Texas made
its own mess
After reading about former Texas governor, Trump energy secretary and Texas secessionist advocate Rick Perry’s comments that Texans would gladly endure three days without electricity if it means giving the federal government more power over them, I am in full agreement so long as Texans forgo any federal assistance in helping to clean up the mess created through their prioritizing of corporate profits over the needs of their citizens.
Michael Smith
Southwest side
Bigger boards
would cost a lot
Re: the Feb. 24 article “Arizona lawmakers consider adding to Pima, Maricopa Boards of Supervisors.”
People are also reading…
It’s refreshing to read front-page news that covers topics a little closer to home. A state proposal to allow an increase in the number of county supervisors brought back a blast from the past. When I was a county supervisor in Wisconsin’s second-largest county, we numbered over 40. I thought that was a few too many, but the argument about an increase in costs was what attracted my attention.
Apparently it will cost upward of $500,000 to cover office, staff and salaries for each additional lawmaker. Wisconsin had a different theory of governing. We had no office, no staff, and no salary. We got $20 per meeting and a mileage allowance. I typed meeting notes on my kitchen table with my college-era typewriter. We were citizen lawmakers. Governing was not a way to make a profit or business opportunity. That theory might apply to all officeholders at all levels, but that’s an editorial for another day.
Gary Stoeger
Northwest side
Don’t penalize drivers of gas-electric hybrids
Re: the Feb. 22 article “State efforts to boost electric cars receive so-so grades in new reports.”
In the article it was mentioned that there was a bill in the works to tax electrics $144 and hybrids $44 annually. Not so fast, There are two kinds of hybrids — plug-in that gets its energy from the grid and gas/electric that gets its energy 100% from the gas pump. People who drive gas/electric hybrids should not be penalized for driving a more efficient gas-powered vehicle that produces far less environmental pollution.
Edward Marue
Northwest side
Educated citizenry
benefits everyone
How rich for those who do not want to help fund public education, from which they benefit every single day. Fine. Since they want to opt out from helping repair our decimated education system, they should be prevented from benefiting from it either. That means they should be prevented from receiving anything from anyone who has received an education in the system they are unwilling to help, which is essentially everyone. It’s too late to carry this to its full conclusion, since they have already benefited from growing up in a society built on educated people, but that can’t be helped.
Every single person depends completely on an educated citizenry every single day — regardless of whether or not they ever had children themselves — and it’s high time we talked about, and treated publicly funded education as the absolute essential that is it.
Camille Guice
Northeast side
Feds can’t charge you for a hike in the woods
Bet it’s not the anniversary you think.
Nine years ago, a small group of citizens fought the government the right way. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously for the plaintiffs and we all won (you, too). We recovered the right to access the Mount Lemmon recreational area when we want to. The toll booth is closed!
You can look it up: Adams et al v. USFS (2012). The decision is great reading. Result: Anyone can visit the restorative Mount Lemmon even if they’re broke or need the money for, say, food.
Is it time we the public demand a focus on issues that indeed affect all of us?
Pandemic intervention can save lives, infrastructure investment can save families, and looming climate devastation accrues more cost daily. Overwhelming? Pick one: pandemic, infrastructure or climate, and advocate. When discouraged, look northward and remember Mount Lemmon: We still own it.
The manifold public can influence the government justly, and remember: Public means everyone, even you.
Gaye Adams
Midtown
Give the elderly access to affordable housing
Re: the Oct. 11, 2020, article “Elderly in Tucson hit hard by lack of affordable housing.”
Star reporter Patty Machelor wrote a compelling piece regarding older adults and the combination of low housing inventory, rising rental rates, and the economic downturn created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have identified a need in our communities, and it is not surprising that the community members interviewed were female.
Arizona ranks 38th for the share of poverty in America, with 13.8% of working-age women in Arizona having incomes below the poverty line in 2019.
We must advocate for a statewide program that will model the Housing Phoenix Plan unanimously approved by the Phoenix City Council in June of last year. Phoenix has committed to building or rehabilitating 50,000 homes by 2030 to address the shortage in their community.
It is vital for the well-being of our state’s most vulnerable community members that we get ahead of this issue while we still have time. I urge community members to contact their city officials and state representatives to advocate their support for affordable housing projects to help meet this need.
Sophie German
Midtown
Uhlich the right choice
to represent Ward 3
Re: the Feb. 21 article “A look back at my time on the Tucson City Council.”
As a resident of Ward 3, I was moved by Councilman Paul Durham’s recent opinion piece in the Arizona Daily Star. I appreciate his service to the residents of Tucson and respect his decision to step back from the Ward 3 council member role at this time.
I also agree with his position to support Karin Uhlich to serve in an interim capacity. Karin gave many years of service to our ward, and she can hit the ground running while ensuring our options for the future remain fair and open.
I for one look forward to learning more about the candidates interested in running for Ward 3. The City Council is close to our daily lives and no one should have a ‘leg up’ on future service with an early appointment. I support Karin — this seems like a fair approach that prioritizes the people of Ward 3.
Amy Knight
Midtown
Sunshine Mile will be ruined
Re: the Feb. 21 article “High-rise housing could tower over Tucson’s Sunshine Mile.”
I read the article about the Sunshine Mile Overlay District a few days ago and was terribly saddened.
Having seen the overdevelopment of downtown Tucson cause some businesses to close before the pandemic because of rent hikes, I had hoped the zoning examiner and the city of Tucson would find a better way protect the Sunshine Mile from such excess. I was wrong.
The plan of the developers to make the overlay district too difficult for neighborhoods to fight succeeded. The cheaper land east of downtown is now near virgin territory for exploitation thanks to the city planning department. Only the City Council can modify this giveaway to high-rise, Soviet-style ugly big-box buildings with terrible architecture that may be built in the historic Sunshine Mile.
To paraphrase the Vietnam War saying, they’ll destroy the Sunshine Mile in order to save it.
Matt Somers
Midtown
Trump’s GOP had
its chance and blew it
It actually looks as though the Republicans are going to continue to push the false “voting fraud” allegations and support the former president’s 2024 bid.
Just a reminder to them that when this devastating pandemic hit and the country needed leadership, what we got instead was denial, blame, snake-oil salesmen, superspreader political meetings and vindictive threats. Forget the incitement to riot and insurrection, scores of resignations for moral reasons and the criminals that were pardoned for political reasons. For the Re-Trumplicans to want this type of “leadership” back in the White House is depressingly mind-boggling.
Michael Perdue
Vail
To win at polls, field better candidates
I am appalled that Arizona and its counties are trying to change election procedures to make it harder for people to vote. I worked the polls in Pima County for many years. I can tell you that our procedures were excellent and worked very smoothly. Why mess with a system that has served us well for years?
Can the Republican Party be so demoralized by losing the last election that they believe the only way to win upcoming elections is to make it harder to vote?
Republicans if you want to win, find better candidates! Arizona is not in your back pocket anymore. Thank goodness for that.
Rachel Barker
Foothills
