Improving health care for everyone
Re: “The link between health, education,” Sept. 28 Colorado Voices column.
While I agree with Chuck Reyman’s conclusions regarding the link between health and education for children, I would like to suggest a different way to provide for all of Colorado’s citizens.
I refer to David Broder’s editorial published a few months ago citing the National Coalition on Health Care’s conclusions that we could save $320 billion to $1.1 trillion by covering all Americans in one of four different health plans. I would further suggest that the best way to do that is with a combination of mandatory health savings accounts and catastrophic coverage plans. The money currently spent by private individuals, employers and the state and federal governments is more than enough to get this done while simultaneously increasing everyone’s personal responsibility.
Tim Dudley, M.D., Denver
Survival of species and use of land
Re: “Bill curbing species law sails ahead,” Sept. 27 news story
I am writing out of concern about the future of the Endangered Species Act. Haven’t we learned yet that extinction is permanent? The ESA is the only way that species have a chance. The survival of species and the use of land go hand in hand. I was disturbed by the suggestion in the article that endangered species could simply be bred without restricting the use of the land they occupy. I think that restrictions on land are a small price to pay for the preservation of our natural habitats and the creatures that occupy them. Once our land is developed, it is gone. Empty buildings and parking lots cannot be transformed into new habitats.
I am writing in hopes that Sen. Ken Salazar and others can see that the conditions of the ESA are not meant to restrict the prosperity of corporations and human beings but to try to preserve what little is left of our natural world for future generations.
Denise Silfee, Denver
Helping victims of Hurricane Katrina
As I thankfully begin my new full-time job, I cannot tell you how grateful I was to have had a brief period of “underemployment” that enabled me to work with the Hurricane Katrina evacuee families at Lowry.
During this volunteer time with both the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, my emotions toggled between joy and sadness and laughter and tears. I met so many wonderful volunteers and staff who were helping the displaced evacuees. The evacuees courageously planted roots in completely new cities and states and found new jobs and homes. They were all so brave, and I had the utmost respect for them.
It took a huge world of caring people to help a special, smaller world of hurting, needy people and animals, and they will continue to need our help for many months to come. Please help if you can; you will make a difference and will not regret it.
Kathy Hixson, Lakewood
Teacher tenure, unions
It’s time to change the way the public school system in the United States operates. This means that teachers should be compensated based on performance.
Does this mean some teachers will have-six figure salaries? You bet! Does this mean we hire more teachers to lower classroom size? Absolutely! Am I in favor of increasing the mill levy to support this? Yes!
Here’s the catch:t The union and tenure system must be abolished. This is a system that today promotes mediocrity.
They will not get an extra cent out of me until they run the public school system like a business. That means dumping the unions and tenure, compensating the good teachers, terminating the poor performers and hiring more teachers to reduce classroom size.
Until change occurs, I urge everyone to vote “no” on any mill levy increases that support public education, not just here in Longmont but across the United States.
Ronald Elsis, Longmont
