LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
City areas need to be clean
8/26/2013I agree with Toledo mayoral candidate D. Michael Collins’ vision for cleaning up the city’s blighted neighborhoods (“Mayoral hopefuls take case to voters; Candidates go door-to-door, speak at festivals and picnics,” Aug. 18).
Reshaping the mission of the Toledo Neighborhood Block Watch Program to no tolerance of blight is cost-effective and embraces community involvement to fix a growing problem.
Garbage has a way of attracting more garbage, which quickly spawns blight and crime. As Mr. Collins noted: “A neighborhood that isn’t tidy and neat is a neighborhood that’s never going to be safe.”
And a neighborhood that isn’t safe is a neighborhood that residents can never be proud of.
ALAN BUCK, SR.
Jackman Road
Certified mail notices too costly
I received three certified letters from the City of Toledo, two for my son and one for me (“Toledo spends $42,000 to mail notices,” Aug. 11), They were form letters stating that we would be assessed to help cover costs of street preservation.
I don’t know why my son received two certified letters at my address. Maybe the city still has him listed as living here. I received the same three letters the week before in the regular mail.
I have no problem with paying for this road service. And I appreciate the city letting me know about the assessment. But the certified letters cost $4.71 apiece.
This is the kind of ridiculous waste that taxpayers get upset about seeing in government. General mail worked fine, and sending the same letter by certified mail wasted money that could have been spent on projects in the city.
STEVE ZUBER
Cedarhurst Road
Palestine should accept olive branch
There is a lesson to be learned from the Israeli release of Palestinian terrorists: Israel is willing to go to great lengths to live in peace with its neighbors (“Israel OKs more settlers, release of 26 Palestinians; Moves made days before peace talks resume,” Aug. 12).
Now is the time for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to take his own step forward. Palestinian leaders must be held accountable for creating an environment for peace. They should educate their citizens about what it will take to live in peace with Israelis, rather than glorify terrorists.
Israel has taken tough steps to prove it is ready for peace. It’s time the Palestinians prove they are ready too.
JOEL BEREN
Ottawa Hills
Editor's note: The writer is a past president and former chief executive officer of the Jewish Council of Greater Toledo.
Lopez’s actions show she cares
Toledo mayoral candidate Anita Lopez took out a loan to build an extension on her house so that her mother and father could live there (“Iron-willed Lopez aims to revamp city,” Aug. 11). She would be for the people as mayor.
ARNOLD MURPHY
White Street