TO THE EDITOR:

If you wish to find good examples of legislative bodies that pass bad legislation, you do not need to go far from home.

City Council once again provides an excellent example by passing and then repealing a law taxing home alarm owners. Courage of conviction to pass a good law should have prevented Council from running for cover as soon as opposition surfaced.

Council's reversal is symptomatic of its failure to understand a basic premise that underlies the foundation of America's greatness: that total government is not the solution to all of society's problems. Taxing everyone for the abuse of a few imposes an additional burden on all residents for the crime of housebreaking.

The law-abiding citizens already pay taxes to stop crime and every other thing that assails this city, in addition to the expense of security lights, house and car alarms, door and window locks, dogs, glass block windows and security fences. To this must be added the higher cost of goods and services reflected in our local business's expenses for increased security.

People will continue to vote with their feet until all of our elected officials understand that no just society can long exist where there is no safety. Make this city safe, and everything else will take care of itself. Punish the law-abiding, and they will leave.

Matthew T. MacLeid, Walnut Hills

We need good animal abuse law

Thank you for your fair and informed editorial ("Decisive action," Aug. 7) on the Pit Bull ban in Cincinnati. It is a shame that other local media outlets - who carelessly use the phrases Pit Bull and "vicious dog" interchangeably - have been unable to achieve such balance in their news reporting.

It is frustrating to watch City Council engage in such lazy legislation. Re-enacting a failed law to replace another failing measure is irresponsible, particularly when both perpetuate an untrue stereotype. The additional funding for the SCPA is welcome, but otherwise this "40 percent solution" to dog bites does more harm than good and unfairly burdens responsible dog owners.

Pat DeWine claims that he researched the Pit Bull issue extensively, but when asked what his sources were, he replied that it was the people of our local neighborhoods. His community focus is appreciated, but this alone does not constitute research when crafting legislation.

The AKC, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Animal Control Association, the ASPCA, the National Animal Interest Alliance and a host of other organizations that have studied the issue oppose breed-specific legislation. They have concluded that laws targeting specific breeds of dog simply do not work.

City Council owes us due diligence in re-writing fair, effective and enforceable legislation to prevent animal abuse and punish irresponsible owners.

Eric Appleby, Northside

Treat same-sex unions with dignity

In response to the letter ("Same-sex unions don't help state," Aug. 6), the writer makes the bogus assertion that same-sex couples "already have all the recognition they could possibly want" and asks "what other reason (besides a tax break) is there for same-sex couples to yearn for equal treatment."

Let me answer his question.

Imagine being in a committed loving relationship for five or 10 years. Imagine your loved one having to enter the hospital. Then imagine the hospital denying you the ability to visit your loved one simply because you are of the same gender, while the hospital simultaneously allows heterosexual couples who may only have been together for weeks to visit each other.

Then imagine that your loved one dies because of someone else's negligence or intentional act. But then imagine being unable to have the legal ability to sue for wrongful death or to receive your partner's Social Security survivor benefits so that you can continue paying for your home or car or supporting your children.

As an attorney who has represented a number of same-sex couples, I've seen these disheartening scenarios play out many times. Whether you approve or disapprove of same-sex relationships, gays and lesbians are still human beings with the same feelings of love and pain everyone else has, and in these situations, gays and lesbians should be entitled to the same dignity, respect and rights that any other committed couple has.

David Groshoff, Mount Auburn

Don't throw stones from glass houses

While I'm a heterosexual and am not in favor of the new gay bishop, I just wanted to point something out. I saw a movie the other day that was touted as clean family entertainment where a woman was nude but shown from the back, and the jockey repeatedly used God's son's name as a curse word (but if his name had been used as a prayer and/or with the reverence it deserves, people would have had a fit because someone was "offended").

There were people in the theater with kids as small as kindergarten ages who were dressed like Britney Spears, and the parents themselves weren't dressed much better. There is a large sign in the front of the theater that states no food or water is to be brought in, but because the theater was located inside a mall, just off the food court, people were hiding half their lunches in their purses or wherever and eating them in theater. I saw movie previews that were for movies containing nearly pornographic scenes, yet everyone cheered for them, and I heard more than a few murmurs of, "I want to see that one."

