The Public Pulse, July 22

No smoking at Jazz on Green

Just as the master of ceremonies asked people to be considerate and not smoke in the seating areas last week at Jazz on the Green, the rain started, seemingly trying to put out the many burning cigarettes and cigars.

But neither the request nor the rain worked. Many in the crowd were smoking during the entire concert. This made it impossible to breathe air that was not filled with toxic chemicals.

Hopefully, this week, more will be done to stop people from smoking. Future concerts should include a more forceful announcement, volunteers/workers looking for people smoking in and near the crowd and asking them to walk across the street to smoke, “no smoking” signs as people enter the park and, of course, nonsmokers asking those who are smoking near them if they heard the announcement that it is a smoke-free event.

No one, especially children and the elderly, should be forced to breathe toxic, smoky air at otherwise wonderful outdoor events such as this.

Mark E. Welsch, Omaha

President, Group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution of Nebraska Inc.

Not subtle about tax hikes

Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle said in a July 21 news story, “We have been cutting and cutting to the point that we can’t cut anymore.”

That is the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard or read from an elected official. Of course the mayor can cut more. He just does not want to make the difficult decisions.

The average taxpayer does not have the luxury of imposing oppressive taxes on other taxpayers in order to increase his or her income, as the Omaha police, fire and other government employees have.

Those of us who have to produce and sell a product to earn an income are strangled by an oppressive city government that believes it cannot “cut anymore.”

Steve Lemkau, Omaha

Give taxpayers a break

I am sick and tired of hearing about how dire the City of Omaha’s financial situation is. We are now facing an increase in property taxes and the wheel tax as well as a restaurant tax.

Perhaps the citizens would be more apt to swallow these sorts of increases to shore up the city’s budget if the mayor would stop talking about streetcar nonsense.

We can’t keep building new stadiums, arenas, pedestrian bridges and, least of all, a streetcar system when we don’t have the funds to do it. Stop the spending and taxing already. Times are hard enough as it is.

Jodie M. Past, Omaha

Double standard for Kofoed

I read Aaron Raszler’s July 17 letter, “Kofoed is paying for his crime.” Raszler seems to think David Kofoed has received enough punishment because he lost his job, his house, his vehicle, his monetary and physical assets, etc.

Well, this happens to most people who break the law, but they don’t get to do their time in a co-ed community corrections center where one is permitted to wear civilian clothes and receive various activity passes.

There shouldn’t be two standards.

William Manes, Omaha

Renters do pay their share

Doesn’t Jim Huffman, who wrote a July 19 letter about renters not paying their fair share of taxes to the City of Omaha, realize that renters pay taxes indirectly in their rent payments? Where does he think the owners of rental properties get the money to pay their substantial property taxes and such? That’s right, from their rent checks!

If taxes weren’t passed on from the rental property owners, rents could be much lower.

Bill Hilger, Omaha

Clean up Freedom Park

It isn’t easy to express the disappointment I felt after a recent visit to Freedom Park. This park houses the minesweeper USS Hazard, the submarine USS Marlin, as well as several Navy aircraft, weapons and equipment. Impressive indeed, but sadly in need of a lot of maintenance.

I know full well that this community has as much patriotism as any city in the country; it also has as much private money as many. Why, then, is it so difficult to get this memorial to the United States Navy in the condition it should be?

I have had the privilege of visiting other cities that have beautiful, well-kept memorials on their waterfronts, Chicago being the closest. Can we not find the money to do the same? It does seem sad that a small group of retired submariners are trying to accomplish this enormous task.

This could and should be one of our greatest tourist attractions as we show our respect to the men and women who sailed the seas to protect our freedom.

Tessa C. Turner, Bellevue

No need for mind control

Herb Vermaas’ July 18 letter was fascinating to me.

At a time when there is more information available to us on almost any subject than ever before, Mr. Vermaas wants to control the information broadcast on radio even if it bankrupts the broadcaster.

There are reasons why the much-ballyhooed Air America went bankrupt and why NPR survives only as public radio.

Mr. Vermaas pleads for President Barack Obama to issue an executive order to “bring sanity back to our airwaves.” In my opinion, President Obama works for me and has no business attempting to control my mind.

Hans Johnson, Plainview, Neb.

Balance in the airwaves

I must take issue with Mr. Herb Vermaas’ letter, in which he bemoans the fact that talk radio is dominated by politically conservative programming.

While he may well be right about that, those of a liberal bent need but tune in to CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN or MSNBC for their point of view. I would think that would more than balance talk radio.

As for the Fairness Doctrine espoused by Mr. Vermaas, as a former news anchor and reporter, I was forced to work under the original law. I can only say it was a bureaucratic nightmare and the perfect vehicle for extortion for those who believed they were being unfairly treated.

It’s a law we most definitely can do without.

Howard Schanzer Jr., La Vista

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