Pothole problems: San Diego residents tire of retiring tires

Feb. 15--Potholes are no big deal until you hit one

Regarding "Stormy weather keeps pothole crews hopping" (Feb. 12): I enjoyed reading your article on potholes.

However, you failed to tell the whole story of what happens to your car upon hitting a pothole. As your car tires dig deep into the pothole upon hitting one, your car makes a violent sound as a pothole is being shaped into the undercarriage of your car.

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I was a victim on a cold, dark, rainy night when there was no barrier around one, so I didn't see it. I can tell you what else happens.

1.) My work car is out of service for a month. 2.) My car insurance is liable to go up over the next three years. 3.) Deductible $250. 4.) Estimate cost of damage: $2,500.

Jeff Steinberg

Del Mar

Change the way we get our potholes repaired

We apparently have 36,000 potholes to fill, on 2,800 miles of street. Your writer says the crews "can fix a small hole in five minutes."

A 2011 U-T article called the budget $26 million then, no indication what the 2017 cost is. If increased at the rate of inflation that could be $31 million. I doubt that includes pension costs. That's almost $900 per pothole.

Do we think any private companies might be willing to take on the job of pothole repair for, say, a measly $800 per pothole and save us a few dollars?

What if we simply hired a city "inspector" to drive those streets and held a private company (or two) to standards for timeliness and quality of repair? Effective government?

Todd Maddison

Oceanside

Supreme Court must maintain accountability

Richard Cole's "Dump Gorsuch, plug Warren, expect drought" (Feb. 10) makes the cynical accusation of "disloyalty" from Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch.

This misguided view renders judges nothing more than a perverse form of yes-men (people) appointed to do the bidding of a president.

While a litmus test has unfortunately become common for Supreme Court appointees, we should all recognize doing so prevents the important issues decided by the court from being judged impartially based on an intellectual analysis rather than by preconceived and biased notions of what is right.

James Reynolds

Carmel Valley

Who is telling the truth about terrorist threat?

I guess I am a little confused -- Trump says the travel ban is necessary immediately because all of these terrorists are waiting to get into our country -- then John Kelly says he should have waited to implement the ban and taken time to inform Congress.

So what is it? Are the terrorists waiting at our borders or is this just another fabrication?

I think the U-T and other members of the media should report in detail what actually is involved when a person wants to immigrate to the U.S. or apply for a green card.

I think Americans should educate themselves as to what is fact and what is fiction.

Mike Cavanaugh

University City

Any wall we might build will be compromised

Your editorial "Donald Trump should build a smart fence, not a wall" (Jan. 26) is the only editorial I can remember agreeing with in its entirety in my lifetime of reading your paper. You're right, I have been up close to the border fence as a senior manager in San Diego's metro wastewater department and occasional surveys of the border area.

When I was there, I saw people sitting on top of the fence throwing debris at us; I saw border agents chasing people crawling under the fence; I actually saw one time at low tide people swimming around the fence.

Any barrier we build, we will pay for, don't kid yourself. Any barrier should be smart. I am more concerned with immigrants from countries with terrorists from the Middle East than people from Mexico or Central America crossing the border.

Israel has been dealing with this more than a half-century. I think it may might know a little more about this than we do, and we should take a lesson.

William Gammon

Point Loma

Trump is trying to save California and nation

Regarding "State wise to not let Trump push it around" (Feb. 13): No, Patricia Bleha, California and illegal immigration are out of control.

Have some respect. It is "President Trump" and he says and is doing what we elected him to do; build the wall, halt illegal immigration, deport those here illegally. It is the law.

People have invaded our country, violated our laws, taken our jobs, used our resources, flown the Mexican flag, chanted "California is Mexico."

The country we grew up in is dying, disappearing, and something foreign and strange is taking its place. How sad. Many Americans are saying this, but many are too paralyzed to say it, or do not care. And some even enjoy what is happening to our country.

I have fought for my country, served my community, worshipped my God, paid my taxes and sponsored/married a legal immigrant and child. Take our country back.

William Koek

La Mesa

Rentals pose a danger to our communities

Regarding "We must be reasonable about vacation rentals" (Feb. 8): High-turnover rentals -- short-term vacation rentals (STVRs) or minidorms -- are more than nuisances. They can eliminate residential neighborhoods.

Residentially zoned homes that become commercial rentals are unavailable for San Diego residents for purchase or rent. Both are snapped up at high prices by investors, reducing already limited housing for residents. And they reduce affordable rentals.

STVRs cannot be rented and many homes used as minidorms are unavailable to traditional renters -- two College Area examples: a four-bedroom house at $6,000 per month and a nine-bedroom house at $10,500 per month.

Laws should be better enforced, but that misses the point. When high-turnover rentals dominate a residential neighborhood, as in parts of Pacific Beach and the College Area, there is no community; there are no long-term relationships, no on-going involvement in local institutions.

In contrast, when a neighbor rents rooms to tourists or students there is no loss of community.

Ann Cottrell

College Area

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