Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, September 13, 2016

Bring back emission testing that Mayor Sullivan ended

Mayor Sullivan, under the myopic and dystopian Republican policies, discontinued the emission testing of all vehicles and raised the car registration fees. This not only hurt our wallets but it also hurt our environment. I smell many more polluting vehicles now than I ever did before this brilliant public policy was enacted (not scientifically proven). Our Assembly needs to act in good faith believing that man-made climate change is real, and bring back emission testing that we had before Sullivan destroyed it. Reducing our registration fees to offset its cost would be ideal.

— Steven Bell
Anchorage

Cheers for Alaska Fly Fishers

Three cheers to Alaska Fly Fishers for hosting the 24th Annual Kenai River Clean Up this past weekend.

The Kenai River is one of Southcentral Alaska's most loved and utilized rivers.

The Kenai River fills our freezers for winter, draws thousands of tourists annually and helps support local businesses while employing Alaskans. It is imperative that we keep this gem (and the rest of our fish-bearing waters) clean and pristine for future anglers who will one day chase Alaska wild salmon or tangle with our famous trophy trout.

I applaud Alaska Fly Fishers' continual effort to take the lead on keeping the Kenai River clean and am already looking forward to the 25th Kenai River Clean Up in fall 2017.

— Eric Booton
Trout Unlimited
Anchorage

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Now, banishment just means sending the problem elsewhere

Banishment sounds like a fantastic idea for dealing with problem citizens back in the day. It's essentially capital punishment without the mess.

Unfortunately, those good old days are over and banishment as I understand it is simply a way to put the problem on a bus and ship it to another town, namely Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Perhaps the Village of Anchorage could get back to its roots by embracing Native culture and banish our undesirables to Seattle.

— David Miller
Anchorage

Alaska needs to address health insurance shortcomings

I have been keeping up with our medical situation here in Anchorage. By year end Premera will be all that's left. What's next? We can't go across state lines for medical insurance like we do for auto insurance, so what's our alternative? I read sad tales of folks going into debt over their medical costs, increases in insurance premiums and high deductibles. I read about folks who choose to go for surgery or a hip replacement to Seattle or even Mexico.

What does this mean for those of us who live here and would love to stay? Should we simply sit and take what we are given or is there an alternative? I foresee Premera leaving too in the near term. They cannot afford to stay. Does this mean we rely on the state and feds? Or do we simply do without and go broke?

Honestly, I don't have a solution, but one thing for sure: We need to address this or there will be people forced out of Alaska or, worse yet, into bankruptcy. When a family has a $1,200-plus medical premium with a $6,000 deductible, how can they be expected to survive let alone save?

This state needs income, that's obvious, but at the same time the state cannot overlook the basics such as health care and medical insurance. Which, in my opinion, is exactly the one major item overlooked. Our legislators have no answers and are not wanting to face it. Walker is so focused on the LNG project it has become an obsession with him. Our legislators are focused on their reelection tactics.

But then again, I guess if you are employed by the city, state or federal government, you have no reason to concern yourself about the citizens because you have the best medical insurance and reasonable deductibles there is to offer.

— Johnny Rusch
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 under 200 words 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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