McNamara ethics vow lauded

5/23/2013

A government worker’s First Amendment right to free speech does not include campaigning for his or her boss during working hours on the taxpayers’ dime (“McNamara slams Lopez over workers at her event; He says 6 county employees attended mayoral kickoff,” April 25).

Toledo mayoral candidate Joe McNamara’s campaign ethics pledge also includes a promise not to accept campaign contributions from government workers whom an elected official has the power to hire and fire.

The pledge by Mr. McNamara, a Toledo city councilman, makes sure that government employees are protected from forced campaigning and financial contributions to hold onto their jobs. That’s a good thing.

Toledo mayoral candidate Anita Lopez, the Lucas County auditor, should sign an ethics pledge that keeps campaigning clean and above board.

NANCI KEMM
Mapleway Drive

McNamara’s gun buy-back unwise

Joe McNamara wants a gun buy-back, but does he want to use his money or ours (“Mayor calls Blade series ‘irresponsible’; But others in Toledo, including his challengers, say they love it,” April 30)?

Gun buy-backs may give politicians such as Mr. McNamara warm and fuzzy feelings, but they have zero impact on crime.

Mr. McNamara is not ready for prime time.

JIM BOEHM
Drummond Road

Doling out funds sometimes unfair

What can people do about their tax money going to some government agency that’s rife with favoritism (“Craig calls grant panel stacked; Committee advises on spending U.S. neighborhoods funds,” May 7)? Nothing, unless people run for office and win.

In Washington, we have lawmakers who give away money they didn’t earn so they can get elected again, to give away more money.

CHARLES DERSHER
Sylvania

Lawmakers also should get pay cut

My thanks to the writer of the May 3 Readers’ Forum letter “Seniors should fight shift to CPI,” about an adjustment that would mean people on Social Security would get less money. Senior citizens should object loud and clear to their lawmakers.

Everyone on the federal payroll who receives a cost-of-living increase also should receive smaller paychecks. We are supposed to be citizens with equal rights. When did seniors become nobodies?

If we raise our voices enough, perhaps we could change the system lawmakers created.

ADELE FEDERMAN
Mockingbird Lane