Letters 05-25-2015

May 24, 2015

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Michigan’s Depleted Funds

So now we know why the Michigan legislators wanted to rush Proposal 1 down our throats. According to the Associated Press, Snyder and his Republicancontrolled legislates’ business tax cuts have reduced Michigan’s tax income by 90 percent, thus depleting the state’s operating fund of $1.1 billion dollars. We all know they shifted the tax burden onto the public; now we know Snyder lied during his campaign. Thank you voters!

Tom LaMont, Kaleva

Legality of Marriage & Divorce

An article in the May 25th issue of Time reveals that: "We now have reached a point where fewer than half of kids leaving high school will have their parents living together."

Those who believe that same-sex marriage should be illegal because of its threat to traditional marriage and its harm to children might want to consider making divorce illegal for the same reasons.

If divorce and same-sex marriage are not both deemed significant enough threats to children and traditional marriage to be declared illegal, then neither should be declared illegal.

Bob Ross, Pellston

Cold Paradise

Your May 18 cover story "Why is Northern Michigan So White?" is preposterous. For starters, we have plenty of diversity in this region: German, Polish, Swedish, Lithuanian, Norwegian, French Canadian, etc. – all groups that flourish in colder, harsh winter climates. And why are there so few African Americans? Patrick Sullivan thinks it’s because of racism and lack of barbershops.

Try this for logic. Why are there no blacks at an Aerosmith concert? Nobody is stopping them from buying a ticket. Why are there no blacks at a Dave Matthews concert (his band is 60% black)? It’s because they don’t like it.

The reason African Americans aren’t here is because they don’t like it – it is too cold. Africa is not Poland. Mr. Sullivan’s article never even mentions cold weather. I spent fifteen years working in Louisiana where my patients and co-workers were 70 percent black. When I told them I was moving to Northern Michigan, every one of them said the same thing: "You must like the cold. Too cold. Don’t do it."

By placing such incendiary subjects on your cover, you are doing a disservice to our community. Living in Traverse City is like paradise: clean air, clean water, spectacular scenery, gourmet organic food markets, wineries, restaurants, music and art. The people here are bright, health-conscious, hard-working and honest. There is little traffic, low crime, and great shopping. It is open to everyone.

In the future, please do not stir up trouble with such needless, brainless, provocative drivel.

Jack Dancer, Traverse City

Unpave Those Roads

Michigan legislators recently put before the people a proposal to increase tax to increase funds to the DOT and road commissions across the state for road repairs. The proposal failed by a significant margin.

And now Rep. Chatfield and fellow Republicans want to reduce assistance to the struggling working families across Michigan.

This plan will eliminate support for poor families in Michigan and increase the cost of shipping, resulting in a direct increase in the cost of most commonly purchased products for the average family. It would eliminate economic development, which means jobs primarily for those without current employment, and it would remove additional incentives for short-term employment opportunities by reducing film credits. The money that is taken from the tribal casinos typically goes towards the general fund and is then redirected toward education. So who wins with this proposed legislation? Not the poor, not the working poor, not the working lower-middle class, not the unemployed, not the students, not the environment. So again Mr. Chatfield, who wins with this plan?

My proposal is that the road commissions and the DOT do a study across the state. Study population shifts, property values, and traffic patterns. Based on the findings, certain paved roads that have seen a decrease in population, decrease in property values and decreased traffic patterns should revert back to gravel roads.

Crushed gravel roads use less sand and salt in the winter. Maintenance and upkeep costs would also be lower. This would save the counties significant resources.

Jericho Simon, Petoskey

Correction: Last week’s Street Style column incorrectly credited Jennifer Hodges for the photos and content. The correct author/photographer was Beth Warner. Beth an Jenn rotate weeks, and we simply screwed up. We apologize for the error.