I care about the community
Re: the June 15 letter “Berkman needs to get a life.”
This letter is in response to the mean-spirited letter by a Conover supporter suggesting I should stop being involved in the race for County Attorney. I am involved because I care about my community and the County Attorney’s office. My public records requests, which the writer complains about, revealed Ms. Conover’s significant ethical violations which resulted in the State Bar taking action against her. To this day Conover is still being dishonest about the Bar charge and the Bar’s reasons for imposing a diversion program. I care that Conover has decimated the office, has run off most of the experienced lawyers, and allows dangerous criminals to run free. I care for victims and I care for public safety. Pima County has been my home for 53 years and I was a prosecutor for 18. I know the importance of an honest and competent county attorney. Laura Conover is neither.
David Berkman
Northwest side
Steller’s blaming Republicans for budget deficit
Re: the June 16 article “Blame income-tax cuts for Arizona deficit.”
The AZ Star’s liberal columnist Tim Steller wrote an article blaming former Republican Governor Ducey and Republicans in the Legislature for our budget deficit of $1.3 billion. The main culprits, income tax reductions for Arizonans, private school vouchers, and a decline in retail sales revenue under Biden’s economy. Budget cuts are being made. I wanted to thank Governor Ducey and Republican legislators. I am a middle-income retiree and the 2.5% flat state tax has saved me about $1,500 a year in paying less state income taxes. It helped defray the disastrous financial effects of Bidenomics that raised the costs of everything. Most doing the vouchers are also paying thousands in county property taxes that fund local school districts and community colleges. As for those earning over $200,000 benefiting from the tax cuts, how many are small business owners filing as LLCs or Sole Proprietors using 1040/140s? Our deficit is nothing compared to California’s $68 billion. They face budget cuts of over $19 billion.
Mary Ann Starman
North side
Rep. Juan Ciscomani
Honoring Pride Month
As the Vice President of Substance Use Disorders at Foundations Recovery Network (FRN), I am proud to recognize June as Pride Month, during which we reaffirm our commitment to providing specialized care tailored to LGBTQ+ individuals. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), LGBTQ+ individuals are almost three times more likely to experience a mental health condition, more than twice as likely to use illicit drugs and almost twice as likely to suffer from a substance use disorder.
This Pride Month, we are highlighting our Pride Institute facility, which was the first addiction treatment center to exclusively serve LGBTQ+ individuals. The Institute was named Best Addiction Treatment Center by Newsweek for the years 2021-2023 and routinely receives referrals from across the United States. Since July 2019, their residential program has assisted 3,428 LGBTQ+ persons struggling with addiction.
At FRN, we are committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and acceptance, where everyone can receive the compassionate care that they deserve.
Sincerely,
Chad Koller, MBA, MHA, LPC
North side
Congress must help new dialysis patients
Kidney failure changes patients’ lives. I see patients battle kidney failure every day as a social worker at a dialysis clinic where they receive life-saving treatment. Unfortunately, physical hardships are only the beginning.
As a social worker, I help dialysis patients deal with insurance companies. It is a challenging task: dialysis is costly, and insurance companies do their best to avoid paying.
Nevertheless, private insurance gives patients the best opportunity to receive kidney transplants. Allowing kidney patients to keep their private insurance gives them the best shot. However, a recent Supreme Court decision allows private insurance companies to push patients onto Medicare before the traditional 30-month coverage window. This leaves patients without choice, without the best treatment options, and perhaps without a way to pay the remaining 20% Medicare does not cover.
That’s why Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) must support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, which allows kidney patients to keep their private insurance for the first 30 months of dialysis treatment.
Carolyn McKeown
Ajo
Mike Jette for County Attorney
Re: the June 24 article “The path forward: Conover for Pima County Attorney.”
Recently Supervisor Grijalva wrote an op-ed supporting Laura Conover. Perhaps if she had the experience that our family had with Laura Conover she may feel differently. Last year my grandson, Isaac Benitez was beaten, run over and drug underneath a car for several hundred feet. He died from his injuries. His murderers, one 17 and the other 18, were given probation. Throughout the process, we had no support from the County Attorney’s office. We have met the families of other victims that have had the same experience. Isaac was kind and genuine. He graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA and was headed into the Air Force. In the memory of Isaac, we are speaking out so other families don’t have to go through what we have. I am a lifelong Democrat voter, so is the rest of my family. We regret voting for Laura Conover in 2020. We support Mike Jette. Laura Conover failed Isaac and our family. Victims need voices. Vote for Mike Jette.
Angelina Finn
Midtown
I-11
The Pima County Board of Supervisors, except for Steve Christy, approved a resolution to oppose IH-11 in Avra Valley, citing heavy traffic, commercial and residential development, a gash through the Sonoran Desert, destroying habitat, and interrupting wildlife corridors. Their alternative is to add these problems to IH-10 in Tucson. High priority wildlife habitats are well protected in Saguaro National Park West, Tucson Mountain Park, and Ironwood Forest National Monument. Sonoran desert scrub in Avra Valley is already badly disturbed, poor wildlife habitat. Wildlife corridors are often cited as important, but isolated wildlife populations do well without rare genetic exchanges; corridors are not protected by law. Marana is one of the fastest-growing towns in southern Arizona. Projected exponential growth in the next decades will impact Avra Valley anyway, likely as far south as Ajo Road. IH-11 will guide this development and help manage increasing IH-10 traffic.
