Letters: Regional plan | Wrong message | Women’s health | Poor leadership

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Regional plan could
bring discipline to VTA

Re: “Bay Area bailout of BART, MUNI goes off the rails” (Page A12, May 26).

Dan Borenstein’s May 26 column bizarrely omits the reason for VTA’s opposition: VTA is desperate to keep money at home because of poor choices on the BART to San Jose project that blew up the cost. Their proposed alternative to an area-wide measure isn’t nothing, it’s a VTA-only ballot measure that would further reward the worst transit agency in the region.

If MTC controls the money, they could force VTA to impose some fiscal discipline on the project using proven international building standards — using cut and cover to move the stations closer to the surface and eliminating the duplicate Santa Clara link. Fiscal discipline would mean less debt and more money for other Bay Area transit projects.

Maybe voters are facing “tax fatigue” because of mismanagement at agencies like VTA, covered by this news organization, that have worse farebox recovery than BART. This ballot measure would rein in their excesses.

Kevin Burke
Walnut Creek

New junior rodeo
sends wrong message

Salinas will host its inaugural Junior Rodeo on June 9. Bad idea, folks. Rodeo is condemned for its inherent cruelty by nearly every animal welfare group.

Junior Rodeos — like their adult counterparts — have almost nothing to do with ranching. It’s mostly hype, a macho exercise in domination. The Salinas Junior Rodeo will feature goat tying, calf riding, chute dogging, calf roping and more — all traumatic for the terrified animals, and dangerous for children and animals alike. Worse, it sends a terrible message to impressionable young children about the humane and proper treatment of animals.

The words of world-renowned animal behaviorist Dr. Temple Grandin deserve consideration: “The single worst thing you can do to an animal emotionally is to make it feel afraid. Fear is so bad for animals. I think it’s worse than pain.”

The United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales) outlawed rodeos back in 1934. Can the United States be far behind?

Eric Mills
Oakland

Health care often
endangers women

Re: “Health care for women is in a woeful state” (Page A6, May 15).

Mary McNamara’s article was illuminating and disturbing.

McNamara states that in the testing of drugs for women, there are “no long-term studies” and “very little medical research” done.

Products that come to mind:

Johnson & Johnson’s powder: The “talc” in it was found to cause ovarian cancer. Although revised, it is still being marketed. McNamara states this cancer ranks 12th regarding resources devoted to it.

Copper 7: Women tried out this intra-uterine birth control device during the 1970s and experienced debilitating side effects. It was taken off the market in 1984.

Bendectin: Used to counter prenatal nausea. When pregnant, I asked a pharmacist, “Is this safe?” His response: “It’s all we’ve got.” I later found out it can cause congenital birth defects. It was taken off the market in 1983.

Women, take nothing at face value.

Sharon Brown
Walnut Creek

Biden’s speech reveals
his poor leadership

What a dishonorable commencement address President Biden gave the graduates at Morehouse College in Atlanta.