Letters to the editor: Sept. 27

We encourage readers to submit letters to the editor on issues of interest to East Valley residents. Submissions should be no longer than 300 words, factually accurate and original thoughts of the writer. Please be brief and include name, address, city and phone number for verification. Letters and comments may be edited for clarity and length.

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TUITION TAX CREDITS

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Complaints are overdone

As a mom of four with three kids going to a private Catholic school, I am so sick of opening a newspaper to read the continued reporting of the private school tuition tax credit. I am at the point of trying to rally all the private school parents to cancel subscriptions to both newspapers.

I appreciated the investigation as I agree there appears to be a need for oversight. But any program is going to have its issues and abuses. However, you continue to keep repeating the same information in another article every week.

Also, you only keep discussing the private tax credit — what about the public school tax credit? This is costing Arizona tax money and I believe it is allowed to be made in the name of a student to help with an extracurricular activity like going to science camp. But there is no reporting on this credit.

Additionally, if this credit is taken away, the state will need to start building more schools to absorb the transfers of students from private to public or charter schools. Well, at least then I will start taking advantage of the taxes I have paid to support the public schools.

WENDY CARRASCO

GILBERT

HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS

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Rules protect lifestyle

I’m writing in reference to your Sept. 18 story, “Mesa widow fights to keep grandson as a caregiver.” As a six-year resident of Sunland Village, I bought here because of age-restricted rules not only for living here but how long visiting children and grandchildren can stay.

If it was not for these rules, there would be some who would baby-sit the grandchildren 365 days a year, or have their grandchild live in so they can save costs on college. I am sure, if it was not for the CC&Rs, Sunland Village would have weeds and garbage cans setting on the sidewalk all week.

It is nice to have rules changed just for me because I want to do this, to hell with the other residents. The act of the son putting the deed in his name is only a way of trying to get around the rule. The Tribune quoted Virginia Campbell as saying she “has been living in Sunland Village for 28 years.” If this is true, she has a copy of the rules just as all other residents and should abide by them and not ask 2,684 other residents to let her break the bylaws.

ALBERT NEWBERRY

MESA

FEDERAL STIMULUS

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Maricopa County spending

There are some recent news stories about Maricopa County and stimulus funds that are misleading and need to be clarified. Recent reports state “officials in Maricopa County have failed to obligate nearly all of its $105 million in stimulus money for road projects.”

The $105 million is the total provided for all 29 local governments in the Valley. As one of those jurisdictions, Maricopa County received a $7.2 million share. The Maricopa County Department of Transportation has two road-related projects to utilize these federal stimulus monies: $750,000 for an improvement project on the Bush Highway and $6.5 million for a countywide program of needed road resurfacing projects.

Funding for the Bush Highway project was obligated on June 18, and project construction will begin on Oct. 5. The county transportation department is advancing the resurfacing project as fast as possible within the federal regulatory restraints, and we expect to obligate this project well before any federal deadlines.

It also was stated that Maricopa County “will spend millions of that money on consultants to help meet federal deadlines.” MCDOT is well-versed and experienced in federal road projects. About 2.5 percent of our project funding, approximately $165,000, will go to pay the consultant assigned to MCDOT by the state.

The Maricopa Association of Governments, for its part, has recognized the need to get projects obligated before the March 2010 federal deadline and has established a Nov. 30 pre-deadline for member agencies to obligate funds. At that time, MAG will institute some midcourse adjustments to ensure the region has projects that can be obligated on a timely basis. MCDOT is also ready, if needed, with additional already-identified contingency projects should any other local governments face challenges in using their funds.

JOHN HAUSKINS

DIRECTOR, MARICOPA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, PHOENIX

GLENN BECK

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Spreading hate

I cannot understand why Glenn Beck is given any credibility whatsoever by anyone in the media or any American citizen. I realize he came from a difficult background, but I have never heard so many blatant lies, half-truths and just plain hate speech come out of the mouth of any one person.

It’s more than a matter of Beck’s having a right to free speech — his so-called “free speech” is irresponsible and dangerous.

As a Mormon, I consider Beck an embarrassment to my church, let alone an embarrassment to my country. I am not a fan of Fox News, but I am very surprised that even Fox News has not taken him off the air, especially since his show has lost so many sponsors.

SHARON SETZER

MESA