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State should relenton catalytic converters

Many lives have been disrupted by catalytic converter theft, and the damage is worse in California, where a special, expensive, California-only replacement unit is required.

The wait time for replacement units is growing. It appears that this is a crime that the police cannot control. The replacement cost and wait time would be reduced by more than half if a generic replacement could be used.

It is time for the state Air Resources Board to issue an emergency ruling that a generic catalytic converter can be used to replace a stolen unit.

Dave ArmstrongSan Jose

Calls for more housing,but where are workers?

The build it and they will come slogan may be false optimism. As Dan Walters reports in “California’s job numbers are more complex than Newsom is saying,” Nov. 27 (Page A17), there is a labor force crisis. Labor force participation has shrunk.

With the aging of the population, there is a continuing decline in able workers. Immigration has declined. Employers are finding it difficult to find workers. Restaurants and small retailers have closed because they couldn’t find staff. The sheriff of Tehama County has cut day patrols because of a shortage of deputies. Many of the state’s police and sheriff’s departments cannot fill their empty positions.

Every day I read about construction projects to build more retail and offices. I wonder who will come to work. I think either we start to think small or start to import service workers like Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Ken ColsonSan Jose

Support bill to helpfarms cut emissions

Many thanks for publishing John Hartnett’s Nov. 29 op-ed, “Agriculture and food industries face tyranny of numbers.” (Page A6) I agree that innovation is an important way to tackle climate change causes, including agricultural emissions. Just as vital are policies that support farmers’ efforts to reduce and offset emissions.

The Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA) passed the Senate in June 2021 with overwhelming bipartisan support. It will help farmers, ranchers, and foresters understand and access lucrative carbon markets to reduce emissions and boost farm income. Climate change is already impacting California farmers, and the GCSA would help them benefit financially as they become part of the solution.

I appreciate the support of the 19 California members of Congress who have co-sponsored the bill, and I urge all House representatives to vote yes to pass the bill.

Sarah HubbardSan Mateo

CPUC must grow spineon NEM 3.0 update

The California Public Utilities Commission is legally obligated to reduce the compensation paid to rooftop solar owners for the excess electricity they export to the grid. The NEM 2.0 rate structure is simply too generous, and utility costs are being shifted to ratepayers who do not enjoy the economic benefits of solar panels.

It is a fair, overdue reform. Solar installations will continue to pay for themselves in about nine years; if you demand a faster payback period than that, you don’t get to claim that you care about climate change.

Cynical rooftop solar advocates believe that the CPUC is controlled by the wicked utilities and that the reform is a diabolical plot to “kill rooftop solar.” The CPUC has already moderated NEM 3.0 in response to their hysterical protests, and now it’s time for the agency to show political courage and finalize its sensible proposal.

Doug PetersonSan Jose

Urge Congressto update SBA

As the owner of Andytown Coffee Roasters, a small business in San Francisco, I recently joined thousands of small business owners from across the United States calling on Congress to modernize the Small Business Administration to reflect today’s economy.

Congress last reauthorized the SBA in 2004 before small business operations were revolutionized by the internet, smartphones and online retail. We need an SBA that reflects those changes and helps small businesses survive and thrive by equipping us with tools to succeed — from improving entrepreneurial development and access to capital programs to upgrading outdated technologies to allow expanded online offerings and efficient communication with small business owners. The potential upside of SBA reauthorization is huge, benefitting Bay Area and California communities and the country.

Please support small businesses this holiday season by joining me and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices community in calling on Congress to modernize the SBA.

Lauren CrabbeSan Francisco

Include more conservativevoices on Opinion pages

I’ve been reading the Mercury News for 45 years. I especially like reading the opinion pages and comics. I especially leanuts, Doonesbury, Millard Fillmore, Pearls, Pickles and Wallace. I find them always funny, and often the humor is based on everyday situations.

I also like almost all opinions, and I especially like the political opinions of Dan Walters, Victor Davis Hanson and Marc Thiessen. I find them a bit more fact-based than some of the more progressive opinion writers. But I enjoy reading all the opinions because they give me a wide range of opinions to consider.

I am a bit disappointed because The Mercury News has reduced the frequency of publishing Hanson and Thiessen. Ignore your “book burner” subscribers who only want to see opinions and comics that reflect their views. You’ll be surprised by how many readers are more conservative and open-minded.

Brian McCormickSan Jose