Don’t make it harder for police
I may not be the brightest light bulb but can someone explain to me why our Columbus police officers – who put their life on the line for us every day – start out with a salary advertised in the Dispatch (May 29), as $58,947.20 per year but our City Council president (who currently makes $86,977) will be getting a 40% increase, taking this salary to $121,767 per year?
In four years, the police officer’s pay will increase to $90,230 per year, as advertised. No wonder we had so many officers put in for early retirement. With all the crime and shootings everyday, I would not want my loved one out there trying to fight a battle that our city is not winning because of the changes they have made.
Does the chief of police realize what a senior citizen, or anyone for that matter, goes through living next door to a drug house? You can bet one thing, it doesn’t happen to the chief or her family.
On June 6, I read how many things are being taken away from these officers during a protest, also known as a riot, for them to protect themselves (“City may limit police gear, tactics for protests”).
What else are you going to do to make it rougher on our police? Shame on you, city of Columbus.
Connie Louden, Columbus
Freedom to dream, live best life
Most of us desire a world where everyone is free to dream their best life and to live it. Creating such a world will require people being able to get accurate, unbiased medical information so they can make the best possible healthcare decisions for themselves and those they love – including decisions about abortion.
Despite abortion being legal and safe, it is not available to everyone, particularly Black, brown, and other people of color working to make ends meet. One part of building a more just and equitable society is ensuring that abortion care is available and affordable to all.
We should all recognize that one of the most important life decisions we will ever make is whether to become a parent. Lawmakers have no place interfering in someone else’s decision about pregnancy or abortion.
The freedom to decide if and when to have children is fundamental to ensuring that women are equal and full participants in society. Protecting people’s freedom to decide means that all of us can be free to dream and live our best life.
Linda Kohar, Parma