Texas’ red light cameras are gone. Do you feel safer driving on Fort Worth streets? | Opinion

Public safety over privacy?

I’d like to know how many accidents from red-light runners have been recorded since traffic cameras were removed in 2019. Police don’t spend much time patrolling intersections, so people know they can run red lights.

Would you rather keep letting that happen to prevent infringement on these dangerous drivers’ privacy? My life is worth more than the privacy of lawbreakers.

- Becki Hutchison, North Richland Hills

Jeanette Martinez for District 11

If a Hispanic City Council member is elected in the new District 11, it will be a historic occasion, indicating that our city government is more inclusive, diverse and democratic than ever. The United Hispanic Council has been leading this effort, and it has taken us more than 30 years to get to the point of creating a Hispanic-majority district.

Now, we must finish the job by electing a candidate who will represent all the people in the district and who can handle the job. We took into account candidates’ experience working with community members, their knowledge of government, their education and more.

The council is a nonprofit and cannot endorse candidates, but we as individuals can. I ask you to support Jeanette Martinez. Please vote for her May 6 and help get others to do the same.

- Fernando Florez, Fort Worth

Rick Herring has the experience

I could not disagree more with the Star-Telegram Editorial Board’s endorsement for District 11. (April 25, 9A, “We recommend: Fort Worth city, area school board races”) Rick Herring is the most experienced candidate and the only one with the depth of knowledge needed to serve a diverse district.

District 11 includes an array of demographic groups all seeking the same things: a good quality of life and an honest, responsive city government. Rick speaks the language of collaboration — the most critical skill needed by any City Council representative, especially in a new district.

His platform to improve the district is specific, detailed and designed to protect neighborhoods while welcoming appropriate development. Nothing similar has been offered by other candidates. Bottom line, Rick is an honest broker with a strong ethical code.

- Carol Peters, Fort Worth

PAC doing dirty political work

Our household received a flyer from the Fort Worth Excellence PAC, a political group with a return address in Colleyville. It said three things about City Council member Elizabeth Beck that are extremely misleading.

Flyers like these are shameful. Let’s hear what prospective council members want to do for the good of the city, and not how they and their backers can best take people down.

- Tim Latta, Fort Worth

Talk about big government

I have lived in Texas most of my life, and I am both disgusted and alarmed at the direction politics has taken. The Legislature seems to be in competition with Florida to see who can mandate the harshest restrictions possible while touting the state as a proponent of freedom.

Do we seriously consider book banning a good thing? Our political leaders are trying hard to promote it as a means of parental control, but how many parents actually have a say? It is heavy-handed government control in its worst form.

I am a political moderate and a voter. I will be using my voice at the ballot box and will also be checking regularly to ensure that I have not been “accidentally” purged from the voter rolls by the county’s new election integrity unit.

- Wendy Stoecker, Arlington

Moderates, keep an eye out

Since Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and County Judge Glen Whitley left office, a huge change has taken place. Sheriff Bill Waybourn was already here, but we added a new district attorney and county judge, and all three seem to be of the far-right variety of Republicans whom we didn’t have before. Those three are now looking for a problem that has hardly existed in Tarrant County — so-called voter fraud — and are only parroting what the disgraced Donald Trump said about elections.

Everyone, but especially moderate Republicans, better keep their eyes and ears open to what these three officials do.

- Thomas G. Nehm, Saginaw

Thomas knows what he’s doing

A letter April 23 implying that Justice Clarence Thomas is stupid because he said he didn’t fully understand financial disclosure requirements was over the top. (4C) Our tax laws are overly complex, but Thomas no doubt has the intelligence to comprehend them. Regardless, I bet he has an accountant who prepares his tax return and, like many other taxpayers, Thomas signs his return and is ultimately responsible for its accuracy.

- Mark Swanson, Mansfield