The Sunnyvale Sun

Letters & Opinions

Letters

Caserta adheres
to Democratic
principles

I appreciate your coverage of the Democratic Primary for the State Assembly, District 22. Cody Kraatz has been the only local reporter to consistently write about this crucial race in Silicon Valley.

However, your characterization of Dominic Caserta does not reflect his Democratic record of service, especially his two terms on the Santa Clara City Council. "Business-friendly" and a "former Republican" implies 1) an anti-labor bias and 2) political opportunism.

Yet Dominic, a third-generation union member and high school civics teacher, is endorsed by the California Teachers Association, the California Nurses Association and a list of unions too long to mention here. He also favors universal health care and helped create Santa Clara's Green Power Program.

Dominic became a Democrat eight years ago because he realized the party of his father did not support his desire for equality and social justice. The city council is a nonpartisan body, so his rejection of the GOP before his first council run was about principles, not politics.

Dominic champions job creation and retention, especially clean, green jobs. What makes him unique is that he can work with diverse groups to make it happen.

Vic Vogler

Director of Policy and Communications

Dominic Caserta for Assembly

City leads the
way in reducing
greenhouse gases

The Sunnyvale Cool Cities Team joins the city council in expressing our appreciation to Sunnyvale's Green Businesses for their responsible, earth-friendly practices. We also wish to thank our city government for all they have done reduce greenhouse gas emissions from city government operations and facilities. The efficiencies they have implemented over the years have saved energy and dollars and shrunk our city's carbon footprint. We can all be proud that our municipal government now produces 17 precent less greenhouse gas pollution than it did in 1990 and plans for further reductions!

The challenge Sunnyvale now faces is that about 95% of greenhouse gases emitted within our city limits come not from city government, but from the community-at-large--from our homes, schools, businesses, and transportation. How will we organize to slash our community's greenhouse gas emissions in the limited time available?

On Earth Day 2008, we challenged council to lead a community effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from local buildings and transportation. We understand that the individual actions of our residents are not under council's control in the way that city government operations and facilities are.

However, in these times, organizing our community to reduce greenhouse gas pollution needs to be a top priority of city government. The city council has the power and scope to efficiently and urgently lead, inspire, educate, and set the table for a concerted community-wide effort to reduce greenhouse gases.

We hope our council and our community agree that in these times, with a host of environmental problems coming home to roost, that protecting the environment needs to be a high priority of all levels of government.

Barbara Fukumoto

Sunnyvale Cool Cities Team