TEP cheeky to bring up
subject of taxing district
Re: the March 7 article “TEP’s plan to run high-voltage lines near UA stirs up anxieties.”
Joe Barrios of TEP suggests that local neighborhoods pay for Banner’s electrical needs with a “special taxing district” for burying power lines. The sheer audacity of TEP. Instead of charging Banner, who requires more power from the proposed 110-foot power lines, they propose taxing us. TEP doesn’t want to pay, they want more profits for shareholders, Banner doesn’t want to pay for it, but it’s the cost of doing business. If you needed more power, TEP would surely make you pay.
Mark Ziska
Midtown
Come help a child learn to read
People are also reading…
The highlight of my week is the time I spend reading with my three kindergartners at Nash Elementary. Every week I go twice a week to read with the same three kids. We spend 25 minutes together each day, one-on-one, reading, writing and creating silly sentences and mostly loving books.
A visitor walking into a Reading Seed Thursday morning session might call it pandemonium. But, when you listen closely, what is happening is pure joy of reading.
Watching the progress these children make by learning new words and turning that knowledge into reading is a fabulous feeling. In addition to their learning, I am lucky to be exposed to the wonderful children’s books available.
Literacy Connects runs the Reading Seed program and the demand for volunteers far exceeds the available coaches. If you have a few extra hours a week please consider volunteering for this fabulous program. Our society depends on it.
Jane Evans
North side
Wait times an issue
for Canadian health care
Re: the March 9 opinion “Comparing US, Canadian health-care systems.”
Canadians are rightly proud of their national health system. However, it has problematic wait times for services. The following are statistics for 2016 presented in a paper from the Fraser Institute of Canada.
Specialist physicians surveyed report a median waiting time of 20 weeks between referral from a general practitioner and receipt of consultation from a specialist. In New Brunswick, the wait time was 38 weeks, and from there it averaged another 10 weeks throughout the nation until treatment. The wait time for an MRI averages 11 weeks and nearly four weeks for a CT scan.
This is a serious issue that our neighbors to the north are not always so forthright about.
David Wilson
Northwest side
Crane flies an important part of our ecosystem
Subscribing to local papers is a habit I have followed all my adult life, and even now as a snow bird. Todays paper was a great example of learning about local issues. I was prepared to go online and try to find out about the long legged flying insects which have been inhabiting my front porch for several weeks. Hallelujah, I didn’t need to waste my time hunting for an answer, it was in my local paper and included why there were so many “crane flies” flitting around. An additional benefit is I can fold up the paper and smack any crane flies that fly in through open doors!
Tonjia Kolanowski
Northeast side
Profit-based health care raises cost of everything
Re: the March 9 opinion “Comparing US, Canadian health-care systems.”
Kudos to William Campbell for his guest opinion on the Canadian health system.
His was the most succinct and balanced description of the differences between the American and Canadian health-care delivery that I have reviewed.
One addition which may be helpful to relate is that historically our profit-based system grew out of the the events of World War II and has essentially not changed since that time. The world is now much different. The global economy is a fact; this is illustrated by the events of the coronavirus.
With total health-care cost nearly 20% of GNP, that makes every good and service we in America produce close to 10% higher from the start, compared with our competitors from other countries.
I plan on sharing this fine opinion piece with my patients as a point of discussion.
Steven Wool M.D.
Midtown
Average Joes
need bailout, too
We are starting to hear the inevitable calls for government bailout of cruise ship, airline and other companies hit by coronavirus and other ways to stimulate the economy. It is typical American socialism for the rich that gives money to corporations without addressing the underlying problems. Instead, the federal government should enact a law that prohibits firing anyone who is sick from the virus and provides paid sick leave to anyone who may have the virus but doesn’t have paid leave available or can’t financially afford to miss a paycheck.
Those people must continue working as long as they can, even when it exposes others. The paid sick leave must include immigrants and undocumented workers and ensure those workers will not be subject to retaliatory immigration consequences so they are not afraid to seek treatment. That would actually help decrease the potential spread of the virus while boosting the economy.
Michael McCrory
Midtown
Sad about book festival,
but safety comes first
Re: the March 10 article “Coronavirus hits close to home.”
My wife and I have looked forward to, and volunteered for the Tucson Festival of Books for the past several years. We were disappointed to hear about the cancellation of this year’s event but knew it was likely coming.
We have nothing but praise for the organizers and supporters of the Tucson Festival of Books and those who had to make this tough decision. After reading the front-page article in Tuesday’s Arizona Daily Star, we have a better understanding of the reasons for this decision, at the forefront is public health and safety.
Paul Dicus, M.D.
Tucson
McSally saving animals from experimentation
Sen. Martha McSally is a champion for taxpayers and animals, and our 2 million-member taxpayer watchdog group is proud to honor her with our Congressional Waste Warrior Award.
In just the past year, McSally — the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat — helped pass and enact historic legislation directing the Department of Veterans Affairs to phase out wasteful and cruel dog, cat and primate testing by 2025. McSally also helped introduce the bipartisan AFTER Act, a bill to allow healthy dogs, cats and other animals in federal laboratories to be retired, instead of needlessly euthanized, when experiments are over.
Arizonans, on both two legs and four, are lucky to have. McSally working for them in Washington.
Anthony Bellotti, president and founder, White Coat Waste Project
Downtown
See ‘gun show loophole’
in action at fairgrounds
Re: the March 8 opinion “‘Red flag laws,’ ‘gun show loopholes’ violate the law.”
A recent editorial cluelessly said that there is no “gun show loophole.” It is clear that the loophole does exist and it allows felons, domestic abusers and prohibited persons to buy a gun without a background check. It’s happening right here in Tucson. Unlicensed dealers sell guns for cash without a background check at the Pima Fairgrounds gun show.
That’s why gun safety protesters will speak out at the next Pima Fair Commission at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17 at 11300 S. Houghton Road. The event is organized by Citizens for a Safer Pima County, and you can RSVP to attend at http://tiny.cc/PimaGuns
Around 80% of all firearms used in crimes are obtained through unlicensed sellers, according to Giffords.org. We demand that the commissioners pass a rule requiring background checks in all gun sales.
More than 90% of the American public supports background checks for all gun sales. If you agree, join us next Tuesday for the commission meeting.
Larry Bodine
Foothills
