Our working from home saves you money

I would like to respond to the “A tariff on work-at-home employees” letter from May 4. The letter writer proposes a tax on work-at-home employees because he pays taxes on vacant government tax-exempt buildings.

I am one of those employees. The reason Gov. Walz wants employees back to the workplace is to increase human traffic in and near downtown, because downtown St. Paul is dying. First of all, the buildings are not vacant. In fact, it is going to cost you, and all taxpayers, hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions to have us come back full time. Do you know why Walz can’t have us do that? He’s asking us to come back only half time … It’s because there isn’t room. I’ve been told there isn’t room for us all at the same time.

When I was in the Centennial Office Building, I never supported downtown anyway. Parking is too expensive, and so is most of the food, and it was dangerous five years ago and is more dangerous now.

We are actually more efficient working from home. I can routinely put in more actual work. There is no “water-cooler” wasted time. There is far less distraction (this is huge) during the time I do work. Meetings are more efficient via on-line tools for communication. This last weekend I volunteered to put in two extra hours on Sunday to get something done because I did not need to go into an office. This can happen often. Otherwise I would not. If I work 8-4:30 with no commute, many times I lose track of time and work beyond that. I can work when I am a little sick and don’t spread germs, cutting down on absenteeism. I had to buy my own computer monitors, desk, wifi, and other accoutrements of an “office” that the State would otherwise have to purchase.

Work from home saves YOU money.

— Robert Johnson, Shoreview

This is happening in America?

I’m almost 75 and have followed the news my whole life and I have never seen headlines and articles in the Pioneer Press or anywhere else like I’ve seen in the last week. Please read, believe and wake up.

May 1st headline, “Trump family company strikes Qatari golf resort deal.”

May 2nd headline, “Cryptocurrency: Trump’s private enterprise presents possible conflicts.”

Both of these moves by Trump are what is known as “pay to play.” Both are unethical, illegal and violate the Constitution and are meant to enrich Trump and his family.

May 3rd headline, “Trump orders defunding of NPR and PBS.” According to the article this likely violates the First Amendment of the Constitution and raises numerous legal questions. May 4th headline, “Trump criticized for AI image of himself as pope.” King of the country. King of the world and now Pope! May 5th headline, “Trump: I don’t know about due process.” When asked in that interview whether he needed to uphold the Constitution, he responded with, “I don’t know.” Twice he has taken the presidential oath which states, “I solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” The Presidential Oath and the U. S. Constitution leave absolutely no room for, “I don’t know.”

Is this happening in America? Really? This all from a convicted felon. Maybe we should reopen Alcatraz, May 5th headline. Then Trump should be sent there as their first resident.

— Dennis Fendt, Oakdale

Keep the stories we have, and add more

We Americans had finally started to include everyone in the past in American history — women, African Americans, Asian Americans, Latina and Latino Americans, and Native peoples who preceded the rest of us in this land, plus workers and immigrants and people with disabilities. It’s wrong to write them out of American history again. Keep everyone’s stories in the record, and add more.

— Debbie Miller, St. Paul

Stop the $50,000 Frisbee giveaway

At a time when Minnesota is staring down the barrel of a projected $6 billion budget deficit, you would think our state leaders would be focused on the basics — public safety, education, infrastructure. But instead, the DFL majority at the Capitol wants to spend $50,000 of your money to celebrate “50 years of Frisbee sports in Minnesota.”

That’s not a joke. It’s House File 3178. You can look it up yourself at revisor.mn.gov.

With serious challenges facing Minnesotans — crime in our cities, declining test scores in our schools, and increasing costs for working families — spending taxpayer dollars on commemorative Frisbee events isn’t just wasteful, it’s offensive.

No one is saying Frisbee sports don’t have value or that enthusiasts shouldn’t celebrate the milestone. But let’s be honest: This is the kind of thing private citizens, clubs, or corporate sponsors should handle — not the state government. When everyday Minnesotans are tightening their belts, state leaders should be doing the same.

Minnesota families don’t have the luxury of spending $50,000 on symbolic gestures. They expect their elected officials to make responsible choices with their hard-earned tax dollars. That means focusing on core responsibilities like keeping our communities safe and ensuring every child receives a quality education — not funding feel-good projects with no public benefit.

— Doug Willetts, Eagan

Understating the tragedy

The not-meant-to-be-funny political cartoon from Dave Granlund in the Pioneer Press on Saturday, May 3, led with the caption “1975 — Official end of Vietnam War”, had a drawing of many empty but well-worn military boots and a couple of American flags, and ended with the caption “For 58,220 it came earlier.” I submit that he understated the tragedy of the Vietnam War quite a bit.

Here is a more complete list of casualties from that senseless war: Vietnamese civilians — 2 million. North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers — 1.1 million. South Vietnamese soldiers — 250,000. U.S. soldiers — 58,000. South Korean soldiers — 4,000. Plus about a thousand more from other countries in the region. All tragic deaths, and all unnecessary. Some of us knew that 50 years ago. All of us know that now.

— John Crea, St. Paul

Respect for vets

Dave Granlund’s tribute to Vietnam Vets was a welcome addition to the Opinion Page. There are 70 million Baby Boomers alive; over the next 10-20 years we will die off. Until then, it is insulting and heartbreaking for the president and his loyal followers to dismiss the lives given, by our contemporaries, in so many other wars — Vietnam, Grenada, Afghanistan. And what about the war so many forget — Korea? Divide and conquer — set one group against another, appears to be the mantra of the Washington D.C. leadership. I hope all vets (and their families and friends) will come together to protest renaming holidays on a whim from the current president.

— Jerry Carroll, Roseville

I hope the kind man who helped me won’t be among those cut at Social Security

Knowing that the current administration, in one of its numerous inexplicable and wrongheaded moves, has directed the Social Security Administration to cut its staff, it was with some trepidation that I called SSA with several questions following the recent death of my wife.

Rather than waiting on hold, I was able to request a callback, which I received an hour later. The man I spoke with was considerate and efficient, explaining things clearly. He told me I would need to go to SSA’s St. Paul office in person and made that appointment for me. Minutes after hanging up I received an email confirming the details of my appointment.

I don’t know who will be cut at SSA. I dearly hope the kind man who helped me won’t be one of them.

— David Healy, St. Paul

Sainted

There are several individuals who are concerned with the welfare of the feral cats in our area. We truly have a Saint in our community who provides a monthly supply of food to each of us to assure these animals aren’t suffering from hunger. I want to say thank you so very much, I truly believe you to be a Saint.

P.S. I haven’t seen a mouse in years!

— Steven M. Evans, Little Canada,