Charlotte readers have suggestions on David Tepper’s stadium offer | Opinion

Vote on it

I like football, I follow football, and I root for the Panthers. However, I choose to let a billionaire and mediocre football players with inflated salaries handle their own problems. I prefer this welfare check to go to real needs of the city — homelessness, education, crime prevention, environment and subsidizing small business ventures. But to be fair, let’s put this to a vote. We’ll just see how many people want their tax dollars going to professional football.

Martin Settle, Charlotte

Stadium reno

Charlotte city leaders should proceed cautiously before draining public coffers of a $650 million subsidy to David Tepper’s sports profiteering in exchange for his assurances the Panthers will remain here for 20 years. Remember, he made similar assurances to Rock Hill about the practice facility. How’d that work out?

Jason Huber, Charlotte

Goals for Tepper

My advice to Charlotte City Council: make the stadium commitment similar to what owners do with players — offer incentives for performance. If the team has a winning record for the season, they get a portion of the financial commitment. If they make the playoffs, the NFC Championship, the Super Bowl, they get another larger share. A winning team is good for the city. A losing team is not. Just saying the team stays for 20 years in exchange for $650 million without tying it to performance should be a “no” vote by council.

Jim Shuback, Charlotte

Biden, the truth

Columnist Issac Bailey tells us “It’s Trump or truth” in the presidential election (June 4 Opinion). No, sadly, it’s Donald Trump or Joe Biden, the man who told us (among many other whoppers) that his uncle may have been eaten by cannibals in New Guinea during World War II. This tragic fact makes it hard to credit any claim by Democratic partisans to a monopoly on “truth.”

William A. Brafford, Charlotte

Trump verdict

The writer is a retired Mecklenburg District Court judge.

As a lawyer, and perhaps unlike some of my peers, I live, breathe and love the rule of law. Watching live, I was moved to tears as the Trump jury bravely set aside biases and did what they unanimously determined was the right thing. Democracy and justice prevailed. A great day to fly the American flag at full staff — right side up!

Nancy Norelli, Charlotte

Bishop and others

As a lawyer, I am dumbfounded at the reaction of other lawyers, including politician lawyers like Dan Bishop, to the procedure of the Trump trial. Unless they were sleeping through criminal law class in law school these lawyers would realize that the criminal law procedure of the Trump trial is repeated thousands of times a day all across the country and has been repeated in the United States for over 200 years.

Robert Bernhardt, Charlotte

Abortion, IVF

The concept of separation of church and state is guaranteed in the First Amendment. Religion has no place in government, and the government has no right to interfere in an individual’s personal choice when it comes to contraception, abortion or IVF. These should not be Republican, Democratic, or even election issues. It is our right as American citizens to make our own choices. The only issue should be who pays for it. Federal programs such as welfare and Medicaid should not spend taxpayer dollars for abortions or IVF. It is the individual’s/couple’s personal responsibility.

Michele Komendat, Concord

Fatal shootout

Regarding “Fate of house at site of fatal shootout remains murky,” (May 29):

While the statement that damage to personal property during police raids has increased “as law enforcement has become increasingly militarized,” is no doubt true, it omits an important part of the equation. Law enforcement has become more militarized as society has become more militarized. The article also describes the shooter’s “high-powered rifle.” If we would choose not to allow civilians to own military-style weapons, we could prevent a significant number of deaths, not to mention property damage.

Steve Larson, Charlotte