Letters

Published
February 3, 2015

Letter to the editor: Bond to install LED lights in Portland makes sense in the long run

It is a shame to keep our beautiful city in the dark. With a low-cost, three-year bond, at 2 percent or less, we could easily finance LED lighting throughout Portland. These new lights are four times brighter than current ones. They are guaranteed for 10 years and expected to last over 20. Moreover, they consume […]
Published
February 3, 2015

Letter to the editor: For the sake of everyone’s health, back the EPA’s Clean Power Plan

Everywhere you drive these days are signs to “come get your flu shots.” But what we need is a handy inoculation for our planet against climate change-creating carbon emissions. The news reports that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finds that one of the many health effects of climate change on humans will be an […]
Published
February 3, 2015

Letter to the editor: Basic economics undercuts arguments for raising minimum wage

This is in response to the Jan. 24 letters “Families working 40 hours a week still not making enough to have the basics” and “Raise the minimum wage to $15 to relieve poverty.” Many corporations, and especially small businesses, are already struggling with the current minimum wage. They cannot continue to exist if they pay […]
Published
February 3, 2015

Letter to the editor: Cure for the high cost of college: free online courses, supervised testing centers

A taxpayer-feasible solution to the soaring cost of higher education exists, costing billions less than the community college scholarships that President Obama is proposing. Supervised testing centers for free online college courses – such as Coursera.org and Edx.org offer – would legitimize these classes, making them verifiable for credit. Knowledge is hoarded by expensive universities. […]
Published
February 3, 2015

Letter to the editor: Maine churches are givers, not societal parasites

Re: “Letter to the editor: Governor should include churches in his property tax reform plan” (Jan. 24): Christopher Mann writes: “Churches are parasitic by their very nature, consuming a wide range of public resources, yet returning little or no benefit to the societal host.” It is pretty obvious that Mr. Mann has not stepped inside […]

Published
February 2, 2015

Letter to the editor: Forthcoming film’s focus makes dollars, not sense

In 2011, the book “Fifty Shades of Grey” was published to much press. By all reports, it is basically about a man’s sexual domination of a woman. I didn’t read it because that is not a topic that interests me. However, it is a sign of how the sexualization of our society has become increasingly […]
Published
February 2, 2015

Letter to the editor: To serve readers, identify affiliations of op-ed writers

The Jan. 27 op-ed by Diana Katz and James Gattuso about government regulation was written with a specific agenda (“Commentary: It’s time to rein in needless restraints on Americans’ lifestyles”). Both authors are active members of the Heritage Foundation, representing the most conservative positions in America, supported by many conservative businesses. When publishing pieces like […]
Published
February 2, 2015

Letter to the editor: Where are the snow shovelers of yesteryear?

During the height of the Blizzard of ’15, as Portland was nearing its 2-foot snowfall total, a friend who lives in New York City (8 inches of snow, probably all melted by now) sent me a text message. He cautioned that I should not break my back shoveling and instead should hire some kids to […]
Published
February 2, 2015

Letter to the editor: Is safety real reason Portland wants to ban panhandlers?

It is disappointing but expected to see that the city of Portland continues to push its ban on panhandlers and others standing in medians (“Portland heads to appeals court, hoping to salvage its ban on standing in medians,” Jan. 6). Though there have been no reports of accidents or injuries caused by these actions, safety […]
Published
February 2, 2015

Letter to the editor: Revise tax on nonprofits; utilize sound revenue sharing

Gov. LePage’s proposal to permit Maine municipalities to tax the real estate of nonprofits seems to make sense in this age of multimillion-dollar nonprofits that are run like businesses. Cities and towns with a large proportion of nonprofit-owned real estate would get some badly needed taxable property base to support the growing need for municipal […]

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Letters