Trees are essential infrastructure and need protection
Re: The story, “Growth threatens city’s tree canopy” (News, Jan. 22), one thing we seem to have a lot of in Atlanta is people offering to cut down our trees.
According to the news story, some of these tree companies “aren’t well-versed in the rules” and may be damaging and cutting down trees inappropriately. We need a licensing process to ensure that these companies are qualified and know how to follow the rules.
Trees are essential infrastructure, at least as important as buildings and roads. Trees of certain species in good condition can be worth thousands of dollars and are worth even more than their assessed value due to their ability to prevent erosion, remove air pollutants, cool hot city streets and more.
A licensing process will help improve the chance that these valuable resources will be protected. Until we learn to say no to inappropriate tree cutting, we will continue to lose trees and our quality of life.
SUE ANNE BRENNER, ATLANTA
Medicaid requirements should include unpaid caregiving as ‘work’
I read the brief article in Sunday’s The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, regarding the new Georgia House Speaker’s comment that the House will not revisit full Medicaid expansion this term.
Instead, the House will consider the governor’s waiver program, which would insure about 50,000 people out of the 400,000 who could benefit from a full expansion. This means that rather than improve the lives of all of the poor who are without insurance, the House will consider a 12.5% improvement enough!
Even worse are requirements that this 12.5% must meet, including working 80 hours monthly at “specific activities.” These activities do not include working full-time as a caregiver for a relative with dementia! This means that a spouse, sibling, child, aunt or uncle cannot receive health insurance because they volunteer unpaid to care for their relative with dementia.
This is horrible. I suggest those responsible for providing health insurance for the poor reconsider the “activities” that allow them to “not work” outside their caregiving jobs.
JAN RABINOWITZ, SANDY SPRINGS
SUPPORT GROUP LEADER FOR THE WELL SPOUSE ASSOCIATION IN ATLANTA
