Recreation cuts a mistake

Re: “Budget could dry up pools — Community facilities are one possible target as city works to tackle $38 million shortfall,” Saturday news story.

To help deal with a $38 million shortfall in the next fiscal year budget, Dallas city officials are considering closing community pools, reducing city funding for the Dallas Zoo and Arboretum, and having less frequent mowing of parks and medians. These cutbacks would be a serious mistake.

Amenities available to Dallas residents are already inferior to those offered by most suburban jurisdictions. Better to increase taxes than make the city of Dallas even less competitive with its suburbs.

Bernard Weinstein, Far North Dallas

Not the pools or zoo

Oh, come on! Of all the things that could be cut, our city pools should not be touched. With our hot Texas summers that are getting worse from climate change, we need summer relief for all of our citizens, especially those who can’t afford backyard pools!

And asking partners like the Dallas Zoo to cut back is terrible.

I challenge all of Dallas (and those in Dallas County who enjoy these city venues) to send in money to meet the budget deficit. All we need is Parks Director John Jenkins to tell us where to send the money!

Gail Hill, Garland

Not ‘silly,’ catastrophic

Re: “Washington’s Rent Cap Plan Is Silly — Biden proposal would stall housing construction and cause economic disaster,” Monday editorial.

Thank you for this honest evaluation of a “politically cynical election year sop.” Unfortunately, the headline’s use of the word “silly” is biased — either intentional or accidental. The editorial explains the plan will: stall housing construction, make the affordability crisis worse and cause economic disaster. Nothing short of “catastrophic” is the correct adjective.

Vince Huston, Plano

A fan of Kelly for VP

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., seems to have impeccable credentials to be vice president or president. He’s a proven man of great courage as a former Navy combat pilot with his 37 missions, and as an astronaut with his four missions.

He is intelligent, receiving a bachelor’s degree with highest honors and a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, and he is the author of several books.

Kelly is an accomplished Arizona senator, a devoted family man lovingly supporting his injured wife, Gabriella Giffords, and he grew up in a middle-class family. In other words, the polar opposite of Donald Trump.

Kelly casts himself as a moderate. He has national name recognition and he is from a swing state. I believe the Harris/Kelly ticket would be an unbeatable one.

Mary Clark, East Dallas

What does Trump mean?

I’m a longtime subscriber and regular reader of the Letters to the Editor section. For the last eight years, I’ve read letters from readers fawning over Donald Trump and extolling his virtues, and, while I disagree, those are valid opinions.

But I’m curious though how those writers feel about Trump’s recent statements that if he’s reelected, Christians “won’t have to vote anymore” because “It’ll be fixed” and “It’ll be fine.”

What do you think he means by that? What will he fix so that their votes won’t be needed anymore?

I know what I take from his statement. For me, I don’t disagree with Trump on politics because I understand he’s in favor of any policy that advances his personal goals, money, power, whatever. I disagree with Trump because he’s a morally and ethically bankrupt person who lies with every breath, who cheats and steals at every opportunity, insults and demeans regularly and who clearly wants to become a dictator.

He understands that the Supreme Court handed him a get-out-of-jail-free card and he intends to use it fully if given the chance. At what point do his apologists say enough is enough? This man is a clear and present danger to our democracy as we’ve known it for the last 248 years.

Keith Jones, Dallas/Knox-Henderson

A fan of VP nominee Vance

I didn’t know much about J.D. Vance until I read his book that was then made into a movie, Hillbilly Elegy. This man learned at a very young age how to deal with a sad and deprived childhood through perseverance, kindness and honesty. For the first time in my 71 years, I’ll be voting Republican.

Judy Webster, Plano

Cowboys, move on

Re: “How mighty have fallen — Cowboys fail to crack top 25 list of elite players for 21st century,” by Tim Cowlishaw, Wednesday SportsDay column.

Thanks to Cowlishaw and the other Dallas sportswriters for continuing to call out the laughable, unserious franchise known as the Dallas Cowboys. Dak Prescott has worn out his welcome here. When asked about his disastrous performance against the Packers and how he felt about the fans’ frustration, he said “be a fan or don’t.” And then he said fans should “move on.”

The thing we all loved, despite the poor postseason performances, was how great a human being and hard worker Prescott is. But with his dismissal of fans’ feelings, I’m not sure about the human being part anymore.

Dak, take your bad attitude elsewhere and see how long they put up with zero playoff success. Yes, we need to move on — from you.

Blake Edwards, Garland

It’s time to step aside

The leader of the second most powerful organization in the world finally accepted that at the age of 81, he must step aside. Joe Biden did the right thing. Now it’s incumbent for the leader of the most powerful organization in the world, who is also 81, to step aside as general manager of the Dallas Cowboys.

John Webb, Frisco

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