Dave Allen

San Francisco

Digital Editor at Marin Independent Journal

Digital editor / Opinion editor of @marinij website for the Marin Independent Journal newspaper in Northern California.

Articles

Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for May 15, 2025

1 day ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Proposed budget includes worthy military spendingI have lately heard a number of complaints about the Trump administration budget, including increases for the military budget, while cutting wasteful spending as prescribed by the Department of Government Efficiency.
Editorial: Marin libraries face serious funding challenges

1 day ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Public libraries are facing what many would call, at best, “budgetary uncertainties” as grants are on the funding chopping blocks in Washington, D.C. and in Sacramento. Marin voters have generously supported local tax measures to maintain library hours and collections, but those don’t cover all the cost of keeping library offerings up to date, accessible and affordable, if not free. As Lana Adlawan, the Marin County Free Library’s director, said, it is a “wait-and-see” story for local libraries.
Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for May 14, 2025

2 days ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Oversight committees are waste of time, effortThere has been some excellent, recent back-and-forth discussion of the value of citizens’ oversight committees on the IJ Opinion page recently. COC language is often placed on a ballot measure to assure taxpayers that independent citizens will be surveilling decision-makers to determine if tax dollars are being spent wisely.
Editorial: Californians aren’t blind to Newsom’s ambitions

3 days ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Gavin Newsom wants to be president of the United States. This has been apparent for some time now. What has also been apparent is that he’s been more distracted by these aspirations. It now appears that a majority of Californians have come to perceive this, too.
Editorial: Questions about secret Point Reyes ranch deal linger

4 days ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

It is no surprise that the 12 ranching families who took buyouts to leave their long-held ranches in the Point Reyes National Seashore don’t want to scuttle those sales.
Editorial: Caltrans must be nimble with new Highway 101 carpool hours through Marin

5 days ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

The leaders of the Transportation Authority of Marin, in endorsing a big change in the hours of Highway 101’s high occupancy vehicle lanes, say they are trusting Caltrans will monitor the expanded hours and make changes, if needed. Caltrans has also promised to activate the metering lights at the 101 onramps where the HOV hours change might result in increased congestion.
Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for May 11, 2025

5 days ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Pope Francis gave hope to LGBTQ+ ChristiansThe death of Pope Francis is a profound loss for LGBTQ+ Christians around the world. While the Catholic Church’s relationship with queer people has long been fraught, Francis cracked open the door to something previously unthinkable: mercy. He asked, “Who am I to judge?”— a question that echoed through pews and Pride parades alike.
Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for May 10, 2025

6 days ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Terra Linda needs a traffic impact study nowA new housing project is being proposed for 555 Northgate Drive (“San Rafael site near mall proposed for 200 apartments,” May 5). Plans call for 80% of the units to be for low-income residents and 19% for moderate income households. This is good news, as low-income and affordable housing is desperately needed. However, that location is across the street from the Northgate mall where the 1,422-residence Northgate Town Square was approved last year.
Editor: Marin schools must fight administration’s mental health funding freeze

1 week ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Getting rid of the federal Department of Education has been a primary goal of the Trump administration. The White House’s strategy is to dramatically reduce its funding, starving it to death. That strategy comes at a dear cost. In Marin, it means the mid-term cancellation of $14.5 million in five-year grants for mental health services for local students.
Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for May 8, 2025

1 week ago | marinij.com | Dave Allen

Fairfax needs to push ahead with recall voteI agree almost completely with the IJ’s recently published editorial (“In Fairfax, both sides need to work toward consensus,” April 29), in which the board encouraged the opposing groups in the recall of two Fairfax Town Council members, Stephanie Hellman and Lisel Blash, to reach consensus rather than move forward with the recall. Sadly, I do not see it happening.