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Measure T services tax is an investment in Mill Valley

When voting on a renewal tax like Mill Valley’s Measure T municipal services tax on the November ballot we, as former Mill Valley mayors, apply two strict tests.

Test 1: Has the city spent our tax dollars wisely? Yes.

Over the past decade, Mill Valley has taken a highly disciplined approach to infrastructure. The results are undeniable. Over that time our state-issued pavement condition index went from a dismal 58 (in the “at risk” category) to 79, placing our streets at the top of the “good” range. Resealing Miller Avenue just nine years after a total pavement project is proof of this discipline — small spending today saves millions in rebuilding costs tomorrow.

Test 2: Is there a clear, critical need to continue? Yes.

Thanks to this proactive strategy, 52 of the 61 miles of road in Mill Valley are now in good shape. However, the remaining 9 miles are our worst and most expensive to fix. Renewing Measure T ensures we can tackle these final miles over the next decade while maintaining our current network.

Crucially, Measure T also allocates dedicated funding every year specifically for vegetation management, clearing over 400 tons of flammable brush and overgrown trees along critical roads. That means fire trucks can get up narrow canyon streets, and our families can evacuate more safely in an emergency. Let’s continue to improve fire safety, put bad roads “in the rearview mirror” and pass Measure T.

— John McCauley and Ken Wachtel, Mill Valley

Vote yes on Measure P tax to support all Marin kids

At any given time, hundreds of children from income-eligible, hardworking families are on a waitlist for childcare in Marin County. These kids deserve the support we should have already built. It is time to invest in the well-being of the next generation and the future of the Marin County we all want to live in — one that recognizes the inequities in our beautiful home and takes responsibility for changing them.

Measure P, the proposed childcare and early education tax in the November election, provides an important opportunity for us to add needed investment in childcare resources. I hope you will join me in supporting this critical investment in our future.

I am the president of the Seiderman Legacy Children’s Fund, which is a sister nonprofit to the Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center. The center, which has been operational for over 50 years and offers childcare for 105 kids in our community, is being renovated to ensure this community gem serves future generations with the same dedication.

Measure P will support organizations like the center, helping it retain educators, provide high-quality care and preserve facilities. Crucially, it will help address Marin’s incredible need for affordable childcare and give hundreds of kids the chance they deserve.

There are many measures on the ballot and some people may be wondering where to invest valuable tax dollars. The answer is simple: in our kids, working families and the brighter future of Marin. That is why I, and the entire SLCF board, are voting yes on Measure P. We hope you will join us. Tell your friends, tell your neighbors. Scream it from the rooftops — for our kids.

— Andrew G. Giacomini, San Geronimo

Saving water should not be reason for high MMWD rates

I am writing in response to the article published Sept. 19 with the headline “Marin Municipal Water District prepares to raise rates.”

It was part of the continued reporting on a four-year plan to incrementally raise rates as consumption is decreased. Instead of coming with bad news about rate increases, I think MMWD should be doing more to celebrate the fact that Marin residents have successfully conserved water.

I worry that raising rates to fill budget gaps due to conversation removes the incentive to conserve for most people. It was only a few years ago that the district nearly ran out of water. It was an emergency situation and MMWD considered spending millions to rebuild the pipeline across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to possibly access water sources elsewhere in the state.

There must be a better way to cover budget shortfalls instead of raising rates. My summer water bill was higher than it’s ever been and I’m not using more water. How can we do this differently?

— Kathryn Peisert, San Rafael