12 hours ago
‘Idiocy': Sac PD must rectify situation with Sen. Sabrina Cervantes
'Sacramento police must apologize for harming a California state senator | Opinion,' ( May 30)
My wife and I live down in Riverside County, in Sen. Sabrina Cervantes' district. We know her and we believe in her. We believed immediately in the senator's protest because the allegation that she was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol was so preposterously out of character.
Aside from the city budget deficit, is this idiocy an example of what the Sacramento Police Department is wasting their time and taxpayers' money on?
To Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester: Shame on what your officers have been encouraged or taught to do. It just may backfire on the department when the city takes up the budget for next year.
Brian Finander
Moreno Valley
'Nine California Republicans voted for Trump's cruel budget bill. Remember them,' ( May 22)
Rep. Kevin Kiley claims to support Medicaid, but his vote for a congressional budget that guts the program tells another story. By backing cuts that threaten healthcare for millions — including over 100,000 of his own constituents — Kiley is turning his back on children, seniors and people with disabilities who rely on this essential lifeline.
He blames Medi-Cal expansion for the strain, but that's no excuse for dismantling a program that serves our most vulnerable. Even more galling, the same budget that slashes social safety nets hands massive tax breaks to the wealthy — ballooning the national debt while sacrificing essential services.
You can't claim to support Medicaid while voting to destroy it.
John Bergmann
Lincoln
'Nine California Republicans voted for Trump's cruel budget bill. Remember them,' ( May 22)
Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley just voted for the largest ever transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in American history. The budget bill they passed insures that the richest 0.1% percent will gain while the rest of us will lose vital services such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid. The most vulnerable among us — hungry and uninsured kids and seniors — will be directly affected; but the middle class will also see increasing home electric bills, health care premiums and costs and higher interest rates.
These cuts don't reduce the debt, they exist so billionaires can pay even less in taxes and buy more yachts. Republicans are solely focused on enriching billionaires, no matter the cost to you, me or the country.
Kiley's priority should be his constituents, not his wealthy donors.
Edward Farinsky
Browns Valley
'How Newsom wants to fill 'Trump slump' fueled $12B deficit,' ( May 14)
With annual state funding, the California Peer-Run Warm Line has been providing free emotional support to residents statewide 24/7 via phone, text or chat since 2019. Its success has enabled more growth: the CalHOPE and Spanish Warm Lines. March and April each saw nearly 40,000 contacts — about double their monthly average.
Why would we give up on such a vital resource seeing skyrocketing demand? The cuts in Gov. Gavin Newsom's May Revise are so severe that we would only be able to answer about 5% of requests for help, leaving tens of thousands to suffer in silence. We wouldn't be able to stay open.
We urge the Legislature to prioritize mental health and to fully fund the warm lines. Such investments often prevent people from going into crisis, which require more expensive treatment.
Mark Salazar
Mental Health Association of San Francisco
