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Thao’s budgetaims to keep talent

Re: “Budget aims to avoid drastic cuts” (Page A1, May 2).

I’m a Local 21 member working in the Department of Transportation as a public works supervisor and I’ve given the city of Oakland 26 years of faithful service. I thank Mayor Thao for balancing the budget while protecting the essential work I and my crews do every day, preventing layoffs and making an investment in the understaffing crisis we face in DOT and across the city.

We have been struggling to recruit and retain staff because past administrations have refused to address wage inequities. We see senior staff with institutional knowledge leave for other jurisdictions only to get paid more for the same or a lower position elsewhere.

The mayor’s budget proposal includes funding for a citywide analysis to find out where the city is falling behind so we can then focus our resources on making those jobs more competitive and keeping city employees from leaving and going elsewhere.

Rickey PersonsOakland

Critic of detentionsis short on solutions

Re: “Psychiatric detentions won’t help mental health” (Page A7, May 4).

Mr. Wipond’s essay is long on describing the problem but short on recommending solutions.

Forced psychiatric detention is a symptom of an ever-increasing problem. Cities and counties are unable to contend with a problem that is impacting citizens who go to work, comply with the rule of law and are good community members. If we as a society enable rampant homelessness, untreated mental health issues and crime, this problem will get worse.

Government leaders are desperate to design solutions. Mr. Wipond’s essay, like so many interest groups and social activists, doesn’t offer real solutions. Something has to give.

Peter CrossConcord

For mentally ill,detentions can help

Re: “Psychiatric detentions won’t help mental health” (Page A7, May 4).

If, like me, you have a relative with serious mental illness who was helped by hospitalization, you already know more than author Rob Wipond does.

Most people with schizophrenia do not believe they are ill. If they are evicted, take bad meth, are victims of violence, or are unable to treat their own wounds, Wipond would make that their fault. But our system gives people with the most serious mental illness no place to go but jail. The number of secure hospital beds has plummeted: The Treatment Advocacy Center found that the number of psychiatric beds in the United States went from 337 per 100,000 people in 1955 to about 12 beds per 100,000 in 2016.

To get medium-term inpatient treatment for serious mental illness under our system now, you very often have to commit a crime and be treated in jail, prison or (if you are lucky) Napa State Hospital.

Alison MonroeOakland

U.S. lacks the maturityfor unfettered gun rights

In regard to the Second Amendment and gun control, it is a fact that we do have a right to own guns. It is also a fact that we are not mature enough to exercise that right.

The fact that the pro-gun extremists cannot admit that gun access is a contributing factor to the rash of mass shootings and the rest of us just let them get away with this lie is proof that we as a society are not mature enough to exercise the right to own guns.

Peter DeLangFremont

Peace can’t fall onshoulders of Israel

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The commentary by David Matz (“I had feelings of disgust, guilt and shame over Israel’s actions,” Page A8, April 23) and the letter titled “We continue to defend indefensible Israel” (Page A6, May 4) fail to acknowledge that the Jewish people are indigenous to the land of Israel. The word “occupation” is simply untrue. It is like saying that the American Indians are illegally occupying American land.

The letter acknowledges that “Israel did seek peaceful compromise,” (at least five times) but that “each pro-peace government was followed by an anti-peace election.” The omitted reason for this is that each offer of peace from Israel was followed by waves of terror from the anti-peace Palestinians.

There are approximately 50 Muslim-majority countries in the world. If and when Palestine is granted statehood, it will be another. The Jewish people are sovereign only in the land of Israel, which is the size of New Jersey. Jews shouldn’t be so eager to ignore Israel’s security requirements and give the land away for nothing.

Sheree RothPalo Alto