Lower State Fair prices

Re: “Ending on a down note — Officials say ICE fears, weather may have hurt attendance,” Thursday news story.

I took my 5-year-old granddaughter to the State Fair of Texas this year and was appalled at the cost of rides on the midway. One kiddie ride was $6, multiply that by three kids and it’s $18 for one ride. Families cannot afford to attend. Plus, what child is satisfied with one ride?

The State Fair of Texas must do better if they want to serve our middle-class population.

Theresa Francis, Dallas

Park free for Minnesota fair

As a former Texan for 60-plus years who recently moved to Minnesota to be closer to our immediate family, I’d like to offer how the state fair here in Minnesota helps residents afford attending.

The fair is open only two weeks but offers free parking and transportation from over 15 locations in the Twin Cities. Local churches and other nonprofits staff and get paid to allow residents to park free and board free buses for transportation to the fair. Buses leave every 15 to 20 minutes. Returning home is just a matter of boarding a bus.

Our local church staffed our parking lot from 8 a.m. to midnight. We received around $6,000 from the fair. A win for our church and fairgoers.

Jon Johnston, St. Paul, Minn.

Put Mavs’ home in Fair Park

As someone who’s grown up in the city of Dallas, I’ve been a lifelong Mavs fan and currently have season tickets. Similar to other Dallasites, the State Fair has been another constant presence in the city. It’s been challenging to see the struggles Fair Park has experienced as a pillar of the city’s history and culture.

I can’t help but notice the significant amount of similarities between what the Mavs are looking for in a new arena site and “entertainment district,” and what Fair Park has been desperately needing for years.

With seemingly ample space for all the needs and opportunities of Fair Park that have been highlighted by The Dallas Morning News’ recent stories covering it, I’ve been surprised Fair Park hasn’t been raised as a legitimate contender as a potential choice for the Mavs.

I’m sure the complexities of such a development are immense, and buy-in from the community is paramount, but I can’t think of a more Dallas site for the Mavericks than Fair Park.

Bobby Ladtkow, East Dallas

Center fights religious persecution

Re: “Baptist confab seeks to inspire action — Religious persecution is a worldwide problem; what can we do from Dallas?” by Randel Everett and Knox Thames, Oct. 19 Opinion.

The work of the Center for Global Religious Freedom is extremely important, and I support it wholeheartedly. While the persecution of Christians around the world is real, it can overshadow the suffering of people of other religions in their home countries.

The center is right to have the attitude that Christians are not really free if their non-Christian neighbors are not. In India, the non-Hindu minority religions of Islam, Christianity, Sikhism and others are harshly persecuted, causing loss of places of worship, mob violence and death. Some Hindus oppose this treatment. The persecutors are not free if they maintain the “superiority” of their religion by force. They are slaves to violence and religious hatred.

To work for the religious freedom of all, not just those of our own religion, is what loving our neighbor is all about. In the United States, Indian Americans are working together, regardless of their religion, to educate and end religious persecution in India, as neighbors.

Paula W. Keeth, southeast Dallas

Opening journalism’s doors

Re: “Is new CBS News boss a counterbalance or a thumb on the scales?” by John McCaa, Oct. 19 Opinion.

Hope rises again! I’ve been a supporter of the Free Press since its beginning and can report that the style and content Bari Weiss provides is not only refreshing in the topics covered, but liberating in its openness.

Weiss, through the Free Press, has also hosted several debates on burning cultural issues in major cities, including Dallas.

Hopefully CBS will be open to free thinkers and will open wide the doors of journalism and reporting. If it does, every Fourth Estate outlet worth its salt should take notice and follow suit.

There is wisdom in the totality of wide-ranging public opinion. Media should listen and learn.

Betsy Whitfill, Dallas/Lakewood

Prop 16 on IDs not needed

Regarding Proposition 16, Texas already has voter ID requirements. What would an additional law do to ensure the voter is a lawful voter when: the minimum requirements to vote in person in Texas are to present one of the following forms of photo ID: Texas driver’s license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety, a Texas election identification certificate issued by DPS or a Texas personal identification card issued by DPS?

Steven Chavez, Dickinson, N.D.

Fund by school enrollment

It’s time to rethink how Texas funds its schools. Right now, school districts are funded based on average daily attendance rather than total enrollment. This system unfairly penalizes schools for factors often beyond their control — illness, transportation challenges, family hardships and more.

Attendance-based funding disproportionately impacts districts serving lower-income families, where absences are often tied to health, housing instability or caregiving responsibilities. Schools with higher needs should receive more support, not less.

Switching to an enrollment-based funding model would create stability, allow districts to plan effectively and better serve students. Texas children deserve a fully funded education regardless of whether they are present every single day. Punishing schools for absences only widens inequities and shortchanges the very students who need help most.

Lawmakers should act now to ensure that every school has the resources to educate every child — attendance should never dictate opportunity.

Kate Baltau, Frisco