Letters to the Editor, Feb. 5

Democrats familiar

with ‘flat-out lies’

Re: the Jan. 22 article “GOP lawmakers advance changes to election laws after Trump’s loss.”

When I read Sen. Martin Quezada’s (D-Glendale) comments on the election, “The reason there’s doubts out there about our elections right now is because of uncorroborated claims, misinformation, and flat-out lies that have been told over and over,” I thought he was talking about 2016, when Democrats first tried to get the electors to repudiate Donald Trump, then they embraced the Steele dossier.

Raymond D. Trombino

Green Valley

Only the audit

will be proof for some

Re: the Jan. 30 article “AZ Senate changes mind, will conduct own audit of Maricopa County election results.”

Yes, the full forensic audits need to be done. I want to know if my senator, representative and president were duly elected. There is a reasonable doubt of integrity and the board not willing to be transparent just makes them look like they are hiding something.

I have a stake in the outcome. Yes, corruption has happened before and the board owes the people it swore to serve some respect. Thank you, State Sen. Karen Fann and Kelli Ward.

Martha Wicklund

Southwest side

Promises made, promises broken

Promises made, promises broken by Donald Trump:

1. Mexico will pay for the wall. Zero paid.

2. We’ll have the best people. If so, why was there the highest rate of corruption and the greatest turnover of high officials in Trump’s administration of any administration ever?

3. We’ll have better and cheaper health care for everyone. No plan except gut the ACA.

4. We’ll have an infrastructure plan to rebuild our country. No plan, and even ditched the Democratic plan.

5. China is paying us billions in tariffs. No, either businesses passed the cost of tariffs on to consumers or they absorbed some or all of the cost, hurting their bottom line.

6. COVID-19 will soon go away, like a miracle. No, but 420,000 Americans died, millions are unemployed through no fault of their own, thousands are hospitalized and thousands more suffer debilitating long-term effects.

How did this make America great?

Donald Ries

Southeast side

Failure to rein in dogs

of war will reverberate

The actions of Donald Trump in the past four years, but especially since he lost the election last November, put me in mind of two quotations from Shakespeare, both from Julius Caesar. The first is spoken by Mark Antony in soliloquy as he imagines the chaos his words will wreak in an upcoming eulogy of Caesar: “Cry ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war.”

The second is also spoken by Antony when he says, “The evil that men do lives after them.”

On Jan. 6, Trump incited his mob to insurrection, letting slip the dogs of war as he urged supporters to march to the Capitol. This action, and countless others of his, have ensured that the evil he has done to our country and to democracy will live on long after he has left the presidency.

Miriam Burt

Green Valley

Arizona leadership lacks judgment

Funny how the Republicans continue to complain about their rights (to not wear masks, not social-distance, eat in restaurants, work out in gyms, etc.). On the other hand they are working hard at making it extremely difficult to allow people their right to vote (example: needing a notary for mail-in votes).

Andy Biggs is an embarrassment, and he and his cronies are responsible for many deaths, including Republicans in the state of Arizona. Trump is gone, and Doug Ducey is too weak, so time for us to shift the blame and vote out the Arizona Republican leadership. We need Arizona to heal.

Linda Rodriquez

South side

Can Pima County restaurants survive?

The Arizona Daily Star reports that after two decades, the B Line restaurant, an icon on Fourth Avenue, has folded, joining many other downtown restaurants that are now shuttered due to the economic stress of COVID.

For those local restaurants still struggling to keep afloat, the good news is that help is on the way because the new occupant of the Oval Office has carefully constructed virus relief legislation for small businesses like yours.

The bad news is that he will demand that you pay your employees $15 an hour.

I’m learning to cook because I don’t think that any of you will still be around in a year.

Jeffrey McConnell

West side

New energy standards a threat to Republicans

For nearly two years, the Arizona Corporation Commission has been requesting public comment and discussing clean energy standards for Arizona utilities. This process involved input from all stakeholders, subject matter experts and ACC technical staff.

During that period, the Arizona Legislature had no problem with the ACC taking action on energy standards. Now that the ACC reached a bipartisan conclusion that the Republicans in the Arizona Legislature don’t like, the Republicans have decided that the ACC didn’t have the authority to decide on this matter.

