Letters 06-27-2016

June 24, 2016

Allow Due Process

Am I alone in noticing a glaring inconsistency with regards to the suggested “No Fly-No Buy” rule which posits that persons deemed too dangerous to fly commercial are also too dangerous to purchase a gun?

Constitutional watch dogs voice a concern that folks currently on the “No Fly” list would be denied, without prior due process, the right to purchase a firearm. These same watchdogs find no problem with persons being denied the right to fly commercial without the same prior due process.

Although not specifically mentioned in the Constitution, I would suggest that the right to fly commercial is a far more important right to most Americans than the right to buy a gun. So if the one right can be denied without due process, why not the other?

Bob Ross, Pellston

Munson, Please Help Us

Certainly I’m not alone in wondering if some of our largest local nonprofits can help fund local community services. Mr. Sullivan’s article (June 18th) reports that Munson Healthcare and its subordinate organizations have annual revenues in excess of $581 million.

The benefit of a superb organization like Munson to our community is obvious and greatly appreciated by our citizens. It’s also true that Munson benefits from the provision of our taxpayer funded infrastructure, first responders, courts, governance, educated citizens, etc.

Further, the Affordable Care Act has moved some 400,000 Michigan residents from indigent care into Medicaid. This has lessened the burden on our nonprofit health providers like Munson.

Recognizing this, some nonprofit organizations have voluntarily opted to provide their communities with “payment in lieu of taxes.”

As our community struggles to fund retirement programs and contemplates reducing public services, perhaps it’s time to open a discussion aimed at better sharing the burden.

Dave Lannen, Traverse City

Nonprofit Numbers Deceiving

Patrick Sullivan’s report on the income of northern Michigan’s nonprofits captured my attention. I’ve been involved with a couple of the bigger ones. When I saw the numbers that were reported as “income,” I was astounded. I immediately questioned whether he was talking about gross revenues, or net income.

There’s a huge difference! I searched the article for some clarification or definition. Alas, I found none. A quick check to the Goodwill website confirmed that the number reported in the article was their gross revenues.

It’s a disservice to all those organizations to disclose their gross revenues as “income” without definition or clarification, and to not also mention the cost/expense of the services they provide to the communities they serve.

David C. Maxson, Lake Ann

Orlando Thought

Senseless shootings

Are daily news,

we have no sense

anymore,

of what to do (common or otherwise).

We are now the

senseless victims,

with only death

our only answer.

Peter Brown, Beulah

We The People

Scott Hardy’s “Transparency” opinion that was published on June 20th takes issue with the public having a meaningful role in governmental decision making. I found it distressing and somewhat arrogant that he believes it is fine for elected officials to make crucial, sometimes irreversible decisions that will impact the community without “more intervention” from the public than the opportunity to make very short comments.

This notion severely marginalizes representative government, our form of government where elected officials are supposed to represent the people and be held accountable to them. In order to do this effectively, elected officials must interact with the public to hear their concerns, be willing to address questions, and publicly analyze all evidence prior to making a decision. This process insures the people are heard, that their voices carry at least as much weight as staff reports and elected officials’ personal agendas, and minimizes the risk of a runaway government.

After all, it is “We the People….” who are the foundation of our government, not the politicians who believe they have the exclusive right to impose their will upon the masses. That is a fact Mr. Hardy seems to have forgotten.

Albert T. Quick, Traverse City