Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, December 13, 2017

Some specifics please, senator

Sen. Shelley Hughes' commentary (Dec. 11) contained many figures. The numbers I want to see from her and the Senate majority are the specific programs and department budgets they would like to cut. It's easy to say, "We need to cut further," but I want to see specifics.

Is she prepared to further cut the snow plowing budget? Cut the number of state Troopers? How about closing the Pioneer Home in the Valley? How about cutting health insurance benefits for legislators so their coverage is similar to Medicaid coverage (I am glad to hear she is making progress in your battle with breast cancer)? How about cutting the state's share of education funding and shifting those costs to local property tax payers? Please tell Alaskans the specific cuts that should be made, not more campaign slogans.

— Paul Laverty
Anchorage

More state news, not fake news

Why don't you publish more articles like the two commentaries in your Monday (Dec. 10) edition. One by Cliff Groh on "Why Alaskans face highest health care costs" and the other by Sen. Shelley Hughes on "Have we cut the state budget enough" instead of repeating the fake news published by The New York Times and Washington Post?

— Earl Korynta
Anchorage

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It's easy to say 'Cut the budget,' but how about some details?

Dennis Gall's criticism of Sen. Shelley Hughes recent commentary (Dec. 11) on cutting the budget is spot on. Few conservatives disagree, there is more to be done. So thanks Sen. Hughes, for sharing the numbers relating to what's happened already.

But as Gall noted in so many words, it's way past time for rolling up your sleeves Senator, and setting out the specific cuts to specific programs so we can debate their relative merits. Please, do it right here in your next opinion piece — the sooner the better — and we will applaud it. This is how any business is managed. You bring solutions to the meeting, not just criticisms. We have heard the "cut the budget" dog whistle over and over, and over and over. Lawmakers are long on dogma and short on anything resembling detail. We will reliably alert to your dog whistle, but only so many times. We understand every lump of largess has a constituency, We understand those constituencies will vote for you or a challenger.

We get all that. But we elect representatives to do the work, not just tell us there is work to be done.

— Bob Lacher
Palmer

Anchorage folks have right to manage bears just like others

Mike McQueen's concern (Letters, Dec. 3) over my recommending an intensive management program for bears in GMU 14C (Anchorage Bowl) seems hypocritical. Since we don't hear him complaining about the intensive bear management program in GMU 13, in which he resides (Copper Center), why not Anchorage?

No matter how careful you are, when bears are not afraid of humans, more people will suffer. Just ask the families of the Anchorage residents who have been killed by bears over the past 25 years.

— Jim Lieb
Palmer

The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter under 200 words for consideration, email letters@adn.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@adn.com.

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