ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñAV

Hop on the bus, Gus

So much has been discussed in recent months about fare-free transit. To all the naysayers out there, who may think it’s too expensive of a program to continue, you should instead be clamoring for a route that comes closer to your house. I currently live in a transit desert, about 5 miles from the nearest stop, and I would kill for a free ride into town, or the 50-mile round trip to work. The average American in 2024, according to AAA, spent over $12,000, or around $0.82 per mile, to own and operate a new car, and it isn’t getting any cheaper with insurance premiums going through the roof. Think of all the sweet, sweet things you could be doing with that extra money. So, I ask the City of Tucson, Pima County, and the RTA: Please bring a bus stop to my neighborhood.

Chris Donat

East side

Very scary

A recent (slightly paraphrased) statement from Donald Trump: “Putin was always nice, but now turns out it was all meaningless BS.� OMG. It is painfully obvious to anyone with a scintilla of functioning intellect that Putin was always simply manipulating the ego of this man-child “president.� Trump sorely lacks self-awareness and is easily controlled by anyone (bad actor or sycophant) who pumps up his inflated sense of his own worth. His level of ignorance and oblivion is not only staggering, it is terrifying and dangerous. We should continue to ask ourselves how this country will survive 3-plus more years of this self-consumed, unserious person who surrounds himself with butt-kissing incompetents ill-suited to the roles he has placed them in, and who are certainly far too cowardly to ever stand up to his strutting foolishness.

S. Ross Emmanuel

Southeast side

Auschwitz reality

Recent cartoons and LTEs equating the facility being built in Florida for Illegal immigrants to Auschwitz are the height of ignorance and insulting to Jews and anyone with half a brain. For those knowing nothing of Auschwitz, the Holocaust and the Final Solution, consider this: Fla. camp will have toilets, showers, beds for each person, regular meals, and no gas chambers. Auschwitz housed mostly men, women and children who were Jews. In that place and 200-plus other concentration camps, 12 million were exterminated, 6 million Jews and 6 million others like cripples, gypsies, the mentally deficient and insane.

Additionally, thousands were subjected to torture, cruel and mostly fatal medical experimentation, and shootings.

They slept on wood slats 2-3 in “beds� made for one. There were no toilets, showers, sinks, and few blankets. Food was virtually nonexistent. Forced labor was the norm morning to night, and if someone stopped to rest, he was shot.

To compare Auschwitz to the Florida camp is an insult to Jews and all people.

Dennis Abrams

Northwest side

Immigrant released

It was reassuring to see that an Iranian mother who had lived here for 47 years and imprisoned last month by ICE was released thanks to U.S. Republican representatives Steve Scalise and Stephanie Hilferty that represent her Louisiana District. Of course, it took over 100 letters from neighbors in support of her by saying that she was a devoted mother, caretaker and constant volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. This woman is representative of the 44% of immigrants currently being arrested with no criminal record nor pending charges. It is still uncertain what DHS will ultimately do to this woman, but it is indicative of what can happen when friends and neighbors take the time and effort to write letters in support of those immigrants who have been a credit to their neighborhood and to this country.

Chuck Cabrera

Oro Valley

Billionaire tax break

I just talked to my financial advisor, and he confirmed the fact that my wife and I are not billionaires. Since we don’t have that kind of money and are not buddies with Donald Trump, I was concerned that we would get nothing from the Big Beautiful Bill, so I did some back-of-the-envelope calculating. Turns out we will save about $3,200 in taxes this year. I can play golf all year on that. If that’s true, are the narratives out there about who gets the tax breaks incompetent reporting or an outright lie. Neither is an attractive situation. I have a scrapbook full of news clippings from when I was an elected official that I cannot look at anymore or trigger a heartburn episode. Even back almost 50 years, mainstream media and politicians massage the truth to foster a desired outcome. We deserve better, but I’m too old to expect it will happen.

Gary Stoeger

Northwest side

The establishment

Daniel Hernandez says he is ready to deliver in Congress. The question is what and to whom? If you follow the money, as I am guessing Hernandez will, it isn’t really a question. Hernandez’s backers, Southwest Gas and Unisource, are boiling Tucson, the state and the planet. They are “the establishment.� They have controlled the state’s energy future for far too long. Thanks to “establishment� candidates like Hernandez, we are backing away from the transition to renewable energy at the national and state level when we should be embracing it with a sense of urgency far greater than we exhibited as a nation during WWII.

This isn’t just about money — the 10 cents per kilowatt hour for cheaper renewable energy vs. the 18 cents you pay now; a rate sure to increase when the Corporation Commission allows electric utilities to build more unneeded generation and distribution infrastructure. It is about survival, the ability for you and your children to continue living in the Southwest.

Steven Lesh

East side

Star’s balance of opinions

The Star’s balance between conservative and progressive articles is not based on simple addition. Currently, conservatives have nothing to write about. Conservatives, please tell me your views: Why the big beautiful bill is good? Why are tariffs good? Why are FEMA layoffs/cuts good? Why cutting USAID does not kill children? Why the ICE immigration helps the economy? And the deficit?

Numbers have no value without the meat and potatoes or substance. I read the conservatives’ opinions. Show others what you have to brag about in the current administration.

Dan Bannon

Midtown

Commonplace crime

Another machete attack at a bus station (Ronstadt downtown). Commonplace and not worth mentioning? City parks, including Reid, are dangerously overrun with homeless mentally-ill druggies who do not want help or housing, just to continue their lawless lifestyle unchecked. Kids getting shot in the streets is a daily occurrence. Yet the same clique keeps getting elected into office year after year after year. Wouldn’t you like to take your pet for a nice walk in the park after dark when it cools off? I know I would. Vote for change, Old Pueblo, we’re losing our city!

Debra Mantecon

East side

Trump derangement syndrome

Although some may believe that Trump Derangement Syndrome is a fantasy, the actual fact indicates otherwise. The hatred for Trump has resulted in near insanity for those affected. Instead of realistically evaluating current actions and policies, the mantra has been criticism, name-calling, character assassination and downright prevarication. Instead of working with the current Administration to better and modify current policies, defiance without solutions is the reality. Far worse, we now have prominent Democratic politicians fomenting violence, actually inciting people to attack ICE agents and commit other crimes of defiance. Electing to ignore established laws with no attempt to change them, these politicians are actually suggesting that the rule of law does not apply when they consider it incorrect. Only a person with severe mental deficiencies would follow this path and attempt to destroy the foundations of this country. Simply, hatred of one man and the inability to see the big picture and the positive, are sure signs of insanity and mindless zealotry.

Loyal M. Johnson Jr.

Oro Valley

Unfinished business

As November approaches and I turn 89, I wonder what remains of life’s unfinished business?

Am I at peace spiritually?

Was I a faithful husband, did I put my family first?

Did I accept my failures and celebrate my successes?

Did I eat enough ice cream, and dare to dream boldly?

Have I trained my children well, protected them? Did they make me proud?

Am I sorry if I hurt anyone along the way?

Did I write enough poems? Did I play enough sports?

Did I travel enough, live at many places?

Did I sing enough, was there music in my life?

Did I make many dear friends?

Did I help people, did I hear the call of the poor?

Did I share my wealth with others?

Did I forgive, truly forgive?

Will my obituary be inspiring?

Did I love life and those with whom I shared it?

Did I say I love you often enough?

Is this my last letter, or is there still some unfinished business?

Tom McGorray

Northwest side