Tucson Speaks Out: July 10

Welcome to Tucson

David McCumber's profile of Lee Enterprises' new chairman, David Hoffmann, and accompanying sidebar describing David and Jerri Hoffmann's philanthropy, is almost too good to be true. He believes in local newspapers and beefing up local news coverage. Outstanding!

Equally important is the generosity of the Hoffmanns, in cities where they have lived, to causes close to their hearts, and in cities where newspapers are under their management.

Please take the time to get to know Tucson, Mr. and Mrs. Hoffmann. In many ways, we are an exceptional community, with our unique setting in the Sonoran Desert, our blending of cultures, our sunny skies and our university and cultural institutions.

At the same time, you can lend an important hand here by supporting nonprofits struggling to tackle homelessness, poverty and pressures on our natural landscape.

Tucsonans want the Star to be more than a newspaper on life support. And we need more philanthropists who help this desert town blossom. Welcome, David Hoffmann, to Lee.

Debbie Collazo

West side

Embarrassing 4th of July

President Trump decided to give himself a birthday party and had to import white supremacists because his golden gewgaws and bad taste could draw a crowd. He doesn't mind spending millions, especially if he gets his share. Everything the man does is both expensive and embarrassing, and he flew to Europe to insult NATO because they want no part of a needless war he started.

We can't do anything about that, but we can vote his supporters out of Congress, including Juan Ciscomani, who has a 100% record as a Trump supporter. To lean on Tom Paine, when the "you" turns to "I" and then to "me" if forever precludes the "we."

We need to unite against the greediest and most worthless president in history, and we need to vote Ciscomani out.

Steve Devitt

East side

Misleading spin about Mendoza

For writers who have associated JoAnna Mendoza’s comments about prostitution with crime near the UA campus, remember that the crime you’re witnessing is happening under Juan Ciscomani’s watch, and he has more power than any local official to stop it. Tucson and its first responders received a mere 9% of the money he has secured for this district, and that was for more police vehicles, not more officers. Our city council allocated more money this year to hire officers, though. Ciscomani also voted for, and has spent millions advertising for, HR 1, which not only drastically cut homelessness and substance abuse services, but will also kick people with end-stage kidney disease and cancer off their insurance in January. His campaign is using the narrative that Democrats support crime, but he’s the one in office. What is he doing about that crime? What’s his plan?

Wyatt Kanyer

Midtown

Trump's presidential shame

In 524 AD, Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius wrote in The Consolation of Philosophy: "But surely high-ranking jobs make a person honorable and respected? Actually, they usually don't hide wickedness — they just make it more obvious for everyone to see. Do you see how much shame a high-ranking job can add to a bad person?"

Donald Trump's presidency has magnified the shame in his character and leadership. With a current disapproval rating ranging between 58% and 63%, most Americans seem to agree.

Don Dickinson

Oro Valley

Common good fund

The gap between the rich and the poor is widening. Wages are not keeping up with the cost of living. There are approximately 23.8 million millionaires living in the United States. The most recent figures indicate there are 989 billionaires in the U.S. The top 1% of U.S. households hold roughly 30.5% of the country’s total wealth, while the bottom 50% hold just 2.5%.

We need to impose a common good fund. Our present system has put profit before people. We need to force billionaires, millionaires and overpaid CEOs to contribute to a common good fund. This fund will be used to improve education, health care, minimum wages, job security and do away with homelessness.

Reducing the gap between the rich and the poor is essential if America is to survive. If the gap continues to widen, the people will eventually revolt. Our present system is not working. We need a common good fund.

Thomas McGorray

Northwest side

Unbridled enthusiasm for Lyon

Holly Lyon for state representative! I have not been this enthusiastic about a race since Kevin Volk was elected. Lyon will be every bit as good as Volk and, at long last, give Legislative District 17 two exceptional representatives who will reflect the shifting profile of our district and break the legislative logjam in Phoenix.

Lyon is campaigning on a platform of accountability at every level of state government, which we have never needed more. She will work to improve Arizona’s public education and especially address ESA vouchers, which will bankrupt the state if not managed. Her demonstrated leadership talents propelled her military career and portend her legislative success.

While many candidates tout their ability to “work across the aisle” during these contentious times, we need unique individuals who possess special talents to connect and persuade. I believe Holly Lyon will make it her mission to work for the greater good and truly make Arizona a better place for all citizens.

James Lombardo

Oro Valley

Bibles in Texas classrooms

I have no problem with Texas requiring bible study in the classroom as long as the students are compelled to read it in Greek, Aramaic or Hebrew.

Bob Kovitz

East side

We want the same thing

Recent Star LTE writers confuse democratic socialism with communism. They are two very different things.

Almost no American supports actual communism; what a majority of Americans, Republicans and Democrats, do support is European-style Democratic Socialism — that is, living in a market-driven economy with a strong set of policies of progressive taxation to prevent vast wealth inequality. a robust safety net, and regulations to promote the public good. That's not new.

America has always been a market-driven and democratic socialist country. We've had a public military, public schools, publicly owned roads, canals, and airports, the Social Security Act, the advent of Medicare and Medicaid. Almost all want clean air and water, healthy foods, safe pharmaceuticals, affordable housing, robust disease prevention and spread, and support of government of the people, not corporations, by the people, not oligarchs, and for the people, not a handful of MAGA members who don't know our history.

Mike Carran

West side

DEI

In the July 3 Star, Tom Horne claims he opposes DEI because it judges people based on race instead of individual dignity:

"I'm an educator. The Asian students are the best students we've got. It's crazy to criticize her for being Chinese," he said. "If you go to a classical music celebration, almost all of the people who are carrying violin cases or cello cases have Asian faces. If it weren't for the Asian immigrants, classical music would have died in this country."

Talk about stereotyping based on race!

DEI isn’t a quota system — it’s an effort to make sure all voices are heard.

After growing up in a rural area, I’m thankful for learning from people different than me. Those lessons have helped me throughout my life. Doing away with DEI efforts will get us stuck in our silos and no longer experiencing the joys of learning from those different than ourselves.

Becky Koch

Marana

New hope for local news

As a lifelong subscriber to the Star (and Citizen), I read with great interest the article about David Hoffmann (Star front page July 5) and his vision regarding journalism here in Tucson and nationwide. He is portrayed as a man with deep roots to his communities and understands just how important reporting on local issues is.

Overall, the article was very informative and shared his substantial commitment to the information source that we of a certain age rely upon.

As part of this venture to strengthen print journalism, I would like to recommend that Mr. Hoffmann’s companies reinvest in local production of our print editions, as they are really more of a retrospective than a newspaper.

There is a perfect building at the corner of Park Ave and Irvington Road. Perhaps the AZ Republic in Phoenix would help offset the costs by having their paper printed in Tucson instead of Las Vegas as well.

Paul Roy

Southwest side

Thank you

I am so glad you continue to report on ICE atrocities. Please keep it up. NPR reported they are snatching (my word) 2,000 non-white people a day with the goons working seven days a week. They will need to buy more concentration camps from their billionaire buddies.

The Pope speaks up, but our local churches seem not to care. Jesus would be overturning the ICE mobiles.

Ray Omdahl

Green Valley

Sore loser

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Trump would whine about a call in the USA soccer match. We continually see his response any time he loses, eg. 2020 election. “Unfair.” “Cheating." Whether the call was correct when Balogun got a red card, it was the referee’s call and our appeal was denied. Trump’s reaction is exactly the type of behavior parents try to discourage when our children participate in a sport. Win or lose, the USA’s reputation is again soiled by our president. Trump should stick to cage wrestling.

John Kautz

Midtown