Readers react to strangers, leaders and the earnings tax
Strangers’ gift
I have two strangers I need to publicly thank.
The first is the man in Leavenworth who helped us get a heavy piece of furniture down steps and into the back of our truck.
He was just driving by and evidently saw me struggling with the hutch. I thanked him but regret that I did not get his name. I hope he sees this letter and knows I was one grateful lady that day.
The second is the woman named Sarah who left a beautiful note (and a Starbucks gift card) on my vehicle at Zona Rosa. She thanked us for our military service and indicated how appreciative she was of the military for doing this very tough job.
Our son is a Marine, and I have a Marine Corps license plate and bumper sticker. My husband and I are retired Air Force.
When I saw I had something stuck in my window, that is definitely not what I was expecting. Thank you, Sarah. You truly made my day.
Patti Sahr
Leavenworth
Would-be leaders
We have a president who would be king.
We have a former first lady running for president on the Democratic ticket who would be queen.
We have a billionaire running for president on the Republican ticket who would be the court fool.
Whatever happened to an intelligent, thinking electorate?
Charles J. Faraci
Kansas City, Kan.
E-tax payback
If City Hall had shown some fiscal common sense and responsibility, such as not building a streetcar line no one wanted and not giving away the farm via tax increment financing, there most likely would not be a concern at the loss of earnings tax funds.
Don Cameron
Overland Park
School funding
Article 6 of the Kansas Constitution, which legislators have sworn to uphold, requires that they establish public schools so that citizens’ “intellectual, educational, vocational and scientific improvement” may be assured.
Ultimately, what we determine to be our students’ educational needs will modulate as needs and demands of an increasingly interconnected, globally competitive world change. When state legislators talk about school choice, really the only choice we have is whether we will try to meet those ever-changing expectations.
Common Core was intended by the states to be a way of organizing and expressing standards that already existed. Kansas was a part of creating that process for the benefit of students, their parents and teachers, so there would be continuity for children moving between grades, schools, districts and states. It was assuredly not some alien or federal Trojan horse maliciously unleashed to destroy Kansas’ children.
Undergirding community — public — schools can benefit students and every community. Therefore, I support sound and intelligent taxation that bolsters our students, supports educators’ creativity and enables them to nourish their charges and each other, and safeguards the communities of Kansas by bringing stability back to our schools.
Leslie D. Mark
Mission Hills
Discrimination bill
Since the Missouri Senate Democrats’ 39-hour filibuster against a constitutional amendment that would legalize discrimination, I’ve witnessed individuals on both sides of the aisle declare that the General Assembly no longer represents Missouri values.
It must be clear to all now: The Republican super-majority is unhealthy for our democracy.
State Sen. Bob Onder, a St. Charles County Republican, made that obvious with his hateful effort to allow Missouri businesses to hang “No Gays Allowed” signs on their doors. Republicans have needlessly threatened our economy with severe damages.
Indianapolis took $60 million in losses in the state’s effort to promote hate. We cannot accept that outcome here when the opportunities on which the American social contract is founded are quickly disappearing for too many Missourians who no longer see the economy or state government working for all people.
Yet, our state legislators want to waste time approving of unAmerican discrimination rather than creating jobs and expanding access to health care. The people need to remind our elected officials that they work for us and demand that they reject hate in all its ugly forms.
We must also end the Republican super-majority in Missouri’s legislature. Otherwise, these absurdities will only continue.
Morton Todd
St. Charles, Mo.
This story was originally published March 23, 2016 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Readers react to strangers, leaders and the earnings tax."