LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Reid's rip of Romney justified

8/17/2012

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's comments about Mitt Romney's refusal to open his tax records are fair ("Sleazy rhetoric on taxes," editorial, Aug. 9). The presumptive GOP presidential candidate's tax records should be part of any vetting of a candidate's character.

Senator Reid is only prodding Mr. Romney to do the right thing to uphold the American public's need to know. To cast the senator as the villain is to miss the greater point.

Paul Wohlfarth

Ottawa Lake, Mich.

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Minimum wage not conducive to jobs

An organization called Fight for a Fair Economy is again calling for a raise in the minimum wage ("Raise in minimum wage urged; Local group takes part in day of action by advocacy agencies," July 25). The minimum wage part of the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act has been one of the most destructive forces to our economy.

The minimum wage raises the first rung on the employment ladder, which is devastating to entry-level jobs. Our youths are left running the streets when they could be learning job skills. What if a start-up company with huge potential such as Apple offered stock options and no pay?

Why not raise the minimum wage to $100 an hour? Would that be good for jobs? What is the effect on consumer prices? All costs have to be factored in.

The value of a person's labor can't be legislated, because many of those values are subjective. To produce a vibrant economy, there should be no minimum wage, because the minimum wage is a job killer.

Jim Boehm

Drummond Road

 

U.S. 24 draws a rave review

I recently rode home on U.S. 24. I was surprised at the high-quality, four-lane divided highway from the Indiana line to just east of Napoleon ("Opening scheduled for U.S. 24 expressway; Dedication ceremony planned for Aug. 28," Aug. 13).

Later, I had the opportunity to ride on U.S. 24 east from Waterville. The merge lane from old U.S. 24 was connected to the new 24. It is wonderful.

I think the folks who built this road deserve big thanks. I hope good roads equal good business opportunities.

Doug McCray

Grand Rapids

 

Renaming road a good idea

I disagree with the letter writer who wants to have old U.S. 24 keep the name of River Road ("Renaming road would spur woes," Readers' Forum, July 30).

There are five different River Roads along the Maumee River. Renaming old U.S. 24 Anthony Wayne Trail makes logical and historical sense.

Old U.S. 24 is already known as Anthony Wayne Trail from downtown Toledo to Dutch Road on the north side of Waterville. By extending it as Anthony Wayne Trail to the Henry County line, emergency services would have clear information.

We also would have the opportunity to promote a historical corridor throughout the entire county.

Given all of the fatal accidents during the 25 years I have lived on old U.S. 24, changing a few addresses and buying new checks are a small price to pay for peace of mind and the ability to drive safely on the new stretch of road.

Craig Valentine

Grand Rapids