Letters

Published
February 26, 2015

Letter to the editor: Distracted drivers need to look in the mirror to change

Let’s face it – deep down inside, we all know that using a hand-held cellphone while we are driving is dangerous. The scientific evidence is in and the verdict is unanimous: In terms of its effect on our ability to concentrate, the practice is the equivalent of driving with a .08 blood alcohol level. In […]
Published
February 26, 2015

Letter to the editor: There are better school options than opting out

Wow! Parents want the right to opt their children out of school testing? That makes as much sense as selfishly opting out of measles immunization. Don’t we want to hold our government and educators accountable for educational quality? Don’t we want to hold our children accountable for obtaining some level of proficient education so they […]
Published
February 26, 2015

Letter to the editor: Playing upon fears to push agenda embarrasses Mainer

The fact that Portland is a chosen destination for asylum seekers fleeing violence in their African home countries makes me proud to be a Portlander. The fact that these men and women are given some small financial assistance while awaiting their work visas makes me proud to be an American. But the fact that, in […]
Published
February 25, 2015

Letter to the editor: Open-pit mining proposal must not be fast-tracked

As a private citizen, I plan to attend Wednesday’s public hearing at the State House in Augusta of the Joint Legislative Committee on Environment and Natural Resources as it considers a mining rules bill for open-pit metallic mineral mining in Maine (L.D. 146). These mining rules would allow uncontrollable and continuous groundwater contamination from acid […]
Published
February 25, 2015

Letter to the editor: Mother applauds those who aided her family after crash

On Feb. 9, my husband and two young sons were in a car accident on the Maine Turnpike, heading south just before the Portland Jetport exit. My husband hit a patch of ice, causing him to go off the road and flipping the car on its side. Our two sons, ages 4 and 5, were […]

Published
February 25, 2015

Letter to the editor: Landlord deserves benefit of doubt

I am appreciative of your recent article and its attempt to fairly portray Greg Nisbet (“Embattled Portland landlord seen as trusting, flexible with tenants,” Feb. 19). He represented me as a real estate broker when I bought my house 13 years ago and again to sell it early this fall. The listing was taken down, […]
Published
February 25, 2015

Letter to the editor: Nothing progressive about enabling welfare reliance

Thanks to Mary C. Mayhew, Maine’s health and human services commissioner, for her recent commentary in your paper on General Assistance in Portland, Lewiston-Auburn and Bangor: “Mary Mayhew: Portland’s General Assistance spending is out of whack” (Feb. 21). As longtime Portland taxpayers, we feel that growing welfare rolls are out of control and that our […]
Published
February 25, 2015

Letter to the editor: Memo to Harmon: Bibi’s end run disrespects system

Just a comment or two about M.D. Harmon’s slanted Feb. 20 column, “Unlike judge at Obama’s speech, we can’t sleep through what’s coming in Mideast.” As Harmon flaunts his allegiance to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu, the most dangerous threat to peace is not a nuclear-armed Iran but the man who Harmon thinks is […]
Published
February 24, 2015

Letter to the editor: Ranked-choice voting is key to bipartisan reform

Despite what one may have heard, we’d be doing ourselves a disservice to characterize electoral reform as a sour-grapes, kneejerk reaction to the outcome of the latest gubernatorial race. With a unique opportunity to build consensus on such a common-sense fix, we should consider electoral reform as a reform embraced by Republicans, Democrats, independents and […]
Published
February 24, 2015

Letter to the editor: As mayor, Leeman would look to cut costs

I have lived in the Northgate area of Portland for many years, in an area that was considered a flood zone. In order to get a mortgage or a home equity loan, one had to purchase flood insurance. This was an added burden for new homebuyers or those selling a home. We contacted then-City Councilor […]

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Letters