23-03-2025
Stop the insanity. Don't let sports fat cats take school money
Where is my friend and legislative representative, Jeff Weninger, the fiscal conservative?
Why is he, of all elected officials, the prime sponsor of legislation to take away tax dollars from cities, counties, the state and schools?
Yes, our fiscally conservative Jeff Weninger wants to give tax revenues to a sports franchise owned by billionaires for improving and maintaining a Major League Baseball stadium.
I love baseball, I love the Arizona Diamondbacks. I was there at the beginning helping, in my small way, to bring Major League Baseball to the Valley. But, as a former city administrator and school board member, I love our basic necessities much more than to take needed monies from them.
Yet, it is our very own, fiscally conservative representative, Jeff Weninger, leading the way. Where are our city leaders and school board members? Where are the parents whose children will be impacted.
The Diamondbacks are a vital business for downtown Phoenix. But their value has increased to almost $1.5 billion dollars.
Who will profit when that franchise is sold.? Not the taxpayers.
It's time to stop this insanity
Ron Pies, Chandler
Regarding Phil Boas' column 'Arizona lost one of its best senators because lawmaker pay stinks':
Sure, I'd support a living wage for lawmakers, subject to a few conditions:
1) Streamline the legislative process.
2) Prohibit and punish actual and apparent conflicts of interest, with ironclad bans on sponsoring, voting or participating in any way on any matter that affects a legislator's private business interests.
3) Mandate that the auditor general annually audit the state's financial performance and compliance.
4) Publish the financial and business interests and affiliations of every legislator.
5) Repeal legislative immunity.
6) Complete mandatory classes on civics.
7) Pass the same test given to those seeking U.S. citizenship.
Right?
Warren Kotzmann, Gilbert
The Department of Defense has weakened itself and created distrust by scrubbing its websites of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) materials, that include information about the Navajo Code Talkers.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has gone too far. Deleting historical facts and eliminating recorded history are actions we see from communist and tyrannical countries.
We know the Code Talkers saved thousands of lives and gave the United States an advantage with their selfless actions in WW II.
They dealt with prejudice serving in the US military and were begrudged the hero's return they deserved.
It is disgusting that DOD is scrubbing its website of the Code Talkers and all the other facts that mention ethnicity or gender under the shady guise of correcting DEI.
We, the People, will correct this elimination of history after you are removed from office. In the meantime, I ask all publishing entities to reprint and distribute everything you have on the Code Talkers, Buffalo Soldiers, Woman's Service Air Force pilots and every other group wiped off DOD public platforms so We the People can know who We are.
Victoria Caruso Drummond, Phoenix
Transgender people are part of our community. Like other Arizonans, they deserve to be healthy and supported. HB 2062 ("sex-based terms") discriminates against our transgender and other gender-diverse neighbors and is harmful to public health.
Lawmakers attempting to define "only two genders" will cite historic precedent. However, just as we learned centuries ago that the earth is not flat, we now understand scientifically that gender expression is more nuanced that previously understood.
To quote Maya Angelou, '...when you know better, do better.'
Family physicians like me see that transgender people have increased risk of suicide, higher rates of mental health diagnoses, and more traumatic life experiences than the general population. Protective factors include family and peer support, legal recognition, and anti-harassment laws.
I urge lawmakers to oppose HB 2062 and Governor Hobbs to veto it if necessary.
Members of the community need to speak out in support of transgender Arizonans. Full recognition of transgender and gender non-conforming people improves public health and creates a more just society.
Steven Brown, M.D., Scottsdale
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Don't let sports fat cats take school money | Letters
