Going green,
but at what cost?
I am somewhat confused about the government’s apparent rush to be ultra-green. I recall many warnings over the years that our national power grid and power generation abilities were woefully inadequate and basically held together with band-aids and the investment necessary to fix these issues would be mind-boggling and would make major changes to our tax and spending priorities necessary.
But we are apparently rushing ahead with plans to replace hundreds of thousands of government cars with vehicles that need to be plugged into the questionable grid to charge.
Further, we are rushing to make electric vehicles more or less the only choice for the country as a whole without answering the supply and distribution questions first.
John Falzone
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East side
Stop the rot
at its roots
Arizona Legislative District 11 needs to cure a bad situation. State Rep. Mark Finchem is getting bad marks by association for his links with the Oath Keepers and a trip to Washington, D.C., for a violent visit at the Capitol. He has earned bad marks.
The ethics chairwoman in the House has refused to open an investigation. The GOP is refusing to censor members who are over the line, while censoring the members with high standards.
We have a diseased rot in government and need a cure. Good citizens must find a cure.
Maybe the organization Run For Something has our elixir. Check out the site at runforsomething.net. We deserve better; now demand better. Stop the rot.
Kenn Block
Oro Valley
Chaplik’s pandering
threatens public health
House Bill 2770 is not a “simple” bill, as described by one of its sponsors, Rep. Joseph Chaplik, but rather a simple-minded bill.
Business owners have suffered financially from the pandemic, but this bill removing the current city or county requirement for mask use and allowing businesses to determine mask use of employees and customers would ignore this proven method for preventing the spread of the pandemic.
Financial assistance for businesses should be addressed in pandemic relief legislation rather than Chaplik’s bill, which panders to a narrow-minded, selfish mindset, allowing the comfort for self over the safety of all.
Roger Shanley
East side
Minimum wage doesn’t pay the rent
Recently, a letter suggested that a person earning minimum wage would make $15,000 per year, above the federal poverty level. So no problem! But ...
Even small apartments now rent for $1,000 per month, leaving about $3,000 yearly to cover food, transportation, utilities and clothing. And the average U.S. rent is $1,419 per month, as of 2018.
For rent to be one-fourth of income, you would need an income of $5,676/month, $35.47/hour. Federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour. That’s for non-tipped employees. For tipped employees, it’s $2.13 per hour.
I invite you to imagine yourself in this situation, with children, during this pandemic.
Patricia Eisenberg
Midtown
Phone companies
are gouging us
Re: the Feb. 21 article “New 5G poles don’t belong in front of Tucsonans’ homes.”
Tim Stellers’ column on 5G poles nicely highlighted a lack of ability to address an obvious intrusion into people’s lives. Phone companies can seemingly do whatever they want with unlimited budgets.
The current (and immoral) price gouging of U.S. phone companies has created a net annual profit of over $30 billion for Verizon alone in 2017 (from a gross revenue of $126 billion). Other Western nations regulate this utility.
In Europe, where food, clothing, rent and almost every retail item costs much more than in the U.S., cell service has been kept low with government oversight. About half that of the U.S.
Having a cellphone has become a necessity. People could pay an extra $5 a year for a commission to reduce bills by $25 to $50 each month. This fee would also help regulate tower placements.
How did we ever allow these outrageous fees on calls that cost providers only pennies?
Pericles Wyatt
Downtown
Protect your
right to vote
Your right to vote is the cornerstone of democracy, a government of, by and for the people. However, since their session began mid-January, our state legislators have already proposed bills restricting voting and obstructing our elections. These bills include requiring mail-in ballots to be notarized and hand-delivered, increasing voter ID requirements, requiring mandatory purging of voter rolls, requiring in-person voter registration in government buildings, and allowing legislators access to private voter information, among others.
