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Article missed chanceto examine traffic deaths

The title of Sunday’s article (“San Jose broke its record for traffic fatalities in 2022. Why?” Page A1, Jan. 1), promised insights into the causes of rising traffic fatalities, but failed to deliver.

It never mentioned – nor analyzed – the record spike in traffic deaths nationally every year since 2019, as chronicled by the U.S. Department of Transportation and many national publications.

A less myopic view might acknowledge larger forces at work, and identify those cities and approaches uniquely bucking this national trend. It might consult the opinions of independent traffic safety experts comparing best practices to San Jose’s strategies. It might identify tools available elsewhere, like automated speed enforcement, that California prohibits.

Making our streets safer requires all of us – policymakers, the press and the public – to dive deeper than the comfort of the shallow end.

Sam LiccardoFormer mayor City of San Jose

Towers are too bigfor proposed site

Re. “‘Transit village’ eyed for downtown,” Page B1, Dec. 27:

The article designated the 900 block of North First Street as being a location for 12-story housing towers. This specific area calls for 4-story structures. Even this height would be a challenge to design with the setbacks and tiered-height limitations in this part of the transit village.

This specific area, the 900 block, has established one- and two-story residential homes butting up to the commercial properties. A solid 12-story monolith building on the property behind our neighborhood would cast a shadow for lengthy times of the day if not all day rendering residents’ privacy and backyard enjoyment nonexistent, and make solar panels already on roofs useless.

The taller building towers are designated on the west side of North First Street and closer to the Highway 87 freeway as well as the properties between East Mission and East Hedding. This would impact less the current characteristic of the established residential neighborhoods.

Antonina EttareSan Jose

False alarm costsdiscourage police calls

While I was traveling internationally, my home security alarm went off, possibly due to a low battery on one of the sensors. When I returned, I had an $87 invoice from the “Santa Clara False Alarm Reduction Program.”

In my opinion, this is a bad idea. I am helping the city reduce crimes by spending my money, which I should not have to do after paying taxes. I get the purpose of the program, but it should be for repeat offenders, not once in a while.

Now I have called my monitoring company and changed my options not to contact police, which defeats the purpose. It is always more efficient to quickly check instead of investigating a crime scene.

The program should reconsider giving a few warnings and how much they should charge for the first few false alarms so that people are not forced to make a decision not to call police.

Ramchandra KhapardeSanta Clara

Why make a mockeryof Christmas?

The recent Mercury News decision to put the only vestige of a Christmas greeting on your opinion page (Page A10, Dec. 25) was an unbelievably poor decision and offensive to Christians.

That whole page was cartoons mocking political issues ultimately suggesting the idea of Merry Christmas should be mocked as well.

I remember when The Mercury News used to put it on the front page as a celebration not a mockery. I can only imagine if you had degraded another religion or belief in this way.

Greg HolsenSan Jose

Pardon Trump sowe can move on

Now that Donald Trump has been investigated and all his crimes displayed for us to see it’s time to ask President Biden to issue a pardon for any and all crimes.

A pardon would allow us to begin the healing process to repair our damaged political fabric. President Ford had the foresight to pardon Richard Nixon, another criminal president.

Let’s move on and get Trump off our screens and out of our lives. Political and social shunning is the only effective punishment for Donald J. Trump.

David MatuszakGilroy

Ukraine aid isprudent spending

Re. “House passes $1.7 trillion spending package,” Pare A1, Dec. 24:

House members did their duty to submit a spending bill including some $45 billion in aid to Ukraine. It seems a large amount for a nation that hasn’t been an ally or major trading partner to the United States and has a rather spotty record on corruption and human rights when Americans are struggling with needs for housing, education, food, utility and medical costs for both citizens and noncitizens.

But let’s trust our elected officials to ensure Ukrainian relief will be spent at least as effectively and transparently as our successful aid to Iraq and Afghanistan. This is likely just a down payment on what will be even greater requests for future rebuilding efforts.

Eric JohnsonSan Jose