Editor,

The "Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network" and the "Silicon Valley Community Foundation" want to merge the Bay Area's 101 cities and nine counties into one region ("Bay Area leaders consider merger" in the Feb. 9 edition of the Daily Journal).

This is a bad idea because it will take power from the people who live and work in a local area and instead put decision-making power in the hands of a huge conglomerate that would most likely be ruled by special interests. Local governments would become irrelevant and powerless in making decisions for their communities, and local governments are the ones that know best what their community needs. As a result, the people in the individual cities and counties would end up with no say. We need to all oppose this plan and make our desire to stay local known.

E. Gomez

Redwood City