For shame

Re “Virginia Beach rejects collective bargaining of city employees” (April 30): Virginia Beach City Council has made the decision not to support collective bargaining for its employees. What a shame. Our city employees do their best to keep things running smoothly. They do this, despite some challenges in working conditions, despite the fear of the consequences of speaking up about problems encountered on the job and despite pay and benefits that are not on par with other regions in our state.

It would be wise to study our city versus Chesterfield County, a much more accurate comparison than to our surrounding jurisdictions. For the council members who voted against collective bargaining, please let me know that the next time we have a jet plane crash in our city, you will respond without hesitation, even though that could permanently endanger your health and safety. Our firefighters, emergency medical services personnel and police officers responded.

The next time we have an attack in the city workplace and police officers, EMS personnel and firefighters respond to that emergency, I hope you will do your part and respond as well, even though your life would be in danger. You can arrange for a photo op to show to your constituents. The next time we have a major storm move through here with damaging winds, rains and flooding and our first responders and our public works folks are out in the elements to help all of us, please let me know that you will do your part as well.

For all of these emergencies, you simply need appropriate gear, training, years of experience and a willingness to truly serve our community. I’ll be waiting to hear from you.

Ginny Diezel, Virginia Beach

Help needed

“It takes a village to raise a child” is a well-known proverb that emphasizes the importance of a community positively interacting and providing for children to grow up in a safe and healthy environment.

Children are innocent, reliant, sweet and sometimes sour beings who are oblivious to the world and its hardships. As parents, we need our families, neighbors, churches and businesses to play their roles within the village and take accountability to assist with child care. Together, we should ensure that we all thrive and secure our jobs and future.

Expenses mount and being a parent is challenging, especially with the cost of living. All businesses are entitled to make a profit, but the real profit is when we start supporting the needs of families in our community. It would be ideal to have affordable and alternative child care centers in our communities that are friendly to people with disabilities and offer after-school care and recreational activities.

We propose finding a way of giving back to our families, where the burden of child care is no longer a discussion. We need the support of community resources, along with businesses and professionals agreeing to work together to provide coordinated care.

Care is love and support from those around you every day. Together, we can decrease our level of violence and poverty while increasing prosperity for our youth, who are our future.

Chiquita Hubbard, Virginia Organizing member, Newport News

Clean energy

This year Virginia lawmakers advanced multiple measures to promote cleaner air, lower energy costs and foster economic growth — efforts that will create good-paying jobs and attract clean energy investment.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin now has an opportunity to sign into law a policy within his energy plan, which calls for leveraging federal energy investment. The crucial policy to achieve these goals is the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank, which will free up millions of dollars of federal clean energy funding under the Inflation Reduction Act. Introduced by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, this legislation passed out of the General Assembly with bipartisan support.

The Savings Achieved Via Efficiency Act from Del. Michael Webert and Sen. Creigh Deeds recently became law. This legislation “strengthens energy efficiency standards that were set to expire next year. It also renews the authority of the State Corporation Commission to approve energy efficiency programs for Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power,” according to an April 29 article by energynews.us.

Youngkin signed into law legislation expanding distributed solar generation through shared solar programs. This ensures an equitable energy transition by increasing the number of Virginians who can access solar.

When implemented in tandem, these bipartisan policies will help purify our air, create good-paying clean energy jobs, lower electric bills and secure a cleaner energy future in Virginia.

Heidi Dragneff, Virginia Beach

Student debt

A recent Daily Mail headline read, “Biden cancels $6 billion in student loans for 317,000.” The article stated, “President Joe ​​Biden’s latest handout brings the total forgiveness to $160 billion for 4.6 million borrowers ahead of November’s election. It doubles-down on Biden’s promise to wipe out student debt after the Supreme Court ruled he could not take the sweeping action he wanted earlier in his administration.”

This debt is not cancelled; it is merely added to the other handouts this administration has strapped on our backs. Please do not vote for this socialist puppet.

Dan Bahen, Chesapeake