Letter: Mayor adopts a ‘Machiavellian’ stance on plastic bags

EDITOR,
The Press-Banner’s coverage of the 5th graders invited by Mayor Reed to the Scotts Valley City Council meeting was news coverage well spent. Having witnessed their presentation regarding the morbid impact that plastic bags have on sea turtles, I was overcome with the hope and promise their generation will bring to a healthier marine environment. As an adult, I watched in envy with how these young people transparently communicated thoughtful ideas with pure sincerity. I wish I could say the same about Mayor Jim Reed.
He gushes “I’m happy when we can be an audience for a group of kids that’s getting involved in the public process” but he does not have the nerve to acknowledge why the 5th graders were there in the first place.
He later chimes that “the threat of litigation has been hanging over this issue (plastic bag ban) since it arose.”
Really? The small community of Scotts Valley is largely immune from any legal action that would go beyond a quick rubber stamp writ of mandate. But you know this, Mayor Reed. You claim a plastic bag ban is not high on your priority list. I find this posture simply, Machiavellian.
The very next day after the 5th graders dragged themselves down to your council for your amusement you dragged yourself down to Los Angeles on behalf of the San Jose-Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce. And what did you do? As their VP of Public Policy you attended the Western Association of Chamber Executives Annual Conference on Winning Strategies to serve on a panel that advised on — what do you know! — what other chambers have done to fend off plastic bag bans. Wow, the gall. See you in April, Mayor. We’ll have lots of company.
Haig White, Santa Cruz