Road damage

Here’s a thought about roads: quit advertising for people to come here! Less tourists, less road damage.

Jim Morter

Sisters

Paying for services

There is no doubt that more revenue is needed to support the continued rapid growth in population and new construction in Deschutes County. Having acknowledged that, and the continuous rise in real property, it would seem that the tax base should be keeping up with the added need of services. Tourism is flourishing, and hotel and usage charges are increasing.

Perhaps the commissioners can find the funds to forestall new bond measures for the near future.

Rob Rowley

Bend

Lights Out does not mean no lights

We at Lights Out Bend share the same goals for Bend as noted in your editorial of Aug. 11 (“Darkness not a win for all”): a safe, economically vibrant, livable city that supports human and environmental health and maintains its charm as we experience growth.

First and foremost, we agree entirely with your concern, that “Good night lighting is critical” for people with disabilities and for safety in general. Lights Out Bend does not seek to remove or reduce street lighting as you suggest. We are advocating for BETTER lighting on the streets! It’s just that “better” does not equal “brighter,” as evidenced in part by the American Medical Association’s findings on street light color and brightness. Better lighting consists of improved designs that deliver a comfortable color of light to WHERE it is needed, and WHEN, and nowhere else. Light fixtures that shine light downward where it is wanted — and not up into the sky — and shine in an amber hue save energy and, critically, completely remove dangerous glare. Removing glare actually allows us to see much better at night because our eyes can adjust to somewhat reduced lighting in a consistent environment. Deep shadows are the result of very bright light with some degree of glare, and are the enemy of being able to see well, and safely, at night.

We absolutely want the best for our communities with regard to safety and health. We encourage your readers to learn more about lighting, and safety, at the following website: darksky.org/light-pollution/lighting-crime-and-safety.

Robin Werdal

Bend

Candidates should explain

I recently retired and moved to Oregon. The frequent news stories about Social Security and Medicare running out of money are alarming. Congress keeps passing stop-gap measures to keep these funds solvent for short time periods. What do our congressional candidates propose in order to fix these funds permanently? Do they favor or oppose expanding coverage to include vision, hearing and dental? Repairs and improvements to these programs will require additional funds. Would they support a payroll or other tax increase if it will fix the present funding issues? Or would they oppose all tax increases and prefer cuts in these programs, and if so, what should be cut? If any candidate’s answer is to “eliminate waste and inefficiency,” I hope they will be specific as to what they would eliminate and how much it will save.

Nelson Rivers

Redmond

A salute to fourth-graders

A recent Bulletin prominently featured a column by Jay Ambrose, who seems to think that children should leave concern about the environment to “researchers with more training” than the fourth-grader who publicized the polluting effects of plastic straws. Such actions achieve nothing, Ambrose says, other than allowing “extreme leftists and their dupes” to feel soothed. Mr. Ambrose is correct: there are issues of greater significance than straws. But when a child (or anyone) cares enough to gather information, take a stand and try to make a difference, that citizen can rightly feel a sense of accomplishment and, most important, of participation. These young citizens may start small, but they’re the ones who grow up to be thoughtful activists and voters. Mr. Ambrose misses the point. What he considers “misplaced idealism” can create change that is sorely needed in this world. It has done so before and will again. I salute the next generation — the fourth-graders who begin by fighting plastic straws.

Marilyn McFarlane

Portland