Letters to the Editor: Dec. 24

Re: the Dec. 1 article "Tucson offers to leave water in Colorado River."

The article says that one acre-foot of water would supply water to four Tucson families a year. If one keeps reading, the bureau wants to buy our water for $300 dollars per acre foot left in the river for a year. Now, I am one Tucson family and my water bills average $50 a month. If my average is the same for the other three families, that would be $200 a month. If we left that in the river for a year that would be $200 x 12 or $2400. Far more than the $300 they want to pay us.

I think they need to pay us more.

Jose Salgado

Northeast side

Sinema switches to Independent

Kyrsten Sinema announced she has decided to become an Independent. Sen. Sinema was not elected to her office as an Independent, but was elected as a Democrat. For her to serve out her term as an Independent is contrary to and nullifies the lawful vote of every Democrat who voted for her. She has circumvented the election process which is on par with the actions of MAGA politicians. Sen. Sinema should step down and allow Gov. Hobbs to select a Democrat to replace her for the remainder of her term. Then Sinema can run an honest campaign as a "MAGA Independent" in the next election.

Richard Harper

Northeast side

Water future

Thanks to the Star, and to Tony Davis and Kelly Presnell, for the excellent articles on the Colorado River and our water future. You have influenced our choice of Solstice Gifts to each other this year, low-flow toilets.

Kate Hulbert

Southwest side

Christmas hope

Beginning with surging COVID-19, 2022 seemed a rather gloomy year, witnessing more people suffering from consequences of climate change; brazen racism and nationalism in the world and the U.S.; Russian invasion of Ukraine and other wars; famine in Yemen and Africa; soaring costs of fuel and inflation everywhere; the PRC flexing its muscle over Taiwan; heightened tension between the U.S. and the PRC; more gun violence in the U.S.; etc.

Then November let in a glimpse of light witnessing the results of the midterm elections in the U.S. and in Taiwan in favor of democracy; at the climate change conference in Egypt the richer nations showed willingness to compensate the losses of the poorer nations suffering from climate change; people in Iran and in the PRC showing the long-repressed innate desire for life with dignity and freedom fully alive. Maybe, just maybe, enough people are awakening to the need to respect each other as equals with compassion. Is this not the hope of Christmas? Emanuael!

Ke Chiang Hsieh

Midtown

Passing the Afghan Adjustment Act

Please contact your local rep and show your support and stress the urgency to pass the AAA. If we don’t pass it before the incoming House takes the majority —  it won’t pass, and thousands of Afghans that risked their lives to protect and fight for this country will have to leave. This act is supported by an overwhelming number of service members, active and retired. So if not for decency’s sake, do it for the veterans who lived side-by-side with the Afghans.

Mike Dai

Midtown