Letters for January 23, 2020

I am outraged by AB 5. I worked as [an] independent contractor paralegal. On Dec. 27, my employer received a letter from the state Employment Development Department stating in effect that I couldn’t work as an independent contractor anymore. On Dec. 31, my employment ended.

The bill destroyed the contractual relationship. People have the right to freedom to contract, and the states do not have the right to infringe on them. I had a nice job and now I’m unemployed. The California Legislature cannot use jackhammer approaches to problems where a surgeon’s scalpel is needed. The Legislature has a responsibility to fix this horrendous law.

Gonzalo I. Vergara

Roseville / via email

Local lament

Re: “Mom’s last meal” by Lindsay Oxford (Dish, Jan. 9):

Very sad. I’m told the restaurant business has major turnover, but I hate to see all the local places close lately while a mass of trend-following clones spring up like weeds.

A thoughtful perspective from the author about the reasons why this place may have left it’s mark and confronting the complexity of our changing foodscape.

Mike Murray

Sacramento / via Facebook

Sac’s great parks

Re: “Sacramento is no Portland” by Jeff Doll (Essay, Nov. 28):

I laughed so hard when I read that Reichmuth Park was one of the two great Sacramento parks, leaving off Land Park, Southside Park, Curtis Park, Capitol Park, Sutter Fort, Seymour Park, Pocket Canal Park, Garcia Bend—the list of great parks goes on. His mind is going to be blown when he actually explores Sacramento. His issue with Sacramento’s urban sprawl was mainly him venting frustration with Elk Grove and Rancho Cordova’s city planning policies. He was not an informed contributor, and it’s surprising that rant of misinformation was published in SN&R.

Sal Lopez

Sacramento / via email

Don’t be fooled

Dear Republican voter, here’s one small example how Americans are getting fleeced by the Trump administration and its Republican enablers. To quote a CNN headline: “The Trump administration’s trade policies and tariffs reduced U.S. income at a rate of $1.4 billion per month by the end of November, according to new research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Princeton and Columbia universities.”

Our Dear Leader is levying taxes through his childish trade war. Oh, they call it tariffs, not taxes, and they claim the Chinese are paying, whereas, as this study shows, you are actually paying. Republicans in Congress assume that most Americans will not connect higher prices in the grocery store to Trump’s narcissistic trade war, and they will continue to vote Republican. Democrats are at least honest enough to tell us when they levy new taxes. Perhaps it’s time to vote for the more honest politicians.

Urs Schuler

Placerville / via email

Correction

Re: “Culture shock!” by Rachel Mayfield and Maxfield Morris (Arts & Culture, Jan. 2):

The time was listed incorrectly for the opening celebration for the Stephen Kaltenbach exhibit at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art. It is 3-5 p.m. Jan. 26. SN&R regrets the error.