UA money issues are a symptom
Clearly there are financial issues with the way UA is being managed (swollen overpaid administrative staff, contracted underpaid faculty staff) but these issues are a symptom of a much deeper issue. When I enrolled as a full-time student in UA in 1970, the tuition per semester was around $250, while today’s tuition is around $5,000 per semester. In 1970, about 60% of the tuition was paid by the state, while now only about 40% is paid by the state. Some of the difference is paid for by wealthy contributors, but the bulk of the cost rests with the student’s families. For those former students (OK, boomers) complaining about the UA, you can’t say anything if you don’t pay your fair share.
Thomas Bolles
Northwest side
Nikki, the Democrat?
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In these past few weeks as former President Trump continues to use a rigged Republican Party to pile up support, I have heard more Democrats discuss the possibility (hope? dream?) that Nikki Haley might recognize that the GOP is no longer the GOP of our fathers and mothers. The Democrats, on the other hand, show signs of moving toward the center as their left and right wings search for common ground. It may not be out of the question to see Nikki renounce the party of Trump (no longer the GOP of old) and pull massive support from the center, where disaffected Republicans and Democrats seem to be moving. Her youth and determination are qualities we need. And her realism might just be enough to move the Great American Center away from left and right extremism. She’d be a great candidate for a changing Democratic party.
Susan Ward
Northwest side
Dereliction of duty by the Forest Service
Recently, the Santa Catalina Volunteer Patrol (SCVP) resumed work after a disruptive suspension of over a month in the middle of Pusch Ridge high season. Unfortunately, everyone in SCVP has had to agree to say nothing to violators of the “no dogs” rule in Sabino Canyon or the Bighorn Sheep Management Area [SMA] adjacent to Sabino Canyon.
It’s bighorn sheep lambing season (Jan. 1 to April 1), and ewes may abandon their lambs if they smell a dog. Dogs MUST be kept out of the SMA! SCVP members patrol trails in it as well as outside it. Now, they cannot tell scofflaws who ignore “no dog” signs that they are violating the rules and endangering the bighorn sheep.
In my opinion, this constitutes dereliction of duty by the Forest Service, which has imposed the gag order on the SCVP in contravention of its obligation to protect the sheep. It seems that job is now left to members of the public. A sad situation! (AZ Game & Fish, take note.)
Patrick Diehl
Midtown
United we stand, divided we fall
Are we destined to live in an adversarial nation with an adversarial government? Will our nation continue to be disproportionally about differences? We seem to be consumed by rich vs. poor, foreign born vs. native born, white vs. nonwhite, conservatives vs. liberals, undereducated vs. educated, unrest vs. peace, lies vs. truths, Democrats vs. Republicans, etc. This “them” versus “us” is an exhausting way to think and to live and to survive. To answer the question are we destined to live in an adversarial nation with an adversarial government, I hope not. To answer the question, will our nation continue to be about differences? Differences are great, but it will take a great deal of time and cooperation to modify our thinking in terms of contrasts.
Toni Kane
Oro Valley
Juan Ciscomani
Re: the March 2 letter “Letters to the editor.”
The letter writer accuses writers of a “concerted effort to undermine Juan Ciscomani.” He might be correct, or there are just many of his constituents who don’t agree with his positions and votes. I am not part of any group but as one of his constituents that is fed up with his siding with the extremists. He has not done one thing other than create a photo op at the border after not allowing a vote on the bipartisan immigration bill. I understand he is not the speaker, but why didn’t he campaign for a house vote? No, he consistently votes and sides with the extremists in the House. The House majority, which he is a member of, has accomplished nothing because they don’t stand for anything other than to create fear. They use immigration as a political tool and don’t really want to solve the issue. I hope he gets a backbone and starts to fight for his constituents and helps solve this very important issue.
Neil Norton
Oro Valley
I’m too old
Turns out when I turned 75 I was declared too old for my favorite job with the Tucson festival of Books: driving authors. It seems it wasn’t just for reasons of ‘insurance,’ but for any number of reasons. Jobs involving the safety and protection of others are best left to those UNDER 75. ALL of our former presidents were under 75 on their last day in office — until Reagan (and he was into Alzheimer’s by then). Perhaps it IS time to set not just the minimum age for holding the office of President, but the maximum for becoming President. Surely no office has more to do with the safety and protection of the citizens than that of the U.S. President.
Emily Morrison
Midtown
Robbins’ autocracy
Re: the March 3 article “No need to sideline UA faculty.”
Appeasing Manson, Robbins’ formation of an “advisory group” to diminish and subvert the faculty, just reeks … real Wildcat spirit. He’s bearing down, alright. By appeasing a weak ABOR member, we see that for him, gall is no vice. Thanks to Tim Steller, we see also the opinion writers’ desk was cut from the Daily Wildcat, the only desk cut in the new cost saving. Faculty senates are centuries, not mere decades old, for a reason. Dr. Hudson is not “ornery.” Her leadership in this might be informed by academic expertise. An expert on Turkey, she has surely observed its undemocratic downward spiral. Its President has purged the leadership of universities, installing stooges, bypassing faculty. I just returned from a visit and some academic work there. Bright students and graduates are leaving the country in droves. With universities suffocated and plundered, democracy does a nosedive, along with hope for a healthy society and economy. Shamelessness in pursuit of autocracy, apparently for Robbins, is no vice.
Guy Senese
Midtown
Is Supreme Court trying to get itself fired?
