Letters to the editor: Legislature, student debt, property taxes, wild animals, Idaho GOP

Legislature

I really don’t think that our legislature has any vision. Since the pandemic began last year all we have heard is how the emergency actions taken by our Gov. Brad Little has taken away people’s rights, hurt business, and made the legislature feel less important. No one has acknowledged that they have saved lives. Sure there have been losses, but because of his actions many others have been spared.

Today I read the article, “Bill appears to define coronavirus as not an emergency.” Are these legislators real? Reading the article, the legislators want 1.5% of Idahoans to die before we start to do anything about it. Gov. Little’s swift actions saved lives by getting funding for PPE, helping slow the spread of the virus by isolating people, yes and closing the bars. If you wait and do nothing there will be no infrastructure to treat or heal others thus compounding the severity of death. Yes a few have been financially hurt by the pandemic but could these businesses stay open if all their customers perished? What about Idaho’s overall economy and budgets. Could Idaho have afforded to go it alone? Are Idaho’s streets paved with gold? I really don’t think so. My grandmother always told me, too many cooks spoil the broth. As a veteran for 24 years I realize the importance of strong leadership. Brad Little is just that. Don’t diminish his authority just to satisfy your personal gain.

Donald Heuer, Caldwell

Cancel student debt

I urge Sen. Crapo, Sen. Risch and Rep. Simpson to support President Biden using executive action to cancel student debt. The President has the authority to take immediate action on student debt.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health crisis and adding the heavy burden of student debt is a recipe for disaster for millions of families. Student debt cancellation would provide much-needed relief during the pandemic, it would stimulate the economy, and it would tackle racial disparities.

Canceling student debt will help over 40 million people. Permanent relief would free up hundreds of dollars each month for families to purchase necessities: food on their table, a roof over their head, and critical health care. It would boost GDP by up to $108 billion a year and would add up to 1.5 million jobs to the economy each year.

Debt cancellation will help tackle systemic racial inequality. Black and brown communities are facing the brunt of the economic harm caused by the pandemic. Canceling student debt would alleviate this burden and close the racial wealth gap that holds people of color back.

I strongly urge my elected officials to support President Biden’s executive action to cancel student debt.

Samuel Paden, Garden City

Property taxes

As the legislature postures, promises, debates, procrastinates and does nothing about our escalating property taxes, there is a good side. All the Californians moving here got tired of their home state doing the same thing and put in Proposition 13 which freezes property tax to a formula based on purchase price plus a small increase each year as long as you own the property. So heads up Idaho elected officials, who as usual do nothing meaningful on taxes, you’re next.

Dennis McDowell, Boise

Wild animals

I applaud the Boise City Council for proposing humane amendments to the city’s animal code sections, which would include ending the cruel practice of forcing wild animals like lions, tigers and elephants to perform unnatural acts in circuses. The Wildcat Sanctuary for rescued big cats in Minnesota strongly supports such a ban and encourages the city to join the large and growing list of forward-thinking cities and states across the country who recognize that exploiting exotic animals for entertainment needs to become a thing of the past.

Tammy Thies, The Wildcat Sanctuary, Sandstone, Minnesota

Idaho GOP

Once again the Idaho GOP is ignoring the real issues facing Idaho (infrastructure and education) in order to provide us with bad solutions to problems that do not exist. They have been diligently working on bills on ballot harvesting, overriding the current ballot initiative process, reefer madness, COVID restrictions and using attorneys other than the state’s own staff in order to get better support on their positions. They will adjourn shortly and call the session a great success while the state’s infrastructure continues to deteriorate and our children fall further behind.

Eric Battey, Star