Letters to the Editor: Lawmakers set 'poverty' wages for these workers
Lawmakers set 'poverty wages'
for critical in-home care workers
Re: Jan. 17 article, "San Marcos nonprofit aims to fill health care staffing shortages with ESL, nursing classes."
The article accurately identifies the direct care workforce crisis in long-term care facilities, yet fails to mention the larger crisis in community attendants. These direct care workers provide critical in-home care to people with disabilities and older adults to live in their own homes.
People prefer to stay at home and, no surprise, the number of community workers and people served is far higher than those in care facilities. Very little has been done to address the problem.
The root cause is the poverty wages set by inadequate legislative appropriations. That’s why market wages paid by taco stands and unskilled warehouse work are siphoning off community attendants.
The Texas legislature left the base wage for most at a ridiculous $8.11 per hour. In what world will this create a sustainable workforce?
Dennis Borel, Coalition of Texans with Disabilities executive director, Austin
Confederate Heroes Day does not
support racial tolerance aspirations
The state of Texas currently celebrates Confederate Heroes Day on Jan. 19. Years ago, this holiday was called Robert E. Lee Day.
On this day, there are no marches and no outward celebrations, just a day off for state employees. I am at a loss as to why we continue to celebrate this. Amazingly, it occurs within the same week as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The juxtaposition of these holidays is uncomfortable at the very least.
I do not feel that Confederate Heroes Day supports aspirations of racial reconciliation and tolerance. Legislative attempts to remove this holiday have stalled in the past. Maybe it is time now for Confederate Heroes Day to be removed.
Scott Brookhart, Austin
The 'real motivation' behind Abbott's
operation at the southern border
Re: Jan. 15 article, "Texas AG Paxton to appeal Austin judge's ruling that Operation Lone Star is unconstitutional."
The real motivation behind Gov. Abbott’s “inspection” of Texas’ southern border is to protect our whiteness. Gov. Abbott, one of Trump’s toadies, is trying to curry favor with the former leader by holding the line against Latinos and other people of color.
Republicans may call it by other names, but the thing they fear most is erosion of white supremacy.
Racism isn’t new in the United States. I grew up in Southeast Texas with a Spanish surname. My paternal grandparents and their large brood emigrated from Spain in the early 1900s, lured to Texas by employment opportunities at the two largest refineries in the United States.
I remember my mother marching to our elementary school to be sure that our teachers understood that my brother and I were Spanish, not Mexican.
Joyce L. Andrews, Austin
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin American-Statesman Letters to the Editor: Jan. 21, 2022
