Citizen Staff Writer
Love Consuelo story, not Citizen’s ending
The Feb. 25 “Consuelo – an epic love story” – another beautiful story via the Citizen.
Thank you, Citizen. Thank you, Roberto Rodriguez.
I will miss your wonderful paper!
MARGE La ROCCA
Column sparks look at early alt-powered cars
Re: the Feb. 24 teen column, “Charged up about electric cars”:
Emily Hu! Terrific column! The EV-1 was a car years ahead of its time. What is not generally known is that at the inception of the automobile, there were early-day electrics along with White and Stanley steamers that were running neck and neck in competition with the gasoline engine.
Emily, thanks again. Go green; go electric!
Michael J. Beisch
Az lawmakers, Obama divided on abortion
Which way, Arizona?
As the Arizona Legislature looks to reinstate abortion restrictions on women and their doctors in our state, the new president is reported to be canceling Bush’s last-minute regulations, which would have allowed anyone – from a woman’s doctor to her doctor’s receptionist to her entire HMO system – to deny her an abortion; also to deprive rape victims of emergency contraception (that induces abortion).
Sheila Tobias
To fix budget, cut pay of gov’t workers 10%
How about trying a very simple way to alleviate governmental budget crises that would not require any layoffs or cuts in services?
Just have every government employee, from municipal right on up through the president of the United States, take a 10 percent pay cut.
I have no way of getting the required figures, but I have a strong hunch that we would suddenly see many balanced budgets.
CHARLIE BAUDER
Green Valley
Paper could profit from pledges, prayers
There seems to be a collective mind-set that the Tucson Citizen’s demise is a foregone conclusion. It’s clear that Gannett’s interest is profit-motivated.
If they understood that 50 percent of our community is of a conservative bent, and if the Citizen hired an editor and staff that catered to this communal needs, perhaps they’d see things in a different light.
If just 10 percent of the approximate half-million conservatives in the area expressed interest in a paper that supported traditional values, morals and ethics, then you have 50,000 subscribers willing to sign on to the venture.
I appeal to all conservatively minded movers and shakers out there to step up to the potential plate and go to bat for all of the marginalized and disenfranchised folks who deeply desire to have proper representation.
Such a publication should also include a fair and balanced viewpoint of both liberals and conservatives.
We just need our actual voice to be heard, and not just some meager crumbs tossed out in an appeasement gesture, as is currently the case.
I recommend that you offer former columnist Peter Bronson as a perfect candidate for editor in chief.
I urge all conservatives to recommend to members of your church or organization to inundate the Citizen with letters, e-mails, etc., indicating their potential support via subscription desire for such a revised and resurrected Tucson Citizen.
To paraphrase Mark Twain’s quote, we can say “News of my demise was greatly exaggerated” regarding the Citizen.
C’mon folks, it can be done! We just need to want it bad enough, and if you add prayer into the mix, then the possibility may gain concrete momentum. It’s not too late!
RICK DEMPSEY
State makes the grade in some aspects of ed
For years the voters of Arizona have been subjected to the same accusatory diatribe regarding education funding: “Arizona ranks nearly last in per-pupil education spending.”
This lone statistic obfuscates the funding. It sets Arizona up for an “apples-to-oranges” comparison with other states.
The situation is much more favorable. The National Education Association reports Arizona was 12th in the nation for average salary of all instructional staff.
When those salaries are compared relative to per capita income, the state ranks second.
Total revenue from state government ranks 19th. As for outcome-based indicators, the American Legislative Exchange Council reports that Arizona’s ACT and SAT composite scores rank 21st and 27th, respectively.
That certainly leaves room for improvement, but an unbiased discussion of funding priorities would take such numbers into account.
Glenn Perry
university instructor
Closed border would secure seal of approval
So Mexico thinks we should do more to keep U.S. weapons out of their country (Saturday article, “Mexico says U.S. must battle cross-border gun trade”).
Perhaps we would be more sympathetic if they would do more to keep their unemployed out of our country.
A sealed border wouldn’t solve the problems, but it sure would help.
I. Russell