Political signs waste of money
Re: the Aug. 2 article “Time to get rid of Eyesore Season.”
Mr. Singer’s criticism of political road signs in Tucson is spot on. In addition to being eyesores, they are likely a waste of money for the candidates and most importantly, a distraction. Most intersections in Tucson and other metro areas in the state are dangerous because of high speeds and distracted drivers. Any move to end this form of political advertising would be worth the effort.
Douglas Clark
East side
Campaign signs
Re: the Aug. 2 article “Time to get rid of Eyesore Season.”
I applaud Mr. Singer’s suggestion to beautify our country by removing campaign signs. Political signs throughout Pima County not only present a blight to our neighborhoods, but also are a threat to persons trying to use the pedestrian crossings at intersections.
People are also reading…
I was trying to cross the pedestrian intersection of Tangerine and Thornydale with my low-profile trike and was horrified to find that my line of sight for traffic turning was completely obliterated by a huge sign of Vince Leach’s. Neither I nor a turning driver could see each other.
Is it legal to obstruct views at intersections with signs that get bigger every year? If they are large enough to block me, an adult, from view, what about a child trying to cross? These huge obstructive signs need to be removed, and a plan is needed to address this danger now and in the future. Mayors? Politicians? Law enforcement? Take action.
Terry Minks
Oro Valley
A day at the polls
Re: the Aug. 3 article “Festival of democracy gone these days.”
I love Tim Stellar, but this article on voting day got it wrong. As a poll worker, I arrived at Rio Vista Elementary at 5 a.m. and left after 9 p.m. It was exhausting and rewarding. Sixteen of us sat side-by-side with a member of the opposite party to examine identifications, print ballots, and assist voters through the new voting procedures. A “festival of democracy” rang out happily in the school’s gymnasium. Our head inspector Tom, wearing his signature flag shirt, has been working the polls for over 30 years, and guided us cheerfully through a day of democracy. I chatted and joked with hundreds of people, all parties, and everyone was kind and appreciative. No fights, no accusations, no arguments. I am a staunch partisan, and surprised myself at how much I liked everyone. Not democrats, or Republicans, just American citizens, doing their civic duty. Everyone was so nice.
Cheryl Lockhart
North side
Plastic recycling program
Re: the July 27 article “Kozachik sets up plastic recycling program.”
In this article about an innovative plastic recycling program — it was mentioned that Tucson paid the company that processes the city’s recyclables over $314,000 for contamination fees in fiscal year 2021.
This is absolutely unacceptable and unnecessary for a city that has been recycling for decades and residents still don’t know that lawn clippings, plastic bags, dirty diapers and leftover food are not recyclable.
How much more education do we need on this subject to get it right?
Marsha Ubick
Midtown
Leach ousted by MAGA Wadsack
There is exquisite irony in Vince Leach being defeated in the Republican primary in LD17 by a MAGA wingnut like Justine Wadsack. It seemed to me that Leach corruptly influenced Republican Commissioner David Mehl and “independent” chair Erika Neuberg of the Independent Redistricting Commission to create the state’s most gerrymandered voting district, LD17, for him to ensure his election. Now the red-shirted Republicans who fulminated at the IRC hearings have a candidate who opposes a woman’s right to reproductive liberty, and who participated in the storming of a school board meeting as their state senate candidate. Let’s hope there are enough sane people left in LD17 to reject such an extremist and maybe even vote for a Democrat.
Gail Kamaras
East side
Fentanyl overdoses
Re: the Aug. 7 article “Prevention plan for fentanyl overdoses.”
County Attorney Laura Conover presented a prevention plan for fentanyl overdoses in her article. She fails to mention how many people she has prosecuted for dealing in fentanyl, nor did she provide the results of those prosecutions. However, she left out the most obvious, and most important action needed to reduce fentanyl deaths, and that is, secure our southern border. As a Democrat, I have to assume she approves of Mr. Biden’s open border policy. Until we cut off the supply of drugs at the source, no prevention plan will reduce the unnecessary deaths.
Raymond Trombino
Green Valley
10,000 students
It infuriates me that billions in tax dollars are being given to a mere 10,000 voucher students statewide. That has been the case in the past and it remains the case today. When Republicans talk about voucher expansion, they are only referring to the vast sums they are adding to the program without ever increasing the number of students served. This is unconscionable.
If you go to the ESA website and view their last quarterly report, you will appreciate just how corrupt the system is. Look at the enrollment numbers of K-12 students by grade level, and you will find that 4th graders rank the highest at 1,105 students and 11th graders rank the lowest with only 571 students throughout the entire state.
Republicans recently passed another voucher expansion scheme that will take an additional $1 billion away from our cash-strapped public schools. Check your local libraries and organizations to find and sign the petition to repeal Arizona’s latest voucher scam.
Jacolyn Marshall
Oro Valley
VP Biden met with Hunter’s business associates
New information has revealed that then-Vice President Biden met 14 times in the White House with business partners of his son Hunter. They included businessmen from the U.S., Mexico, Ukraine, China, and Kazakhstan. One email from Hunter’s infamous lap top showed him in 2016 writing to business associate Mexican millionaire Miguel Magani, “I have brought every single person you have ever asked me to bring to the (expletive) White House and the Vice President’s house and the inauguration and then you go completely silent.” Another business associate, Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, reportedly met with Biden and Hunter in the White House. All of this contradicts Biden’s repeated assertions that he knew nothing of Hunter’s business activities or met with any of his business partners. Hunter allegedly received millions in wire transfers from shady characters from foreign countries. He allegedly purchased a firearm, declaring falsely on the ATF form 4473 that he was not a substance abuser. If Hunter’s last name was Trump, he would have been indicted already.
Janice DeAngelo
Tubac
Stitch Factory and Lab
Re: Aug. 11 article “Sewing factory works to grow economy, careers.”
The front-page article by Carmen Duarte was well-written, informative, and inspiring. What a great idea! The business plan for the Factory and the Lab is sound and lord knows, this is a technical skill and trade that off-shoring nearly destroyed domestically. Kudos to Erica Yngve, her staff and instructors, students, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, City of Tucson, and MoonshotAZ. It’s one thing to “Buy American” and quite another to actually pull it off.
Polly Parks
Downtown
Dems for Liz Cheney
I am, and have been a proud registered Democrat since my first vote at 18 years old. I have voted for Republican candidates over these many years, when I believed they supported issues important to me and my family. John McCain, a man of honor, I voted for. However, at this important juncture in our democratic process, I would enthusiastically support Liz Cheney for president. President Biden has done an exceptional job elevating America’s lost respect in foreign and domestic policy. He deserves credit for bringing our country to be a more stable participant in world affairs and actually putting “America First” (rather than his own bank account). However, Ms. Cheney has demonstrated an exceptionally courageous stance in standing up to the Trumpian-Party. She is a proud American, more interested in the continuation of democracy than her own political future. She is a true American patriot. Please run, Ms. Cheney!
Robert Ryan
Midtown
Honesty
A former president said, and I paraphrase: “the Mafia commits the crime then pleads the Fifth. Innocent people don’t plead the Fifth.“ Thank you Mr. Trump. According to recent reporting, in a deposition before the New York Attorney General, you pled the Fifth Amendment 440 times! Folks, a Montmartre street artist couldn’t give a better self-portrait. Thanks, Donald for letting everyone see exactly who and what you are!
Norman Patten
Midtown
