Employees’ health a logical concern
Re: the June 7 letter “Time has come to resume life.”
Businesses may have the right to ask for proof of vaccination just as they already have the right to hire only nonsmoking employees. Businesses are looking for employees who are productive and maintain good health. The unvaccinated employee is generally going to require using more sick time. Smokers’ productivity levels are additionally reduced as they require additional time for smoke breaks. So lets give credit instead to the smart business owner who makes the choice to support the health of their employees and not be critical of them for requiring proof of vaccination.
Brian Dean, RN
Green Valley
Memories of the McCartney family
People are also reading…
Re: the June 6 article “McCartneys found serenity in Tucson.”
This article evoked lovely memories of the McCartney family in Tucson.
Paul McCartney’s presence was also felt in January 2020 when he donated $1 million to the Arizona Cancer Center in memory of Linda. The funding was aimed at cancer treatment and prevention research that did not involve animals, honoring his wife and their commitment to animals.
Ann Brown
Northeast side
Democrats ruined Trump’s economy
In March, Democrats passed a COVID bill containing a federal $300 weekly unemployment benefit lasting through September. Since March, job numbers have been well short of projections. The unemployed are not dumb. Why return to work when they can earn the same or more by staying at home, not having to deal with the stress of working.
You see, this is just another in a long line of unintentional, or maybe intentional, results of Democrat spending policies. There are currently 8 million job openings in America. Businesses everywhere are posting “Help Wanted” signs, but few takers. Fortunately, many states, especially Republican, understand the Democratic Congress-created mess . Donald Trump’s great economy with decades-low inflation rates, unemployment rates for Blacks, Latinos and women, will return on its own if only Democrats and Joe Biden stay out of the way! Spending trillions will cause inflation and lessen your money’s value.
Tony Domino
Northwest side
Coach Candrea will be missed
Mike Candrea has to be the John Wooden of women’s softball. He retires after 36 years at the U of A with not only an amazing record of team achievements, but even more important a record of integrity, character and class. His accomplishments on the field will be set in concrete. His accomplishments with his players and coaches will be set in their memories for their lifetimes. Congratulations, Coach.
John Weeks
Midtown
Dems go ‘soft’ on infrastructure
Infrastructure legislation is a hot topic, and given our politically polarized society, the argument begins with the very definition of “infrastructure” with the GOP saying it is “bridges” while Democrats choose to include bailing out dysfunctional leftist cities and funding more of the same.
If these metaphorical bridges are part of the federal interstate highway system, let’s celebrate congressional action to fix them; and if Pima County or our state has any additional infrastructure issues, let’s turn to our elected representatives to lobby in D.C. and hold them individually accountable.
Yes, I’m advocating a return to congressional sausage making, aka pork-barrel legislation, that would empower our elected officials of both parties to be more accountable to us and less dependent on their polarized Senate and House leadership.
The infamous “bridge to nowhere” could see us over these troubled waters.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Trust in science has its rewards
I got a sticker (I’m vaccinated) and a lollipop for getting my COVID-19 shots. There was no doubt in my mind to get vaccinated because it’s the right thing to do. As an American, I have many liberties and rights, especially the right to question authority. When it comes to the common good, I trust science more than our public figures, celebrities and even religion. Each has an underlying agenda, such as getting reelected, promoting themselves or asking for money. In our shared mindset of “what’s in it for me?” I ask “what’s in it for us?”
If we can’t trust science at some level, then everyone is at added risk. I have since lost the sticker and eaten the lollipop, yet I have peace of mind I helped our community.
Tim O’Connor
West side
Socialism not the way to go
I lived in Venezuela when it was ranked the fourth-wealthiest country in the world. Then along came Hugo Chavez, who promised free almost everything including education and food. He said he would pay for it by taxing the rich and the oil and pharmaceutical industries. He was elected and taxed the rich and the major industries. Guess what happened. The wealthy left the country (mostly for the U.S.), and the major industries shut down because they were no longer competitive. Now Venezuela is ranked less than 146th worldwide in wealth.
A recent letter to the editor said that we are all benefiting from Social Security. Let me add, if I had been able to put the money that went to Social Security into a private S&P index fund (with all the same rules that apply to Social Security), I would be receiving more than four times the amount I’m now receiving. Socialism is not the way to go.
John Thomas
SaddleBrooke
Biden responsible for border crisis
Kamala Harris traveled to Guatemala to discuss what she believes are the “root causes” of the current border crisis. She cited government corruption, poverty and climate change.
Those factors could apply to half the countries in the world. Some 458,000 migrants were encountered by the Border Patrol last fiscal year; thus far this fiscal year through May it is about 749,000.
Before Harris’ visit to Guatemala, President Alejandro Giammattei said, “We asked the United States government to send more of a clear message to prevent more people from leaving.” He said when Joe Biden took office, the message changed. “We’re going to reunite families, we’re going to reunite children. The very next day, the coyotes were here organizing groups of children to take them to the United States.”
Harris need look no further than Biden for the “root cause” of the current border crisis. Speaking of immigration last August while in Iowa, Biden said, “We could afford to take in a heartbeat another 2 million.” His plan is obvious!
Rory Smith
Marana
Save up for next big water project
Re: the June 9 article “Unlikely savior helps stop bad Ariz. budget.”
A majority of the people spoke. The politicians don’t like it and are trying to subvert the people’s will. They should be ashamed. The governor’s flat tax is nothing more than an attempt to limit Prop. 208 by capping the max rate. The state has too much tax money? There are plenty of things the money could be used for. How about more state assistance to help fix crumbling city and county infrastructure?
Perhaps though, maybe the most pressing is just to save all that money for what appears to be the coming water crisis. Given Arizona’s uncapped growth and sprawl, it’s possible a monumental water project, bigger than the CAP, could be in Arizona’s future.
Thomas George
Northwest side
Flat tax nearly wrecked Kansas
Re: the June 9 article “Unlikely savior helps stop bad Ariz. budget.”
Kudos to Rep. David Cook for his intelligent decision to vote against the latest Republican fiasco foisted on us. A flat tax rate almost bankrupted Kansas when leveled in 2012. Every significant measurement of economic growth and well-being plummeted till 2017 when it was repealed.
When Rep. Ben Toma put forward that “cutting taxes for the wealthy creates jobs and revenue,” he was parroting the principle of the Laffer Curve (pun intended) better known as “trickle-down economics,” which is the economic excrement good little Republicans ingest after they have mastered “flat Earth” theory.
Timothy Canny
Oracle
