Austin American-Statesman letters to the editor, June 11, 2023

Unwillingness to fund medical care for people

suffering with disabilities defies understanding

Re: June 4 article, "Vulnerable Texas families wait years for medical care"

I thought the front-page articles regarding lack of services for families with children with disabilities were well researched and well written. They broke my heart.

I was the Director of Constituent Services for then-Senator Kirk Watson for 10 years, and the waiting list for services was not exaggerated when described as 10-17 years. My experience is that the staff of Health and Human Services would try to identify any program that would help our constituents, but the Texas Legislature simply would not fund the services desperately by these families. I never understood why. Surely every legislator's staff was receiving the same phone calls we were.

I only wish this article had been printed during the early part of the session and not after. I think it might have made a difference. Well, maybe.

Lora Ann Gerson, Austin

'Unsung heroes' who dedicated careers

to the state deserve a cost-of-living raise

Re: May 28 column, "Beyond Paxton's scandal, Texans deserved more this legislative session"

Current state employees, like those who came before them, implement and administer the laws and regulations passed by Texas lawmakers. Those buildings in the Capitol complex aren't there for nothing.

Yet with the recently ended 88th regular legislative session, state retirees have gone since 2001 without a much-needed cost-of-living raise.

Sadly, in that near quarter century, one can't help but wonder how many retirees have already passed away without the benefit of even modest pay increases to help cover food, housing and medical expenses.

Legislators always do well for themselves come retirement, so why not extend that to the unsung folks who dedicated their careers to the state?

Will lawmakers urge and Governor Greg Abbott agree to a special session to right this wrong? Don't count on it.

Stephen Shackelford, Austin

Why debt limit agreement spending caps

will punish those who live in the margins

The debt limit agreement should not punish those on the margins.

Progress has been slow in the fight against tuberculosis. The global TB death rate was down to 1.4 million annually, then COVID-19 interrupted that progress. TB rates are increasing. 1.6 million people died of TB in 2021. Texas had 1,097 people diagnosed with TB in 2022. That is almost a 10 percent increase over 2021. Even though TB is treatable and curable, in 2022 fifty of those diagnosed with TB in Texas died.

We need bold funding for combating tuberculosis. With significant additional funding, TB programs can bring tuberculosis under control and can be a big part of the world being prepared for the next infectious disease pandemic. This is one example of why the spending caps in the debt limit bill will be a death sentence for millions, millions that the Bible describes as "the least of these".

Eloise Sutherland, Austin

Congratulations to Kirk Bohls on his

career milestone and rare longevity

Re: May 28 column, 'Kirk Bohls reflects on his first 50 years at the American-Statesman'

I wanted to say how much I enjoyed the Kirk Bohls column on the occasion of his 50th anniversary with the Statesman. The story and the accompanying Duck Roast video were outstanding.

I would like to congratulate Mr. Bohls on a great career with your paper.  Very few people stay with one employer for a lifetime.  It is even more remarkable in the newspaper business, which has seen so many changes with the transition to the digital era.

Mark Setterberg, Houston

With its many fractions and bad leadership,

the Republican party need to find its way

It was good to read about Governor Sununu and his hopes for a GOP reformation.  He has enough common sense to know the party has had bad leadership.

One movement that ruined the party is the religious right. They are against abortion, gay rights, and want prayer in schools. Politics and religion, once married, degrade each other.

The anti-government Tea Party and Freedom Caucus are unpopular. They discourage compromise but good politics involves compromise. The QAnon people and their conspiracy theories are a laughingstock. The MAGAs are a cult in thrall to an unstable leader who likes dictatorship.  And the current outrage over something called "woke" is ridiculous and is sabotaging education.

The party has also often failed to offer positive solutions to social and economic problems.

One wishes Sununu good luck in anything he can do to help them find their way.

Joanne Brininstool, Austin

Cornyn delivered after Uvalde and he should

continue to lead on gun reform legislation

A year ago, Texas' bright future grew dimmer with the murder of 21 people in Uvalde. This story of loss persists with the recent mass shooting in Allen and the all-too-common occurrences of everyday gun violence in Texas.

I am proud that Sen. John Cornyn led the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act as a swift response to the Uvalde tragedy. Through this landmark legislation, Sen. Cornyn delivered, yet there is still more to be done.

Using the refined National Instant Criminal Background Check System for all weapon purchases would ensure that people who pose a threat to themselves and others cannot purchase a weapon. I urge Sen. Cornyn to continue to lead on commonsense measures and introduce the "Bipartisan Background Checks Act 2023 (H.R. 715)” to the Senate to continue to answer the calls for action.

Giselle Lopez Estrada, Dallas

A beacon, Concordia is providing education

that's affordable, inclusive and accessible

Recently, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod released a report that questioned Concordia University Texas’ commitment to its Lutheran identity. People familiar with Concordia know that any claim that the University is Lutheran “in name only” is absurd.

At E3 Alliance, we understand the significance of bolstering education systems across our region. Those early childhood to post-secondary to career pipelines will produce the next generation of leaders and drive economic prosperity.

We know that Concordia is part of one of the strongest pipelines accessible to our region. We have worked closely on efforts to deeply analyze practices and make sure they can best serve all students, while staying true to their Christ-centered values.

By offering education that is affordable, accessible and inclusive, Concordia is a beacon of light for all education institutions. Providing an education truly inclusive and supportive to all students will benefit the prosperity of our families and our community.

Susan Dawson, E3 Alliance president and executive director, Austin

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin American-Statesman letters to the editor, June 11, 2023