TRANSPORTATION
Response to “Cars: A hard habit to break.” News, March 22
“Cars: A hard habit to break” suggested that alternatives to driving alone are limited for metro Atlanta commuters. While taking transit, ride sharing and teleworking won’t work for everyone, they do for a growing number of commuters. The 2010 Metro Atlanta Regional Commuter Survey found that more than 400,000 people now choose to commute at least three days a week (by carpool; telework or by riding transit; cycling or walking to work).
The ARC’s RideSmart division maintains a database of more than 50,000 commuters who want to find others to share the ride to work. The Guaranteed Ride Home Program offers registered commuters the safety net of a free taxi ride home if they are unable to catch their normal ride home.
Commuters here have access to resources that can help them find alternatives to driving alone through the Clean Air Campaign, working with the Georgia Department of Transportation, and other organizations and participating employers. While these options won’t work for everyone, they can for a lot of people who are sitting alone in traffic — and paying at the pump for the privilege.
Kevin Green, executive director, The Clean Air Campaign
GOVERNMENT
Don’t use taxpayers’ money to push a new tax
I am highly interested in who is going to participate in this advertising campaign to get me to approve the transportation tax (“Miles to go to sell a regional proposal,” News, March 20). I am particularly interested in who is going to pay for it.
It incenses me to think that some government or quasi-governmental agency would be spending my money to try to convince me to raise taxes on myself. This is no place for public money to be spent. If you have money to lobby for more taxes, use it for the purposes for which you are lobbying — and quit trying to make up my mind for me.
Vernon Peppers, Atlanta
TAXES
Liberals keep pumping the same old solution
Regarding “High price isn’t just at the pump” (Opinion, March 20), one has to read Cynthia Tucker’s entire column to get to the meat of it: raise taxes (the never-ending liberal cure-all).
Jack Franklin, Conyers
POLITICS
Minorities sure to see GOP’s poor track record
Kyle Wingfield believes that the increasing minority population in Georgia will not be a threat to the GOP — as these people move to the suburbs, they will see that the Republicans offer better solutions to common problems (“Minority influx no GOP threat,” Opinion, March 20). Really? What solutions?
The Republicans have been in charge of Georgia for years, and we have an education system that remains mired near the bottom of the pack, transportation problems galore and an ongoing water crisis. What these minorities will see is a Republican majority that uses hot-button issues having no real impact on the daily lives of Georgians (like immigration, abortion, voter fraud, gun rights and the threat of government takeover) to obscure their true agenda of using the government to benefit their core constituents: big business and the wealthy. I can only hope that the rest of Georgia will wake up and realize the same thing.
Mike Haremski, Tucker
CHILD HEALTH
One label that would be fitting: Precious gift
I just wanted you to know that I truly enjoyed reading the guest column “Special needs kids don’t need labels” (Opinion, March 23).
I personally deal with this issue every day. My precious son (Jacob) is 11 years old, and has Down syndrome and cancer. I do believe that we need to continue to educate society on the abilities of our children (given the right resources), and not to focus on the disability. All you have to do is be around my son for just one hour to see the positive impact he is making on this world.
Thank you for continuing to bring awareness to the subject of children with disabilities.
Heidi Moore, Alpharetta
MIDDLE EAST
It’s not right to support U.S. entering Libya
How can Sarah Palin and my fellow Republicans defend (indeed, advocate) going into Libya? Just a few months ago, tea party conservatives like Palin advocated limited government and deficit reduction. The adventure into Libya does exactly the opposite. We are informally declaring war without a congressional declaration. We were not attacked, and our national interests were not at stake.
Further, we are again expending more American treasure in yet another unnecessary foreign excursion just to show that we are the policemen of the world. Let Europe take this one on, if they wish. If we truly want to balance the budget, let’s address this issue — not make it worse by entering into another Middle Eastern civil war.
Jack Bernard, Monticello
No peace until Arabs recognize Israel
How can there be peace between Israel and Palestine when the Palestinians will not recognize Israel?
They are not interested in peace. They want the destruction of Israel. I don’t have the answer, but something has to be done to bring the Palestinians to the table.
Tom Clement, College Park
