily motivation, better teaching and regular exposure to books. The funds would be better suited for library or teacher programming. Or why not sponsor Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library which sends free books to children? Research shows that getting books in the hands of children is key to reading outcomes. Kim Smith | Monterey While I appreciate Mr. Taylor’s philanthropic efforts in our community, it’s hard to take his education policy philosophy seriously when he blames teachers unions and spends outrageous amounts on political candidates who want to make it harder for working-class families and teachers to afford to live here. Teachers unions advocate for fair and livable wages. I’d like to see more work being done to prevent displacement of students and teachers. The stress and uncertainty from our high cost of living can have direct impacts on test scores and education. Eric Palmer Sr. | Monterey Unfortunately too many parents may take the money for themselves and not hand it to the child. The parents will become incentivized, not the child. Reducing poverty and roadblocks to prosperity help reduce the roadblocks to better nutrition, healthcare, childcare and education. Teachers unions are not to blame. Marta Martinez Fife | via social media SEEING RAINBOWS I am hearing from my friends around town that they are willing to donate privately (“A rainbow crosswalk proposed in Monterey has drawn a surprising amount of criticism,” posted June 2). My family just returned from a trip to Iceland where my daughter and I took a photo on their rainbow street! That’s right, they have a whole lovely street right in the center of town, painted with a rainbow. It’s a great way to celebrate being a welcoming community. Laura Nagel | Monterey A LEADER’S WORTH While I understand the importance of removing barriers to civic participation, it’s important to distinguish between support and subsidy (“Former P.G. councilmember pursues a referendum on decision to raise council compensation,” posted June 3). It’s about having enough free time to be competent and effective. Money doesn’t buy you more time! Council needs to re-evaluate how decisions are being made and to place greater value on transparency, fiscal responsibility and genuine community input. The people of Pacific Grove deserve nothing less. Christie Italiano-Thomas | Pacific Grove ADD UP There’s been a lot of criticism about the City of Monterey’s budget and staff salaries lately (“Letters,” May 29-June 4). But I ask those raising concerns: what’s your proposed solution? Engineering assistants in our region make more in the private sector than the City can offer. If we want to attract and retain skilled staff, we must offer competitive pay, not cut salaries. Some say the City should budget like a household, but public finances aren’t the same. And let’s not forget that U.S. household debt recently hit $18.2 trillion, with nearly half of Americans carrying credit card debt. Is that really the model we want for local government? We deserve a city that’s well-run and staff that are fairly compensated. Let’s focus on real solutions. Chelsea Lenowska | Monterey FUND FORWARD This was a thoughtful piece (“Federal cuts are just too big for personal philanthropy to offset the damage,” posted May 27). The work [United Way] is doing is inspiring. I think it’s the right direction to go for many reasons, and on many levels. If “our seeming inability to fix any of it” is in part frustration over the Big Beautiful Bill, I too am frustrated. My core belief is the U.S. must stop spending what it doesn’t have in order to sustain the greatest nation in history. I was thinking billionaire philanthropy might help fill in the gaps. I don’t think higher taxes would help—it would go directly to paying down debt/reducing the deficit. James Macfarlane | Big Sur GIVING BACK Fantastic job on capturing the essence of Nicole Gillott in Living Well magazine (“Stroke survivor Nicole Gillott uses her experience to help others who are facing hardships,” 202526 edition, published on May 29). [Photographer Daniel Dreifuss and writer Erik Chalhoub] both did a wonderful job. Much appreciation. Paul M. Finnegan | Carmel Valley 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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