I get why Tricia Cotham left the NC Democratic Party. I did, too. I Opinion

Tricia Cotham

Rep. Tricia Cotham fled the Democratic Party for a reason. It’s the same reason I did years ago. The party is unrecognizable to me and her. Cotham explained that well and addressed the persistent meddling by Gov. Roy Cooper and party members. This meddling echoes recent comments made by the SBI director about the Cooper administration. It took a lot of courage for Cotham to do what she did. I admire her for it.

David Ramsey, Mooresville

Cotham’s betrayal

Tricia Cotham betrayed us. Claiming to support “equality for all,” “equitable public schools,” and “protecting voting rights,” she joins a party that attacks LGBTQ community members, refuses to adequately fund disadvantaged schools, and makes it harder for you to vote and easier for them to take away your freedoms.

As a gay, public-school-educated, Democratic voter and lifelong Mecklenburg resident, Cotham betrayed me. Instead of being an ally in the work to make North Carolina stronger and better, she has proven herself to be a nakedly self-serving politician who cares little for those on whose backs she stood to take her seat in the General Assembly. She sold her soul to a party that won’t stop until it crushes yours.

Patrick Bradey, Charlotte

Sen. Thom Tillis

The writer is a former N.C. House member and Union County sheriff.

Senator Thom Tillis’ statements about the former president’s indictment were as inappropriate as it gets. At the time, Tillis knew about as much concerning the indictment as I know about being an IBM partner. Neither he, nor I, nor anyone but grand jury members and prosecutors know anything about the evidence. Of course Donald Trump is innocent until guilty in a court of law, but our illustrious senator should concern himself with legislative matters and serving the citizens of North Carolina rather than inserting himself in issues involving New York state executive and judicial officials.

Frank McGuirt, Wingate

Gun lobby

The writer is president of Grass Roots North Carolina.

The March 29 “Three branches of NC Government” editorial cartoon insinuates that by overriding Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto and passing Senate Bill 41, my colleagues and I are the evil “gun lobby.” Let’s examine that “gun lobby.”

It isn’t the NRA which, consumed by internal problems, has been absent. It isn’t the National Shooting Sports Foundation, whose lobbyist I rarely see at the state legislature.

The “gun lobby” that shepherded passage of SB 41 comprises unpaid volunteers who walked halls at the General Assembly, wrote alerts channeling thousands of emails to lawmakers, packed committee hearings, arranged automated phone and text messages into districts of recalcitrant legislators and, most importantly, won the 2022 elections.

That’s the “gun lobby” you impugn – volunteers taking time from jobs and families not merely to defend the Second Amendment, but to save lives, since part of this bill empowers parishioners to protect religious institutions just like Nashville’s Covenant Presbyterian Church.

F. Paul Valone, Raleigh

On being ‘pro-life’

Republican lawmakers, like U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, say they are pro-life but say there is nothing Congress can do about guns. If they’re truly “pro-life” here is what they could do:

Advance background checks — pro-life.

Ban AR-15s — pro-life.

End immunity for gun manufacturers — pro-life.

Ban large-capacity magazines — pro-life.

Nothing else to do about guns? That’s untrue.

Priscilla D. Johnson, Charlotte.

Sports betting

On the issue of legalizing sports betting in North Carolina, what none of the legislators said in their March 31 op-eds is that state-sponsored gambling is nothing more than a regressive tax primarily impacting those with lower incomes — with nothing more than an illusion of ever coming out ahead. It’s a desperate move by cowardly politicians to squeeze more money out of those least able to afford it, in the guise of funding education. Everyone complains about and resists tax increases. Please recognize state-sponsored gambling as a terrible tax and reject it.

George Bohmfalk, Charlotte

Revaluations

Regarding “Steepest revaluations hit low income neighborhoods,” (March 27):

The cause of the tax increase is the actual increase in the value of the property. A home that may have been worth $100,000 a few years ago is now worth $300,000. This nets the homeowner an extra $200,000 in cash (or equity) when the house is sold, mostly tax-free, far beyond the value of the extra taxes paid. As neighborhoods become more inclusive with a more economically and racially diverse population, homeowners gain equity. Isn’t that the goal? Separately, programs should be developed to enable senior homeowners on fixed incomes to defer the tax increase until they sell or die, at which time deferred taxes would be collected from their estate.

Jim Shalvoy, Huntersville