Legislature stunting growth of state’s technology sector

The New York Times ran an article about companies grappling with the high cost of living, housing and office space in Silicon Valley and San Francisco (“Bay Area start-ups find low-cost outposts in Arizona,” Aug. 22).

Many were leaving or expanding into less expensive cities such as Raleigh, NC, Austin, TX and Nashville, TN. Phoenix also made the list, but it was 13th from the top. Phoenix had an increase in technology jobs of only 18.6 percent from 2010 to 2015, while San Francisco had an increase or 71.6 percent and Raleigh had an increase of 38.5 percent.

In discussing what’s holding Phoenix back, the article pointed out that Arizona’s socially conservative politics are “a form of cultural baggage. In San Francisco you can come from any walk of life and feel pretty much accepted and safe.”

I conclude that as long as our Legislature continues its war on education and its war on minorities, our tech economy will continue to be 13th.

— Robert Carlile, Sedona

AFC continues its behind the scenes, ‘dark money’ practices

Thanks to Laurie Roberts for exposing the deceptive practices of the American Federation for Children (“’Dark money’ groups on the attack in Arizona,” Aug. 17).

The AFC is fully committed to the privatization of public education. Rather than informing the public and garnering support through open public debate, the AFC chooses to influence elections behind the scenes. Like other dark money groups, they “buy” the loyalty of sympathetic candidates through significant campaign contributions while downplaying their true objectives.

Kudos to Mary Hamway for having principles about education, for developing policy positions based on those principles and for articulating those positions so we can decide if she will represent our views. Boo to the American Federation for Children for the sneaky stuff. The deceptions of the AFC force us to suspect their motives and to question if their candidates will represent us or their dark money interests.

— Craig Hazeltine , Scottsdale

Time to end Arizona’s relationship with private prison companies

It is time for Arizona kick the privateprison companies out of this state. The trend for prison occupancy is on the decline across the country as mandatory sentencing requirements are being relaxed.

Yet Arizona must maintain a minimum occupancy in private prisons or face penalties. It is no secret that the state must keep the private prisons full to avoid these penalties.

If inmates being held on minor offenses are released, the need for these “for profit” institutions is reduced. Why not use the money that has been spent on private prisons to reinvest in education and rehabilitation? Once a person has been incarcerated and has a record, it becomes increasingly difficult for him or her to find work and assimilate into society.

Wouldn’t money spent on keeping people out of prison be of much greater value than spending that money to house people in prison? Arizona should follow the federal government’s lead and get out of the private prison business.

— Dave Quadlin, Scottsdale

Stop focusing on Sheriff Joe and start focusing on Clinton’s lies

The fact that this old veteran fought for his country so liberals like you could continue with your free speech doesn’t give you the right to make my blood pressure go sky high when you print articles saying that if Sheriff Joe Arpaio lies and should not be voted in as sheriff. If Hillary lies over and over and over again she should be our president. Don’t you ever think things through and realize that lying about our national security issues are far, far worse than lying about illegal immigration issues?

I’m not just talking about her e-mails, I’m talking about Benghazi, Whitewater, Travelgate, lying under oath to a Senate committee, inside information on stock trades, being broke leaving the Whitehouse, the Clinton foundation influence pedaling, deleting e-mails and almost anything that comes out of her mouth.

Please man up like us old vets and tell the whole truth and not only what your bosses insist on.

— Dean Neumeyer, Fountain Hills