Dear Editor,
Capital Highlights by Gary Borders in the June 26th edition of News-Dispatch was most informative.
I learned about State spending, how many Military Installations we have in Texas and how they boost our economy, and last but not least, our fragile power supply along with its coal plants.
I wonder if Gary could write a column on our crowded Prison System and give statistics on the number (and color) of inmates there in marijuana charges.
Victoria Taylor
Dripping Springs
Dear Editor,
I remain incredulous that DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) continues to be legislated in our country. How can these efforts exist in our country which passed ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) 34 years ago? What about IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), first passed in 1975 as PL-94-142 (Education of All Handicapped Children Act), 49 years ago? This law has never had adequate funding, even more lacking than that for general education. For a country based on “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, we certainly make life more difficult for those we purportedly care about and support.
Jayne D. Baker, a public school special education teacher for 43 years
Dear Editor,
Please don’t cut my social security!
Did you know that your social security benefit could be cut by over 20% in 10 years if Congress doesn’t fix the program? How do retirees keep up with bills that continue to rise if our income is going down at the same time? At one point, US Rep. Chip Roy, called programs like social security and medicare “fat and garbage” that could be cut. Later he flip-flopped, saying “entitlements” won’t be cut, likely because voters won’t stand for it. (Entitlements, really? Didn’t we work long and hard to earn our benefits?) Meanwhile he and the so-called Freedom Caucus have shown they are willing to shut down the government over spending issues, which doesn’t sound like fixing anything to me. Do we really want to trust our wellbeing in retirement to a radical like Roy?
Thank you for considering this for publication. Below are 2 websites with supporting information regarding this issue.
Deborah Chavez
