Sports betting is
bad public policy
Arizona has recently legalized sports betting, allowing people to gamble anywhere and use their credit cards to go into debt. Enticed by glitzy commercials, some will bet money they do not have and carry that debt with credit-card interest rates of 24% and more. This is a recipe for individual and family economic disasters.
It is shameful that wealthy actors appear in commercials to endorse sports betting. It is equally shameful that the supposedly moral Republican legislative majority voted to legalize this form of gambling to modestly increase state revenues. The politicians would not legally permit heroin or oxycodone use, but they have legalized another deadly form of addiction to make money. Now, Arizonans can go broke by wagering in the comfort of their own homes.
James Williams
Oro Valley
Carbon reliance
hard to shake
Monster storms and wildfires are our new climate norm. Human costs are incalculable as are the costs to our economy from devastated farms, ranches, businesses and energy supply lines. Hurricane Ida alone will cut oil output for months. Rebuilding ravaged communities costs billions every year: Just look at last year’s disasters in California, Texas, and an unprecedented hurricane season.
The two infrastructure bills circulating in Congress seem like bargain-basement deals compared to the cost of doing nothing. “Building back better” means that we cannot rebuild stone-age structures, and it means we need to develop clean-energy technologies and build infrastructure for the 21st century and beyond. Regrettably, too many members of Congress continue to ignore science and the realities of our human-caused climate crisis. Many members — from both political parties — are bankrolled by special interests wanting to keep us reliant on carbon-based energy. I hope these bills pass, but like all voting in Washington, follow the money!
Kathy Krucker
Midtown
'A' Mountain
being neglected
The city recently destroyed a citizen’s unobtrusive memorial while ignoring decades of neglect. The surrounding neighborhoods and advocates have long warned that highly flammable buffelgrass densely carpeting the south slope would soon consume the park and now it’s becoming a reality. When dry, a cigarette easily ignites the hot burning grass destroying the ecosystem. "A" Mountain's neglected south slope is now a "dead zone" where buffelgrass has smothered everything.
With over $100 million in tax abatements given corporations, then-Regina Romero’s Ward 1 and city authorities insisted volunteers be responsible for controlling invasive species and trash from vehicles while relying on understaffed police to address incidents of gunfire and frequent crashes on a steep, winding, shoulderless road never designed to commingle pedestrians and cyclists with speeding intoxicated drivers.
Tucson's unique iconic park and historic landmark needs restoration and dedicated maintenance after years of official neglect and abuse from vehicular occupants ignoring park rules.
Candace Charvoz Frank
West side
Thanks a lot,
anti-vaxxers
As I write this, my wife is in a local hospital awaiting transfer to a Tucson hospital that can perform a lifesaving operation. This is the third day of waiting because the hospitals are overflowing with COVID patients. Most of the covid patients have not been vaccinated. Some are children too young for shots and others who are physical compromised and cannot be vaccinated, they should get the care they need.
I do not care if the unvaccinated bring COVID home to their parents, grandparents or children. But now you have endangered my wife of 57 years. Why should you be given precious beds in the hospital for your lack of concern for others? The triage people should only give you a cot in the parking lot.
William Hewes
Benson
