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Calling it a unique deal in Arizona, voters in Tucson ill decide a franchise agreement with TEP in November that would include annual funding for local climate-change programs.
Proposition 421
As a lifelong Tucsonan and local business owner, I care deeply about the future of our community. For more than 30 years, Tucson Appliance has been proud to serve our neighbors, and I've always believed that Tucson succeeds when we come together to support practical solutions that benefit our city.
That's why I'm voting YES on Proposition 421.
This agreement strengthens cooperation between the City of Tucson and TEP while providing millions of dollars for local energy and community projects without increasing taxes or electric bills. Most importantly, it's a common-sense partnership that helps move Tucson forward.
As Tucson continues to grow, Prop 421 is a smart investment in our community's future.
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Join me in voting Yes on Prop 421!
Chris Edwards
Midtown
'Why you should hate him'
Several accomplishments were omitted from a recent letter. Trump’s unqualified and incompetent administration deserves credit for the following.
Undeclared, arguably illegal, war with Iran
Rising cost of living
$4+ gasoline
$5.50+ diesel. (What will winter heating oil cost?)
Sale of pardons for personal enrichment. (See Art II, Sec 4 of the Constitution.)
Trade disruptions by whim
Abuse of the power of Executive Orders
Pursuit of personal and political vendettas
Significant weakening of U.S. military strength
Abuse of longtime allies
Convicted of felonies and found liable for sex abuse
Measles outbreaks and deaths
Weakening of health care through campaigns against vaccines, Medicare and Medicaid
Avoidance of immigration reforms proposed by Democrats
A cowed Congress and severely compromised Supreme Court
Todd Ackerman
Foothills
Renaming America
President Trump recently renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America and suggested renaming New Mexico to New America. I have some states I think he should consider for new names. The President can start with all the East Coast states that are named after people and places in Old England, like New York, North and South Carolina and New Jersey. The President could then start in on the states in the Midwest and the West that are named after Native American tribes. Some of those states are Illinois, Iowa, North and South Dakotas and Utah. This should keep both the President and Google Maps very busy.
Terry Gruenenfelder
East side
Trump's primary concerns
Every day we anxiously await the latest ideas from the mind of a “stable genius.” Not to disappoint …
He now wants his profile to be placed, in gold, at the bottom of the ends of the reflecting pool.
He’s contemplating renaming New Mexico to New America, but it’s against the Constitution. On his financially struggling Truth Social, he posted a map with the American flag over the U.S., Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The map was covered in stars and stripes. The entire landmass was labeled “United States of America.” Iceland called it “completely inappropriate,” calling in the U.S. ambassador. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico "is neither nor will be a colony or protectorate of any foreign country.”
Finally (it’s early), Trump continues to "demand" that the NFL officially change its name. He thinks we should call it something different than football, not to confuse it with soccer (which he now owns a stake in).
What about the people?
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Where were you on 9/11?
I was on a bike ride in Sabino Canyon on Sept. 11, 2001. In September, I was entering my 14th year as an American Airlines pilot and newly minted captain, having "graduated" from A10s in my US Air Force career. There are five living presidents, four of whom plan to be at Ground Zero for the 9-11 25th anniversary. Who has other plans? Trump! He will acknowledge the day at the Pentagon and give the speech not permitted for politicians at Ground Zero. NYC, Trump's home, and he apparently could not accept being less than the center of attention and maybe having to take time to listen with false empathy and compassion to even a few of the names of the 2,976 who died in the Towers. But no. Where is the presidential leadership? Where is the outrage from the MAGA followers? The same place it always is for those who do not have the courage or character to oppose Mr. Trump. Juan Ciscomani … are you listening?
Phil "Bulldog" Bentley
Foothills
Up and coming
Stop worrying about language-based AI. The bad news is that physics-based AI is upon us.
According to Google: "Physics-based AI... blends machine learning with the fundamental laws of physics to make predictions that respect real-world science rather than relying purely on data patterns."
Anything that current language-based AI does, physics-based AI can do faster and more accurately; that includes escaping confinement. In the hands of malevolent despots , the world can now be quickly brought to its knees.
Still unconcerned? China and the U.S. are separately working to develop a quantum computer. Google: "...for specific benchmark tasks, quantum systems can finish calculations in seconds that would take top supercomputers decades." Among those benchmark tasks is deciphering encrypted information. Consider an internet where nothing can be transmitted secretly. Do you have a large cryptocurrency account balance? Nighty, night!
Rick Cohn
West side
Local news from afar
The lead story on A1 of the Star on Sept. 9 was, "5 jaguars spotted in Arizona." I was stunned to see that the article first appeared in Phoenix in the Arizona Republic and was written by a Republic reporter. On top of that, the main source quoted is from Tucson.
Loyal readers want to know what is going on at the Star, with so many articles on local topics sourced from elsewhere.
Specifically, what is David Hoffmann's commitment to Tucson subscribers? When can we expect more reporters to be hired to cover local news? How many will be hired, when and to cover what beats?
I have noted days when every article on the Tucson Metro page was picked up from other outlets.
Please give readers the scoop on when the promised investment in local journalism will be realized in Tucson.
Debbie Collazo
West side
Hold parents responsible
According to the Star, Aug. 26, kindergarten vaccination rates in Arizona are among the lowest in the U.S. It also reported that 92.4% of kindergarteners across the country were vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella. Arizona kindergarteners, 87.4% was not high enough for herd immunity. Parents seeking non-medical exemptions to excuse their babies and kids from routine childhood vaccinations against diseases such as measles, hepatitis B and polio are a major factor in the lack of vaccinations. It also doesn’t help when the government spreads vaccine misinformation. A family member, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon and PhD in medicine, was recently called back to the hospital, where unfortunately a child who hadn’t had the proper vaccinations died. If insurance companies disallowed payment and authorities charged them with negligence, how many parents would change their minds?
Clyde R. Steele
Oro Valley