Protect voting rights by urging your members of Congress to support the “For the People Act” (House Res. 1) which would prevent voter suppression. It would do this by establishing automatic voter registration, allowing same-day registration, forbidding improper purging of voter rolls, preventing racial and partisan gerrymandering, and providing public funding for elections to reduce corporate influence.
Also, the “John Lewis Voting Rights Act” (H.R. 4) would require states with a history of voter suppression to receive preclearance before making changes to their voting processes, including widespread poll closures and prohibitive voting requirements.
Diana Alexander
Oro Valley
Arizona’s democracy is under assault
This year, our Republican-led Arizona Legislature introduced more voter suppression bills and other legislation intended to reduce Arizonans’ participation in Democracy. This intensified effort to restrict voting is no doubt fueled by frustrated Republican efforts to overturn our 2020 presidential election results.
The bills would impose unreasonable burdens, confusion, and/or penalties on those who register voters, vote by mail, support citizens initiatives and administer elections. If passed, these laws would obstruct voter engagement and ease the majority party’s ability to change election rules and possibly results.
Regardless of party affiliation, I know that most Arizonans hold dear our system of government that is for the people and by the people. Yet, our legislature appears not to respect these values. Please contact your state legislators, especially those who are Republican, and urge them to reject all voter suppression bills. And when voting in future elections, know which candidates support your right to vote.
Elizabeth Lyons
Midtown
A library with all the best words
Re: the Feb. 22 article “What would a Trump presidential library look like?”
I envision a closet with one shelf with one book on it is titled “There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute” by P.T. Barnum.
The bookends, gold-plated of course, would consist of a ketchup bottle and a Diet Coke can. Those were the words he lived by and his favorite foods. It would be funded with other folks’ money.
Greg Zath
Oro Valley
Caring people make good things possible
Some would say that our country is “torn apart by issues and divisions.”
For those that feel strongly on this issue, take the time to visit the VA Hospital, Tucson Medical Center and other COVID-19 inoculation centers. You will find an army of volunteers busy assisting inoculations efforts. Yes, even in our recent snow.
They are banded together by one common goal: Keep the shot line moving. Once again, volunteers have recognized a need and have stepped forward. They are direct examples of when we pull together, good things happen!
Keith Connolly
Northeast side
Gas prices betray Biden’s energy policy
I’m sure everyone is aware of the rapid increase of gasoline prices. While I firmly believe that we need to do as much as possible to reduce greenhouses gases, the reality is that we still rely on about 75% fossil fuels for energy, according to Pew Research Center.
Joe Biden’s decision to stop all oil production from federal lands is the reason. He not only eliminated a lot of oil production, but also eliminated U.S. jobs. He would rather send the jobs and money to Middle Eastern countries. I can’t wait until gasoline prices go back to $4 a barrel.
John Thomas
SaddleBrooke
Republicans must stop appealing to fear, racism
Dear Gov. Doug Ducey,
As a lifelong Democrat and progressive liberal my advice is sincere. I respect Republicans like John McCain, Barry Goldwater, Dwight Eisenhower, and William F. Buckley because I believe their positions were based on support for the Constitution and the American people.
Your party needs to return to a position of respect. Then we can effectively reach across the aisle and reach positive compromises.
Supporting those who advocate for America as a white, Christian country will not earn you that respect. That position is based on fear, racism, xenophobia and a desire to retain voters at all costs.
I am comfortable living and working in communities that are diverse. I feel more confident in the future of the United States in a global economy. I find myself learning more about myself, my country and my world.
Margaret Fusari
West side
Wear your masks
or lose my business
Re: the Feb. 20 article “Arizona bill would allow businesses to ignore city, county mask mandates.”
House Bill 2770 would allow business owners to decide whether to enforce mask mandates for their employees and customers, “a move supporters say promotes freedom.”
I would like to suggest that those same business owners be required to post a sign at the door (large enough to see) so that those of us who don’t want to be in a place where people are not wearing masks can exercise our freedom to not patronize those businesses.
Pamela Harlan
North side