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Isn’t it strange that the Republicans in the Legislature had no problem with the ACC taking action on energy standards until the conclusions that they reached didn’t agree with what the Republicans in the Legislature wanted to hear? So the Republicans in the Legislature introduced two partisan bills, HR 2248 and SB 1175, to limit the authority of the ACC.

James Moule

Downtown

Gambling expansion is a sucker’s bet

Re: the Feb. 2 article “Gov. Ducey proposes plan to vastly expand legal gambling across state.”

Gov. Doug Ducey’s proposal to vastly expand gambling and reduce conventional taxes to zero, transfers the state’s tax burden from those with discretionary income to those without. State-sponsored gambling is a voluntary tax on those least able to afford it.

People with no hope can have hope for a few days for only $2 with a Mega Millions ticket. I’m sure the governor thinks this is a painless way to raise revenue, because it’s voluntary, but the impact on the gamblers and on society is far from painless.

Loring Green

Foothills

Rep. Bolick doesn’t trust democracy

Re: the Jan. 30 article “Proposed law would let Legislature overturn presidential election results.”

State Rep. Shawnna Bolick’s recently proposed bill that would allow the Arizona Legislature to overturn the result of the presidential election in Arizona doesn’t go far enough. She could save Arizonans a lot of time voting and a lot of money setting up polling places and counting votes if her bill simply provided that the Arizona Republican Party will select who gets Arizona’s Electoral College votes. Ms. Bolick, is there any part of democracy you like?

Ira Leavitt

Foothills

Build another

Barnum Hill

As a native Tucsonan, I have many fond memories of chasing boats down the Barnum Hill waterfalls with my parents. I also have many fond memories of sprinting to see otters at the zoo.

Now, as the zoo prepares to annex Barnum Hill to expand, many in our community are upset. Although I genuinely am saddened to see the hill go, I think we are missing a win-win opportunity here.

What is Barnum Hill? It is a tree-covered hill with a simple little stream flowing down to the lakes. How difficult would it be to move/re-create the hill (complete with multiple streams) to the north side of the lake? It would be a wonderful opportunity for a 21st-century Tucson community project and we would end up with a much improved zoo. Win-win.

Matthew Berkman

Midtown

Those who vote to acquit betray the Constitution

On Jan. 6, the world saw a prior president and his stooge private attorney call for the overthrow of Congress. Five died and one of our three branches of government hid for fear of death.

Any Republican senator who votes down the impeachment of the former president is guilty of being a traitor to the Constitution and its people.

Know who they are and never forget their stain on our republic.

Roger Engels

Oro Valley

Vaccination at Fry’s took under 30 minutes

I was fortunate to get an appointment for my first COVID-19 shot at the Fry’s on Ina Road and Thornydale Road. I want to say thanks to Kroger for setting this up.

While there was a certain amount of luck in getting the appointment, from then on the process was smooth. Pharmacy personnel were helpful in filling out the necessary paperwork and I was in and out in under 30 minutes. A special shout out to Jackie, who was most helpful.

The Biden administration is moving to get more shots in arms via local pharmacies; my experience at Fry’s indicates this is a good move. Thanks again to Fry’s.

Rosemary Halsey

SaddleBrooke

Senators, ready yourselves

Merriam-Webster defines impeachment: “to charge with a crime or misdemeanor; specifically: to charge (a public official) before a competent tribunal with misconduct in office.”

The House charged Donald Trump with a high crime that occurred while holding the office of president of the United States. The Senate is responsible to try all impeachments.

Removal from office is one of two possible consequences if found guilty. Article I, Section 3, Clause 7 states: “Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States.”

As the crime charged was committed while in office, being out of office after the crime occurred does not remove the constitutional requirement for a Senate trial, though it removes the requirement for the chief justice to preside. Senators, judge the charges.

Dorothy Johnson

Midtown

Tucson families benefit from zoo expansion

Our family has been enjoying the Reid Park Zoo since the 1970s and now visit the zoo with our three grandsons. It seems to us that a public park’s goal should be the highest and best use for all citizens. While we are at the zoo, we often use the playgrounds and we have observed that far many more families use the zoo than the hill.

More people will benefit from the expansion of the zoo as well as serving as an attraction for tourists. It is also a great education for children to see and learn about the animals.

No it is not free, but it is a lot less expensive than than seeing the animals in their natural habitat. Tucson has a lot of nature opportunities but only one zoo.

Mike Sturgis

Foothills