USAID closure costs farmers
U.S. farmers are the primary source of USAID grains and other crops. The Agency spends “around $2.1 billion annually to provide food aid worldwide ... American farmers are now left without some of their most dependable income.” — Better World Campaign.
An unelected appointee of the Executive Branch instigated the abrupt illegal closure of USAID, established by Congress and funded by Congress.
Please ask Arizona senators and your U.S. representative to curb executive excesses and reestablish USAID, which adds stability, disease protection, and development services worldwide. Positive in-country support also counters irregular migration.
Episcopal Bishop of Arizona Jennifer Reddall indicates USAID-supplied HIV medications in Africa enable 20 million people to live meaningful, productive lives. St. Michael’s Episcopal (Tucson) adds that 5800 USAID contracts have been terminated, affecting more than 53 million people.
Bishop Reddall asks: “Where is Christ in this? ... Those of us who follow Jesus are called to raise our voices on behalf of life-giving and life-sustaining work for our siblings around the globe.”
Ila Abernathy
Midtown
City will scramble to find more
Tucson City Manager Tim Thomure was a bit surprised at the defeat of Prop. 414. Really? 70% of voters weren’t buying the sales tax increase. Had it passed, Tucson’s sales tax would have been one of the highest city tax rates in the state of Arizona. Voters are already feeling the effects of inflation and will continue to feel the effects due to 47’s tariff tantrums. Voters looked at what they received or in this case, what they didn’t receive with the last tax hike. There were former Tucson fire and police employees that were not voting for the increase and urging others to follow suit. Tim, here are some ways the Old Pueblo can scrounge up some much-needed revenue: Put together a “Go Fund Tucson” page. Sell naming rights to local landmarks or public spaces. Use police cars as billboards. Put ads on fire trucks. See if you can resurrect Domino’s paving for pizza campaign. Rename the Ronstadt Transit Center to Wells Fargo.
Max LaPlante
Southeast side
Time for city to listen to citizens
On election evening, Mayor Romero invited Prop 414 No voters to come to next week’s Mayor/Council meeting to share their solutions. Really? Neither a call-to-audience nor public hearing on a specific topic provides opportunity for meaningful exchange.
A better idea: Mayor and relevant staff join each Council member at the Ward Office for solution-seeking meetings with concerned citizens. They have work to do to address the negativity felt by many in the community. People are tired of attending public meetings, being asked for their opinions (be it on bike paths, Corridor Tool, or Plan Tucson), only to find that the original proposal is never amended.
Don’t blame the 70% No vote on Trump or external issues. Since 2020, mayor and council have become less accessible to the public, even after a substantial salary adjustment last year. May this be a wake-up call to our elected officials that they need to engage the community prior to making their decisions. Tucsonans want more responsive city government.
Ruth Beeker
Midtown
Collaborator nation
It’s bad enough that Trump is taking the presidency along the path of personal dictatorship. It’s worse that a torrent of newspapers, tech corporations, judges, military brass, universities, priests and pastors are converting to his anti-republican gospel.
Even those leading the opposition have become weak-kneed and self-protective rather than community-minded and patriotic.
The reason for the evaporation of conscience is the cancer of acquisitiveness, the desire for riches, stature, power to come quickly by force.
Newspapers practice censorship, corporations push monopoly, professionals hide behind gated walls, celebrities flip-flop like politicians, politicians become demons of unrighteousness, the handsome and stunningly beautiful become cankered and ugly, the smiling exude only frowns born of confusion and lethargy.
Good has left the high ground to make way for a rising flood of evil and foolish pride.
America has quit sanity, health, education, law, Constitution, family, citizenship and country, all to fulfill the vision of “America First,” which is just another name for people’s government last.
Kimball Shinkoskey
Woods Cross, Utah
Republican cowards
The cowardice of Congressional Republicans evidently has no limits. From Rachel Maddow:
Trump declared a “national economic emergency” to justify his on-again-off-again tariffs, causing massive drops in the stock market and economic chaos for businesses.
The Republican-majority Congress has the power in law to stop this, by declaring the national emergency over.
The minority Democrats put forth a resolution to force Republicans to take a vote to put the tariff issue on record, to be done within 15 days, so the Republicans slipped some language into a procedural measure that prevents any vote on tariffs for this year.
And — I’m not making this up — the Republicans have proclaimed that between now and the end of this Congress is one long day. There will never be a required 15-day voting period.
Cowards all. If you have a Republican representative, call and give them an earful. A crashing economy is all on them.
Jennifer Dawson
Midtown
Department of Education
Big Mac Billionaires Elon Musk and Donald Trump plan to eliminate the Department of Education. Trump recently ordered a reduction in staffing of 50% and closure of DOE offices throughout the United States. What are some important responsibilities spearheaded by the DOE? “Some of the Education Department’s key responsibilities include administering Title 1 funding to help schools serving low-income students obtain an equitable education regardless of their socioeconomic status; managing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act– known as IDEA – to ensure services for students with disabilities” and of course, “Title IX’s nondiscrimination mandate.” From K-12 to college the federal government helps to protect students. Only Congress has the power to eliminate the DOE. Do you think they will exert their rights against Trump? In 1958 SCOTUS refused a delay in the desegregation for the Little Rock 9 in Arkansas. Would today’s Supreme Court stand up for our students after giving Donald Trump unlimited power? It’s clear we no longer live in a democracy.
