Tucson Speaks Out: September 9

Ciscomani’s hypocrisy

For U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani to say “... our DACA students deserve a shot at the American dream...” is hypocrisy.

That is because, while he has said so repeatedly, he also voted for a bill that significantly increases funding for immigration enforcement, which has included arrests of DACA recipients and a federal official urging them to “self-deport” because they are not protected.

Ciscomani and his wife, Laura, both come from families with questionable immigration statuses. Laura Ciscomani’s parents were undocumented when they entered the United States from Mexico, her brother has said. Juan Ciscomani came from Mexico as a child with his parents, whose “religious-worker” immigration status has been called into question.

End the hypocrisy, Congressman, by introducing legislation and getting it passed in support of your claim to favor a “permanent solution” for the half-million or more DACA recipients.

Shraddha Hilda Oropeza

West side

Star Village in Ward 3

The City seems to be solving difficult problems by dumping them off in Ward 3. How is it Ward 1 and Ward 6 Council Chairs determine the location for this “Star Village?” Where was Councilman Dahl during these meetings? He states he personally wants this to succeed but had he thought to discuss this with all of his “constituents”? How will the folks living in the new and beautiful apartment structure feel about looking down on that site? They too are in Ward 3 and should be included.

Keeling Neighborhood is directly north across Grant Road from Star Village. Like Balboa Heights neighborhood, I don’t recall hearing anything about this, especially as our Ward 3 representative made no mention of it at our Sept. 22 meeting.

Nancy Reid

North side

Ciscomani & COVID vaccine

A Sep. 7 LTE complains about the inconvenience of now having to obtain a prescription to get the updated COVID vaccine.

Last week, I got on my representative’s website to complain about the same issue. Almost immediately after pressing “send,” I received the following reply from Rep. Ciscomani:

“Thank you for contacting my office. It is an honor to represent you in Congress. I am grateful you took the time to share your concerns regarding research funding and the availability of the mRNA vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccines in general.”

Additional paragraphs followed, but you get the picture: a one-size-fits-all form letter. As a concerned senior citizen trying to engage with my representative, I found his reply insulting.

If he wants to get re-elected, he needs be more creative in communicating to his constituents.

For example, he could explain how reaching the goal of making America great again necessitates support of a system that makes obtaining good healthcare for seniors more difficult.

Doug Salerno

Foothills

Choosing a contractor

“How to choose the correct contractor” in the Home+Life section of the Arizona Daily Star (9/7/25) is a good read. It tells both the client and the contractor what needs to be in your contract. Be specific. The more detail the better. And don’t forget to check the BBB and Arizona Registrar of Contractors before you hire anyone.

Peter Bisschop

East side

Butterfly misidentification

The misidentified butterfly overshadowed the significance of what Mr. Rappaport was trying to say. Instead of an image of a Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), the most widely distributed butterfly in the world (found on all continents except South America and Antarctica), someone inserted an image of a California Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica).

Julian Donahue

Foothills

Democratic Socialist? Watch your language!

It is a deeply seated American misconception of what constitutes Socialism. The previous contender for Ward 3 in Tucson, Sadie Shaw, has now been absurdly pigeon-holed as a Democratic Socialist. Every right-wing individual in the US tends to thrive on this ideological mantra, Socialist, without having any idea of the true meaning of the word or the political reality behind it. East Germany was a Socialist country, with the central party, SED, controlling and owning the entire country, not allowing any opposition, spying on all people (Stasi), and imprisoning them as a nation. Socialist is not at all the same as Social-Democratic, a free and democratic movement in most Western countries (see the Social Democratic Party, SPD, in Germany that ran the government until recently). How dare journalists misuse that epithet, Socialist, for anyone who simply cares about the well-being of people and tries to protect them from the unfettered abuse by the big corporations? We deserve better-educated reporting based on historical and political understanding.

Albrecht Classen

Midtown

Hunt for water

Even thinking about a desalination facility on the Sea of Cortez makes me cringe. I agree with Mr. Chihak that brine and pipelines would do irreparable damage to the Sea and to the desert. Why do the states east of the mountains that depend on Colorado River water have to suffer and incur ever higher costs? The obvious solution is to cut off California’s access to this water and have it build desalination plants. California has a long coastline, on open ocean, and would not have to lay hundreds of miles of pipeline to access desalinated water. Impact on the Pacific would be minimal compared to that on the Sea of Cortez. Surely a little interstate diplomacy could help all states concerned come to an equitable solution.

Klara Cserny

Southwest side

Extreme heat effects on local wildlife

I have a home in the Palo Verde Park neighborhood, near Broadway and Wilmot.