As a retired educator, I wonder what we are in for should Donald Trump be re-elected. Chris Hayes was hosting Prime Weekend. The subject was why did the Supreme Court agree to hear Trump’s absolute immunity case seven weeks hence. Trump does not want democracy. He wants to be an autocrat. When he gets in, Supreme Court Justices, other judges and Congress will no longer be needed if Trump is the decider. Anyone who does not support him completely will simply be fired, including the Supreme Court.
Fran Gordon
Green Valley
Make zero transit fares permanent
Comprehensive transit fare reinstatement is wrong for Tucson. If we squander the zero-fare opportunity created by the pandemic, Tucson will not meet the dual challenges of equity and climate resilience.
Reinstating Sun Link/Sun Express fares alone is also misguided. City staff would have to revive and maintain a complex fare system at a reduced scale, severely limiting the return on investment while diluting the clarity and force of the zero-fare vision.
Let’s not make the mistake of fixating on the budget while undermining the return we get on that spending! A bold vision that facilitates undivided staff focus on increasing ridership will maximize the positive effect of Tucson public transit when we most need it.
Mixed messages, scare tactics, diluted commitments, political hedging and finger-pointing are easy, but none of these will address our current challenges. This moment demands a bold vision for Tucson that includes a permanent commitment to zero-fare transit.
Andrew Agnew
Midtown
Open primaries are better for democracy
A few weeks ago, someone suggested that we’d be better off with “open” primary elections. Later, someone else objected primaries were to choose a candidate for a party and non-party voters have no “skin in the game.” I disagree; the purpose of primaries is to choose a candidate to represent every citizen, not just members of a party. So, everyone has skin in the game.
Currently, candidates are primarily chosen party loyalists, extremists in many cases. That is why so many politicians put the good of their party ahead of the good of the country. If primaries were open, we would have a better chance of electing people who would represent all of us. In some places, one party or another has a grip on certain states so that the person the party extremists choose is the person elected. That’s why we have potential government shutdowns every few months and little success at getting meaningful laws passed.
Floyd Newsom
Northwest side
Tucsonans value zero-fare rides
Re: the March 3 article “Tucson transit should be smart, safe, accessible.”
While I agree with the writer that to single out Sun Link for fare collection would send a terrible message, the statistics presented about what matters to residents and riders are misleading. I don’t blame Mr. Guyman; these are the numbers presented by city staff. Guyman says only 17% of respondents named cost as a top concern while 53% prioritized more service. But the survey, in which I participated, required people to choose just one “most important” item. And it took place when rides had been fare free for nearly two years! Would people not paying for rides be expected to cite cost as their top concern? The vast majority of those surveyed specifically on the question of fares have been in favor of zero fares. If 17% in this survey were still putting fares at the top of the list, that tells me zero-fare transit is highly impactful and valued in our community.
Suzanne Schafer
Downtown
Which economy is better?
In a recent letter, a letter writer reminds us that government does not control prices of food, gasoline, or rent. If government controlled these things, it would be through regulations. No, these prices are controlled by corporations.
Republicans insist that government regulation is a bad thing. Unregulated corporations are cleaning up in this economy, while the lower classes struggle with inflation.
Republicans believe Democrats are responsible for America’s debt. Last May, Mr. Sean Bruner shared with us statistics for rates at which deficits grew under presidents beginning with Jimmy Carter. Under Trump, debt grew by over 40%. According to Investopedia, so far during President Biden’s first term the national debt has gone down, despite his having to deal with pandemic expenses, bank failures, increased interest rates, and working with less tax income from the wealthy.
Regulations dismantled by Trump encourage corporations to gouge Americans for every last hard-earned cent. This is not Biden’s fault — it’s yours, for believing Trump.
Ella Suagee
Benson
Sustainable living in the desert
Says an article from Nov. 17, 2023, being implemented by city Parks and Recreation supposedly to save water and provide more shade.
What hypocrisy. At a recent P/R meeting we learned while taking out turf in other parks they are putting in more turf at Kennedy Park plus a parking lot. Putting in trees in other parks while removing mature trees from Kennedy Park. At Kennedy destroying another portion of the nature park killing off thousands of plants, insects, animals for two large dog-walking areas near the water-guzzling lake.
City Council claims they are dealing with the coming water shortage but do everything to encourage more water use, including putting in trees without natural water harvesting, annexing areas so the developers have the city’s “assured water supply”, approving those same developers for thousands of new homes often with potable water features.
City Council paid F/T should be finding solutions for sustainable living in the desert. They need to stop the hypocrisy happening at Kennedy Park.
Beryl Baker
West side
Tipping is spreading like a disease
Tipping is a disease that is spreading everywhere without providing any service. When I was in Japan eating at a local eateries establishment typically do not add a service charge or expect customers to leave a tip. The cost of service is already included in the price, and the staff takes pride in providing exceptional service without the need for additional compensation. Our fast-food place expects you to tip in jars or when you purchase with credit before you receive your food or beverages. You tip an Uber or taxi driver to go to your destination. With the tipping disease spreading are we going to tip the airline pilots for flying you to your destination. How about the flight attendant that brings you food and beverages do we tip them? Your UPS, FedEx, and Postal Service will they get tips for bringing you packages and mail? Your driver that picks up your trash would like a tip. Please tip the bank teller. When is this disease going to stop?
Don Cotton
Northeast side