UA unfairly shifts financial pain to workers
Re: the July 7 opinion “AZ Regent Fred DuVal: Why I support UA President Robbins’ COVID-19 campus plan.”
Regent DuVal’s defense of the UA president’s financial plan is predictable and problematic. The UA’s financial challenges are no greater than those of our peers, but our furloughs/pay cuts are significantly more.
The Coalition for Academic Justice at UA, which includes faculty, staff and graduate students, paid for an expert financial analysis that clearly showed there are alternatives to combatting this crisis with UA’s $2.2 billion economy instead of on the backs of workers who are making less than $150K.
Why is it acceptable to DuVal and Robbins and others for workers to take significant pay cuts, as much as two months of pay, leading to them having to borrow or worse, instead of UA having that burden given its resources?
Had Robbins and others honored shared governance and leveraged faculty and staff expertise instead, the financial issues could have been amicably addressed in April.
A collaborative review of data will reveal clearer answers and better solutions instead of a straw argument of students and their families versus workers.
Sonja Schutz
West side
Arrogant Finchem needs to be replaced
I live in Arizona legislative District 11, and Mark Finchem — surely one of the most arrogant members of the Legislature — is my representative.
Not content with merely harassing and threatening local governmental bodies, he now is sticking his nose into national affairs.
As noted in a June 27 letter to the editor, he wants to manipulate COVID-19 data to downplay the rising numbers of cases. And in that same issue of the Arizona Daily Star, he is reported to have used taxpayer money to hire attorneys to defend Donald Trump’s diversion of military funds to finance his border wall.
Finchem seems particularly incensed that the Sierra Club sued the administration. “It’s our (Arizona’s) border,” he said.
Well, yes, but it also goes through the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and the San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge.
LD 11 voters missed their chance to elect an outstanding candidate to replace Finchem in 2016.
Let’s not make that mistake again. Vote in November for Dr. Felipe R. Perez to replace Finchem.
Karen Schickedanz
SaddleBrooke
Hate of any kind
is never all right
One tenet of most moral teachings is that there is no place for hate in the world and there is no good hate. When you follow news reporting and the internet, there is a never-ending flow of hate toward President Trump. He is called every evil name and said to be worse that Mao, Stalin, Hitler and more racist than the KKK.
Our country will be torn apart if this election fuels hatred. Our democracy will be degraded if to win an election political parties project the vilest of intent on their opponents instead of debating policy.
I asked a mild-mannered Trump protestor holding a sign saying “There is no place for hate” if he hated Trump. His answer was yes, but it is a different kind of hate.
We cannot survive as a civil society if the concept of justifiable hatred is accepted.
Kenneth Smalley
Midtown
If it’s harmless, I don’t want to see dangerous
Ninety-nine percent of COVID-19 infections are “totally harmless.” Really, Mr. President!?
Tell that to the families and loved ones of over 135,000 Americans (4.5%) who have died of the “harmless” viral infection. Or to the 10% to 15% of the 3 million people with the virus who have been hospitalized and are finding it hard to breathe and suffer from myriad complications, some not even known now.
A “harmless” virus indeed! Lies and ignorance do matter.
Yoginder Chitkara
Foothills
LaWall endorses Mosher to be her successor
Take it from me, the job of county attorney requires far more than just being a lawyer. Your county attorney must also possess the experience, competence and qualifications to administer and manage a large, urban prosecutor’s office with a budget of $40 million and a staff of over 400. To make complex, difficult policy and prosecution decisions requires experience and a deep understanding of the issues.
Jonathan Mosher is the only candidate in this race whose qualifications, preparation for and commitment to serving as our county attorney is simply beyond doubt. He has the necessary experience, as well as a proven record of working to improve the criminal justice system and the safety of our community. He can be counted on to run the office with integrity and professionalism.
I have endorsed Jonathan Mosher because it is an investment in competent government and the future safety of this community.
Barbara LaWall
North side
Forget ‘new normal,’ this is the way life is
It has been said that the precautions to avoid COVID — the masks, the distancing — are the new normal. But there have always been epidemics and plagues and common diseases.
And the possibility of death by murder; social disorder; use of force by police and military; and invasion by foreign enemies have existed throughout history. It is only in the 20th century that we have subdued disease and violence and lulled ourselves into believing that they were conquered.
Now epidemics have returned and, no doubt, death by violence will increase as society continues to disintegrate. Now we must live with the knowledge that death is all around.
This is not a new normal. This is the return of the old normal; the way that most people have lived throughout history. We have to relearn to make the best of every day that we have, to seize life in the midst of death. This is the most ancient and universal wisdom.
