Removing trees was necessary

7/3/2013

In response to your June 17 editorial “Can the city listen?”: The City of Toledo does listen. My neighborhood streets were not touched for more than a half century. Water lines were too close to sanitary sewer lines. We had flooding because drainage was awful.

Our neighborhood fought a succession of mayors for more than 10 years to uphold a commitment to repairs. If not for the mayors’ truculence, repairs would have been accomplished and new trees planted years earlier.

Trees were felled and we did not like it. But employees of the city’s forestry division met often with the neighbors and did their best to save trees.

There is a point where the work has to be done. Safety trumps saving trees. Now, trees are planted, and the area looks good.

Your editorial was too harsh toward these city professionals.

JEFF HOHL
Burroughs Drive

Columnist needs not to be paranoid

Once again we read of S. Amjad Hussain’s paranoia (“Strangers on a train: Terrorism breeds unfair fear,” op-ed column, June 24). Because of his skin color, he feels that anyone who looks twice at him is judging him to be a terrorist.

Perhaps it is he who is judging people. Maybe the young man sitting next to him on that train was wondering why Dr. Hussain kept staring at him and his laptop computer.

We are told to be aware of what’s going on around us. These days, it’s imperative to keep alert. I advise Dr. Hussain that in the future, he should relax and enjoy the ride.

JEFFREY CLARK
Grand Rapids, Ohio

Big pay packages not justified

The $20.6 million compensation package in 2012 for Gary Heminger, chief executive officer of Marathon Petroleum Corp., was not justified (“Top area CEOs ended 2012 with fatter paychecks; At $20.6M, Marathon’s boss retained title of highest-paid,” May 6). This gentleman must walk on water.

Employment is super competitive in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Wages are stagnant. Companies are looking for ways to reduce their costs. Is anyone at Marathon looking at its CEO’s compensation package and seeing whether he could be replaced for a tenth of the cost?

Compensation packages have gotten out of control compared with just a few decades back. How does this happen?

We have to pray for those who are blessed with such large compensation packages, and hope they will do the right thing and improve life for all.

RYAN HESSEY
Stan Hope Drive

Looking for Hoffa a waste of money

It was a waste of money to look for the body of Jimmy Hoffa (“Latest Hoffa excavation stopped after 3 days,” June 20). Doesn’t our government have a better use for our tax dollars?

Why do we continue to waste money when there are so many good uses for it?

CARL HAPP
Monclova Township