Letters to the editor for Aug. 28
St. Cloud Times letters to the editor for Aug. 28:
Laws that work for the everyday people
Despite the partisan math that has constrained members of Congress from working together collaboratively, President Biden has been able to fulfill several of his top-priority campaign promises and enact legislation that is popular with the American public.
The first major accomplishment is the infrastructure law, which means $550 billion for new federal investments in roads, bridges, airports, public transit, railroads, rural broadband, clean water and electric vehicle charging stations, among others.
Congress also passed the semiconductor bill that provides over $52 billion to spur domestic manufacturing of vital components for products ranging from cars to computers, reducing America’s reliance on foreign suppliers.
The so-called “burn pits” bill extends new health care and disability benefits to thousands of veterans exposed to toxins during their service.
Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act means Medicare beneficiaries will pay no more than $35 per month for insulin and no more than $2,000 per year in out-of-pocket drug costs. For the first time, Medicare can use its market power to negotiate lower prices from drug companies. The act also devotes $370 billion to developing clean energy and curbing climate change, which analysts say will help the US reduce carbon emissions 40% below 2005 levels by 2030. It sustains American global leadership at a time when extreme weather events increasingly place the world in great danger. It also closes a tax loophole for all billion-dollar corporations, making them pay at least 15% in taxes (compared to 45-47% during the Republican Eisenhower administration).
In addition to these legislative accomplishments, the July jobs numbers hit 528,000, a sign of continued growth in the labor markets. These are all significant outcomes, particularly considering the highly partisan Congress that votes along strict party lines. Thank you to the Biden administration for enacting laws that work for the everyday people in our country.
― Ann Bajari, Annandale
Little Falls has lost too many historic buildings already
Recently I met an older homeless person, one of the 30 to 40 who are homeless in Little Falls. (Locally, seniors are the fastest growing homeless group). That person couldn't believe that the entire Little Falls Heritage Preservation Commission, Little Falls City Council, and Mayor Zylka voted to demolish such a beautiful historic landmark suitable for housing. I wish all who voted to destroy Hurrle Hall could have been with me to see how their actions are affecting the community. Little Falls has lost too many historic buildings already. We hope to save Hurrle Hall and all other historic buildings.
According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Corporal Works of Mercy are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a model for how we should treat all others, as if they were Christ in disguise.
They are: Shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick, visit the prisoners, bury the dead and give alms to the poor.
All of us, religious or not, should take a look at this list and make sure we are doing our part. Most of us are hoping and praying that the Sisters will have a change of heart and save over $1 million. Let developers, such as MetroPlains, rehabilitate Hurrle Hall into affordable housing instead of a heap of rubble.
― Lois Maciej, Little Falls
Sartell inclusive playground great, but not enough
As a special education staff member in the St. Cloud school district, I was excited to read about the work Sartell schools and the Lions Club were doing to work toward an inclusive playground, but I couldn't help but feel sad as well.
For so many of our families, traveling to Sartell is not attainable with barriers to transportation. For others, the amount of time that it takes to load up the wheelchair and pack for the day means that going to the park is for special outings, not a daily trip.
We hear about a project like this and we feel good and pat ourselves on the back, but don't often stop to look at it from all angles. For instance, when children have to go to another town to play with other kids, how do they build lasting friendships? How do our able-bodied, neurotypical children learn to see others as valuable and important if we are creating a culture of segregation?
It's not just children, it's parents as well. Imagine being a disabled parent who can't take their children to the park until they are old enough to play on their own. Don't misunderstand, this project is an amazing start, but it can't stop here. We need to see these changes happening at all parks in the area. It doesn't need to be a complete remodel, but simple starts such as adding in accessible swings and paths and remembering these children as we make upgrades or build new structures.
Every child should be able to play and have fun at their local park where they will see the same children over and over, giving them the chance to develop friendships. Other children need to see them out in the community, see them laughing and having fun.
When they are learning to adapt and play together, we begin to build a truly unified community and strong, empathetic citizens.
― Kelly Meyer, St. Joseph
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Letters to the editor for Aug. 28