Barry Andersen
Midtown
US desperately needs leadership
Leadership. One word that determines whether a group of people moves collectively towards success or failure. Great leaders possess a clear vision, are courageous and have integrity, honesty and humility.
With multiple challenges facing us nationally and globally, a leader should be investing time to provide direction, hope and a positive example to the public. Direction based solely on political diatribes is not leadership. The cascading impacts of COVID-19, equality and economic fragility demand action.
Leaders don’t divide, they bring together. Leaders inspire, not demean. Leaders are humble and honest, not boastful and misleading.
Clearly what we need are people on both sides of the political spectrum to put aside their differences and work for America. We can embrace the belief that our country has been a beacon of inspiration because of our diversity and that together we can accomplish anything.
While individual freedom is part of the equation, we as a country are better off when we work together on solutions. Act for the country, not yourself.
David Wegner
Foothills
It’s definitely left the barn
Here in Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey opened the state too early, to disastrous effect. I can just imagine Ducey now yelling:
“Shut the door!”
Shortly followed by:
“Where’s the horse?”
Dennis L. McKiernan
East side
Conover represents real path to change
In its endorsement of Jonathan Mosher for Pima County attorney, the Arizona Daily Star says that “he is preaching change from a department he has been part of and integral to for more than a decade.”
Laura Conover is the only candidate in the race who is not part of a prosecutorial system that all three candidates say needs reforming.
We live in a state that outpaces the nation in its rate of incarceration. The population of our jails and prisons is disproportionally Black, Hispanic and Native American.
Conover promised long before our current awakening to examine Pima County’s role in that systemic racism and change the policies that have enabled injustice.
We often lament that elections don’t provide an opportunity for change because all of the candidates represent the status quo.
That is not the case with what is quite possibly the most important vote you will cast this year.
I’m voting for Laura Conover.
Tom Beal
Downtown
The real reason Trump wants to restart schools
The president has one last major play left to solidify his re-election. Wasted opportunity, mishandled national crises and a general lack of leadership added to erratic international relations, a revolving door of Cabinet members, the firing of effective watchdogs, blaming Denmark for not selling Greenland — the absurdity goes on.
However, it’s always about the economy, stupid. If the GDP and GNP could return to pre-COVID levels, and unemployment retreats to Obama-era numbers ... then re-election chances improve.
People vote their wallets. Thrusting our children back to school, along with millions of teachers, caretakers, coaches, security guards and administrators might very well re-energize the national wallet, bringing it back up to its usual 6.2% of our GNP.
No other section of our national commerce, except travel and defense could engineer such a quick significant impact. Never mind the health and lives of our children, parents, teachers, et cetera. It’s just another ploy to reach the win column on Nov. 2.
Baird Thompson
Foothills
Trump is allowing racists to self-identify
A few years ago, I worked on an isolated island, with access provided twice yearly by a resupply ship. The island is home to about 30 people, living and working in close quarters in a small research facility. The Australian government staffs the facility, and mental health is a primary consideration in personnel selection.
Cleverly, they allow potential personnel to self-deselect by hosting them for a couple of days, providing an open bar and observing their actions. People with a predilection for drunkenness and disruptive behavior cannot help from exposing their true obnoxious personalities. Donald Trump has done the same for white supremacists, encouraging them to self-identify.
The result is the spate of disgusting racist acts we are now witnessing. In normal times, these folks hide their true feelings, pretending to be fair, broad-minded people. Now that Trump has released them from the expectations of a tolerant, multicultural and civilized society, they are revealing themselves.
Jim Walworth
Northeast side
Conover the only unstained choice
Re: the July 8 endorsement “Mosher our pick for Pima County attorney”
I am distressed at your choice of Jonathan Mosher for Pima County attorney. Six years ago, the Court of Appeals overturned a man’s conviction on a murder charge. Why? Because Mr. Mosher was found “to have made false and misleading statement to the jury” in that trial. I believe that is a disqualifying act.
Candidate Mark Diebolt Jr. has an equally problematic situation. In 2015, he was reprimanded by the Pima County Attorney’s Office for withholding crucial evidence in a murder case he was prosecuting for the county. The eprimand cited Diebolt “for violating his ethical duties as a prosecutor,” calling it “inexcusable for a prosecutor with your years of experience.”
Pima County attorney is an important position. Neither of these men deserve a voter’s approval.
I will be voting for Laura Conover, a Tucson native who has more than 10 years’ experience in the superior and federal courts. Two years ago she was appointed by federal judges to manage nearly 400 federal contract lawyers statewide.
J.L. McCreery
Northwest side
