Letters: Readers discuss James B. Nutter, labor unions and baseball beards
Union dues
I was a union member for 37 years before retirement. My union got me a raise, health care and vacation every year.
The union dues were worth it. I am sure the company would not have done it on its own.
Alice Smith
Lee’s Summit
Nutter’s generosity
We are all saddened by the recent passing of James B. Nutter and continue to marvel at his philanthropy throughout Kansas City and Missouri.
Yet one of his great passions has gone relatively unnoticed.
For generations, tourists from around the state and the world have come to the Missouri governor’s mansion in Jefferson City. Built in 1871, the Renaissance revival home sees more than 40,000 visitors a year. Preserving a building this old is the task of Friends of the Missouri Governor’s Mansion.
The hallmark of the mansion is the collection of first ladies’ portraits. These paintings allow visitors a glimpse into the past and allow our docents to share stories of the families who have lived in the mansion.
Nutter was a longtime member of the board of directors and a patron of the portrait collection, and if these walls could talk, they would thank him.
His very generous investment is this grand residence and the collections within will live on for generations.
Randy Scherr
President
Friends of the Missouri
Governor’s Mansion
Jefferson City
Kansas schools
The Star’s editorial board gets it wrong with “Kansas school spending, on pause.” (July 22, 8A)
Kansas students’ education funding has been paused far too long. To be clear, the total new funding for Kansas schools is $293 million annually, phased in over two years. Using the term “$488 million infusion” as the editorial did implies it is more than it truly is.
Most of the “new” formula is nearly identical to that used for years before the Legislature enacted the failed block grants.
Why wait? With full funding, we know the old formula works.
To be clear, the base state aid in the recently enacted formula is less than the base state aid per pupil set in 2009, when we last had a constitutionally acceptable plan in place.
The Kansas State Board of Education presented a budget request to the Legislature for $893 million phased in over two years.
The court should send the Legislature back this fall to make it right for our children. We owe them a constitutionally suitable provision of finance for their education.
It’s past time to do right by our students.
Chris Cindric
Board member, Kansas
Families for Education
Overland Park
Housing up north
I’m a child of 1960s white flight. We heard the same things in 1967 that we hear today: “We don’t want blacks in the Northland.”
The same dog whistles are being used: property values, crime, drug trafficking, prostitution, blah blah blah. (July 24, 1A, “Grant calls for affordable housing; neighbors object”)
I believe 4,000 subsidized housing units need to be created in the Northland. They must be near all the great North Kansas City schools, the ever-growing Northland job market and the multitude of grocery selections.
I believe Northlanders are in a time warp, still believing this is 1960. I am almost embarrassed to say I’m from there.
Four thousand people who signed a petition proved to me some things never change, including Northland bigotry and racism.
David Zagalik
Kansas City
Hairy game
During the 1920s and into the 1950s, there was a religious group that organized a baseball team.
Its leader, a sports enthusiast, put together a team called the House of David that barnstormed the country earning money for the colony. Its games involved playing semi-pro and even major league teams in exhibition season.
A distinct characteristic of the players was facial-hair growth. The players wore beards and long hair.
My question: Are today’s bearded baseball wonders returning to the days of the House of David, whose religion mandated the facial growth and long hair, or are they trying to project a caveman image?
Ed Growney
Kansas City
Great TV
Donald Trump ran on the promise to make America great again.
It has been six months, and so far, not much has been done.
The only thing he’s made great again is “Saturday Night Live.”
Bill Yarrow
Leavenworth
This story was originally published July 25, 2017 at 4:10 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss James B. Nutter, labor unions and baseball beards."