Meck County employees had plenty of time to comply on COVID. No back pay.
County employees
Regarding “Mecklenburg changes COVID testing rules, will deny back pay for suspended employees,” (Sept. 22):
Mecklenburg County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell is wrong to favor back pay for some of the county employees who were suspended after failing to meet COVID requirements on time.
Doing what Rodriguez-McDowell suggested would undermine County Manager Dena Diorio’s authority. The employees had ample time to read the directive and make arrangements to get tested or get the vaccine. Giving back pay would reward bad behavior and sow dissension among employees who followed Diorio’s directive.
Let Diorio do her job without second-guessing her. Employees whose pay is being docked are getting a wake-up call letting them know that Diorio is serious.
Augie E. Beasley, Charlotte
Biden is pandering
I support some form of tax credits for the purchase of electric vehicles, but the Democrat’s $3.5 trillion budget bill includes a $4,500 tax credit for electric vehicles that are produced at facilities that operate under a union-negotiated collective bargaining agreement. This is nothing more than President Biden pandering to the United Auto Workers union, which significantly contributed to his election, and it would put non-union automobile companies at a competitive disadvantage.
Kenny Colbert, Cornelius
Haitian refugees
This situation with refugees at the southern border is a humanitarian crisis. While the U.S. cannot save the world, dividing 14,000 people among the 50 states would be 250-300 people per state. Since we’ve lost 675,000 people to COVID, there is some leeway here.
To return these people to Haiti is a death sentence. There is nothing to return to. No water, no electricity, no food, no housing. If some other countries would step up also, there are enough churches around the world that could sponsor them to alleviate this situation.
A problem of this magnitude has been solved in the past. We can’t just send these people to their death.
Linda Clark, Albemarle
NC ABC
Regarding “Head of North Carolina alcohol board resigns, cites stress,” (Sept. 21):
North Carolina needs to get out of the liquor business. The entire ABC system was set up 80 years ago and has been very slow to change with the times. Now, restaurants and bars cannot get their orders, due to mismanagement at the two warehouses in Wake County, as well as issues with an inventory control system.
Give restaurants, bars, and customers the right to choice when it comes to liquor. The state will still make money on taxes as well as licensing distributors to be able to sell to individual accounts.
It is well past time for liquor sales to come into the 21st century.
Neil Gimon, Waxhaw
Drug prices
Having a rare blood cancer is no fun. Though I hold three jobs, I struggle to pay for my medications. My Imbruvica costs $16,000 every 28 days. Patients like me need lawmakers to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. Legislation needs to be passed to allow Medicare to lower drug prices. We need to get this done this year. The House and Senate need to make this a reality. Lower drug prices to allow people to afford their necessary medications.
Steven Hadfield, Charlotte
Triggering change
A recent Observer article quoted the United Nations Secretary General saying we need an “immediate, rapid and large-scale reduction” in worldwide emissions to avoid catastrophic climate problems. I think dire warnings from the top often make listeners feel the actions of one person won’t matter, if the problem is huge.
Individuals can — and must — respond to these warnings by exerting pressure on the people and organizations that have the power to make the changes necessary. I urge people to let their local and federal government representatives, businesses and employer know that you want them to address the climate crisis right now. One small action, multiplied thousands of times over, can have an impact.
Lynn Dransoff, Charlotte
