Tucson Speaks Out: June 6 letters of the day

perfect union

It’s nice to sit back occasionally and take stock of where we are and how far we’ve come. In less than 2½ years, our country has gone from the brink of hatred, division, and chaos to one of civility, inclusion, and stability, notwithstanding those who still support extremism. A cursory glance of the headlines on Saturday, June 3, should give solace to those who believe we can form 'a more perfect union.’ Using headlines, I identified four broad categories: justice, respect, progress, and inclusion. Justice: GOP attempts to outlaw early AZ voting failed, Jan. 6 rioter sentenced to prison, and a subpoena was issued to the former president. Respect: U.S. military bases are shedding Confederate namesakes. Progress: U.S. employers added 339K jobs in May, and President Joe Biden will sign a debt limit deal today. Inclusion: Governor Hobbs hangs pride flags from Arizona Capitol. We’ve come a long way in a short amount of time.

Tim Kennedy

Oro Valley

Mining reform

legislation

Mining in Arizona and other parts of the country is regulated by a mining law that has not been significantly modified since 1872. It is time for that law to be brought into the 21st century.

Recently, Representative Raul Grijalva (AZ) and Senator Martin Heinrich (N.M.) introduced legislation to modernize mining regulations.

The key reforms that the proposed legislation would accomplish include:

• Prioritize land uses other than mining, including protection of sensitive areas.
• Require consultation with tribal and other affected communities prior to beginning exploration.
• Require companies to fund the clean-up of abandoned mines.
• Establish a royalty on extracted minerals, similar to that paid by oil and gas companies.

We need reasonable and environmentally sensitive laws to regulate the mining industry — laws that will conserve our water and wildlife habitat and control toxic waste.

Please contact your U.S. elected officials to request their support of the Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act.

Henne Queisser

Green Valley

$900M a year!

Re: the June 1 article "AZ Taxpayers' cost for school vouchers ups to $900M/year."

Surprise! Surprise! Arizona taxpayers will be on the hook for $900 million for next year’s school vouchers — 63% more than was budgeted. The floodgates of voucher money are wide open as public schools continue to lose funding.

Today’s vouchers (ESAs) are a far cry from the original intent and mission: allowing taxpayer funds to enable disadvantaged and special-needs children to attend private and religious schools. Now, 75% of vouchers are going to students previously enrolled in private, for profit, and religious schools. Many of these students have little or no financial need, and I doubt most are not special-needs students.

To add further insult to this budget buster, Superintendent of PUBLIC Education Tom Horne has become a cheerleader for subsidizing wealthy private and religious schools — all at the expense of Arizona taxpayers. Horne is no advocate or promoter for Arizona’s State Board of Education’s mission of “fostering excellence in public education.” The systematic diversion of funding for public education continues.

Kathy Krucker

Midtown

Separate but equal

Re: the June 4 letter "Transgender."

The letter in which the writer states that transgender women "are not completely female." The writer allows for trans women in social settings but says that they should not be in sports or "biologically sensitive areas" like restrooms. I wonder if they have checked how "separate but equal" has played out in the history books.

Trans women are women. Full stop. They belong in women's restrooms, women's sports, sororities, and what have you. No cisgender woman is at risk for sharing the restroom with a trans woman. As we observe the month of LGBTQ+ pride in June, and as lawmakers across the nation continue to pass hostile and transphobic legislation, it is important now more than ever to reaffirm the rights that transgender people are allowed, same as the rest of us.

Daisy Valentine

Downtown

Sit this

one out, Raul

I received our esteemed Representative Raul Grijalva’s endorsement for the Tucson City Council Ward One incumbent. Not so much surprised but disappointed that Grijalva would be unaware of the lack of leadership, interest and involvement the incumbent, Lane Santa Cruz has shown for her Ward One constituency during her first and hopefully last term. Grijalva has built a sterling reputation in our community from his days on the TUSD Board, as a Pima County Supervisor and for the last several years as southern Arizona’s Congressman. However, Grijalva should sit this one out and not reward the incumbent with his endorsement. Especially when it’s obvious that Miguel Ortega challenging Santa Cruz for the Council seat brings the kind of commitment and passion that Grijalva has shown for decades. I urge the Tucson Ward One voters to support Ortega and bring back true representation and leadership to the south and west sides.

Jerry Anderson

Downtown