LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
$5 parking draws folks downtown
4/21/2011I can't believe that the City of Toledo wants to charge independent downtown parking-lot owners licensing fees for the privilege of running their businesses ("City of Toledo to crack down on parking lots," April 19).
The owners pay taxes, and spend money on upkeep and personnel to operate the lots, especially when there are programs at Huntington Center.
A $5 parking fee is an incentive for people to attend activities downtown. Don't ruin a good experience for them and cause hardship for lot owners and business owners.
Suzanne Ricci
Seaman Road
Pay some heed to parking charges
Some downtown parking lots charge quite a price for being able to park near an event.
Now the City of Toledo wants to charge owners of unlicensed parking lots a fee for a permit to operate their lots.
While this will set up standards such as paving, striping, lighting, and security, it will not regulate the price for parking in these spaces. This is an area I believe needs attention.
Henry Rybaczewski
Douglas Road
What other rates will city raise?
When will the City of Toledo figure out why there are so many vacant buildings, factories, and storefronts?
What rates will be raised after the city is done raping the parking lot business?
Charles Dersher
Sylvania
Violate speed law? Sure, no problem
For speed-limit violations in construction zones ("Motorists often ignore posted speed limit in I-475 work zone," April 9), I accuse:
● Ohio's General Assembly, for preventing the use of camera enforcement to obtain compliance in reduced-speed zones .
● Insurance companies that do business in communities that prohibit by popular vote the use of such cameras, in that they do not add an across-the-board penalty to insurance rates for such prohibitions.
● Law enforcement agencies that do not, as a matter of policy, arrest, and tow the vehicles of, drivers who operate their vehicles at speeds of more than 20 mph over the posted speed limits in construction zones.
David Axilrod
Manchester Boulevard
More boo-hoos over smoking ban
I see no reason for the complaint in the April 17 Readers' Forum letter "Smoking ban hurting business."
When the smoking ban went into effect, we were led to believe there would be a mass exodus to bars in Michigan, which did not have a ban.Michigan then passed a law similar to Ohio's.
Will the crying and sobbing from the bars ever cease?
Harold Tuttle
Sylvania
Glass City race offered good time
Thank you to everyone who helped out with the 35th Annual Glass City Marathon last weekend ("Scenery gets high ratings, but the winds were tough," April 18).
As a first-time marathon runner, I was unsure what to expect. I thank the course officials who found me in pain along mile 23 and helped me safely to the next water station, where I could be helped. Even though I did not complete the run, I had a great time.
Joshua Senn
Attica, Ohio
Part-time position for the President
The April 16 letter "Obama's become absentee president" claims that President Obama travels too much and is a part-time president.
I read The Blade daily and don't recall any letters from this gentleman when George W. Bush spent so little time in Washington. Of course, he was a Republican.
James Perine
Lima, Ohio
Bring back taxes of over 90 percent
Only when the Bush tax cuts were enacted did our nation begin to incur deficits ("House GOP OKs budget to cut deficit $4.4T," April 16).
Once massive defense spending was authorized for the questionable wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the deficit began to soar.
No one investigated how much money the Bush family reaped from the surge in oil prices. Nor did anyone investigate any profit former Vice President Dick Cheney made from his ties to Halliburton and the award of no-bid defense contracts by the Bush administration.
Now we're firing expensive missiles at Libya. Who in this country profits from that?
Republicans want to blame our national debt on recipients of Medicare and Medicaid, senior citizens, college students, and those who might otherwise qualify for housing assistance.
The logical thing would be to revert to a tax code that ensures our nation's prosperity and solvency. Republicans, instead, shove the debt onto those who can least afford it.
Eileen Henry
Napoleon, Ohio
Follow Trump -- tax the wealthy
In 1999, Donald Trump proposed a tax on wealth to get rid of the national debt. Maybe such a radical idea is just what is needed to right our sinking ship of state. The United States had a top tax rate of more than 90 percent in the 1950s.
I liken a wealth tax to a modern version of the biblical concepts of Sabbatical and Jubilee years, which recognized that wealth tends to concentrate over time and there was a need to correct the imbalance for the health of the community.
I contrast this with the ideas of Ayn Rand, whose beliefs are enjoying a resurgence. My guess is that she would be appalled by what I propose.
If we got rid of the debt and eliminated wasteful spending in the defense budget and corporate subsidies, maybe top tax rates could be lowered.
Bob Pacer
Delta, Ohio
Republicans favor aristocracy
A government that rests on the wealthy minority is an aristocracy, not a republic. Remember the French and Russian revolutions?
The Republican Party wants a two-tiered society. History shows that leads to disaster time and time again. Will Republicans ever learn?
Ron Marshall
Islington Street
Put businessman in White House
Karl Rove recently called Donald Trump a "joke candidate." The jokers we have in the White House and Congress now are running our country into the ground.
I'd vote for Mr. Trump for president. It's time to put a businessman in the White House.
Richard Glerken
Lyons, Ohio
Are permit holders on daily crime list?
Please explain why concealed-weapon permit holders aren't part of the daily litany of gunplay in Toledo ("Concealed-carry cavalcade," editorial, April 17).
Kent Snyder
Westbrook Drive
Let local banks invest in Marina
Why are we looking to foreign investors to buy the Marina District ("Chinese 'reassessing' purchase of Marina," April 16)?
Why doesn't a local bank invest in it? Fifth Third has the Mud Hens stadium, and Huntington has the arena.
Or does something have to be built first before they slap their name on it?
Alan Kine
4th Street
Letters enlighten about abortion
Readers' Forum letters such as the April 17 "Abortions in U.S. are numerous" are very enlightening. I hadn't done the math. I no longer support federal funding for abortions by Planned Parenthood.
Every once in a while, a letter such as that helps me take a different position on an issue. That is the greatest gift from reading letters to the editor.
William L. Snitch
Lynbridge Lane