Letters: Lexington destroying its neighborhoods; growth concerns in Nicholasville

Preserve neighborhoods

Herald-Leader opinions columnist Linda Blackford shows an inability to understand the concept of neighborhood; if she did, she would not find the resistance to development so difficult to understand. It is not simply a matter of emotion. It is a matter of people feeling comfortable living in a certain area, hopefully with people they either know or feel comfortable with. Urban sprawl destroys this by often bringing in buildings that do not fit in, with bright security lights, with traffic, trash, and noise. And many times the development ends up empty in a few years.

The other problem is that those of us who live here are very cynical about the process because the developers always get their way if they hold out long enough. I used to live on a quiet cul-de-sac called Stratford Drive in the Southland neighborhood. We enjoyed the park, the pool, the schools, and the churches. I wonder why, if the city is so hell-bent on housing density, Lexington Catholic High School was allowed to tear down nice homes to expand a parking lot.

Lexington is being destroyed for what its best qualities used to be: good neighborhoods where citizens feel comfortable, secure, and are proud of their city.

Sally Wasielewski, Lexington

Pay attention, Nicholasville

I invite Nicholasville residents to attend the city planning and zoning meeting on Feb 24 at 7 p.m. at the courthouse (with possible continuation on Feb. 25). It’s approaching election season for Nicholasville, and the discussion about the future of Lone Oak golf course will be the first decision about responsible growth in our city.

An appropriate amount of growth could fit in the Lone Oak property. However, the residential plan submitted is like erecting two Baptist Health hospitals spread over 100 acres because it can only be two stories tall.The project would pave over everything else except a retention basin for parking, and would include entries through quiet neighborhoods. .

Our planning and zoning wouldn’t approve a zone change for that scenario, right? The actual plan is similar but with two-story houses instead of hospital beds.

Many large-development proposals include meetings with neighbors, impact studies, and offers to provide a decent park space to the city in exchange for the inconvenience and the millions of dollars to be made in profits. Not with this proposal.

If city leaders don’t see a better plan can be reached to benefit citizens and local business leaders, that will be important to keep in mind in the coming months.

Jim Kaiser, Nicholasville

Support Marsy’s Law

In 1994 I survived a stranger rape. Though it took two decades to find the assailant, I’m thankful the prosecution provided me with the support and representation I needed throughout the overwhelming judicial process.

Unfortunately, many do not share that same experience and are too often revictimized by our criminal justice system. I believe all crime victims deserve justice, and while justice looks different for everyone, it should be equally obtainable. Marsy’s Law (state Senate Bill 15) will provide people directly harmed by crime with a fair judicial process that would expand and preserve their constitutional rights. Under Marsy’s Law, those affected by crime will be protected, supported, and informed of their legal process.

When I picture Lady Justice, I see strength, fairness, balance, and equality. In reality, the scales are not balanced, to the detriment of the truly innocent and the victimized, and these people are cast aside every day. For the past five years, I have helped obtain better laws and policies for people victimized by crimes. We must do better and correct this imbalance within the criminal justice system.

Please join me in supporting Marsy’s Law and encourage our Kentucky lawmakers to pass it in 2020.

Michelle Kuiper, Lexington

Solar panels? Please.

I couldn’t help but laugh when I read about solar energy for the home and how it saves money and you get a return from the utility company for the extra energy you produce. Get real. The only people that can afford solar panels are those that don’t have trouble paying their bill in the first place, and they demand the same rate of return that the utilities charge without having to pay for the upkeep of the utilities. This in turn makes the utility company raise everyone’s rates. Look at the size of homes being built today and you can see where all the energy consumption goes. Homes today are four times the size of homes built in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and many couples don’t even have children. Please don’t tout your planet-saving panels while looking down on the people that are less fortunate, especially while sitting in front of the fire in the lodge in Colorado on vacation.

William Condra, Lexington

McConnell in right spot

Amy McGrath, who is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Senate against Sen. Mitch McConnell, has an honorable and commendable history as an Air Force pilot. However, electing her to the U.S. Senate would be a mistake. If elected, she would be a backbencher without the ability to accomplish the things that McConnell has for Kentucky and the country in his position as the U.S. Senate majority leader.

McConnell is right where he should be: the U.S. Senate majority leader. I will be voting for him again.

Ted Smith, Park Hills

Constitutional refresher

I have always been told that Sen. Mitch McConnell is a constitutional authority. But I wonder if he hasn’t relinquished the right to be called an authority regarding the subject of the separation of powers.

I suggest the senator read the Federalist Papers No. 47-51 in which James Madison writes extensively on the subject. He will see that President Donald Trump is violating the Constitution as well as the law in injecting himself into the other branches of the government, most notably the judiciary branch, as well as the legislative branch. This is why our Founding Fathers wrote and spoke so much about our constitutional system of checks and balances, as well as the separation of powers.

I don’t understand why the Senate cannot, will not, or is afraid to explain to Trump this important component of the Constitution. Trump is becoming the tyrant the Founding Fathers were trying to avoid.

“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many… may be justly pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”- James Madison

McConnell is supposed to represent the interests of his constituents. He is not supposed to represent the personal interests of any president.

Diana Nave, Lexington

Thanks, senator

Good laws help me and my fellow financial services professionals serve the best interests of our clients, who include families striving to meet their financial goals, save for retirement, and cover healthcare needs.

The federal spending bill, which the president signed into law at the end of December, includes several measures that are particularly important to my Main Street clients.

The SECURE Act, which was included in the bill, makes it much easier for small businesses to offer retirement savings plans and to provide guaranteed income in retirement, significantly increasing overall retirement readiness. It also provides workers with greater flexibility and more incentives to prepare for retirement.

The health plan tax and the so-called “Cadillac tax” would have made it more costly for employers to provide health insurance for employees. The year-end bill permanently repeals these taxes, encouraging companies to offer workers high-quality benefits. Additional provisions protect citizens and businesses who may face financial losses due to flooding or acts of terrorism not covered by standard property insurance.

I am thankful that my senator, Mitch McConnell, provided strong leadership in supporting this important legislation.

Brian L. Wilson, Richmond

It’s our turn

Why do we vote against our own self-interest?

I have been ruminating on this lately, a thought that seems to lie in the back of my mind at all times when contemplating the idiosyncrasies of this commonwealth. We revere the coal miner, the working man, the independence and just nature of what that work represents. We stand, for good reason, with our farmers and horsemen. But when we step into the ballot box, do we forget that? What motivates the decision to vote against our own self-interests? The men and women of the commonwealth have put into this system for decades, and it’s time for us to make a withdrawal. The current Republican representation in Washington represents the status quo and has done so for years. They are content to line their pockets with the sweat of your brow. They are anti-union and pro-corporate profits,and have conditioned us to be happy with the “trickle-down” economic conditions that make earning a living doing honest work an impossibility in parts of our state. Demand recompense, demand a piece of the pie and demand a just share of America you built. Demand this with your vote.

Matthew A. Douglas, Lexington

This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 11:12 AM.