My developer friends won’t like it, but it’s time to institute impact fees in Charlotte

Yes, Charlotte needs impact fees

Regarding “Charlotte may try to alleviate growth with a fee developers oppose. But hurdles remain,” (July 28):

The idea proposed by Charlotte’s planning director to create a developer’s fee for new residences is an excellent one and will cause our taxes to stabilize.

When a 500-unit apartment complex is built it puts a greater strain on roads, schools, etc., and taxpayers should not have to pay for it. My developer friends will not like this but it has worked in many fast- growing cities.

Why haven’t we done this before? Because developers are very strong politically. But it is time to do this.

H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, Charlotte

Protecting athletes, but not kids?

Where are our priorities? Are we so desperate for entertainment that we are willing to allow aggressive testing for COVID in professional athletes with nearly real-time results while we discuss sending our precious children back to school and fundamentally say good luck?

All of us do not get the royal treatment of these athletes. I have nothing against them, but I applaud those who have chosen to stay home and not go back to work for their personal safety, the safety of their family, and that of our fellow citizens.

I love my sports, but I don’t want to put them at risk and would rather take the money — yes, it’s private funding — and have leagues and owners apply it to the betterment of society.

Michael D. Clancy, Charlotte

Return to work, restore normalcy

It has been a noble experiment. We have had epidemics and pandemics throughout history, most notably the Black Death in the 14th century and the 1918 Spanish Flu, but never before in that long history have we sought to lock down an entire civilization in order to save lives.

History will tell us if this experiment has been a success or a failure, but it is clear that the time has come to pause it, go back to work and restore normalcy to our country.

Jim Williams, Charlotte

When did we stop believing in science?

Our world, not just America but the planet, faces two major challenges: climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. I find it amazing that so many people think these problems really aren’t that bad and are being made to look worse than they are by liberals, progressives and the fake news.

Wouldn’t it seem to make more sense if both sides stop throwing rocks at each other and work as diligently as possible on scientifically proven solutions, accepting this will be hard and expensive work?

I do hope and pray our leaders, at home and abroad, can replace science at the top of the food chain instead of shareholder quarterly dividends as the guiding light for the future of problem solving. Our children and grandchildren are depending on us.

Bill Anderson, Charlotte

Tillis’ silence speaks loudly to me

Two things are true about silence: Silence about any type of wrong suggests complicity, and such silence is indeed deafening.

When President Trump disbanded the pandemic response team in 2018, Sen. Thom Tillis was silent.

When Trump said the national stockpile of emergency response supplies was not for use by the states but for federal use only, Tillis was silent.

When Trump sent ventilators to Russia when they were needed in the U.S., Tillis was silent.

Sen. Tillis is complicit and his silence is speaking very loudly.

Judi Howe, Cornelius

Ban polystyrene take-out containers

COVID-19 turned life upside down and the food and restaurant industry were hit especially hard.

With restaurants forced to limit dine-in services and people ordering takeout, the use of polystyrene (Styrofoam) has boomed in our state and across the country.

Take-out containers, cups and utensils largely contribute to the single-use plastic waste flooding our landfills and oceans. Polystyrene doesn’t fully break down and is toxic to humans and animals.

As food lovers and supporters of local restaurants, we must unite and pressure our governor to ban polystyrene containers now.

Dani Bahena Bustos, Raleigh

I’ll spend at places that require masks

We should feel fortunate to have businesses leading the way during this pandemic.

We know the ones that protect their workers and customers just by walking in the front door. Thank you Walmart and Lowe’s, the ones I frequent.

It saddens me to stop going to my favorite convenience store. Last time I was there a cashier waited on five straight customers without mask on or a partition between them.

Buddy Lemmons, Charlotte