Letters: Transit taxes | Self-driving taxis | Drug ads | Trump first | Slim return

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Say no to more
taxes for transit

Re: “Ex-mayor: BART should be scaled down” (Page B1, Jan. 20).

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) recently voted to pursue legislation in Sacramento this year that would enable Bay Area voters to consider a transportation revenue measure as early as November 2026. Vote no.

Over the last several elections, voters in Santa Clara County have passed multiple tax and fee increases. All this nickel-and-diming contributes to making the Bay Area a horribly expensive place to live; especially for people of modest means, who must pay the greatest percentage of their income in these regressive taxes and fees. Each increase by itself does not amount to much, but the cumulative effect is to add to the unaffordability of the region.

Before increasing taxes yet again, waste needs to be removed from transportation projects. For example, we need to eliminate the redundant BART extension between the San Jose and Santa Clara Caltrain stations.

William Hough
Los Altos

Self-driving taxis
offer a safe option

Re: “Opposition rises over call for robotaxi expansion” (Page B1, Jan. 27).

Having automated vehicles available for seniors on the Peninsula will be a welcome transportation benefit.

My wife and I took our grandson on a Waymo ride in San Francisco last summer and we enjoyed it immensely: safe, respectful of everything moving and easy to use. Permits for Waymo need to cross all city boundaries to make them work. Medical visits alone require borderless rides throughout entire counties.

In Phoenix, Waymo has logged millions of safe AV miles with an accident record far better than humans and over 1,000 seniors have ridden Waymo AVs there, and love it.

Stew Plock
Palo Alto

Ban on drug ads could
save consumers cash

Re: “Ban advertising to lower drug costs” (Page A6, Jan. 26).

I couldn’t agree more with letter-writer Chris Worrall regarding his idea of a potential way to reduce prescription drug prices. In fact, I have been lobbying for this for years.

Banning tobacco commercials on TV occurred decades ago, and while there are still alcohol commercials, you will never see anyone actually drinking in the commercials, as that too was banned years ago. It should be up to your physician to prescribe the correct medication for your ailment, not the other way around.

The money saved on not airing commercials on TV could be turned into reduced prescription drug prices. This is a no-brainer.

Robert Szilasie
Gilroy

Trump likely to put
himself first, not nation

Donald Trump uses the slogan “America First.” Does he believe it or act that way? I think not.

He incessantly bragged about economic successes during his administration. Comments on America’s current economic success? Silence and total dismissal of Joe Biden’s even greater successes. Trump predicted a recession if he lost the 2020 election. Now he’s hoping for a crash.

Trump and his party complained and continue to complain about immigration, especially at the southern border: “Rapists, murders, invasions.” Now there is a bipartisan Senate bill to improve border security (more border patrol agents, better technology) and improve processing of asylum claims. Trump should be thrilled. Instead, he shouts, “Stop Senators. Don’t pass that. That would be ‘a win for Biden.’”

Trump first. Maybe the GOP first. Clearly not America first.

George Licina
Santa Rosa

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Slim return for
taxes is galling

Re: “Taxpayers feel they pay too much, get too little back, new survey finds” (Page A1, Jan. 29).

I don’t mind paying taxes if the money goes to what I believe in — helping others, schools, roads, libraries.

What I really resent is paying taxes that are funneled to states like Texas, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee, who then turn around and deliberately hurt people, and bad-mouth California and New York, who are actually paying their bills.

Ruth Crabtree
San Jose