Letters to the Editor

To the Editor: After reading Jim Borah’s Op-Ed (“Care needed in establishing state’s benefit exchange,” April 16, 2012), I wanted to add my thoughts to this discussion. May 12

To the Editor: The Great Recession led to a quiet crisis of justice in Rhode Island and across our nation. Reduced funding forced courts to cut the hours they were open, lay off essential staff, and even delay civil trials. Making matters worse, crime victims are not getting the restitution they are legally owed because until recently there has not been a mechanism to collect that debt. May 12

To the Editor: The city of Providence just passed laws that prevent the sale of noncigarette fruit- and candy-flavored tobacco products, as well as bans pricing and promotional strategies aimed at lowering the cost of tobacco products. The idea is to decrease the number of minors consuming tobacco products. But rather than punishing the citizens who help minors gain access to those products, the city is putting restrictions on the types of products that local businesses can sell. The result of this kind of thinking will only punish the people who sell the products legally. Feb 18

To the Editor: Perhaps the Providence Business News should put more business into its news (“Bad move by Warwick City Council on Green,” Dec. 12, 2011) and run the R.I. Airport Corporation’s “spreadsheet.” Dec 24

To the Editor, I am at a loss to understand how this current fiscal crisis in this country was not seen coming down the pike 10 years ago. I am not speaking of the foretelling of economic downturns with palm reading or tarot cards but something of a legitimate nature. What powerful information source can do this? Economic history and statistics. Oct 22

To the Editor: I note that, in connection with Richard Schartner’s statements about putting his farmland on the market (“Farm preservation can’t find buyer,” Aug. 15, 2011), that some of the neighbors were concerned that this could lead to development threatening the character of the area. Sep 10

To the Editor: With the summer vacation season coming to a close, Rhode Islanders who were traveling by car to their destinations experienced the harsh reality of high gas prices firsthand. Sep 10

To the Editor: After much initial promise and fanfare, our proposed Allens Avenue waterfront development is dead. The property is now in bankruptcy and for sale or eventual foreclosure if a buyer cannot be found in this economy. One interested buyer is a scrap-metal company that can export scrap by water via our deepwater dock. The eventuality of such a use will end the cruise ship visits to the site and provide those millions of motorists entering the so-called Renaissance City from the south another highly visible, ugly and toxic image of Providence. Jul 23

To the Editor: In response to the June 20-24 PBN.com poll (“Should the historic-preservation tax credit be reinstated?”), our state government should look into reviving the historic-preservation tax credit with an emphasis on a tiered, graduating basis – setting a reasonable cap or level of award, devising a scoring system that’s somewhat competitive yet flexible to assign to a worthy project and systematically set a schedule for how many projects can be claimed/redeemed for such credits. Jul 16

To the Editor: One of Rhode Island’s most underappreciated resources is our wonderful architecture (“Should the historic-preservation tax credit be reinstated?” June 20-24, PBN.com). Jul 16