As Modesto’s population grows, what does responsible development look like? | Opinion

Responsible growth

“These California housing markets are the ‘most overpriced’,” (modbee.com, April 22)

The Bee reported that Modesto is the most overpriced housing market in California. Modesto, Fresno and Bakersfield rank in the top six.

Looking to the future, local leaders must balance two important considerations: First, housing costs may continue to rise. In 2006, the Public Policy Institute of California projected that the Valley would double in population. Recent Employment Development Department statistics show job growth in San Joaquin Valley (1.9%) outpacing California as a whole (0.6%) from 2019-2023. The Central Valley will continue to grow, and we must build housing to decrease costs.

The second — and equally important — consideration is that global populations continue to grow, just as agriculture and farming by acreage decreases in the USA. We lost 21 million acres in the last five years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We must protect farmland.

Local leaders must handle population growth responsibly by building up our downtown areas with affordable, dense housing. Developers may push back, as profit margins on outward expansion are usually favorable to vertical downtown growth. But if local leaders fail to meet this task, suburban sprawl will continue to consume our agricultural interests.

Modesto cannot become a suburban extension of the Bay Area.

Armand Ash

Modesto

Observing Memorial Day

“A veteran’s daughter shares the importance of Memorial Day,” (modbee.com, May 27, 2019)

Memorial Day honors the military personnel who died while performing military duties.

“For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue,” said U.S. President James A. Garfield on May 30, 1868.

Let us not forget and disregard the importance or purpose of this holiday. Make your Memorial Day observation meaningful and remember those who are no longer with us. Let’s show our gratitude for those who died while protecting our country.

Linda Countryman

Modesto

Opinion

Schooling SCOTUS

“Supreme Court set to hear arguments over Trump immunity in Jan. 6 election interference case,” (modbee.com, April 24)

I watched the quote-unquote Supreme Court perform superb ratiocination for what seemed like hours, consisting of shared idiocy regarding Donald Trump’s machinations.

We’re all waiting for them to learn how to read the First and Second Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. First Amendment: Church rules only apply to churches. If we don’t like their rules, we quit. End of problem.

Second Amendment: To possess firearms, we must belong to a “well-regulated militia” (now called the National Guard).

Ken Garst

Turlock

Water abuse

“Californians have a right to safe water, yet many don’t have it. Is help on the way?” (sacbee.com, May 1)

Opinion columnist Tom Philp is absolutely right that California has a moral imperative to ensure that all of our residents have access to safe, clean water despite our state’s water system failing many of us. We need our leaders to take on the extractive industries that are putting our water at risk in the first place: fossil fuels and industrial agriculture.

It takes 142 million gallons of water a day to maintain dairy cows on California’s mega-dairies. From January 2018 to March 2021, the oil and gas industry used more than 3 billion gallons of freshwater for drilling operations — the equivalent of more than 120 million showers.

If we consider water to be a human right, Gov. Gavin Newsom must continue to rein in the abuse of water by corporate agriculture and the fossil fuel industry.

Chirag Bhakta

California director, Food & Water Watch

San Francisco

Proposal for the UC

“Sacramento State students create encampment for Palestine,” (sacbee.com, May 2)

Regarding current student protests: Establishing a UC Student Council on Human Rights, which would provide advice to the UC Regents, could be a positive step forward. This council could help address the concerns of students and faculty while ensuring the university’s academic mission is not disrupted. The council could also provide a platform for students to engage in peaceful and respectful dialogue, rather than resorting to violent or disruptive tactics.

Gov. Gavin Newsom could potentially benefit from being associated with the establishment of such a council, as it would demonstrate his leadership and commitment to human rights and social justice.

Jim Frazier

Camarillo