Group deserves chance to gather more signatures

Our group, which has been fighting for Columbus citizens’ right to clean water and environment, was well on its way to getting its charter amendment on the ballot when COVID-19 happened. Having collected nearly 9,000 signatures in nine months of campaigning, we made the responsible decision on March 12 to suspend our petitioning efforts for the safety of the public and ourselves.

Since Columbus uniquely has a one-year time limit for initiatives, we appealed to city council to extend our deadline since we were losing three months of campaigning.

It refused, even though there is a section of the city charter for emergency measures for the “preservation of the public peace, property, health or safety …”

Next, we asked it to use its authority to put our initiative on the ballot and let the people decide. Again, it refused. We then sued the city, reasonably requesting to let us make up the time we missed due to the pandemic and finish the three months we lost when it is safe again to do in-person signature gathering.

During the hearing for our lawsuit, lawyers from City Attorney Zach Klein’s office stated, “There have been protests at the Statehouse almost nonstop from the time that Dr. Acton first started issuing statewide health orders” so we could have circulated our petition. In other words, we should have been willing to risk our health and the public’s health for our constitutional democratic right of initiative, even though Gov. Mike Dewine said “people should not have to choose between their constitutional rights and their health!”

Why is it that the state had no problem halting the primary election, extending the deadline to file taxes, etc., and the city had no problem extending deadlines to pay property taxes and renew dog licenses, etc., but for democracy of, by and for the people it makes no exceptions?

Bill Lyons, co-organizer, Columbus Community Bill of Rights, president, Ohio Community Rights Network

All deserve access to clean water for drink and hygiene

As an Ohio University faculty member, I have great love and appreciation for southeast Ohio. OU’S recent budget crisis brought three rounds of job cuts; this will lead to increased financial strain on a region that is already stricken with poverty. After reading the Thursday Dispatch article “Left high and dry?” I was disheartened to learn that in addition to battling unemployment and a pandemic, hundreds of families are at risk of having their water turned off due to delinquent payments.

It seems counterintuitive that our government recognizes the need for food assistance but fails to mitigate the gross inequities to water access. It is unconscionable that some Ohioans might lack water necessary for drinking, food preparation, personal and household hygiene — especially during a time when hand-washing could be a matter of life and death.

Equitable access to water is not a new problem, but it is an even greater issue as the world, especially the most vulnerable in our population, tries to survive this virus.

How many Ohioans take their tap water for granted? How would we survive if we were unable to flush our toilets?

Lawmakers, utility companies, nonprofit organizations and citizens must end this threat to public health. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency must extend its moratorium on water shut-offs. It’s time for water, the source of life, to be viewed as a human right.

Colleen Ruggieri, Westerville

Police need top equipment to stay ahead of bad guys

I respond to the July 3 Dispatch.com article entitled “Written statements to City Council largely support police demilitarization.” Three of the items apparently on the table for so-called demilitarization are armored vehicles, helicopters and certain firearms.

So private cash transport firms can have armored cars to protect drivers and the cash they carry, but not the police for use in live fire situations?

Police helicopters are basically used in an observation role — these aren’t Army gunships with rockets and machine guns. In a flat, sprawling city like Columbus, it seems that having an aerial platform would be a real advantage. Get rid of the helicopter division and see just how easy it would be to ever bring it back.

Police having some higher-powered weapons? How about when they are up against well-armed criminals? Those 9mm pistols and shotguns are lethal weapons at close range, but don’t compare with high-powered assault weapons. The police must have the ability, when the situation demands, to have the upper hand against criminals.

Would our elected city officials be willing to go into dangerous situations without sufficient protection, special weapons when the occasion dictates and eyes in the sky? Please mark how these elected officials vote on this, folks.

William Lawson, Columbus

Nathan’s steered donations to New York food bank

I respond to the Thursday letter “Weird juxtaposition between want and overconsumption” from Jon Armstrong about Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating contest.

It was reported that company official James Walker said, “We owe so much to those that kept our communities fed and cared for during this unprecedented time, and we look forward to honoring them on July 4.”

The organizer, Major League Eating, said that the eaters are making donations to food banks and essential workers in New York that are helping amid the coronavirus epidemic. There will be 100,000 Nathan’s Famous hot dogs donated to Food Bank for New York City.

Jeff Kettell, Columbus

Nagging constraint on freedom just might save your life

We Americans want to be free to make our own decisions in life — to pursue our own happiness, to live and play where we choose and worship as we please. Our Constitution guarantees these rights. But, our Constitution also states that our government is responsible for promoting the "general welfare" of its citizens.

To this end, our government has passed laws that for "some" were seen as taking away personal freedoms. For instance, smoking cigarettes in public places is no longer allowed, thus saving thousands of lives. Another disagreeable law has been the requirement to wear seat belts when riding in a car. Once again, lives have been saved by using seat belts.

So, why are so many people refusing to wear face masks? During this pandemic, physicians, health experts and infectious disease specialists all insist that using face masks is the single most important protection against COVID-19, second only to sheltering at home. Kudos to Gov. Dewine for his efforts to help rid our communities of this plague.

I beg every person who loves our country and their family and friends to wear face masks when in public. Let us care about each other and reduce the number of coronavirus cases every day.

Sue Cruickshank, Upper Arlington

Companies use virus as excuse for bad service

The Tuesday Dispatch Metro column “Music for job leaves awful earworm” by Theodore Decker reminded me of the cruel joke played on all of us — the “invention” of automated telephone answering.

For years many businesses and companies have incorporated automated answering followed by exorbitant wait times to never talk to a human.

Coronavirus gave license to incorporating entities to falsely blame long wait times and overwhelming call volume on the disease. To all companies that make customers endure long wait times, try something novel: Hire people!

Additionally, try providing a telephone so we can speak to a live, thinking human being.

Don’t get me started on “live chat.” In my small town, a real live human being answers the phone at my local bank (Park National) and Ford dealer (Bob-boyd).

Fred Strawser, Lancaster