GARDEN CITY GREENBELT
City leaders make right call to repeal
Thank you, Garden City Mayor John Evans and City Council, for having the courage to repeal an initiative that had long-term implications for managing the greatest asset we have in the Treasure Valley. The Nature Path/Greenbelt dispute has been pitted as a rich elitist issue and that can’t be further from the truth. I am not rich, nor do I live along the path, but I do enjoy its benefit as a public citizen. It is a lovely spot to walk and enjoy the nature of the Boise River. Garden City leadership, along with many of its citizens, have worked tirelessly for a long-term solution to the continuous Greenbelt, and after many years have the funding secured for a bridge to connect the south and north sides. I would like to see people put their energy into making the bridge a reality instead of continually demanding to ride their bicycles on a path that the citizens supported to be a nature path designated for walking/running.
JANET BEAN, Garden City
Council wrong to repeal
Well, it looks like our pathetic mayor and City Council are at it again, only looking out for their cronies on the west side of Glenwood. Too bad they don’t put that much effort into cleaning up Garden City. In regard to letting the citizens have a voice, the vote was cast and they repealed the voter-approved measure to demand public votes on Greenbelt-use restrictions. Thanks! What a poor excuse for public servants.
DAN STEINMETZ, Garden City
What does the editorial board want from city?
This letter is to call out the Statesman editors to explain in unambiguous terms what they want out of the Garden City mayor and council over the controversy concerning Initiative B. The editors have acknowledged that Initiative B would remove direct authority to manage the Greenbelt from Garden City and each incidence would first require voter approval. Further, the Statesman wrote that Garden City voters should not approve Initiative B. But in a flip-flop, in an “Our View” piece published on Nov. 28, the editors were highly critical of the Garden City mayor and City Council for taking back the very authority that the editors had declared Garden City should retain. It’s easy to sit in an editorial chair and criticize Garden City. Unfortunately, Garden City does not have the luxury of finessing the very real problems of good government facing the city. Garden City showed its “true colors” when it stood by its responsibilities to the citizens of Garden City, and voted unanimously to retain the municipal authority needed by any responsible city government. After all, every city in Idaho should have that authority. Just tell us what you now want out of Garden City on Initiative B. And please don’t play the “negotiation” card.
CONNIE SATTLER, Garden City
DISCRIMINATION
‘Special rights?’ Let’s at least be consistent
I am confused by John Seale’s Nov. 25 letter denouncing Boise’s proposed anti-discrimination ordinance forbidding discrimination against homosexuals. John complains that the ordinance “proposes special protection based on personal lifestyle behavioral choices.” But he also complains that the ordinance neglected to protect another personal lifestyle choice (religion). My religion dictates my “personal lifestyle behavioral choices.” Should “personal lifestyle behavioral choices” be protected or not?
If my religion dictates me being a vegetarian, should I be allowed to not rent a house to meat-eaters who will be committing grave sins (grilling burgers) in my rental house every day at dinnertime? Why should I be forced to hire meat-eaters knowing that they’ll be bringing scorched animal flesh into my place of business? Should Republicans be forced to hire/rent to Democrats due to “personal lifestyle behavioral choices” that party may promote? Should I be forced to tacitly endorse those “personal lifestyle behavioral choices” with which I vehemently disagree?
Being a libertarian, I believe that people should be able to discriminate against or in favor of whom they wish in hiring and doing business with, but John is being inconsistent in wanting special rights and protections for himself but denying the same protections for others.
CHRIS BOLTON, Meridian
CLIMATE CHANGE
Don’t blame U.S. for global warming
In regard to Lewis B. Smith on climate scare, one gets the impression that all the world’s climate problems come from the U.S. China is adding a new coal-fired generation plant about every two months. We’re exporting coal to them. In their favor, they’re adding many new nuclear plants, where we have very few on the drawing board.
For the past few years, China, India and Brazil have been booming economically. Maybe the natives want to buy cars and burn gasoline and heat their homes with electricity or natural gas.
Of course, there are the hypocritical liberals like when Michelle Obama and the girls jetted down to South Africa on Air Force One expending more energy than either you or I would expend in a lifetime. And there is Al Gore with his five houses and vehicles, plus, I think, a private jet.
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal says that while the ice is disappearing in the Arctic, ice has been expanding at a rate of the size of Connecticut annually in Antarctica.
Lewis should do his part by selling his vehicle, riding a bike and setting his thermostat at 55 degrees.
ALLEN TRAVIS, Boise
Climate change has scientific backing
Inez Hartwell of Boise doubts that global warming is due to human activity or that it even exists. She quotes a report from the “Met Office” claiming that from 1997 to 2012, there has been no rise in global temperature. I don’t know what the “Met Office” is, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) latest State of the Climate report uses 10 key climate indicators that show unmistakable scientific evidence that our world is warming. More than 300 scientists from 160 research groups in 48 countries contributed to the report, which confirms that the past decade was the warmest on record and that the Earth has been growing warmer over the last 50 years. This October marked the 332nd consecutive month with global temperature above the 20th century average.
Despite Ms. Hartwell’s lack of belief in “computer models,” the world is getting warmer and science can and does prove it.
ROBERT JOHNSON, Boise
HOSPITAL SUITS
Battle of the Saints has a long history
Saints are going to court! “Saint Al’s takes St. Luke’s to court.” (Statesman, Nov. 13). The plaintiff and the defendant are faith-based health care entities. Both generally admit being of the Christian genre. In the 1st century church, some Christian brethren were taking each other to court. This prompted a letter from an evangelist named Paul who had founded a congregation in Greece in a town called Corinth. He wrote, “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?” (1 Corinthians 6:1-2)
He turned the heat up a little and says, “I speak to your shame...” (v. 5) and lowers the boom when he says “...there is utterly a fault among you because you go to law with another.” (v. 7)
BILL WARD, Meridian
HEALTH CARE
Reduce medical costs to Western Europe’s levels
Budget talks should not include “entitlements,” Social Security, Social Security disability, Medicare. They have lost dollars due to borrowing from them by the government. These are not part of the budget, because they are self-funded by payroll tax contributions. There is a cap on the contributions after $110,000 in earnings. That means that the poorer you are, the more you pay in proportion to your income. The age to receive Social Security does not need to be increased.
Cost of medical procedures, hospitals, pharmaceuticals, specialist services, home care, skilled nursing care are astronomical. Medicare costs, and costs of the Affordable Care Act, need to be significantly lowered. These costs should be commensurate with the Western European nations’ levels.
Outcomes need focused upon, along with prevention. Once illness occurs, cost skyrockets.
The “nonprofit” status of hospitals requires review. St. Luke’s/Saint Alphonsus have reaped profits. Both hold charity events, run/walk events, Christmas tree events, when they alone could just reuse their “nonprofits” to lower the cost of medical care for everyone.
YVETTE SEDLEWICZ, Boise
