Arizona cannot find teachers to work for so little

I’d like to offer a response to state Sen. Sylvia Allen’s op-ed, “When is education funding ever enough?” (March 7)

As a parent, education policy scholar, and constituent of LD 6, I can tell Sen. Allen that education funding isn’t enough when thousands of students lack a qualified teacher in their classroom because Arizona schools cannot find enough teachers willing to work for poverty wages.

Funding isn’t enough when schools are forced to close because of structural deficiencies due to billions in cuts in capital funding.

Prop. 123 wasn’t “new money” as the senator stated, but rather money voters mandated for schools that the Legislature refused to distribute. And even with voter-approved money, schools are still getting less funding than a decade ago.

But perhaps the real question is when are tax cuts ever enough? For 27 years straight, our Legislature has approved one tax cut after another. We now have large corporations that have been given so many cuts and credits that they pay nothing into state coffers and are asking the state to give them refunds for the credits they’ve accumulated.

So, Sen. Allen, how much more are you going to give them? When are tax cuts ever enough?

— Angelina Castagno, Flagstaff

Repeal of Obamacare is only to spite the previous president

It was interesting to watch the speaker of the House proclaim that this was the best time to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

It seems the priority is to repeal this act only because our previous administration implemented the program and not because there is an opportunity to make improvements in health care and insurance for the American people.

— Dr. John Hoffmann, Scottsdale

Liberal columnists should include facts to support claims

It would be great fun, if all of the opinion writers had to substantiate their claims, assumptions, innuendos, insinuations, possibilities etc., with facts.

A couple of recent articles come to mind. Linda Valdez suggested that we would have a difficult time leaving the country if Trump builds the wall. On its face this is a ludicrous assumption.

But we get columns suggesting that it is true and that building a wall is really a bad idea. No facts.

Ed Montini went rambling on about how bad the GOP health-care replacement plan will be (before it was published). Perhaps he has a crystal ball. I understand that liberals dislike factual information.

— Craig Holstad, Chandler

Wall might not keep anyone out, but it could be great for tourism

Construction of the Great Wall of China was begun in 221 B.C. It was built of stone and stretched 1,500 miles across the northern part of that country.

Its purpose was to defend the Chinese border from marauding Mongolians. It did little to solve that problem.

However, the wall has become a favorite destination for tourists.

— Don Clouse, Phoenix

What America needs is more leaders like Sen. Jeff Flake

To his credit, Republican Sen. Jeff Flake has committed his political career to promoting small-government conservatism. ("Jeff Flake didn't change; Trump voters did," Wednesday.)

Along comes Donald Trump, who repudiates conservative ideals at every turn, from wanting to waste $22 billion on an ineffective border wall to disavowing NATO as he cozies up to Vladimir Putin. In the face of Trump's assault on conservative values, Flake stood up for what he believed in.

Surprise! Arizona has a senator who does what he thinks is right for America, even when it defies populist sentiment. How encouraging to know there is at least one politician in Washington for whom principles count. The nation would be well served by many more Jeff Flakes. — Bob Kittle, Carefree

It’s past time to vote McCain out of office and into retirement

A plea to my fellow citizens who reside in Arizona: At your earliest opportunity, please allow U.S. Sen. John McCain to move gracefully into retirement. — Rod Stephenson, Savannah, Georgia