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In response to “Teen gets 25 years in family killings” (Dec. 14):
Prison wrong place for teen who felt terrorized by dad
My heart breaks for Matthew Liewald. What is the matter with our legal system that it cannot see that a normal kid with good grades and friends doesn’t just do something like this without having suffered beyond reason?
My father was exactly like Matthew’s; never left a mark, almost never let the relatives see his mean side. And he kept me terrorized until I was 20.
Other states have recognized that some of the worst offenders are never caught until their victims seek justice and release from abuse on their own.
Matthew doesn’t need prison. He needs years of counseling to come to grips with a horrific childhood and learn how to live as a happy, productive adult.
Sandy Eldridge
Lincolnton
Streetcar a waste of taxpayer money; stop Foxx in his tracks
Mayor Anthony Foxx claims the streetcar will bring commercial development along this corridor. This corridor is old Charlotte and the majority of it is already commercial development.
This streetcar is nothing but an expensive toy for Mayor Foxx. Please let’s stop the wasteful spending.
Steve Shaw
Charlotte
Do it now; streetcar is strategic investment in Charlotte’s future
Like the light rail, the streetcar is more than transportation. Connecting east and west Charlotte neighborhoods to uptown and each other will strengthen our social fabric, attract new residential and commercial investment, create jobs, reduce air pollution and help lessen our dependence on oil.
It will also expand the tax base, save us money at the pump, and make our city a more attractive place for newcomers, especially the younger generation who are increasingly choosing walkable, transit-friendly cities so they aren’t entirely dependent on a car.
The days when Charlotte could solve its problems by annexation and outward growth are past. Charlotte’s AAA bond rating, potential federal funding options and historically low interest rates make the case – we cannot afford to wait.
Sally Robinson
Carol Hardison
Charlotte
In response to “Spending cuts won’t be easy” (Dec. 14) and related articles:
Solution is spending cuts; no more T-bones for me or in D.C.
The government must do what all of America has done – do away with the frills.
I cannot spend more than I earn. I have over the last several years had to tighten my belt to get by on what I earn – hamburger with filler to make a hamburger steak instead of a T-bone.
All government – Washington, state and local – must tighten the belt to get out of this mess. When we get out of this financial mess we can go back to T-bones.
Bill Lane
Polkville
Enough drama; give us a solid economic plan and do it now
The people might be the losers for re-electing the parties that piled up $16 trillion in debt. Those politicians are incapable of acting preemptively. That’s why we have to wait every time till the last second to avoid falling off the fiscal cliff.
We don’t need drama. We need a timely economic plan so all of us could provide the feedback before the wrong agenda is implemented again.
Kenan Porobic
Charlotte
Tax increases won’t be enough to pay unfunded liabilities
As the Baby Boomers’ promised benefits begin to greatly exceed the payroll tax collections from today’s workers, the benefits will have to be paid from current government revenues or by borrowing.
These benefits are unfunded liabilities – there is nothing in the bank to pay them.
This unfunded liability of the Social Security Trust Fund is $20.5 trillion. The unfunded liabilities for Medicare are much more – $42.8 trillion.
It is folly to say that tax increases can pay for this.
Something has to be done to change these unsustainable spending commitments if our debt and deficit problems are to be solved.
Donald D. Marple
Charlotte
In response to “A bigger shelter for abused” (Dec. 14):
N.C. must put more money into eliminating domestic violence
After visiting the new domestic violence shelter and reading about it, I’m struck by the fact that this building will be over capacity soon after it opens.
The state spends $12 million a year to support such shelters, but little on prevention.
Domestic violence is a community problem that crosses all social, geographic, age, race and ethnic boundaries. It’s the No. 1 cause of homelessness for women and children.
This cries out for a public awareness campaign like that for breast cancer or seat-belt use, but focused on domestic violence – and the elimination of it.
Jill Dinwiddie
Charlotte
Seeing Hooters sign amid holiday lights set me off
My daughter and I decided to drive through uptown to enjoy the holiday decorations after her winter choral concert. There it was, busting out through all the holiday lights. Am I the only woman annoyed by the superfluous Hooters sign?
It makes me want to open a competing chain of restaurants called NUTS, featuring a menu of specialty hot dogs served up by muscular men in leather thongs. Or maybe not. That would be ridiculous.
Margie Storch
Charlotte
