Austin American-Statesman Letters to the Editor, April 23, 2023

Surging electricity bills force sacrifices.

Senate bill would make things worse.

Re: April 16 editorial “Lawmakers must defeat clean energy attack, protect Texans”

Thank you for the editorial, which speaks powerfully to the needs of this Texas family. Our utility bill, despite solar panels, has tripled since October. This increase makes a difference in our quality of life. For over thirty years, evening walks were a daily highlight for my husband and me. As his mobility has decreased, we have lost that delight and were considering buying him a motorized scooter to claim it back. Then our utility bills shot up and a scooter is no longer a viable possibility.

I know we are not alone in facing sacrifice if utility bills surge further, as they are bound to if SB 6 passes. We must call on the Texas House to consider ordinary Texans and block or modify this bad bill, which clearly values oil interests over the needs of regular Texans.

Victoria Hendricks, Austin

We should have more say in the measures

we fund to strengthen the electric grid

I am concerned that our energy crisis will continue to affect my family. It is extremely stressful to deal with the rising costs of energy. My utility bill has gone up consistently no matter how much I try to limit my usage. I have to decide whether to buy groceries or pay my utility bill sometimes.

As a retired 74-year-old, I have a limited income. Options are limited. The most affordable solution I can think of to fix the grid is energy efficiency programs that are available to the public. Energy corporations need to be held accountable and responsible for solutions. If the costs of strengthening our electric grid have to be passed on to ratepayers, we should have more say in what those measures should be. I am already dealing with rising costs.

Norma Cortez, Austin

Clean energy sources are generating billions.

Attacking them is short-sighted, irresponsible.

Re: April 16 editorial, “Lawmakers must defeat attacks on clean energy”

Thanks to the American-Statesman for the editorial on clean energy.  Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s volunteers met with legislators at the state Capitol this year to lobby for a clean energy future for our state.  We lobbied state leaders to improve the grid reliability and transmission lines, which would generate more jobs, save money for the rate payers and reduce harmful emissions by replacing fossil fuels with clean energy.

Attacking clean energy is short-sighted and irresponsible. Solar and wind power has already generated billions for our state. We want Texas leaders to stop attacking clean sources, work on resilient grid and improve lives of Texans.

Kalpana Sutaria, Austin Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby

If the founding fathers had seen need

to protect well-regulated roadways

If the founding fathers were concerned about the need to maintain adequate transportation between the colonies and protect the availability of horses and buggies, they might have created a 3rd Amendment as follows:

"Well regulated roadways, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to drive shall not be infringed."

Republican governors would remove the requirement for driver licenses in their states. Republicanswould draft legislation to ban driver licenses nationally and allow 14-year-olds to drive.

A dramatic increase in automobile accidents and deaths ensues. Republicans claim it is a mental health, insufficient traffic police and ambulance issue. Accidents and deaths continue to skyrocket. Traffic deaths surpass cancer and heart disease as the leading cause of death in America. Republicans decide to decrease mental health, traffic police and ambulance funding as ineffective, and decide to reduce the drinking age to 14.

Ken Rygler, Round Rock

In 1938, some believed in an alien invasion;

today some think the election was stolen

It was the evening of October 30, 1938 (Halloween) and Orson Welles broadcast over the radio "The War of the Worlds." As history tells us, thousands believed we were being invaded by aliens from Mars.

Today the history books have not yet been written but millions, after watching Fox News, believe the 2020 election was stolen. What is worse, even more than two years after the election, many still do.

Bernard Schiff, Austin

The lawmakers who hid from Jan. 6 rioters

won't protect our children in classrooms

It's simply beyond my comprehension how the Republicans who spent Jan 6th, 2021, huddled under their desks or hiding in terror in a closet as violent insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol are the same lawmakers refusing to ban AR-15 assault rifles and who despite well more than a hundred mass shootings this year, are instead advocating that school children participate in "active shooter drills."

It's painful to see American's children being traumatized needlessly and asked to hide from a military-style assault rifle that can tear through metal doors, walls, desks and a classroom full of children in less than a minute.

Tragically, I'm afraid nothing will change as long as the GOP is more worried about losing their NRA money, than losing another classroom of children in the next mass murder.

Sharon Austry, Fort Worth

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin American-Statesman Letters to the Editor, April 23, 2023