Texas tax reform; Mansfield lawsuit; health insurance
Texas tax reform
I support the the property tax reform bill now before the Texas Legislature.
It’s time to seriously look for ways to perform needed services with less.
Throwing more money at police, fire department and others is not an effective approach.
We need to get away from the tax-and-spend, tax-and-spend mentality.
Demand that department heads maintain and/or improve services with less money.
If the current leaders are not capable of implementing these mandates, replace them with people who can.
Jim Westbrook, Fort Worth
Mansfield lawsuit
Mansfield is in a court case versus nine city residents. The city lost its appeal in the Court of Appeals and is appealing the decision to the Texas Supreme Court.
The case is not groundbreaking law, enhancing how the city functions, nor is it a life-or-death matter.
The city attorney provides legal advice to the City Council in closed sessions. So far this advice has cost the taxpayers $512,000 in legal fees to fight this case.
Appealing the case will cost the taxpayers even more.
The only legal merit to this case is enriching the city attorney’s law firm. Stop the appeal now.
It is time to stop wasting our tax monies, let these individuals enjoy their personal tranquility and ask our elected officials how this case represents the values of Mansfield residents.
Michael McCarthy,
Mansfield
Health insurance
To Paul Ryan, it’s simple. The fatal conceit of Obamacare, he explained to all of us, is that it tried to mandate that people buy health insurance.
This is a free country, the speaker informed us, and people should be able to do what they want to do.
That sounds pretty good on the surface, but here’s the problem: When people decline to purchase health insurance, they’re gambling with house money.
If they really need medical attention in our country, they can still get it. Who pays for it? Everyone else, in the form of more expensive care and higher premiums.
The system will only function efficiently if everyone is in, especially the younger and healthier among us.
That’s why Obamacare, flawed though it may be, tried to mandate that everyone participate and offered subsidies to ensure they could afford it.
Marc York, Fort Worth
The Affordable Care Act is Obamacare.
The American Health Care Act is Trumpcare.
Call it what it is, so there is no confusion when this disaster becomes law and Trump’s core middle-America supporters reap the consequences of their vote. Sad!
Mary Pierce, Grapevine
AARP says the GOP plan is “harmful” and “would make healthcare less secure and less affordable.”
It is estimated that premiums will go up 25 percent. Rates for older persons are allowed to go up much higher than under the current law.
The GOP had six years to devise an improved health plan, yet the plan will create huge fiscal and health problems. Only high-income people benefit.
Douglas Harman,
Fort Worth
This story was originally published March 15, 2017 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Texas tax reform; Mansfield lawsuit; health insurance."