This summer, I have witnessed a proliferation of wildlife in my yard, seeking water and food. Many raccoons, javelinas, hawks and coyotes have visited my mid-town property to seek water and eat cat food and bird seed that I have provided for birds and community cats.

This is a disturbing trend. I have lived here for over 20 years and have never witnessed this much wildlife interaction.

Unfortunately, local wildlife has become dependent on human assistance to survive.

This behavior will probably not end well for many individuals of our wildlife community.

Let’s hope that rainfall in our area will increase to sustain these beloved desert animals.

Dan Egan

East side

Community choice energy

I was inspired by the Opinion piece by Rick Rappaport on community choice energy — but realized I didn’t know much about how it works, so I did some quick checking. It would allow Tucsonans to purchase energy at wholesale prices and deliver the power they purchase through TEP. So the CCE takes over from TEP the purchasing of the energy and TEP continues to do everything else it’s doing now like maintaining the reliability of the grid and sending monthly bills. Not being a monopoly like TEP, many energy sources would then compete for the CCE’s energy business. That competition should result in lower prices and likely more renewable energy in the mix since solar energy is mostly much less expensive than gas. This would avoid the huge upfront costs and inevitable litigation of trying to buy out TEP.

Shouldn’t customers have a choice of the source of their electricity? See more at az4cc.org.

Katy Garmany

West side

Republican values

The Tucson Opinion article by Ronald F. Eustice on September 6 was superb. This longtime and active Republican evaluates the president’s actions and policies. It was excellent and factual and should be re-published several times to reach a wider audience. How can any thinking member of Congress comply with Trump’s illogical or illegal requests? His selection of Cabinet members and staff are all idiots. I also voted for Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024 since there was no viable alternative.

As a disappointed and disenfranchised Republican, I will not leave the party but hope I can play some role in restoring the old Republican values.

Art Di Salvo

Northeast side

Short-sighted decision

I was shocked to see, on the front page of the Star, Sept. 6, the announcement of the closing of the University of Arizona’s Writing Skills Improvement Program. I served as Senior Tutor for fifteen years at WSIP, working both with undergraduate and graduate students to help them refine and improve their communication skills. Along with my fellow tutors, we brought students from “I can’t do this!” to a delighted “I CAN do this!” We primarily served minority students and those of economic need, helping them to find their voices and contribute both to the university and to their own futures in the community. I can honestly say I’ve never done more fulfilling work. To close this avenue to student success, without even a solid reason provided, strikes me as astonishingly short-sighted. I am saddened and disappointed by this closure.

Kendra Gaines

Foothills

Staying sane

While walking, I passed a friend who works in the mental health field. He mentioned that he hadn’t seen a letter to the editor from me recently. I told him I felt my letters or opinion pieces had no effect, so I hadn’t submitted in a while. He looked at me and told me that letters are about community and letting people know they aren’t alone in their feelings of frustration or fear. He reminded me that most of us might be feeling powerless against the incompetence in this administration, but that it was still important to let others know that they aren’t alone and that we are not powerless. That we need to show unity and resolve. He’s right. Good walk.

Rick Unklesbay

Midtown

How to forget the Hippocratic Oath

As a board-certified Pediatrician & Immunologist, I wonder if some of my physician colleagues have second thoughts about voting for Secretary Kennedy as Head of HHS. I remind these Physician-Senators of their Oath of Hippocrates:

• Roger “Doc” Marshall (R-KS) OB/GYN,
• Bill Cassidy (R-LA) Gastroenterology,
• Rand Paul (R-KY) Ophthalmology,
• John Barrasso (R-WY) Orthopedic Surgery

I quote from the 1964 Hippocratic Oath revised by Louis Lasagna, School of Medicine, Tufts University, which is used in many medical schools today:

• “I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
• I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.”
• “I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.”

Don’t even get me started on Drs. Bhattacharja, Makary, Klein, and Oz! Also, since 1969, no physician has represented the Democratic Party in the Senate.

Uwe Manthei

Midtown

How many guns is too many?

Why is the NRA at fault for every mass shooting? Guns don’t kill people, people do. The shooter must purchase the gun, load the gun, chamber the gun, aim the gun, and then squeeze the trigger. What does the NRA have to do with any of this? Why does every shooter get a pass for murdering all the people? The gun starts all of this carnage, but it also ends it in each case. This last shooting occurred at a church through the window! This coward couldn’t even face his victims! The way to stop this from happening is two simple steps. The first is never identify this vile filth. This vile filth shall be referred to as the shooter, nothing else. Someone must say something! The parents know something is wrong, but don’t say anything. The blame must be with the shooter, not the gun.

Larry Cory

West side