Milagro, Santiago, Arturo: These migrant workers have been a blessing in our lives | Opinion
Just as my descendants came to America came from England and my husband’s came from Germany in the seventeenth century to find a better way of life, people today are still coming for the same thing.
We are blessed to have migrants working for us. Milagro, from Honduras, and her crew clean the house and help me with my Spanish. Antonio, from Mexico, and his workers take care of the yard. Santiago, from Mexico, inspects our house each year for termites. Arturo, from Mexico, is our house painter.
If it were not for these hardworking loyal people, in our old age, we would not be able live in our own home and enjoy our twilight years. We are so grateful for these workers as well many more that we encounter daily. They enrich our lives.
Page Kizer, Denver NC
Buying back guns
Kamala Harris proposes a mandatory gun buyback. Just how is that to work? First of all, largely, guns were not bought from the government so the government cannot really be seen to be buying them back.
Buying the guns back with whose money? Well, the people’s money, of course.
AR Capranica, Stanley
CMS struggles
I pray that CMS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill is correct that “investment(s) pay off over the long term as kids move into older grades” because that ain’t happening now. The NC Department of Public Instruction reported for last year that four CMS urban high schools were the #1, #2, #3, and #4 worst graduation rates for schools with 1000 students or more. Only one other school district had more than one school in that bottom fifteen. Eight CMS high schools were in the bottom fifteen.
What Dr. Hill has right is the older grade teachers can teach like their hair is fire without moving the needle unless K-5 teachers send them proficient students.
Bolyn McClung, Pineville
Tariffs
During the debate, Kamala Harris missed an opportunity to ask Donald Trump why he continues to believe tariffs on imported goods are paid by the exporting country (China, in Trump’s head). Columnist Edward Luce said economists from the conservative Cato Institute to the liberal Tax Foundation are in agreement that tariffs are paid to the customs agent, at the port of entry, by the importing company (Walmart, for example). And thus, tariffs are added to the cost of goods and therefore paid by the American consumer. You know, kinda like an additional tax.
Wayne McGee, Cornelius
FOP endorsement
By endorsing Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump in the 2024 election, the Fraternal Order of Police have not only ignored the fact that he is a convicted felon, they have conveyed to our system of justice that there are certain citizens who are, in fact, above the law. How disappointing to all those in “Blue” who put their lives on the line to serve justice in their community.
Joseph Quinto, Monroe
Voucher money
Legislative leaders announced have an agreement on a mini budget that includes $5 billion dollars for private school students. What are the legislators from counties that have zero or just one or two private schools saying to the taxpayers in those counties?
Are those legislators assuring their voters that it is fine to finance private school education for wealthy families in the urban areas?
Will voters return those elected officials to the General Assembly, essentially voting against their own interests?
Lucille Howard, Charlotte
DMV waiting
All my friends could talk about at the gym last week was how long they had to wait, and how far they had to drive, to get a DMV appointment. And even with an appointment they sometimes couldn’t get in that day for services that can’t be done online.
I’m sure the 2.4 million more NC residents since 2003 bring in enough new revenue for the legislature to fund more driver’s license examiners. The problem is no surprise: the Republican super majority doesn’t understand that spending money on necessary services is necessary.
We do our jobs. NC Legislators. Do your job.
Judith Predmore, Raleigh