Higher education; bar smoking; new ballpark
Higher ed
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s political, anti-“tax” tuition rant (“It’s time to end the hidden tax on Texas college tuition,” Sept. 8) epitomizes his practice of material omissions and distortions.
The Texas Legislature imposed this “tax” when it authorized tuition increases, contrary to the implication that the education institutions levied this new “tax.”
He has demanded that higher education budgets be cut 4 percent, which conflicts with his stated desire that the “state appropriate that money” to ensure that every Texas student would be prepared for college or a career.
Omitted from “making college affordable for all Texans”: His proposal will necessarily diminish certain public institution’s ability to provide the quality education required to compete in the 21st century global economy.
Omitted from his statistics of increased state funding: More money is required for increased student enrollments and costs for the services essential for student success.
Finally, his rant ignores the varied missions, capacities and needs of educational institutions, from community colleges to Tier One graduate research universities, with their diverse, crucial roles in today’s educational and economic ecosystem.
Patrick’s appeal does not withstand an informed analysis. His real agenda is to starve quality out of public education.
Gordon Appleman,
Fort Worth
Bar smoking
Matt McEntire says that until recently he owned several bars on West Seventh Street where smoking is allowed. (“Support Smoke-free Fort Worth and the ban on smoking in all bars,” Sept. 11).
Concerned about his own health but apparently not that of bar employees, he chose to lease out his bars instead of making them non-smoking.
However, when his Smoke-free Fort Worth group met, they assembled at the now-smoke-free Billy Bob’s. Billy Bob’s is smoke-free by choice, one McEntire was not willing to make.
The vast majority of establishments are smoke-free by owner’s choice. Matt couldn’t make that decision, so he wants the city to make it for him.
To that I say: Butt out!
William Farrar,
Midlothian
New ballpark
I noticed the Arlington Tea Party supports the taxpayer-funded Rangers ballpark.
I am an old-time conservative Republican from the Reagan era, and Reaganomics was, and is, against using taxpayer dollars to fund private business. I, too, am against this.
The owners of the Rangers are wealthy business people who can and should pay their own way, just as the other business owners in Arlington must do, if in fact a new ballpark is even required.
Mel Goodson, Arlington
Fliers filling my mail push a covered Rangers ballpark by stating “No New Taxes.”
Presently, city websites only give specifications for hotel and car rental taxes, not for the user fees on ballpark tickets and parking. Thus families attending a game will be paying “new taxes.”
Possibly they won’t obtain seats at times, as the stadium will only have 38,000 seats. Prices will also increase to make up for less seating.
Most unfairly treated are the people who may have no desire or means to buy tickets or even set foot in either stadium.
For every $200 these people spend in Arlington, they pay a gift of $1 called a “tax” to increase the net worth of the billionaire owners of the Rangers and Cowboys.
Were “taxes” ever meant to benefit specific privileged people like this?
Corinne Veteikis,
Arlington
This story was originally published September 14, 2016 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Higher education; bar smoking; new ballpark."