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Yes on Measure Yfor the Oakland Zoo

One of the measurements of a community is how we treat our animals. The Oakland Zoo is always ready to accept, rehabilitate and rehome wildlife that needs help. In the past five years, the Oakland Zoo has rescued 17 mountain lions, eight bears, over 600 yellow-legged frogs and many more.

Our zoo has also cared for 36 critically endangered California condors. If you have ever been lucky enough to see a wild condor while in Pinnacles or Big Sur, it’s possible that special bird you saw has made a lifesaving trip to Oakland Zoo’s veterinary hospital and been released back into the wild.

It’s this type of work that has made the Oakland Zoo the only zoo endorsed by PETA.

Please choose our local zoo. Join me in voting yes on Measure Y.

Kalla RokoffOakland

Vote for slate whobelieves in RHFD board

There should be a law prohibiting people from running for a position they want to get rid of. Steve Hill, who works for Con Fire, and is on the Rodeo Hercules Fire Department Board is running for the RHFD Board again. During 2021, Hill promoted the annexation of RHFD into Con Fire, an organization that serves over 753,000 residents.

Fortunately, Hercules and Rodeo residents have a choice this November to vote for the slate of Annie Cargo Ziff, Tara Shaia and incumbent Marie Bowman, who believe in the value of sustaining our Rodeo Hercules Fire District Board and fire department. As a resident of Hercules, I pay hundreds of dollars each year for Measure O to maintain our local fire department. Last year, at City Council and RHFD meetings, many spoke against annexation.

If you want to keep our Rodeo Hercules Fire District, please support the slate of Bowman, Cargo Ziff, and Shaia.

Sarah CreeleyHercules

Governor is right to callout greedy oil firms

Re. “Newsom targets runaway gas prices,” Page A1, Oct. 8:

Good for Gov. Newsom to go after our high gasoline prices. An industry spokesperson says that California only produces 29% of its own crude oil. Not mentioned is that another 15% comes from Alaska. The rest, coming from foreign sources, has been relatively cheap for months.

As for taxes on gasoline in California, per Newsom, ours are only about 30 cents per gallon higher than most other states. The argument that the demand for gasoline is up in California is also a bogus one. How does a perceived “demand” give the oil and gasoline industry the right to raise prices? Because it can?

In short, there is no reason for our gasoline in California to be up to $2.50 higher per gallon than in other parts of the country. I support our governor’s quest to find out why this is and/or to tax excess profits.

George FulmoreEmeryville

Consumers will paygas windfall tax

Re. “Newsom targets runaway gas prices,” Page A1, Oct. 8:

It is clear that our governor does not understand how businesses operate.

The money that oil companies use to pay taxes comes out of what we pay at the pump. In effect companies do not really pay taxes; they collect the taxes from us. If the state raises the taxes on oil company profits, the companies will raise the price of fuel to cover the additional taxes. To a company, taxes are just a cost of doing business.

Raising the taxes on oil companies only benefits the politicians in Sacramento giving them more of our money to play with.

Dennis MockelOakland

U.S. should negotiateend to Ukraine war

To honor Day of the Dead, end U.S. involvement in the Ukraine-Russia war. The war’s mounting dead can stop through a ceasefire and negotiated settlement. For those wanting victory for one side, how many more dead Ukrainians or Russians are tolerable? For those who say, Putin won’t negotiate, realize that Ukraine and Russia are negotiating prisoner swaps and grain shipments. Remember Ukraine and Russia began negotiations in March 2022, shelved at the behest of Britain and the United States.

Most frightening is the prospect of nuclear war. It is folly to think we can survive in any meaningful way. No matter who you are rooting for or who you think is at fault, it matters that we support a ceasefire and a negotiated settlement, if people want to survive.

To prevent a nuclear disaster, Americans can act by urging elected officials to support a ceasefire and negotiated settlement.

Eleanor LevineOakland

We must deal withEV battery dangers

Electric cars are becoming the future of the automotive industry. They are becoming more and more suitable to replace gas-powered cars. As it is, EVs are a tremendous step in reducing pollution. However, there is a serious underlying issue with EVs that isn’t talked about.

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The batteries used in most EVs are called lithium-ion batteries. Lithium has now become an incredibly desired resource due to EV production. An article from ABC7’s Juan Carlos Guerrero talks about the dangers of the disposal process of these batteries. In the article, Alissa Kendal states, “There are risks associated with these aged batteries or damaged batteries. Lithium-ion batteries that we use in electric vehicles are a fire hazard.”

Although EVs are a fantastic invention and genuinely can be a way to curb pollution, the issues with them must be brought into the light on a larger scale.

John MillerSan Ramon