From left, Penny Dolin, faculty representative, David Zaragoza, student regent, José Luis Cruz Rivera, president of Northern Arizona University, and executive director John Arnold listen to ASU grad student Hypatia Meraviglia speak during the tense call to the audience portion of the Arizona Board of Regents meeting at the University of Arizona on Thursday.
Separate issues
Re: the Dec. 3 article “UA school faces a $20M deficit.”
Today’s (Dec. 3) front-page article in the Star only presents CALES’ perspective. While I sympathize with the college’s predicament, there is likely plenty of blame to go around. The article does not explain that all colleges must adhere to a well-articulated policy that limits the amount of reserves any college can build up, as excess reserves can place significant cash burdens on the university. Penalties are applied if reserves are not spent down. The policy is online with significant FAQs and assistance for all to view. What is unclear from the article is whether CALES had a plan that the administration supported to spend down their reserves in a timely manner. Regardless, the broader financial challenge facing the university is a separate issue and should not be conflated with the dilemma facing CALES.
Carol Evans
and John Shepard
Midtown
Ways to reduce mass shootings
Re: the Dec. 2 letter “So called assault weapons ban.”
While the letter writer is correct in saying that the crime rate did not drop after the assault weapons ban was lifted, what he failed to mention was that fatalities for mass killings which used large-capacity magazines (LCMs) increased dramatically. Research shows that laws banning LCMs associate with a 49% lower rate of mass shootings and an astonishing 70% lower rate of deaths incurred in these horrific events.
Never mind banning AR-15s (and, yes, I know AR stands for ArmaLite Rifle) — just ban large-capacity magazines.
And while you are at it, enact a law requiring guns to be licensed, and that in order to get a license you must do so in person and be fingerprinted. Such statutes have been shown to reduce mass shootings by 56%. Check out the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University for all the data.
Kathleen Dubbs
West side
Phase down fossil fuels
The United Nations Conference of Parties (COP28) and climate leaders are negotiating how to reduce greenhouse gases. Fossil fuel emissions have warmed our planet and continue to damage our fragile ecosystem. The pressure at the COP28 is to “phase down” fossil fuels. A powerful tool for phasing down fossils fuels is to charge corporate polluters a fee for the carbon emissions they put into the air. Congress currently has a bill the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R. 5744) that will do just that. This bill puts a fee on carbon polluters and uses that fee to give money back to U.S. households. Transitioning away from fossil fuels is going to take a global effort but we can all do our part. Let your congressman know you support bills that reduce carbon emissions. Taking action to protect Mother Earth is the best gift we can give our children.
Maggie Kraft
North side
Water war lies
Our delusional former President with his fixation, continues his rants about the appliances and fixtures forced upon us by the radical fascist communist left. He has concocted the myth they are not doing the job he and his good old MAGA ones used to do, requiring multiple washing (dishes he hasn’t thrown), rinsing (his hair conditioner) and flushing (his Presidential papers).
I’d like to inform his MAGA minions of his mendacity.
After a fantastic household water audit by an enthusiastic, and expert Tucson Water employee, George Dowling, we replaced a dishwasher, updated toilet mechanisms, and installed a water monitor. The results are incredible. Usage from these devices has been nearly halved. The toilets (ours are not golden like those in Trumps 30,000 (+/-) sf penthouse) still do the job with one flush — although we have no Presidential papers. My wife says the dishes come out cleaner than before — but she still says I don’t know how to load it properly.
I doubt if Melania ever, ever said that to her husband.
A. Lawrence Glynn
East side
RE: Student Housing Planner Bids on TUSD space
Re: the Nov. 30 article “Student housing planner bids on TUSD space.”
TUSD board member Sadie Shaw has good reason to be reluctant to support the sale of TUSD’s Administrative building to Up Campus Properties. The property tax relief that Up Campus is seeking is a GPLET, which would waive property taxes for this new student housing for the next eight years. These are the very taxes that TUSD relies on for funding.
Tucson’s Mayor and Council have already provided similar GPLET tax breaks to wealthy companies, including Greystar, a multi-billion-dollar company. Meanwhile, these luxury student housing complexes are exacerbating the divide between rich and poor students and placing a greater burden on Tucson’s taxpayers to keep our public school system functioning.
I guess equity does not really matter to this Mayor and some on this council. It should matter to TUSD.
Colette Altaffer
Midtown
Player portal
“Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone?” Could that be the story for our Arizona women’s basketball team? Coach Barnes works hard to develop players only to watch them go. Maddi Conner is averaging 24.5 points a game filling up the stat sheet for TCU; Netty Vonleh is averaging 15.4 points a game for Colorado; Lauren Ware 10 points a game for Texas A&M; and K-State’s Gisella Sanchez scored 15 points off the bench including 4 free throws in the final 20 seconds beating North Carolina. All of them got their start at Arizona and probably this year would have had the playing time they sought. I can only imagine it’s frustrating for coach Barnes to see talent like that pick up and go when they could have had the same results here. I hope current players will hang in with coach, I hope they will stay and be “Wildcats for Life.”
Richard Harper
Northeast side
Wars and terrorism
Russia has bombed Ukrainian schools and hospitals. Saudi Arabia placed a blockade on Yemen, denying food and medical supplies to the beleaguered citizens of that nation. And both countries have assassinated individuals they considered “dangerous”. These actions go beyond mere “state-sponsored terrorism”; so what shall we call countries that bomb schools, hospitals and homes; deny residents access to food, fuel and electricity; and assassinate scientists in a foreign country?
John Prugh
Foothills
Adjectives to describe Trump
Adjectives that were used on the opinion letters page on Dec. 3 opinion pages to describe Trump and whoever supports him.
The amount of name calling with no substantive support to address any of the issues. You hate 45!
I realize that most of the invective was directed at ideas and people you disagree with, but this amount of name calling is non-productive.
Do you think that invective directed at people you don’t know and who you disagree with you will convince anyone of your superior intellect or intelligence.
Resorting to name calling is an indicator that you have lost the argument.
Cut the adjectives and address the issues.
How does the former President compare with the current President in terms of policy and economy and foreign policy?
Are we better today? How? Describe it.
When we go to the pump or the grocery store how do we do?
Support your arguments with facts, not invective insult and name calling!
I’m not better off.
Richard Barnes
East side
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