Richard Harper
Northeast side
Six weeks later
I wrote in the Star on Feb. 9, ‘After the smoke subsides, USAID will reemerge in some form, perhaps not continuing as an independent agency but under the tutelage of the State Department, smaller, more efficient and doing good work more focused on strengthening America.’
Marco Rubio said on March 10 that the State Department had finished its six-week purge of USAID programs cutting the 83% of contracts that did not serve and even harmed U.S. interests and he moved the remaining aid programs under the State Department.
Excepting reports on March 12 that USAID legacy employees are now shredding and burning their files, the book is now closed on this one agency, but there are 450 more to be reviewed before DOGE sunsets on Independence Day 2026.
I wish them Godspeed.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Proposition 414
It is unbelievable to me that our City Manager, Tim Thomure, and our City Council were surprised at the thunderous defeat of Proposition 414. It’s clear to me that none of them have a clue about the wishes of the voters. The fact that they spent millions on this ill-conceived proposition shows they must all be living in a bubble. I urge the voters of Tucson to elect new, fresh faces to the City Council in this year’s election. We need a fiscally responsible Council who will spend our tax dollars wisely, not like the irresponsible group that is now in office.
Rob Davidson
West side
Liberal point of view
Just read another Gerald Farrington opinion piece. Another anti-Maga diatribe with no solutions. Most AZ Daily Star opinions represent the Liberal elites from North Tucson, Oro Valley and Saddlebrooke. They wonder why they lost the election and prices of AZ Daily Star keep going up. The rest of readers get tired of the hate-Trump rhetoric while offering no solutions. Stop calling Trump a liar when the biggest lie was the Democrats and the press saying Joe Biden was competent. Who ran the last two years of Biden’s presidency? The constant liberal diatribe from the Star is causing subscribers to look for balanced news elsewhere. The subscription price goes up as readers decrease.
Doug Shumway
Green Valley
No surprise here
It is somewhat sad to see all the letters from people expressing shock about the actions of Juan Ciscomani.
He ran as a son of immigrants while complaining about immigrants. He made his allegiance to the Trump agenda clear. His actions upon being elected are not a surprise.
If you are surprised by the actions of Representative Ciscomani, or any other Trump clone, perhaps try waking up before voting, not after.
David Reynolds
East side
No on continuing resolution
The current House budget bill should be a resounding no vote in the Senate. The bill would cut funding for non-defense programs and services by $13 billion and increase defense spending by $6 billion. It would turn over the legislative power of the purse to Elon Musk who already has made haphazard, illegal cuts to fundamental federal agencies and has disrupted essential operations. Musk isn’t looking for waste, he’s just cutting. I’m all for making government more streamlined. I’m not for chaotic nonsensical cuts that impact the safety of Americans. If DOGE was actually working, why did federal spending rise to record levels last month?
Jean Meconi
Northeast side
Trump accomplishments
In less than two months, President Trump has managed to do the impossible.
He has alienated all of our NATO allies while at the same time befriending Putin, the most bloodthirsty dictator since Stalin.
His “economic policies” have tanked the stock market while opening a path to inflation that will hurt all middle-class Americans. He has given his crazy buddy, Elon Musk, an immigrant, free rein to dismantle our infrastructure and gut all the medical, environmental, legal and social agencies that protect American citizens. As an 86-year-old with children and grandchildren, I fear for their future but still hope that this is only temporary and the US can reclaim its greatness after the “Trump debacle.”
Morton Cederbaum
Green Valley
Do you think they care about you?
Can any MAGA voter out there say with confidence that the 14 billionaires in the new cabinet care about you? Just today, one of them said that the new tariff on EU alcohol shouldn’t be bad. He can afford another $10 on a bottle. Can you? Another one said that canned food is ok after halting a fresh food program for children in school, Do you think she eats canned food? You elected this group, but all they do is hurt you. When will this become too much for you? For those of you getting Social Security, SNAP or Medicaid, remember that the Republicans just asked for an increase in defense spending while gutting your services.
Mike Dai
Midtown
Ciscomani’s deception
After publicly expressing concern about how these cuts would affect his constituents, Representative Ciscomani voted for the GOP budget plan that will cut both Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. What a betrayal.
Consequently, 171,293 Medicaid recipients in AZ-06 will experience a decline in their healthcare, including 54,774 children and 27,000 seniors.
And 135,000 SNAP recipients will now have to worry about how they will put food on the table.
Ciscomani’s insincere “concern” is appalling, as his constituents now have to face the challenge of meeting their healthcare needs and providing food they cannot afford.
Contact him regarding your very real and heartfelt concerns for the welfare of Arizonans.
Lois Postil
Northwest side
Make America Healthy Again
Someone needs to tell RFK that his boss is destroying our health by his volatility. Loss of employment, loss of investments, loss of health insurance, worry about WWIII and the resulting anxiety, stress, fear, panic attacks, and helplessly watching our country being torn down are not conducive to good health. Au contraire.
Sally Wasielewski
East side
