Northern Ky. wins, where Cincy loses

The City of Cincinnati flunks. Our downtown is hurting - restaurants not doing well, and we allow Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky buses to run our streets picking up customers for 50 cents to take them to Newport on the Levee for lunch, dinner and shopping. We let the Kentucky's riverboats tell our citizens to park and play there, then take a boat ride to the baseball/football games. We help build a walking bridge from our free parks to let Cincinnatians walk to Newport to spend more money.

Am I the only one that sees something wrong here? City business leaders, city council and the mayor should be ashamed.

Skip Greenberg, East End

Forked-tongue guy is to be pitied

This is in regards to the front-page article ("Weirdness peaks with forked tongue" May 14). Split tongue is a "forked tongue" saying he is something-to-behold when he is simply an introvert trying to impress people that he is not. His more to be pitied than laughed at. What a price to pay for needing help.

Dave Sharp, Oakley

Crowd loved Heimlich's comments

County Commissioner Phil Heimlich is to be congratulated for is honest remarks at last week's memorial ceremonies. ( May 13 story )

Mayor Luken did receive applause and the Fraternal Order of Police leadership did say he is giving the police respect, now. Let's see if he can "walk the walk" now that he has "talked the talk." The first time there is a controversy involving the police and the loud-mouth psuedo-minority leaders, we'll be able to determine if he has had a backbone transplant.

Commissioner Heimlich was correct in using the forum that honors police who have made the supreme sacrifice because they made it and their memory should be honored not besmirched. They stood for honor and respect and that is what the commissioner was speaking about.

It was reported in the Enquirer that he assailed police reform. I think not; he attacked police capitulation at the hands of naive, in experienced fearful politicians, those who wish to buy peace.

I was in the crowd at Fountain Square and saw the approval of most of the attendees when the commissioner spoke. They loved it.

Nick Guerrera, Dent

Kudos to Texas Democrats' actions

I salute the Texas Democrats who showed great courage and common sense in standing up to stupidity and arrogance. It makes a person feel good to see a bully put down by ingenuity.

Ray Cooklis in his editorial memo on May 16 "Lone Star Standoff," bemoans the fact that even though more Texans statewide voted for Republicans, the Republicans did not control the House delegation. I wonder if Cooklis applied the same rational when Al Gore beat George W. Bush by more than 500,000 votes in the last presidential election? Cooklis and the Republicans seem very selective in their application of the principles of logic.

James J. Mignerey, Hamilton

Don't support schools that don't perform

In recent news, schools have gotten lots of attention. Money is an enormous issue when dealing with education, and everyone is fighting for what is given with the budgeting. The teacher's union wanted school funding exempt from budget balancing. Education is very important, but how fair is that to other programs that have to be included?

Because so much school funding is needed for the school, maybe they should choose another alternative. The schools that receive funding that don't excel shouldn't get the same amount as the others. All schools should be evaluated at the end of the school year. If they have enormous amounts of students with behavior problems or a high number of dropouts, then why keep supporting that school?

A school with low tests scores and a low number of graduates aren't something we should have to pay for. The schools that stand out are the ones that need to be cut and the money should be given to a school that truly educates the students.

Every fiscal year Gov. Taft has to make cuts. He was forced to make a $100 million cut because his proposal to increase alcohol and cigarette tax was denied. Smoking and drinking are bad habits that plenty of people have, lots of money could be made off raising that tax. The teacher's union feels it should have a court order stating that they receive a blank check for funding. Teachers need to consider others and not their own salaries.

Marquita Causey, Mount Healthy

Control belongs to teachers, parents

We are writing in response to the article ("Group wants voice in new school") about the Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Center that appeared in the May 14 edition of the Enquirer .

Organized labor has always held the firm conviction that nothing is more important than the education of our children, and that they all have the right to a good public school system. We applaud the efforts of those working to open a new public performing arts school, but we cannot support the proposed partnering agreement and composition of a 12-member governance body in its current incarnation.

The proposal leaves non-teaching staff completely unrepresented on a board that would help with principal selection, the school budget, and fiscal performance.

Teachers and parents - two of the groups most vital to a school's success - are underrepresented with three representatives each, in comparison with the five members the Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Center that would selected by the Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Center.

Only one member from the community would have a position on this board. Again, community leaders ought to be more equitably represented.

For this group to insist that they do not intend to take control of the school, then to demand nearly half of the seats of a 12-member governance board at the exclusion of other key groups is ludicrous. If quality of the school is the main concern here, no one is more qualified to ensure it than those that work in the school on a daily basis and those that send their children there.

V. Daniel Radford,
Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council

Sue Taylor,
President, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers

Road map to Mideast peace welcomed

The American Jewish Committee welcomes the publication of the "road map" to Israeli-Palestinian peace.

The AJC remains committed to fulfilling President Bush's vision of two states, living side by side in peace and security.

The road map offers an opportunity to restart talks that the Palestinians so abruptly ended with Israel nearly three years ago, but time is needed to test whether Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and his Cabinet are prepared and capable of working with Israel as a true partner for peace. After years of unrelenting terror against Israelis, caution is understandable.

Ongoing terrorism and the promise by Palestinian terrorist groups to carry out more violence are sobering reminders of the formidable challenges ahead in implementing the road map.

Israel has repeatedly stated its desire for peace and its willingness to make painful concessions in the process. But it can only be expected to move forward on implementing the road map as long as Israel has full confidence that the Palestinian authority is doing everything necessary to meet its obligations to counter terror and to confront those terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, openly committed to Israel's complete destruction.

