Letters for September 12, 2013

AT&T’s major malfunction

Re “Public-access ghetto” by Cosmo Garvin (SN&R Bites, September 5):

Great article about AT&T's marginalizing public and government broadcasters. If you look at the other cable providers in the region, you will find that their offerings allow direct access to public-access television, including [digital video recorder] functionality with good image quality. But not AT&T. What is their major malfunction?

George Hall

Sacramento

Upset with Steinberg

Re “Steinberg’s arena assist” by Nick Miller (SN&R News, September 5):

Well, once again, the learned senator is carrying the can for the billionaire boys club. I am not surprised at this at all, as I dodge potholes and shopping carts piloted by mentally ill bums. Seriously, all the pro tem has done in a largely government career is pose and draw a salary. All the hoopla about job creation—well, if the damn thing gets built, those jobs go away and get replaced with low-wage seasonal jobs. How about streamlining some legislation that benefits the majority (us), instead of them (the 1 percent). If it does get built as planned, the infrastructure impact will be huge. And the Sacramento city taxpayers will be stuck with the bill. And probably no fast track for them, either.

Andrew Mattson

Sacramento

Why do we subsidize Walmart owners?

Re “SN&R overlooks Walmart’s good deeds” by Rachel Wall (SN&R Letters, September 5):

Letter writer Rachel Wall, Walmart senior manager of community affairs, in her slap-down letter of SN&R, listed some nonprofit organizations who benefit by way of Walmart’s largesse. Wanna bet money that more than a few of her fellow Walmart employees, most of whom are poorly paid part-timers, are grateful “clients” of some of those nonprofits?

The state of California spends about $32 million annually paying for uninsured Walmart employees’ healthcare, while Walmart spends millions on television public-relations ads touting the promotional and educational opportunities afforded their employees. Will someone tell me why we’re subsidizing six Walmart owners, whose combined wealth equals more than the combined bottom 40 percent of American wealth?! Needless to say, I cannot shop Walmart.

Maxine Sunada

Loomis

Walmart workers need fair wages

Re “SN&R overlooks Walmart’s good deeds” by Rachel Wall (SN&R Letters, September 5):

If Wally World is just so wonderful, when are they going to pay all their workers a living wage, give all of their workers a decent health-benefits plan, and quit illegally firing their workers for just wanting to unionize or for speaking out about working conditions? When are they going to stop hiring from temp agencies so they can avoid paying for benefits?

Gretchen DeKok

Carmichael

Feds need to fix marijuana for good

Re “Feds, lawsuits and legalization” by Ngaio Bealum (The 420, September 5):

The announcement by Attorney General Eric Holder regarding the Department of Justice’s stand on Washington and Colorado’s marijuana laws is good news. However, as long as marijuana remains a Schedule I drug, the feds can continue to shut down recreational- or medicinal-marijuana sources and arrest citizens for possession and use. The Controlled Substances Act must be modified. We must insist that our elected representatives concentrate their efforts on removing marijuana from Schedule I status.

Mary Ann Lahann

Carmichael