Readers write: May 16
Time for Cobb to grow up, accept rail
As much as the Braves and Braves fans would like a positive spin on this, the fact is, traffic must be taken into consideration. Moreover, the recent report (“Study: Stadium to add 20K cars to Cobb traffic,” Metro, May 14) isn’t nearly negative enough. Nowhere does it take into account the effect of an extra 20,000 cars (or more) on commuters. Folks traveling from Atlanta to Cobb County every day face a bottleneck at I-285 and I-75. What will 20,000 additional cars do to that mess? Cobb has done nothing, and apparently will do nothing, to address that problem. The fact is, Cobb taxpayers must wake up and realize the only solution to the massive traffic headaches of this county — which will only be exacerbated by this stadium — is a comprehensive, grown-up, commuter rail system. Until that happens, people, businesses and industry will find some other place to locate.
LARRY KORN, MARIETTA
Count health costs of climate change
In his column about solar energy (“Why sunlight really isn’t free,” Opinion, May 14), Joel Foster of Americans for Prosperity Georgia decries the use of net metering to expand our state’s clean energy portfolio. His objection is that the cost of adding solar to the grid is passed on to consumers who are not putting solar energy into the mix. Too bad Foster isn’t equally concerned about the costs that are passed on to consumers with the use of coal-generated electricity — health care for respiratory illnesses exacerbated by air pollution, damage from floods, and other weather-related disasters made worse by climate change. Conservative economists tell us it is only fair and proper to include these external costs in the price of fossil fuels. Doing so would actually help our economy if we tax carbon and return the revenue to households. By reducing the external costs of coal that consumers are already paying, solar energy is a net gain for the public, even with net metering.
STEVE VALK, CITIZENS' CLIMATE LOBBY
Ordinary citizens are losing ground
Interesting cartoon Mike Luckovich chose for May 13. His two favorite characters ask, “I wondered how Fox News would report record market highs.”The truth is, in this economy, the rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer. Participation in the stock market for the U.S. general population is at lows not seen since the Great Depression era. When stocks hit bottom, they got out and have not gotten back in. The people on fixed incomes who depend on investments in bonds and interest to supplement their income are not making money. With energy and grocery store staples rising, average and older Americans people are losing ground.
MARTY HARMON, HIRAM
