Tucson Speaks out: Oct. 31 letters of the day

As a homeowner in the Vail incorporation fiasco, I was put on a map for incorporation. Who gave these people the power to do this? I am a U.S citizen who has my rights and liberty trampled upon. I have lived here 47 years. Parents, children, and grandchildren have been raised on this property. We have animals and we are fenced on open range. Arizona and the federal government classified us as rural. Arizona statute says rural can’t be urbanized. Please no more taxes, another level of government, and more development. Vote no on Vail incorporation. Questions go unanswered from vail incorporation group. I don’t know these people. Haven’t ever seen them. Why did this injustice happen?

Nancy Spivey

Southeast side

Ego the better motivator

Re: the Oct. 25 article “‘Yes’ vote on Prop. 413 is a vote for women.”

One always wonders why someone who spends time and money to be elected to the mayor’s position, complains about the salary. As “poor” as the mayor and council are paid, there never seems to be a lack of candidates. Is it really about money, or the prestige that goes along with the job?

The reason for low pay is obvious, most cities either have a mayor, or city manager running the city. Tucson has both. The mayor’s office was never intended to be a full time high paying job. Some say, “Higher pay, better candidates.” If that were only true. One look at congress and the senate would tell you money isn’t a great motivator, ego is.

Will the mayor and council do a 100% better job with their pay raise, I seriously doubt it.

James Kelly

Foothills

Vail incorporation

No matter what Republicans say about personal responsibility, it doesn’t apply to them. As long as Vail can take a “free” ride on Pima County taxpayers why should they take responsibility for themselves? So typical.

Daniel Poryanda

Southeast side

City Council salaries

I am surprised at the lack of information and process regarding increasing salary levels. I understand not getting increases for long time, but picking salary levels from a box of chocolates seems a little out of the ordinary. And is there a future process? Living in the foothills, suppose it should not make any difference. But where is performance in the scheme of things? Better roads, getting homeless out of parks, better police protection, and of course the illegal water rates for those who live in the foothills? Not establishing anything exemplary from this altitude! Maybe a new look should be in order with more performance measurement like many other important positions. Like living in Pima County.

Dave Locey

Foothills

Drivers stay back

Re: the Oct. 29 article “Tucson’s biggest safety concern is on our roads.”

Although the statistics Tim Steller mentions don’t include following too close, that seems to me an obvious change in Tucson city driving since before the pandemic. In driving school (decades ago...) I learned to stay one car length behind the driver in front for each 10 mph of speed. Going closer invites a rear-end collision because the driver behind — especially big, heavy vehicles — can’t stop in time. These days, a number of drivers (a majority in huge pickup trucks) ride just a few feet behind me — even if there’s room to pull around — as if they think they can make me go faster than the car in front of me, or make me far exceed the speed limit.

I sometimes see police with speed cameras, but I’ve never seen an officer stop a tailgater. They’re everywhere! A slew of tickets, along with basic traffic school, could help.

Jerry Peek

Midtown

Traffic fatalities in Tucson

Re: the Oct. 29 article “Tucson’s biggest safety concern is on our roads.”

After reading Tim Steller’s article on Tucson traffic fatalities, I was struck (no pun intended) by one obvious numerical fact. In 2019 Tucson Police ticketed almost 60,000 drivers for traffic violations.

In 2023 that number has plummeted to around 25,000. That is less than half that of 2019.

It seems obvious that what is needed is a much larger police presence on Tucson streets.

Also, police should concentrate more on intersections, and red light running, rather than just speed violations.

Simple solution: increase police presence!

Dan Egan

East side

Risks democracy just got clearer

Editor,

If you embrace our constitution’s Bill of Rights, the value of public education, science as a means of building knowledge, the reality of evolution, the fundamental right of women to seek medical care, the separation of church and state, and the role of human actions in the climate change, then consider this: The person who is 2nd in line from the US Presidency is a Creationist, a Christian Nationalist, avows gutting federal funds for education, social security, medical care, and programs to mitigate climate change, and ardently supported Donald Trump in denial of the 2020 Presidential election. I am aghast and frightened. As a nation, not only are we “off the rails”, the rails of our democracy, no longer secure under our current Supreme Court, are two heartbeats away from abandonment. The 2024 elections can’t come soon enough.

Christine Flanagan

West side

Bravo Councilman Kozachik

Re: the Oct. 29 article “Salary raise needed, but Prop. 413 is too far.”

I want to commend Councilman Kozachik for his opinion article in the Sunday paper. It sheds light on proposition 413 and its implications for the future. It seems the commission on the salaries of city council members was trying to keep the voters in the dark. More so, they were taking the voters out of the picture on future salaries. It is too bad the article did not appear earlier to inform voters who already cast their ballot.

Elias Toubassi

East side

Palestinians are people, too

In 2006, on the first night of the Israeli bombing of Beirut, my 95 year-old father-in-law was killed. His name was Ali. He was the kindest, gentlest person you could ever meet. He spent many summers in the U.S, with me. He loved Americans and thought everyone was his friend.

Israel considered Ali a terrorist because of his religion and the neighborhood where he lived in Beirut. Today thousands of Palestinians are being killed by Israeli bombs. Israel says they’re targeting terrorists. The majority of victims are children and the elderly — people like Ali.

The Hamas attack on Israel was horrific. It was inexcusable. Pummeling Palestinian civilians with bombs while withholding food, water, electricity, and medicine, is also horrific. The Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory needs to end. Palestinians deserve freedom, dignity, and a state of their own. Until then, there will be no peace.

Judith Hassoun

Northwest side

Black powder muskets

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.”

The conservative members of the current U.S. Supreme Court say they believe in adhering to the original meaning of the Constitution, but that’s just a sham. They support current Republican positions, and make up whatever rationalizations they need to do so.

Th/e original meaning of the Second Amendment is very clear; any citizen who can document membership in a duly constituted, well-regulated militia is entitled to keep and bear a black powder musket. I could live that. But not with every yahoo with a screw loose owning a modern, flesh and bone pulverizing, military assault weapon.

The U.S. has suffered 566 mass shootings (four or more victims) in the first 303 days of 2023, a rate of 1.9 mass shootings per day.

Brooks Keenan

Oro Valley