Proposed sales tax ignores cutting costs
I was shocked when I read the article about Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel’s State of the County address Feb. 28. Our newly elected Democratic executive proposed a new 1% sales tax. Not one word about cutting wasteful county programs, eliminating redundant administration positions or a moratorium on new hires. Elections have consequences.
— Kermit Nester, Upper Macungie Township
Thank you to snow plow drivers
I want to thank the municipal plow drivers for their hard work throughout this very snowy winter. They have worked, often while we slept, to ensure we would be able to go about our business as soon as possible. The drivers — especially those working in west Bethlehem — took the time to plow curb to curb where there were no cars parked on the street. This action made for less work for the residents. My back thanks you.
— Kathie K. Rittoper, Bethlehem
Local journalism is more important than ever
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is closing down after 240 years. The Washington Post, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is laying off a third of its staff. The Morning Call continues to lean ever more heavily on wire services such as the Associated Press and nonprofits like Spotlight PA to cover issues in the statehouse. Of course, this isn’t the fault of the hard-working journalists that keep our local paper going. Alden Global Capital, the owner of Tribune and hundreds of local papers like The Morning Call, has made these cuts part of their business model by shuttering newsrooms and stonewalling their unions. Newspapers owned by wealthy people aren’t anything new, but when readers don’t patronize them, owners enrich themselves by selling off valuable assets like real estate and the public is left less informed. We need the facts more than ever. Encourage others to pay for journalism. It shouldn’t be free. Place an ad in the classifieds instead of Facebook. Let’s not give the owners of these papers any more reason to shutter our beloved institutions.
— Jason Romano, Allentown
Trump makes false claims on drug prices
In his State of the Union address, President Trump claimed to be reducing drug prices by 100%. This is somewhat disappointing since a few months ago he said he was reducing them “by as much as 400%, 500% and even 600%.” I am just a moderately experienced shopper working with percentages, but a 100% reduction in the price of something means it’s free. I am all for this, since free drugs would save me thousands of dollars annually. Unfortunately, my pharmacy has yet to get the message. I hope our Republican congresspersons — Rep. Mackenzie and Sen. McCormick — who were at the State of the Union, affirming the president with the rest of their party leaders, will make every effort to stop this abusive practice by our pharmacies, and ensure that going forward our drugs are free. This does seem to be too good to be true. But surely we have not elected a president who just blathers, along with a representative and a senator who just go along with it.
— Ron Spross, Bath
Supply and demand will solve housing shortage
The housing shortage in our area is a very simple problem that will be solved by the law of supply and demand. If there are no units available, people should look elsewhere. There is no right to live in the Lehigh Valley. Changing zoning laws will only compromise the qualities of the Valley and force the current residents to leave. We like our green spaces and ample parking. No matter how many housing units that are built there will always be a shortage. Remember when Route 22 was widened? More people moved in and the problems were exacerbated.
— Charles E. Deibert Jr., Macungie
Trump’s speech more show than facts
Highlights of President Trump’s State of the Union speech included the awarding of medals to people who, through acts of courage, feats of perseverance and displays of prowess truly deserved accolades for their achievements. It must be an honor to receive such well-earned awards, but the dignity of those moments was compromised by the setting. These heroes appeared as glorified props in Donald Trump’s show, denigrating their achievements and cheapening the awards themselves. That being said, Trump missed the opportunity to recognize all of our Olympians who represented the U.S. through their sacrifice, determination and sweat. President Trump’s show was short on substance and often factually incorrect. But he was entertaining.
— Jeff Holzman, Allentown
Workplace safety inspections should not be cut
A recent article that appeared in several newspapers indicated workplace safety inspections dropped off after President Trump returned to office in 2025. It had me wondering why we want to go backward on safety. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who is chair of a subcommittee on workforce protections, said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s mission is too important to be undermined by overreach. There is no such thing as overreach when it comes to the safety of the American worker. Like making sure there is proper lighting at night at a construction site, making sure cranes are properly inspected, gas meters at job sites etc. Republican Rep. Andy Biggs from Arizona is legislating to abolish OSHA. This puts corporate deregulation before workers safety. Shame on the Republican Party for taking care of corporations over the safety of American lives.
— Emmanuel Glykas, Allentown
Greenland doesn’t need hospital ship
I have read that President Trump has planned to send a Navy hospital ship to Greenland even though free health care is already available to Greenlanders, and their prime minister has rejected the proposal. A better use of this valuable asset might be to send it to Ukraine, where the men, women and children who are subject to continuous attack on civilian homes, apartments and infrastructure would have a safer place to recover from their injuries. Hospital ships can operate independent of the land electric grid which is constantly threatened, and Vladimir Putin would not attack a U.S. flagged hospital ship given the likely international and particularly U.S. public reaction.
— Jim Powers, Allentown
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