Motel next door; Glade Road project; healthcare for all; helping immigrants

Motel next door

A specific example of Texas undermining cities is state Sen. Kelly Hancock’s Senate Bill 451, which seeks to seize control of short-term rental properties from Texas cities (“Mayors say Texas, national politics undermine cities,” Tuesday).

My council district in Arlington currently has over 70 short-term rental properties aimed at capitalizing on the entertainment venues Arlington offers.

These properties have absentee owners whose main interest is revenue rather than the serenity and beauty of the single-family neighborhoods they are in.

Arlington’s government is seeking to develop code that would prevent the degradation of neighborhoods by the spread of this type of properties. SB 451, if passed, undermines Arlington’s intent to maintain its neighborhoods.

It is important for people to call their legislators and voice their objection to this bill or the house next door could become an overnight or weekend motel.

Glade Road project

The Glade Road project in Colleyville has been going on for about five years.

I attended one of the first citizen-involved meetings where we could vote on any of the five different plans.

Now I see and hear nothing of this project.

Glade Road is getting worse by the day. The city needs to do something.

Healthcare for all

There is only one way to achieve universal access to healthcare, and that is through a single-payer system.

It will not change much. The rich will buy Cadillac supplemental insurance; the not-so-rich a less expansive supplemental plan; and the poor will only have the basic plan.

The point is that everyone will have access to good healthcare.

Socialism? Maybe.

But then, so are the interstate highway system, public roads and sanitation, farm subsidies, price supports, public education, public hospitals and certain elements of the tax code favoring corporations.

We do not have and never have had a “free market” for anything. Why should we have one for healthcare?

Congress could save a lot of time replacing Obamacare and the drudgery of reading a new law if they’d just convert us (we the people) to the same medical/health plan they have fixed for themselves.

Helping immigrants

If you are an immigrant fleeing a repressive government or gang activity or if your family is hungry today, getting in a line or on a list for legal status isn’t your first concern.

Many return the favor we show them through contributing even more than their individual labor to our economy.

Offering people a leg up is not guiding them through life. It’s compassion for their unfortunate situation (and can benefit hungry children).

This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Motel next door; Glade Road project; healthcare for all; helping immigrants."