Letters to the Editor: Invest in our parks
by Tucson Citizen on Jan. 22, 2009, under OpinionGrow greener pastures investing in nat’l parks
Our parks preserve our cultural and natural landscapes, our history, and provide us with green spaces that are key to our quality of life. And although it is not their primary purpose, parks play a significant role in community economies.
Research has shown that every federal dollar invested in national parks generates $4 value to the public.
By investing in parks, millions of us who visit these places will enjoy the fruits of our labor and monitor the expenditures to improve them.
Notably, too, is investing in parks will leave something lasting and important for our children and grandchildren.
As Congress and the Obama administration work on economic stimuli, it is important to note that an investment in local and national parks can greatly help our economy.
Dona LaSchiava
Longtime subscribers to press on w/o Citizen
You just must know that we have taken your paper for 39 years and that it has only gotten better through that time.
We love the format and the columnists. It will be a truly sorrowful time for us if the paper is no longer being delivered to us.
We sincerely hope that the Tucson Citizen survives!
Sue and Don Robinson
Allowing public forum, paper has self to blame
You only have yourself to blame, as evidenced by the amount of remaining readers.
You lost me a couple of years ago when a group was painted with the same wide brush (it’s a part of racism, labeling a whole group because you are mad at a few) with Jeff Smith saying all Republicans are bad.
You folks gave it the OK and to print it went. A lot of letters sent in were lies that the editors printed, but never added an editor’s note that would have set records straight with the truth.
It seemed the paper went to a negative hard left and only appealed to about 17,000 estimated readers (1 to 2 percent of the Pima County population).
Regardless, I sincerely wish you all the best of luck.
Gary Erickson
Local fitness facility pumps up its image
I was interested in your Jan. 14 article (“Complaints against local gyms triple since 2005“).
As owners of Mid-Valley Athletic Club since 1984, my husband and I have worked hard to build a niche in Tucson and attract members in the face of stiff “corporate” competition.
We’ve been successful, and your article points to why. Mid-Valley is proud of our excellent service for more than 25 years!
As your article notes, complaints against fitness facilities have skyrocketed in recent years, but Mid-Valley has only had two complaints with the Better Business Bureau in 25 years, both dismissed in our favor!
Sure, everyone’s expectations are different for gyms, but we have a consistent record and plan to keep it that way!
As a local, family-owned facility, we are in the unique position to work with our members face to face. Our members know they aren’t just a “number.”
There are still good businesses in this economy doing the right thing to keep afloat. Thank you for not including us in your story!
Carolyn LeCocq
owner
Mid-Valley Athletic Club
Criminals controlling controlled substances
Regarding Raul Yzaguirre’s not-so-thoughtful oped Jan. 16 (“In Mexico’s drug war, the enemy is U.S.”:
The real enemy is prohibition. It makes an easy-to-grow weed worth its weight in gold.
How much crime do we have associated with caffeine? None. Absolutely none. Because it’s legal.
If we were to criminalize caffeine, that would soon change. Caffeine-containing products would be unregulated, untaxed and controlled by criminals, just like marijuana and other drugs are today.
Kirk Muse
Mesa
Granted, road project is pretty, but too costly
When the Grant Road widening proposal appeared on the ballot, I was under the impression it was for making improvements that would carry more traffic more efficiently.
Not exactly true!
When I saw drawings of the project, I was surprised to see that, while three lanes are proposed, they are 1 foot more narrow than the standard lanes are around town. Not a good thing, I think.
I also saw much width included in the design that could have been used for actual transportation use, or perhaps that took more property than was needed.
I don’t think most people who voted to widen Grant Road realized how much money was going to be spent to make Grant another Rio Nuevo-type project, with landscaping in the median and along the sides.
This might be very pretty, but have we thought about how much money will be needed to maintain all that shrubbery, or how much water it will take to keep it alive?
Yes, I saw the so-called water recovery areas, but how useful will they be when we go for months sometimes without rain?
We can’t repair the potholes we already have, but we are getting ready to create something that, while appealing to some dewy-eyed landscape designers, will be a nightmare for Tucson taxpayers.
Eugene Cole
retired
