Glad city, towns
could work it out
Re: the Jan. 29 article "After give-and-take, city remains in RTA."
Hooray to Ted Maxwell for putting forth a solution and for Mayor Ed Honea, Supervisor Rex Scott, and even though he is not mentioned, I am certain city of Tucson Manager Mike Ortega with the support of Mayor Regina Romero, together with the rest of the board, for finding a way to have the city of Tucson remain in the RTA. Roads do not stop at city limits and regional planning and funding is far more efficient than separate plans by each community. Conditions arose that were not considered in the original plan and relief was needed for the city of Tucson. At the same time, funding needs to be assured for the smaller cities that surround the city of Tucson. Finding a way to navigate the many needs will continue, but at least we will find those solutions from within an organization that best serves the interests of all of the citizens of the region.
Chris Sheafe
Foothills
Everyone needs
a safe workplace
Rep. Quang Nguyen, R-Prescott Valley, and HB 2043, should be worrying about keeping our economy moving instead of penalizing companies for mandating their employees get vaccines. Granted, some may choose to state a religious reason and they should be accommodated. How you ask? Test the employee each morning on arrival. Test results can be seen quickly. If negative, they can proceed to work (plus masking and distancing). If not, then go home. One needs to ask how any business can continue to operate if even one employee is positive. No one wants to get sick. But many have health issues which put them at risk for serious illness or death. Getting COVID on top of a serious health issue can be a crapshoot unless you stay home and stay away from everyone. HB 2043 needs to be reevaluated.
Joyce Harrison
East side
Economics drive
border crossers
In a recent conference call with state governors, President Joe Biden spoke about people coming from Central America by posing the question of 'figuring out why they're leaving in the first place,' Come on, Biden, half the world still thinks America's streets are paved with gold. Joe does not know that most Central Americans are fleeing from poverty? He should read the expose by former Star reporter Perla Trevizo titled 'Passports to the American Dream.' She documented whole villages in Guatemala emptied out coming here for mostly economic reasons. And that parents brought their children along believing they had a better chance of staying, which proved right under Biden. Is Biden so dumb to not understand the border crisis he created by reversing Trump's border policies? Is he so dumb not knowing people are abusing our asylum system, claiming they are fleeing from violence, but actually are fleeing from poverty? We cannot accommodate half the world's population that want to come here. Biden however is giving it his best shot!
Alan Jeffords
Midtown
Fare-free transit
worth exploring
Re: the Feb. 2 article "Tucson considers making fare-free transit permanent."
Fare-free transit would be an excellent idea for lower-income residents. They should not be penalized for a few bad apples who abuse drivers and take advantage of the system. One way to alleviate this problem would be issuing a free bus pass to anyone employed. In that way people who use the buses recreationally will help subsidize the service.
Victor Panizzon
Northwest side
Statehood path
was a rocky one
To paraphrase the Bard, something's rotten in the state of Arizona and it's the state Legislature! These so-called representatives of the people have no sense of or respect for Arizona history! It took 49 years for Arizona to become a state, a longer wait than any other applicant for statehood. It was because Arizona was too progressive for the rest of the United States. Arizona's "faults" included insistence on the initiative, recall, and referendum โ one of which, the initiative, the state Senate is trying to take away by its proposed legislation that limits the public's right to submit its own proposed legislation. Arizona was also penalized in its statehood wait for insisting on maintaining its child and women's labor protection laws. Seems to me that our contemporary Legislature and state government are striving to take us back to pre-statehood days! Shame on all of them!
Barbara Benjamin
Northeast side
Stale response
from Sinema
I recently wrote to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in opposition to the death penalty. Today I received an email reply which is unsatisfactory, annoying, even insulting on two counts. First, it appears to have been hauled unchanged from a 2019 file, making no reference to the 13 executions carried out in 2020 by the Trump administration. Second, and unfortunately, this is all too often true of her nonresponsive replies, it gives absolutely no indication of her position on Rep. Ayanna Pressley's HR 4052 of 2019, which would have eliminated the death penalty under federal law. Further, in her stock reply Sinema offers no insight into her personal senatorial opinion on the constitutionality, legality and morality of this barbaric practice which has been outlawed throughout most of the civilized world.
Whatever her thoughts on the subject, let her stand up and share them with her constituents now in 2022, not in a rehashed message from 2ยฝ years ago.
Frank Bergen
Northeast side
Troops heading
to wrong border
A million-plus undocumented migrants pouring across our southern borders. Record fentanyl seizures with this very deadly drug killing kids and adults on the streets. It seems smuggling gangs are in control of the border, our own Border Patrol overwhelmed. But President Joe Biden is sending thousands of American troops to the Ukraine border? What the heck is going on? A rhetorical question, as we all know very well what is going on in a tragic bizarro world. Biden, it's time to straighten up and get this wonderful nation of ours under control. C'mon, man!
Debra Mantecon
East side
Traffic cameras
are needed again
Re: the Feb. 3 article "Speed cameras on way?"
Today during the 30 minutes I was out running errands, I witnessed two cars starting to go through intersections after the light had turned red. Years ago, we had speed cameras in Tucson, and car deaths went down. I lived away from Tucson for 10 years, and upon my return, speed cameras were voted out. A recent article reported that car accident rates in Tucson are up. A possible correlation? Of course, a correlation. I would welcome the return of speed cameras throughout Tucson.
Janet Sabb
Northeast side
Supply chain
woes and crime
Recently, the president said, that there are no supply chain problems and everyone was able to get what they wanted for Christmas.
Some months ago, a problem delivering chips for electronics and auto manufacturers was occurring. Production for both industries dropped, meaning fewer new cars. Demand was constant and supply decreased, resulting in new-car prices increasing.
Along with new-car prices rising, used-car prices also increased. Thus, both new and used cars became more lucrative for thieves. In the last several weeks, two elected government officials have been carjacked (both Rep. Mary Gay Scanlonโs Acura MDX and Illinois state Sen. Kimberly Lightfootโs Mercedes-Benz).
So, Mr. President, at least two industries did not get everything they wanted for Christmas!
Warren Wright
Oro Valley