Jay E. Price, American Jewish Committee, Cincinnati chapter president

Explaining vote change on begging

Cincinnati needs to increase the quality of life for our neighborhoods and downtown. In order to fight our city's blight we must address a long list of issues, including adding more police, increasing home ownership, minimizing joblessness, increasing fines for litterbugs, and yes, stopping aggressive panhandling.

While initially supportive of Councilmembers Pat DeWine's and David Crowley's plan to deter panhandling by licensing it, I have concluded it will achieve the exact opposite results ( May 15 story ). It's a plan contrary to common sense. It will lead to more aggressive panhandling. Reasons:

• Licensing beggars legitimizes panhandling.

• This plan creates a bureaucracy to regulate panhandling.

This plan costs $50,000 of taxpayer money to hire someone who is charged to complete two conflicting tasks - registering beggars to officially panhandle and at the same time try to stop panhandlers.

Helping the homeless and the jobless involves supporting skilled social services, not licensing folks to beg for a living.

The last message we should send is that in Cincinnati you can be asked for your money by tax-subsidized beggars, while in Northern Kentucky you can spend your money at a restaurant without any hassle, because the panhandlers all went to get their license in Cincinnati.

The city's existing panhandling ordinance is one of the strongest in the country. We need to support our police in its enforcement. In the first three months of this year the police have arrested more than twice the number of people arrested for panhandling for all of last year. The best way to deter panhandling is to support our police and our many charitable organizations. Let's use common sense.

John Cranley, Cincinnati City Council

Don't give spare change to panhandlers

Many work all day holding their cardboard signs, surrendering their pride, and asking strangers on the streets for some spare change. To most who pass by, panhandlers are a daily hassle. For those beggars who work the downtown streets, the sidewalk is their current place of business, and the people who pass by are their opportune customers.

Although many wish these self-employed businessmen would disappear from Cincinnati, there are here to stay. Begging has become a personal industry. On Tuesday a proposal to register panhandlers in Cincinnati failed.

It is up to the patrons of our town to put panhandlers out of business. Do not invest in their personal industry. Don't wait for City Council to decide what will become of the beggars' future. Please mister, don't spare your change.

Rachel Zimmerman, Mount Healthy

After suit, Ryder's days were numbered

Here's a couple of simple sentiments things that Assistant City Solicitor Ely Ryder was obviously slow on the uptake with ("Retirement fund took precedence" May 15). If he filed a lawsuit against his employer, he will be history. I salute City Solicitor Rita McNeil for providing consequences to Ryder's absurdity.

Rick M. Singel, Hyde Park

Cartoon wrongly criticizes Byrd

This letter is a criticism of the Michael Ramirez cartoon on May 13 regarding Sen. Robert Byrd rightly calling President Bush on his blatant, photo-op entrance onto the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln earlier this month.

It was clearly created for maximum political effect. His words will never be memorized by school children, but you can bet that we'll see the pictures again during the 2004 election cycle.

To equate Sen. Byrd's criticism of President Bush as if he were criticizing President Lincoln at Gettysburg is silly. President Lincoln made no grand entrance. Indeed, many did not even hear his address until it was nearly over. In November 1863 during a civil war that would ultimately kill 600,000 Americans we were in the middle of a national tragedy the likes of which we have never seen. Only World War II has had a similar impact on the American psyche. Gulf War II will never rise to that level in the history books despite the many efforts of Bush supporters, and Karl Rove, to make it so. George Bush is no Abraham Lincoln.

Brian Schultz, Greenhills

'Conflict diamond' issue resolved

I am writing in response to the Enquirer article "Some seek 'conflict-free' diamonds from Canada," published on May 10.

Readers should know that on April 25, President Bush signed into law the Clean Diamond Trade Act. This new law, enthusiastically supported by jewelers across the country, backs the international diamond certification system known as the Kimberley Process.

More than 70 nations with significant involvement in the diamond trade have implemented a global certification system aimed at preventing criminals from inserting contraband diamonds into the legitimate supply chain. To supplement this government effort, industry has itself created a voluntary self-regulation program. In other words, industry, governments and civil society organizations have together created a system whereby all diamonds traded today can be sold with confidence as conflict-free, no matter what their country of origin.

Members of the Ohio Jewelers Association and Jewelers of America, the national trade association for retail jewelers, welcome these important measures designed to safeguard the integrity of diamonds, and our member stores are actively supporting the new system. Our members have signed and abide by the JA Code of Ethics, under which they have pledged to not knowingly buy, sell or trade in conflict diamonds.

When consumers buy diamonds from OJA and JA member retailers, they can be assured that every possible effort has been made to keep conflict diamonds out of the legitimate supply chain, and that the jewelry industry as a whole supports credible and effective controls under the Kimberley Process regime.

Jim Schwartz
President, Ohio Jewelers Association

Vermont health care system a model

On April 30, the Bush administration awarded a contract to Abt Associates to provide universal health care to half of all Iraqis within six months, and to all 25 million Iraqis within a year; a lofty endeavor, yet achievable in its scope.

Meanwhile, even though 44 million Americans lack any health coverage, President Bush continues to push through another enormous tax cut against a grim backdrop of record federal budget deficits and states so bankrupt that teachers are being put out of work and convicted felons are put back on the street

In contrast, as governor of Vermont, Howard Dean instituted statewide sensible and fiscally responsible health coverage that resulted in 92 percent of Vermonters, including virtually every child under 18, now having quality health plans. This was done in the midst of erasing the largest deficit in state history and creating a "rainy-day fund" that is now serving to keep Vermont as one of the few states in the nation not currently in economic crisis.

If universal health care is a good idea for Iraq, is it not a good idea for us?

Will Turbyne, Evanston