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In response to “Council: No 8% tax hike, no $926M spending plan” (June 12):
A big thanks to City Council; not the right time to raise taxes
My family’s income is not going up 8 percent next year.
What is increasing is health care, college costs, gas, food – everything it takes to raise a family.
An 8 percent property tax increase would have been more of a burden on Charlotte families.
Job well done, Charlotte City Council! Thank you from my family to all of yours!
Lynda Willingham
Charlotte
Taxpayers have spoken, but Mayor Foxx is not listening
Mayor Anthony Foxx’s statement concerning the City Council not passing the budget – “We have just become Washington, folks. Frankly, it’s disgusting.” – is to me, disgusting!
That is the kind of arrogance that is Washington!
The City Council has voted to opt out of the Washington mentality by hearing taxpayers say “Enough!” to enabling more misguided government spending.
Will Granger
Charlotte
Voter ignorance bigger danger than ‘big money’ in elections
Media daily vilifies “ big money” for “buying” our elections. “Money” cannot buy votes unless voters are selling them.
A public with so little knowledge of the economic and social consequences that it will sell its vote based on 60-second sound bites deserves no moral high ground and poses a far greater threat to American democracy than any amount of campaign spending.
Where’s the outrage against ignorance?
David L. Wright
Charlotte
In response to “Tillis’ town hall security was costly” (June 12):
$21,000 for Tillis’ entourage, but not enough for education?
Millions of dollars cut from the state’s education budget, but there’s plenty of money for an entourage of security officers to accompany N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis as he travels within North Carolina?
Ego is priceless.
Donald Latham
Charlotte
In response to “Senior citizens struggle under a growing debt load” (June 10):
Some of those seniors were living beyond their means
The article says that from 1992 to 2007, the average overall debt of those 55 and older was $70,370. Wow. I feel for those who suffered a job loss and/or huge medical bills, but it’s harder to have sympathy for those who retired with substantial mortgage and credit card debt.
Their experience should serve as a reminder to nations and individuals alike that sooner or later a price must be paid for living beyond one’s means.
Phil Clutts
Harrisburg
In response to “Bailout for Spain’s banks buys Europe time” (June 11):
Short-term fixes in Spain, elsewhere in Europe will fail
At first it was just Greece that couldn’t keep its financial house in order. Now, other European countries are falling like dominos.
Politicians keep kicking the can down the road and using all sorts of Band-Aids as a remedy.
If you are out of money you don’t need to be going the beach – just stop the spending!
Jim Cherry
Charlotte
In response to “Gay rights activists want job bias ban” (June 11):
Past time to ban discrimination against gays in workplace
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act should have passed in 2007, unfortunately it didn’t. Five years later it is up for another vote.
Hopefully this time it will be passed and end discrimination for gay people wherever they are employed, once and for all.
Lorraine Stark
Matthews
In response to “Life in prison is still a death sentence – and justice” (June 12 Forum):
Death penalty levels playing field for victims, their families
A sentence “for life” does not represents equal justice for the crime or victim. If a murderer is 25, that probably means a 55-year life sentence. If age 65, it means maybe 15 years.
Death, on the other hand, is the great equalizer. It means the same to all of us.
I do not support revenge. My only concern is for justice for the life taken.
I support the death penalty because I value life. Isn’t someone’s life worth more than a 5, 10, or 15 year sentence? I think so!
Craig Hobaugh
Charlotte
Shouldn’t have to pay extra for easy toilet access at theater
While the Lady Antebellum show Saturday at Verizon Amphitheater was great, the facilities need improvement.
If you come early to tailgate, as my wife and I did, there are no port-a-johns nearby unless you pay for VIP parking.
Why can’t a few be added toward the back end of the parking lot? It’ll cost more, but isn’t the comfort and convenience of your customers worth spending a little extra?
Plus, there are sanitary issues to consider.
Please consider making the tailgating experience enjoyable for everyone – not just those who pay extra for VIP parking.
Mark Loper
Concord
