Save Samuels Avenue and other letters from readers

Save Samuels Avenue

Samuels Avenue is an historical area, particularly the Garvey residence, sitting on the bluff with it's scenic view and it is a tourist attraction of its own. (Fort Worth's Samuels Avenue is booming, but how much of its past is worth saving?; March 1)

It's in its third century and hopefully those ululating for "progress" and tearing down landmarks for apartments and condos because of the booming economy can be averted. Let's save this Victorian masterpiece of a house in the area.

Samuels Avenue was built upon and nurtured for decades and still one of Fort Worth's most evocative neighborhoods.

—Delores Cantrell, Fort Worth

End death penalty

I am grateful to Gov. Abbott for commuting Thomas Whitaker’s sentence to life in prison without parole. The Texas criminal justice system ignored Kent Whitaker’s voice throughout the process, even though he was the only surviving victim of his son’s crime. Thankfully, Kent Whitaker’s voice was heard by the parole board and the governor before it was too late.

But how many other victims asking for mercy have been silenced by prosecutors, judges and juries and ignored by politicians?

[Abbott’s clemency] was a victory for those of us who don’t want to see the State of Texas in the execution business, but the governor’s decision also highlighted the arbitrariness of the death penalty process and the emotional trauma many victims must endure.

The death penalty simply cannot be carried out fairly. It’s time for Texas to end it.

—Laurie Dobson, Fort Worth

Ongoing, more immediate crisis

Mac Bernd could not have stated the issue more eloquently (A handgun license without further training may not stop a shooter; Sunday)

We have an ongoing, but even more immediate crisis at hand, with the further massacre of more children students as well as the teachers who have tried to protect them.

Our legislators need to stop their bowing to the demands of the NRA, and use some degree of common sense. We need more comprehensive background checks (both mental health and violence issues), bans on guns and accessories that outgun the first responders and the realization that this is not an attack on the Second Amendment.

No one has suggested confiscation of all weapons. It worked in Australia!

Support our children by attending the March for Our Lives, March 24, 10 a.m. at the Tarrant County Courthouse and then vote in November for the candidates who will support common sense.

—Floyd Ostrom, D.O., Arlington

Thank you for explaining

Thank you, Judge Whitley, for explaining how our Texas state elected officials have major responsibility for our high local property taxes. Whitley has clearly outlined in recent speeches that the state has steadily decreased its constitutional obligation to fund public education, and thereby has steadily shifted that burden to local taxpayers.

Our state-elected officials simply refuse to address the well-documented legal problems with state funding for public education. Our state elected officials claim to have concern about the level of local property taxes, and they blame local officials for those high taxes. However, our state elected officials have a direct responsibility for high local property taxes.

— Douglas Harman, Fort Worth

This story was originally published March 6, 2018 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Save Samuels Avenue and other letters from readers."