Allentown City Council digging city into fiscal hole<\/p>\n
I was disappointed to see more political gamesmanship from Allentown City Council in regard to next year\u2019s budget. Given the modest proposed 4% tax increase, I thought surely our elected leaders would recognize this was a good faith effort by the mayor to keep up with rising costs while being sensitive to the financial struggles of our residents. In Wednesday\u2019s vote, five of our seven council members chose to bury their heads in the sand on the rising costs to deliver city services, opting instead to raid our cash reserves.<\/p>\n
Every year we hear the same \u201cit\u2019s not the fight time\u201d argument that does nothing to resolve our fiscal situation. The fact that there have been exactly two tax increases in the last 20 years shows this is nothing new. Council members who voted against this increase should have to answer to their constituents which services they\u2019re comfortable cutting to pay for this. Otherwise, they\u2019re admitting that they\u2019re OK with digging us into a fiscal hole to score short-term political points. The mayor is right to be upset. This is irresponsible. We can\u2019t have it both ways.<\/p>\n
Jason Romano<\/p>\n
Allentown<\/p>\n
We deserve to know details behind vetting<\/p>\n
Sarah Beckstrom was allegedly killed by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a refugee from Afghanistan. Depending on who is talking, he was thoroughly vetted (by the CIA) or not vetted for entry to the U.S.<\/p>\n
I question how much detail can be learned by vetting. Do we get accurate information about people from the equivalent of the FBI and criminal databases in the host country? Hardly.<\/p>\n
The best thing that can happen is to have the vetting details released immediately. Congress should hold hearings involving those people involved in the vetting of Lakanwal to show the citizens how this process is carried out and how good it is. What does the government have to hide?<\/p>\n
James P. Lenahan<\/p>\n
South Whitehall Township<\/p>\n
Your View unfairly blamed people for being poor<\/p>\n
Anthony O\u2019 Brien\u2019s Your View essay arguing that billionaires are not to blame for poverty is not only mean-spirited but highly misleading. He argues that \u201ca lot\u201d of people are poor because they have made bad choices. Admittedly, that is the case with some people who turn to crime or drugs. But losing a parent at a young age is not a choice, nor is getting sick and losing a job and health insurance. Getting trapped in bad schools is not a child\u2019s choice.<\/p>\n
Billionaires do have considerable blame. They lavishly fund the lobbyists and politicians who fight the taxes on their great wealth that could fund better schools (see the recent fight over the Pennsylvania budget) or provide more access to adequate and reasonably priced health care, for not just the poor but also the middle class (see cuts to health insurance subsidies). Professor O\u2019Brien says billionaires do have an obligation to help the poor, but I do not see them doing much about it.<\/p>\n
Roger D. Simon<\/p>\n
Bethlehem<\/p>\n
The writer is a professor emeritus of history at Lehigh University.<\/p>\n
Not sedition to state facts about illegal orders<\/p>\n
President Trump called it sedition that six members of Congress stated the law. The law states that no member of the military may obey an illegal order. It is stated everyday by drill sergeants; it is taught in law of land warfare classes. If a soldier obeys an illegal order, they are responsible for the illegal action. They can\u2019t say, \u201cI was only obeying orders in the U.S. military.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why would Trump be so upset? Because he has been giving what appears to be highly illegal orders. Killing people on boats in international waters when we\u2019re not at war or under immediate threat is illegal by our laws. Sending troops into U.S. cities to do police duties is illegal, as explained by several federal judges in Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles who have ruled against Trump\u2019s use of the military. The military pledges its loyalty to the U.S. Constitution, not a person nor a political party. Trump recently stated, \u201cI can do anything I want.\u201d He thinks he can, but our laws and Constitution say otherwise.<\/p>\n
Michael Babb<\/p>\n
Fleetwood<\/p>\n
E-cigarettes are bad for environment<\/p>\n
Most people know that e-cigarettes are harmful to their health, however, little is talked about the impact of e-cigarettes on the environment. Used e-cigarettes discarded on the ground or in regular trash pose serious environmental risks. Vapes contain elements that do not biodegrade such as plastic casings, lithium-ion batteries and nicotine residue. Once they end up in landfills or get flushed into waterways, these devices can leak nicotine and other toxic metals into groundwater and soil. These hazards pose a major threat to local ecosystems.<\/p>\n
A major problem lies in the lack of awareness around how to actually throw away an e-cigarette (which is disposing of it at a hazardous waste center or e-waste recycling center). We must raise community awareness around the issue and create local drop-off points for vapes\/e-cigarettes in order to prevent further environmental harm.<\/p>\n
Morgan Wright<\/p>\n
Bethlehem<\/p>\n
The writer is a senior at Lehigh University.<\/p>\n
We need to reduce pollution from plastic packaging<\/p>\n
Our landfills are filling faster than ever with plastic packaging and we need to change. Due to plastic\u2019s inability to disintegrate, there are long-term negative effects on our soil, water and wildlife. We can create change with simple actions such as reducing unnecessary packaging and supporting companies that use sustainable materials. Local leaders need to encourage businesses and individuals to adopt compostable and reusable options. Failure to address this issue will leave communities like ours facing increasing waste with fewer safe places to manage it responsibly. Cutting plastic packaging is a step toward a cleaner, healthier environment.<\/p>\n
Victoria Bazarko<\/p>\n
Bethlehem<\/p>\n
The writer is a sophomore at Lehigh University.<\/p>\n