Tom Van Devender
North side
Laura Conover has my vote
I served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Tucson from 1997 to 2022 and was the lead prosecutor of Jared Loughner for the January 8, 2011 attempted assassination of Gabrielle Giffords, murder of six Tucson citizens and wounding of scores of other fellow citizens. I prosecuted several cases in federal court which were defended by Laura Conover when she served as a criminal defense counsel. I also worked with Mike Jette, Laura’s opponent in the upcoming Democratic Primary Election for Pima County Attorney, when he was a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I have taken the measure of both candidates. I know who I would trust to put the best interests of the citizens of Pima County above their own self-interests as County Attorney. My vote is for Laura Conover.
Wallace Kleindienst
Foothills
The high road
Although Laura Conover, the current Pima County Attorney, has appropriated Michelle Obama’s slogan “When they go low, we go high,” it is her opponent, Mike Jette, who has taken the high road while Conover’s team has gone low. Jette had the courage and experience to prosecute the rancher who shot a migrant in the back, killing him as he was running away. The Conover team faulted Jette for the hung jury that failed to convict in this case. I believe it was a miscarriage of justice due to widely held bias on the part of some jurors and promoted by an Arizona House bill introduced at the same time that, had it passed, would have legitimized just such a killing. Jette had the courage to actually choose justice and stand in the face of this dark force. Ms. Conover has never prosecuted a first-degree murder case, much less one of this consequence.
Joseph R. Patterson, Ph.D.
South side
Is this a joke?
Juan Ciscomani’s TV ad has him saving us from government intrusion into our private affairs. Does anyone remember that he is a loyalist to the guy who overturned Roe V. Wade through his Supreme Court picks? Roe was based on the idea that abortion restrictions before mid-pregnancy are an unconstitutional invasion of privacy. Has his loyalty wavered due to privacy concerns when his mob Boss talks about retribution against those in opposition? Did his loyalty waver when his Boss’s past words and actions supported leaders like Putin who invade their people’s privacy to maintain power? I think not. His ad is the height of hypocrisy and phoniness. He doesn’t represent me and I hope a majority in my district feel the same way. Enough loyalists around the country need to be defeated and Democrats elected to impeach and remove those Justices who took away our right to privacy.
Eric Gormally
Oro Valley
Why this Democrat is voting for Mike Jette
I am a retired attorney who has lived in Tucson for 46 years. I voted for Laura Conover last election and regret that decision. Given the chaos and dysfunction the Pima County Attorney’s Office has suffered under her administration, she cannot run on her true record. She is instead resorting to a campaign of misinformation and outright lies, including the proposition that Mike Jette is not a “real” Democrat.
The easily determined facts are:
Mike has always been a registered Democrat except for a few months in 2012 when he explored a challenge to then PCA LaWall and during 2008-2023 when he registered as an independent due to the serious public corruption and white-collar crime cases he handled.
Mike opposes the death penalty.
Mike is unequivocally pro-choice and supports reproductive rights.
Mike embraces environmental protection.
As a lifelong Democrat, I will vote for Mike Jette and urge my fellow Democrats to do the same. Let’s protect our community and support victims of crime.
Ronna Fickbohm
Midtown
How well do you know your candidates?
I first met Edgar Soto, a Tucson native, as a student in my second-grade class at Brichta Elementary. Knowing a person since youth provides an insight into their character and values. His leadership skills showed early. For example, Edgar was always a magnet for gathering students in activities. He is very approachable! As the VP at PCC — Desert Vista Campus I observed camaraderie with students, faculty, staff and visitors. His personal qualities and his lifelong work ethic demonstrate a dedication and commitment to service for the betterment of the Tucson community.
Edgar’s participation in the Flinn Brown Civic leadership organization, which honors strong leadership, resulted in Edgar’s selection for honor in Pima County. His promotion of early childhood education at the Desert Vista campus earned him an award for launching a Early Learning Center for student parents.
I support Edgar Soto, a 30+ years educator for District 3 Pima County Board of Supervisors! Please join me in voting for Edgar!
Yvonne C. Clay
West side
My vote is for Mike Jette
Re: the June 25 letter “Pima County Attorney’s race.”
Concerned about Mike Jette’s political party affiliation? May I be so bold as to introduce you to Kris Mayes, the finest attorney general our state has had in a very long time. She was also, until 2019, a card-carrying Republican.
This letter is full of completely unsubstantiated accusations and salacious static that distracts from examining Conover’s deficiencies: transparency, integrity, ethics, and management skills. If you want to criticize Jette, you have to give us more than gossip.
As a lifelong Democrat who once supported Conover, I will be voting for Mike Jette. I have lost all faith in Laura, and most of my friends and neighbors agree that Jette could be as great for Pima County as Kris Mayes has been for Arizona.
Daniel Gardner
Northwest side
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