Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, Feb. 6, 2015

Muni, crack down on unleashed dogs

Hey! Animal Control. Want to make some easy money? On any weekend just show up at the Coastal Trail and it's a veritable cash cow for ticketing unrestrained dogs.

To the owners of these animals: We know, we know, your 50-pound-plus dog is "friendly." Here's a little insight from the other side when you're little and 12 pounds and being borne down on: "I don't know that! And because you're not on a leash I've no protection and I don't know when things will turn ugly. My master is being knocked off her skis or bike trying to pick me up in time. It's terrifying."

So maybe if you people took the time to train your animal to walk and behave on a leash, the rest of us who have could enjoy the outdoors in peace. Which is why we are there too.

There are parks for off-leash use. Find one or get fined.

Muni, how about some much needed backup here?

Mollie Crittenden

Anchorage

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Medicaid expansion good for Alaska

As a member of the Anchorage community, I strongly urge Alaska's policymakers to support the Medicaid expansion. Not only will it benefit the health of thousands of Alaskans but it is also the smartest choice financially. The federal government will cover the entire cost of the newly enrolled for the first three years; Medicaid will actually cost our state more during this period if we opt out. Even after 2017, Alaska will only be responsible for — at the most — a mere 10 percent of the cost.

Our state has an incredibly powerful opportunity to protect Alaska's most vulnerable citizens, saving our state money in the process. We cannot let this expansion pass us by.

Ariel Berg

Anchorage

Drill, clear-cut, mine Central Park

I oppose declaring Central Park in New York a wilderness area. There are no salmon streams, caribou calving grounds, subsistence hunting or endangered species there as far as I know. Instead of locking up Central Park, let's clear-cut the trees, drill for oil and mine for copper, gold and molybdenum.

The same for Wall Street. There's no environment there to damage. Drill, baby, drill.

I support developing the West Coast as well. The oil-huggers tell us they want to drill an area in ANWR no bigger than the Los Angeles International Airport. So wouldn't it be a lot cheaper to do the drilling at LAX?

Geoff Kennedy

Anchorage

ANWR needs to be protected

I am writing to express my strong support for President Obama's endorsement of the Fish and Wildlife Service's recently released Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — they are recommending additional wilderness designation for three areas within ANWR: the Brooks Range, the Porcupine Plateau and the Coastal Plain.

I have a very strong belief in the importance of maintaining the wilderness characteristics of these areas — I moved to Alaska precisely because of the incredibly beautiful and unique wilderness regions available here. Once roads, development and oil drilling have occurred we can never go back. We need to preserve ANWR as true protected wilderness.

Jennifer Cram

Anchorage

Pull our investments out of tobacco

Ever since the U.S. surgeon general reported the dangers of smoking over 50 years ago, the U.S. has been on a path to becoming tobacco-free. It is obvious that tobacco use, both smoking and chew, is a disaster for individual health and society. That is why health professionals recommend quit programs for users, why we don't sell tobacco to minors, why we have smoke-free workplaces and public spaces, and why businesses such as Providence Alaska Medical Center won't hire tobacco users.

So I ask: If tobacco is so obviously harmful, why do all of us receiving a PFD check still support the tobacco industry? I reviewed the 2014 PFD investments and learned that we Alaskans own more than 2 million shares of tobacco companies, at a value of over $114 million. Each PFD check contains profits from tobacco products that have caused death to users and to those around them. It's time to divest the Permanent Fund from tobacco industries. It's time for all Alaskans with investments (individuals, businesses, nonprofits, pension funds) to stop investing in tobacco. Let's line up our finances with our ethics, renounce the profits gained from disease and death, and take another step toward a tobacco-free Alaska.

Dr. Tom Hennessy

Anchorage

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People should be Americans first, party backers second

Oh my gosh, I was blown away by the commentary by Edward Alexander (Tuesday). I have been trying for weeks to find a cohesive way to express lots of issues with our representation in Congress. I figured we were in big trouble when Lisa was so giddy to lift the chair over her head when the R's took over the U.S. Senate.

I think Edward did a fine job of laying out so many issues our state faces that seem to elude our senators. Every time I try to bring up some of these issues with friends, they immediately say, oh, you are such a liberal. And I also wonder why being a liberal is such a bad thing. Aren't we at least a two-party nation?

Our senators and many of my friends are so hung up on blaming the president and sticking with their agenda that they are missing many big issues as Edward points out. I happen to believe that congressional people should be representing all constituents no matter their declared party. I am not sure my voice would be heard if I challenged our senators to try to work with our president.

One of the things I admired most about Ted Stevens was his ability to work across the aisle. And, alors, one of his best allies was Sen. Daniel Inouye, a Democrat.

Thanks again, Edward, for such a great commentary.

Jan Wyland

Seldovia

Legislature is part-time work

Having looked at the extra costs in our state, I have a question as to why our legislators are being provided health and retirement benefits.

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The Alaska Constitution specifically says that our representatives should be part-time.

And part-time employees of the state get NO benefits.

Why are our representatives getting full medical and retirement benefits?

Looking at cutting state costs — this would be over $2 million a year in costs that we should never have incurred to start with.

Lisa Baldwin

Wasilla

Stupidity in eye of the beholder

Here are some political observations from a simple man. Liberals think the general public is stupid. Conservatives know the general public is stupid.

Mike Searcy

Anchorage

Alaska cellist made audience smile

Live orchestra music at the Atwood Hall brings tradition to the intellect and, for a few hours, fills the chambers of the heart. From a magnificent seat in the center of the hall (thank you, Darlene), the cadenza of cello soloist Dane Johansen put a big smile on my face (Mike Dunham review, ADN, Monday). One may have thought for a moment that the theme for the Alaska flag song had been stolen from Haydn, except that the piece had only been recovered in 1962, long after the Alaska state song was created.

The hometown boy from Fairbanks, now a faculty member at the cultural temple Juilliard, made a big "shoutout" from New York to the music fans of the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra.

Will Merritt

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Anchorage

Dads deserve equality with moms

On the bus to work this morning I saw a sign that boldly approached the subject of workplace inequality; i.e. the probability of a potential employer turning down a pregnant woman for a job, and this being called pregnancy discrimination. Is it discrimination? This seems to be a call for equality, but when actually looking at the situation it is far from it.

I challenge you to walk into an average store and try to find a baby-changing station that's clean in a men's bathroom. I'm often forced to relegate that job to my wife in public because there are no adequate facilities. When was the last time an employer offered paternity leave to men? The indication is that a father is merely there to bring home the bacon and nothing more. If we want to talk about equality in a public venue (signs on the bus), let's actually address it. Otherwise, let me stare at a blank wall in relative peace and harmony.

Dennis Blackburn

Anchorage

Airfares should dip with fuel prices

Something to ponder for our airline travelers:

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Has anyone noticed that the airlines said, they had "to increase fares because of the increase in the price of fuel."

Interesting their silence, now that prices have dropped, is deafening.

George Morgan

Anchorage

The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter for consideration, email letters@alaskadispatch.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.

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