Council lacks climate courage
I went to the Camarillo City Council meeting on May 13. I came in support of the resolution that Climate First: Replacing Oil & Gas (CFROG) was asking the council to support.
What I saw was a dedicated, hopeful, and hard-working group of young adults asking the council to recognize their pain, fear, and desire for a better future. The resolution asked the council to recognize climate change and climate justice as issues of importance to Ventura County, and to continue transitioning to renewable energy sources.
This was too high a bar for the council to approve. The council’s arguments in defense of their position were weak and shameful. They said they could not vote for the resolution because there was no oil drilling in the city limits, so that they had to stay in their lane.
If my neighbor is poisoning my land and children, I might get the courage to ask my neighbor to stop. Apparently, our elected city officials do not feel that this is their responsibility.
Vote in November.
Kathy Flynn, Camarillo
A lack of respect for nature
I am so glad people get out and enjoy nature — hiking on a trail, visiting a beautiful park, or swimming in the ocean after sunbathing on a warm, sandy beach.
I never understood those who bring a loud boom box along. I would think that defeats the whole purpose. People nearby who come for peace and quiet are forced to move away just to enjoy their surroundings.
This might be how wildlife feels when large, loud groups of people come running through their quiet habitats, wearing bright headlamps at night.
These full moon runners may think that advertising the event on social media makes it “the more, the merrier” — a fun experience for all — but it’s not. It affects not only the wildlife, but also the neighborhoods where these trailheads begin and end. Hiking should be done in small groups, quietly, on the trails from dawn to dusk.
We need to respect our neighbors and our wildlife. Please stop being a nuisance, stop being intrusive, and stop being invasive.
Maria Erickson, Oak View
Tax increase is hypocritical
When you do not have enough money, I believe, you work more efficiently with your budget and cut your expenses. Especially in tough times like these, we have all experienced that if you cannot pay for it, then cut it.
Unlike our citizens, who have been suffering year-over-year inflation and saw their money evaporate, our city’s income has actually increased just as much as inflation has. Prices go up, the sales tax goes up over these sales just as much.
For the city to now ask their citizens for any increase in sales tax is hypocritical. Residents in Ventura are already having difficulty making ends meet and now the city, that has had their pay increase already, is asking for even more at the citizens’ expense?
To then label this 1% increase as “modest” goes beyond insulting and deceiving. A 1% additional tax over the existing 7.75% tax is not 1%; it is actually 1% divided over 7.75% = 12.9% increase. Not only does Mr. Bill Ayub need some math lessons, if it was up to me, he would also need a new job. Because lying to and stealing from your citizens in these difficult times is something that we cannot have from our city manager, that on top of it all, unbelievably, claims to listen to these same citizens.
Lou Vergeer, Ventura
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Disappointed in council, disrespecting nature, tax hike | Letters
Reporting by Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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