Bee readers sound off pro and con on Measure E, which benefits Fresno State | Opinion

Yes on Measure E

Let me begin this letter by saying I admit that I was being lazy by not writing sooner. I was assuming that the measure to support Fresno State, Measure E, would receive overwhelming support. I was incorrect. When I read two negative letters in one day’s Bee, I knew that I had to respond.

Being a proud Central California resident, I have been fortunate to reap the benefits of a strong local educational system. I graduated from Reedey College, receiving my AA degree in two years and entered Fresno State, graduating two years later. I felt the support and encouragement from a smaller college setting.

While it is true that I would have loved to go to a private, more popular university, in reality, who can say that they receive their four-year bachelor’s degree debt free? This was my experience.

We need to support the treasure that is Fresno State. We need to continue to entice smart students to attend, leaving our Valley a richer, more prosperous area.

Do your part to support our students who in turn will support us by enriching our lives with their expertise. Vote yes on Measure E.

Jean Flores, Clovis

No on Measure E

Measure E is a 0.25% sales tax for Fresno County that will provide $63 million annually for 25 years used for construction and maintenance projects at Fresno State.

There is a nurse on every brochure. The campaign claims it will build a new nursing school and triple the the number of graduating nurses by building an additional classroom.

Barriers to accepting nursing school applicants are many. There is a shortage of doctoral-prepared faculty and commensurate pay. A nurse working as a nurse can make more than a nurse teaching a nurse.

Opinion

There is insufficient clinical placement sites and a shortage of preceptors to supervise students. Building a new classroom will not expand the impacted nursing program.

Richard Spencer of Spencer Enterprises funded the failed 2022 Measure E campaign.

I say get the picture of a nurse off the brochure and put a picture of Spencer. He will be the one that benefits most from this proposed tax.

Carol Houk, Fresno

More Civil War-era history

I found attorney and author Daniel Jamison’s op ed, “Donald Trump, Jefferson Davis and the role of insurrection” (The Bee, Feb. 11) interesting in its history and application of the Fourteenth Amendment. However, it falls historically short.

Jamison failed to mention the Amnesty Act of 1872, signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant. Just three years and 10 months after the Fourteenth Amendment was adopted, the Amnesty Act removed most of the penalties imposed on former confederates by the amendment, pardoning most of them (no, not Jeff Davis) for their role in the rebellion-insurrection.

Why? To carry out Lincoln’s wish to reunify the nation. As a result, many of the ex-rebels resumed political careers in state legislatures and Congress.

Ronald Genini, Fresno

Cool it with the political mailers

Hey, everyone running for local office! Can you puhleeze stop already with the expensive full-color mailers attempting to convince me that you’re a person of the people and you only have my best interests at heart? What a waste of money.

The more you inundate me with this waste, the more I’m disinclined to vote for you. Walk my district. Door to door. Make me feel like you care. Flyers are so impersonal. And they clutter up my recycle bin as I remove them from my mailbox and walk them straight to the garbage.

The more of these I get, the more I believe you are in the pocket of big interests that only want what they can get into their pockets by getting you elected.

Fresno is owned by developers. The mayor, the DA, the sheriff, the legal beagles, the nepo-babies running on their last names, almost everyone is owned and operated by the Assemis and their ilk.

Stop with the flyers and speak to me face to face or get off my lawn.

Joel S. Dyer, Fresno

No way voting for Trump

The Republican and Democratic parties have lost touch with the voters. There is little support for Trump or Biden for the 2024 presidential election.

If you want to know the negatives about Biden, listen to KMJ radio from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. They never mention a negative about Trump.

Trump has been accused by 18 women of sexual assault and convicted of sexual assault and defaming women. He also associated with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. On TV he bragged how he can grope women and has stated sexual assault in the military is totally expected.

Fact check finds 70% of his claims are false. Trump said if a court rules against him, there could be violence and court officials in his cases have received threats.

He is still making bogus claims of voter fraud with no evidence. The only fraud was his fake representatives to the Electoral College with false election results.

Republicans from his inner circle have warned us about him and oppose Trump’s 2024 election. Some of those are Vice President Mike Pence, Attorney General William Barr, Vice President Dick Chenry, President George Bush, national security adviser John Bolton, 21 ex-Cabinet officials and 20 govenors.

Is this who we want as president?

Allen M. Rush, Fresno