Doesn't the Bible say not to take the Lord's name in vain, to dress modestly, to treat governing rules the same as we would the laws of God, and that even seeing or hearing stuff that might lead us to sin is wrong? We (myself included) have to knock down the pile of stones in our own back yards while everyone is still looking in the panes of our own glass houses.

Nancy Sonneman, Kenwood

CFD paramedics do a great job

I would like to compliment the Cincinnati Fire Department paramedics on such a wonderful job. I have had to deal with the paramedics three times in my lifetime, once for my late wife and twice for myself. They were very professional and courteous during my time of need. I really appreciated that.

Rozel McKenzie, Hartwell

All tax hikes cost citizens money

With regard to the article ("Tax quirk could cost millions," Aug. 4) it's about time! I happen to be one of those noncustodial parents who pays child support and claims my daughter on my taxes every other year. I welcome the opportunity to receive $400 from Uncle Sam. It's just a small amount to offset the amount of support I pay which is not tax deductible for me but is viewed as tax-free income for my ex-wife.

Why is that every time any level of government rebates, refunds or extends a tax credit it's always referred to as costing the government? Yet, rarely is a tax increase phrased the same way when we have to pay an increase in taxes. Doesn't a tax increase cost us?

Steve Boone, Mason

Priest led well while at White Oak

I noted all the bad press my former parish pastor has been given lately ("Priest resigns after verdict," Aug. 6). While I understand the need to reprimand bad behavior, I wonder how much is enough to ruin a man. St. James of White Oak is a vibrant fulfilling place to engage my family in religious life. It would not be this way if it were not for the efforts of our former Father Ray Larger.

For 11 years, Pastor Larger worked diligently to make our parish what it is now. At a time when the number of priests in the United States dwindled to an all-time low, he was servant, leader and business administrator all at the same time. How many people could do a job like that? Very few. Many of my friends at St. James were sad to hear what happened and all knew that the church would have to come down heavy on Father Ray.

We also agreed that we would love to have him back, and we all hoped this would not be his ruin but merely the closing of one door and the opening of another. I hope that if Pastor Larger reads this, he knows that many people out there like myself cannot throw a stone and hope he can still find a way to help people. I know he is not a Clinton, but that he really loves God. Mostly, I know that God loves him, and I am grateful for having my life touched by such a man.

Valerie Murphy, White Oak

Lunken should be low-cost transporter

Lunken Airport will be 75 years old this year. No property owner, now living, purchased land near this airport without knowledge of its location. My observation regarding the noise level is that it is of little consequence and for that matter is far exceeded by the sound of vehicular traffic on Wilmer Avenue next to the terminal.

Lunken and its adjoining playfields are two of the very few city facilities that break even or show profit each year. The airport should be used to its full potential as a regional facility linking Greater Cincinnati to other large Midwest cities such as Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, St. Louis, Louisville and Nashville, providing convenience low-cost air service.

Harold J. Rembold, Wyoming

Council wrong with Lunken Airport vote

Once again, the whining of the few outweigh the needs of the many - at least that's the message sent by City Council's Wednesday vote to effectively ban scheduled air service from ever operating out of Lunken Airport.

With Cincinnatians paying some of the highest airfares in the country, council should be doing everything possible combat this problem for all of its citizens. If this effort includes low-cost air service from Lunken, then so be it. Lunken is a perfectly good airport that is not used to its fullest potential, just to appease a few people in the area who bought their homes next to an airport. What did they expect to fly in and out of Lunken, gliders?

Don Wetterer, O'Bryonville

Crack down on exotic pet owners

I just read Janice Morse's excellent article ("No such thing as tame deadly snake," Aug. 6) on exotic animals. If there are so many such creatures, mistakes can happen and one could get loose, even though the owner thought he took precautions.

The other thing that concerns me is the cost the community must bear to save the life of the owners or others.

For this reason alone, there should be local ordinances passed to ban ownership with stiff fines/jail terms to the owners of such creatures. We can't afford the loss of innocent lives (the owners are not innocent) and emergency expenses for public services that are under great fiscal pressure.

Bill Standish, Liberty Township