Bass Pro Shops plans to open one of its massive “destination” Outdoor World stores on Tucson’s south side.
Who should pay for community damages?According to TEP, they emitted almost 9 BILLION tons of carbon during 2021. Using a conservative socio-economic cost estimate of $150/ton, that results in $1.346 Billion of climate-related damages to our community each year. And TEP has increased its use of natural gas to generate electricity (Gila River Power Plant), whose upstream fugitive CH4 methane emissions are even more damaging than CO2 (coal).
Those heat-trapping emissions cause higher temperatures, drought, wildfires, catastrophic weather events, damage to personal and public property, exacerbate health costs, increase the need for community cooling centers and electricity usage/costs, which insidiously increase TEP revenues.
These costs can be avoided by accelerating retirement of fossil-fueled generation, replacement with Solar and Energy Storage/Microgrids, funded by Federal EPA/IRA funds.
What actions are our County and City Governments performing to AVOID having to increase taxes to cope with these damages? Other than preparing to explain and justify those imminent tax increases? Shouldn’t for Profit TEP/Fortis pay for the AVOIDABLE damages?
Terry Finefrock
Foothills
It’s Christmas at Costco
If you’ve been to Costco lately, you probably noticed that time went ahead before you knew it!
Last week, I was in a local Costco (my husband is the designated shopper there), so maybe I missed it when time flew by. The store is a Christmas wonderland, lovely, but it’s September!
I certainly understand that Christmas is very important to retail operations, of course, but, really, September?
I am pretty sure I won’t be Christmas shopping until the earliest November, and, pretty sure, too, it won’t be at Costco.
Binky Luckhurst Woodward
Foothills
Another reason for Universal HealthcareRe: the Sept. 21 article “Hundreds face homelessness as Tucson sober-living venture fails.”
Nicole Ludden hit a home run with her coverage of the Happy Times community housing scheme. This is a terrible injustice to the unhoused and/or addicted in Tucson, as well as to the taxpayers, who have been swindled.
The article notes the Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) as the caretaker for the Medicaid funds. It mentions unscrupulous providers who bill for unprovided services. View the AHCCCS website: it is easier to become a “provider” than is to apply to receive Medicaid funding as a patient! Not mentioned are the Managed Care organizations that receive monies from the State through Medicaid. They are equally difficult to access. Are they somehow involved in this caper?
This is a complicated system that the crooks have mastered. We can lower the amount of complications with a single-payer healthcare system, a Medicare for All. The crooks might be easier to identify and control if we weren’t playing whack-a-mole within and between the states!
Joanne Mallett, MD , FACOG
Southeast side
Vote them out
Re: the Sept. 21 article “Bass Pro Shops to build mega-store.”
These two big box retailers received over $3 million in tax breaks from Mayor Romero and the City Council. It is bad enough that smaller, locally owned businesses that compete with them are paying all their taxes to be screwed over like this by our city government. On top of this, it is taking money from areas which the city has not adequately funded for years, such as roads, public safety and low-income housing. The only reason the city does anything in these areas is because of federal aid.
It seems Mayor Romero and the incompetent City Council care more about the real estate developers that fund their campaigns and big business than they do about the long-suffering people of the Old Pueblo. It is time to vote the Mayor, Paul Cunningham, Lane Santa Cruz and Nikki Lee out of office. Further, it is necessary to recall the other three councilmen after the election is over. Enough is enough. The gravy train has to stop.
David Moore
Midtown
Supervisor Hines’ testimony
Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Hines just testified before Congress about the continued dire situation in Yuma related to the influx of migrants. He stated that last year, the County Regional Medical Center had $26 million in uncompensated expenses caring for migrants. Hines has related that only three of eleven border wall gaps at Yuma have been closed. Remember Sen. Mark Kelly a year ago received a commitment from the Biden administration to close those. Dah! Customs and Border Protection reported that as of the end of July, 161,000 migrants had been apprehended entering illegally at Yuma, many coming through the border wall gaps. Supervisor Hines stated that surveillance cameras that were placed along the border wall at Yuma by Border Patrol have been removed under the Biden administration. Former Governor Ducey placed shipping containers at Yuma to fill the gaps. He was sued by the Biden Administration to remove them. What is Governor Hobbs doing to stop the renewed surge of thousands of migrants illegally entering daily into Arizona?
Janice DeAngelo
Tubac
Hundreds face homelessness
Re: the Sept. 21 article “Hundreds face homelessness as Tucson sober-living venture fails.”
As reported on the front-page, the tragic eviction of the nearly 200 Tucson residents’ is disturbing for a variety of reasons. It reported the sober living community, “Happy Times” [sic], stopped paying for residents to live at Ocotillo Apartments and Hotel. In the eighth paragraph, the reporter introduces the apparently common predatory practice of promising undelivered services to Native Americans to bilk Medicare through ACCCHS. Undeniably a deplorable practice. However, the article provides no direct evidence that this predatory scam led to these struggling individuals’ eviction.
The perpetuation of a permanent and homeless underclass through inadequate affordable housing by the City of Tucson, Pima County, the State of Arizona, and the federal governments is deplorable. Oh well, at least it isn’t 110° outside.
Richard Fridena
West side
Immigration
I find it ridiculous to read letters from those ranting about Biden concerning immigration. They apparently have no inkling that the situation at the border is not the fault of our president. Have you no knowledge that immigration issues are the responsibility of Congress? That Congress has now spent decades failing to pass any immigration reform bills? The Democrats have at least submitted plans but nothing passes due to Republican obstruction while the GOP submits no ideas of their own. If you want to blame someone, then at least blame the right people.
Robert Stanelle
Green Valley
ESA program accountability
A recent letter writer wants an explanation and accountability for how TUSD spent COVID relief money. Given the hardships COVID put on schools and students, this money was sorely needed. I’m far more interested in an explanation and full accounting of how ESA funds are being spent — money sucked from our public schools and available to any family (7K per child available). Financial need? Not a requirement! Studies show many applicants have no need of this assistance. About 49% of recipients never had their kids attending public schools. There should be a full accounting of how this money is being spent and also of student progress/success. Public schools are held accountable; the same should go for homeschoolers and any other “alternative education.” Who’s overseeing accountability — both financial and educational — for this ill-conceived voucher giveaway and the millions being handed out? Predictions are, it may bankrupt the state. Every recipient should have to account for every dime received and for student performance, as public schools must do.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
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