INEQUALITY
Great teachers only one tool in quest to reduce poverty
I agree with Jay Bookman (“Ending Atlanta’s cycle of poverty proves difficult,” Opinion, March 5) that we need an “open discussion of the causes and persistence of urban poverty.” He concludes that the “best catalyst for change remains a strong teacher,” supported by a larger community. We need that approach, I further agree; but, given the strong correlation between single mothers and poverty and education failure, we need a national, passionate program on the order of the civil rights movement to promote marriage and two-parent families.
DENNIS BALLOU, ATLANTA
POVERTY
Plea for birth control coverage rings hollow
A letter writer (“Legislature stacking deck against women,” Readers Write, Mar. 7) writes, “What a travesty: You deny women the means to prevent pregnancy and the means to terminate it,” and “if you can’t afford insurance, chances are you can’t afford contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancies … .”
Excuse me. So, people in poverty do not have the choice to abstain? Sorry — no sale. If you want to avoid “unwanted pregnancies,” I’m pretty sure you might think of a way to avoid it other than contraception. But that also might infringe on “rights,” since you seem to have an entitlement mentality.
GREG KERN, KENNESAW
CHILD WELFARE
Remembering centers that once helped safeguard kids
The sad story of Marnee Kay (“When a child dies, questions remain,” News, Mar. 9) brings memories of Georgia having had one of the best statewide public health centers in the South for many years. They provided “eyes and ears” in communities that would have supported this family in ways that were not just punitive. Instead, our state government has chosen to cut or underfund our agencies that once provided locally for the health and safety of our children and families.
We are grateful to the AJC for providing continuing oversight of these abuses on a daily basis. As people of faith, we are to be known and judged by the way we treat our old, children, prisoners, and the “least of these” — and not to brag about how much we save the taxpayers.
CAROLINE LEACH, DECATUR
CAR TAGS
Revised tag payments
eliminate tax deduction
Remember that tax break the GOP promised you in lieu of that horrible annual “birthday tax”? What’s in the fine print they never told you? You cannot ever claim that one-time tag tax on your tax returns. If you were lucky enough to not need/buy a new vehicle and opted to continue your annual birthday tax, you are the chosen ones. The GOP did yet another bait and switch. You can only deduct the ad valorem tax you pay for your tags if you buy them each year, like it was before you got that “break” from the GOP. The $1,400 I paid for this year’s tags netted me no deduction and hiked my vehicle’s purchase price by $1,400. I got nothing, the GOP got $1,400 to waste on pet projects. Remember this when you go to the polls this year. We can’t afford any more GOP tax breaks.
SUSAN MATEJA, DALLAS
IMMIGRATION
Reform needed of both immigration, prison systems
The article on the former Mexican policeman, married to an American, who spent five months stuck in a private prison in South Georgia (“Detainee freed after 5 months,” Metro, Mar. 13) illustrates our urgent need for both immigration and prison reform. One can’t help but wonder how many more Georgia families have been arbitrarily torn apart by this for-profit detention system.
WARREN GOODWIN, ATLANTA
