Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for March 2, 2025

Transit agencies should start using smaller buses

As a former official for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, I was interested to read the IJ editorial published Feb. 24 with the headline “Highway 101 bus lane idea is worth another look.” The topic reminded me of one of my favorite complaints about public transit: It is not always mass transit.

I constantly see (in Marin and other Bay Area counties) transit-agency buses driving throughout the day and night with very few passengers.

With that in mind, I don’t see how giving empty buses a free lane would solve traffic problems. More likely, it would just drain funds from better-serving options. Instead, agencies should start by getting rid of the big buses.

— Angelo Siracusa, Larkspur

Act now to save Mill Valley transitional kindergarten

On Jan. 16, the Mill Valley School District Board of Trustees voted to eliminate transitional kindergarten for 2025-26 and beyond due to a $7.3 million budget shortfall. In response, parents have launched a community fundraising campaign with an April 4 deadline to save this vital program.

Marin County Superintendent John Carroll has emphasized that, “TK and early childhood education have an outsized positive effect on outcomes later in life … it’s an equity issue.” Despite this recognition of TK’s importance, MVSD plans to cut a program serving our most vulnerable learners.

Our fundraising goal is $2.2 million, with a recommended contribution of $14,000 per child enrolling in 2025-26. However, we welcome donations of any amount from community members — whether or not they have children entering TK — to ensure equitable access for all families.

The district has confirmed they will accept community funds to continue TK, with all donations fully refundable if they don’t follow through. Without this parent-led initiative, many families will face private preschool costs exceeding $32,000 annually or lose early education opportunities entirely.

For Mill Valley to maintain its reputation for educational excellence and equity, we cannot abandon our youngest learners. Community members can support this effort at savemvtk.org, where every contribution helps preserve a program that benefits not just individual children but our entire community’s future.

The clock is ticking — we must act before April 4 to save TK in Mill Valley.

— Siddharth Vanchinathan, Mill Valley

Breathtaking dolphins super pod inspiring to see

I enjoyed seeing the recent article posted to marinij.com on Feb. 26 with the headline “Rare video captures super pod of 2,000 dolphins breaching and playing off Monterey Bay coast.” It was a great reminder of the time I saw a large pod of dolphins during a sailing trip.

Thank you to the Bay Area News Group for publishing this article so more people can see the beauty of nature and be inspired to experience things like this for themselves.

— Will Robbins, San Anselmo

Marin’s water districts could help save Scott Dam

As Marin Municipal Water District officials focus on finding additional sources and greater capacity, there is a very different situation underway to the north.

Lake Pillsbury is a reservoir that has existed for 120 years on the Eel River within Lake County. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. no longer requires the water stored in Pillsbury for their Potter Valley hydroelectric facility. The Scott Dam forming Lake Pillsbury is now targeted to be torn down, with the lake and all of its storage capacity eliminated.

At the moment, Marin’s seven reservoirs reportedly hold 79,566 acre-feet of water. Lake Pillsbury alone holds more water at 80,500.

With this in mind, I urge MMWD officials to take a stand against the elimination of Lake Pillsbury. Water from that reservoir flows into Lake Mendocino via a tunnel. In turn, it can be released into the Russian River. The North Marin Water District serving Novato and West Marin currently gets 80% of its water supply from the Russian River.

We know that in drought years, every drop of stored water matters. The elimination of a large existing reservoir seems outrageous.

Politicians should not be supporting the elimination of water sources or reduced storage capacity right now. Ninety-seven percent of the total Eel River (and its watershed) is completely unaffected by the existence of Lake Pillsbury and its dam. Very little will be gained by eliminating all that water storage, but the cost would be tremendous.

— Jim Rexrode, Kelseyville