Amid a climate crisis NC’s proposed tree bill is unnecessary and counterproductive

Stop the tree bill

I am strongly opposed to House Bill 496 and the impact it will have on our tree canopy in North Carolina.

It will force local governments to go through even more bureaucratic processes should they wish to protect our trees. As a former Raleigh City Council member, I know this is unnecessary and counterproductive.

At this juncture, it’s not enough to simply stop carbon emission anymore. To mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis, we also need to preserve our trees.

To ensure that our descendants can survive and thrive, we need to ensure that we will be leaving behind a greener future for them, and that means protecting our tree canopy. I urge legislators to vote “no” on this bill.

Stef Mendell, Raleigh

Tenure decision

Many of us who’ve made careers in journalism have followed with dismay, even sorrow, events surrounding the hiring of Nikole Hannah-Jones at UNC.

This is not a debate about tenure or a fight between members of the faculty and Board of Trustees. It is about the basics of news reporting and how future writers and editors should, and must, be trained as impartial guardians of the freedoms we cling to.

Editorial expression has its place, if it is clearly labeled as such. But the idea that a reporter’s obligation is to sort out “truth” without presenting both sides of the story is wrong and dangerous. The viability of true journalism resides in honest, fact-based writing. Nothing more.

Mike Hoyt, Raleigh

Vaccine equity

As a white male of privilege, I was able to get vaccinated promptly, with no loss of pay. A Black friend, who had finally found a job after a COVID layoff, wasn’t as fortunate.

Had he taken time off to get his shots or deal with their aftereffects, his pay would have been docked and, under the punitive point system applied by so many employers he eventually might have lost his job. His situation isn’t uncommon, particularly in the Black community.

According to a recent N.C. DHHS report, “Longstanding racial and ethnic injustices contribute to disparities in vaccination rates among historically marginalized populations.”

If we are serious about achieving herd-immunity and ensuring that everyone has easy, affordable access to the vaccine, then our legislators need to ensure medical — and economic — protections for all of us equally.

Curt Torell, Carrboro

Women in prison

The N.C. General Assembly is considering the Dignity for Women Who are Incarcerated Act, which would limit the use of shackles during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the first six weeks postpartum.

Major medical associations, human rights groups and reproductive justice organizations agree that shackling during pregnancy, labor and postpartum healing is harmful and horrific.

House Bill 608 also limits invasive searches and use of restrictive housing during the same period. A piece I find particularly exciting as a new mom is the requirement that the Department of Public Safety allow a newborn to remain in the mother’s care for at least 72 hours.

Mass incarceration is a crisis of racism and injustice. It harms families and communities. This bill takes important steps to provide some respect and support to pregnant and birthing people. I call on lawmakers to support it.

Maya Hart

NC Coordinator, SisterSong

Corporate taxes

Corporate America is highly dependent on taxpayer-funded infrastructure to make its businesses viable. To move products they utilize public assets such as the Interstate Highway System, air transportation and railroad networks, and waterway systems. Now, these moneyed interests are stiffly and shamefully resisting paying their fair share to rehabilitate our public infrastructure.

In 2018, as a result of the 2017 tax law, 90 Fortune 500 companies paid no federal income tax and the remaining 410 paid a ridiculously low effective rate of 11.3%. In the 2020 tax year, 55 corporations paid no tax on $40 billion in profits and were rebated $3 billion.

In congressional testimony last April, the IRS Commissioner estimated that legally owed and unpaid taxes are in the range of $1 trillion.

An ugly picture indeed. Who among you thinks this is fair?

Jim Witeck, Apex