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Letters to the Editor
November 6, 2009
Editor’s note: Here’s a further sampling of letters about Galveston Housing Authority’s plans to rebuild the island’s public housing.
Tourism Focus Wrong For Best Housing Plan
In regard to the story “Racial tensions talk dominates housing meeting” (The Daily News, Oct. 30): Sadly, someone has determined that a majority of Galveston’s public housing residents are lazy and are drug dealers.
Both perceptions rail against the housing authority’s established policy of providing housing for low-income but responsible people, many of whom are single.
It appears now that redevelopment plans are purposefully directed toward maximizing tourism and substantially ridding Galveston of low-income families.
Important but glossed-over effects will be an upswing in local unemployment and a decrease in public-school enrollment.
What good will it do to create as many “gated communities” as possible and will they result in behavioral changes among those thought of as lazy and drug dealers?
Somewhere beyond the housing authority’s redevelopment plans, there must first be a meeting of minds among prospective residents, city and school officials, and local employers about the best way forward.
The underlying focus on promoting major tourist attractions The Strand, beach-front hotels and Moody Gardens does little to enhance housing redevelopment plans.
Philip Jones
Galveston
Taylor’s Ideas Should Be Followed Through
Heber Taylor’s ideas on rebuilding Magnolia Homes in his editorial “A chance to mold a bright future” (The Daily News, Oct. 21) are positive.
It’s also a thoughtful idea for low-income residents to stay instead of being on the streets.
Why can’t the people in Galveston just accept low-income housing?
They would rather build condominiums or other things.
I’m 100 percent behind Taylor’s idea but, if they don’t follow through, there is nothing we can do.
Desarae Victor
Galveston
‘Gated Community’ Comment Was A Slur
In the article “Isle housing authority is on the right track” (The Daily News, Oct. 30), Shrub Kempner said: “Those people seem to be dogmatically negative based on their apparent desire to have Galveston become some sort of gated community.”
How dare he characterize those of us who are questioning the wisdom of rebuilding the projects as wanting to turn Galveston into a gated community.
All of our friends and acquaintances made the choice to move here and did so because Galveston is not a sterile suburb but a unique historic community, with a blending of many cultures, interesting histories and lots of character.
Most of us also chose to live in the older neighborhoods, with a mix of ethnic groups, nationalities, income levels and ages. And, yes, we all get along.
We don’t need to build new mixed-income level developments because we already have them.
And these neighborhoods didn’t need to be artificially created; they came together naturally.
Jacquelyn Tarpy
Galveston
Drop Your Prices On Gas Hitchcock
It’s back to the same ole’ routine with recent gas-price gouging.
I watch the price of crude oil every day. I also keep tabs on prices at a local gas station.
As oil prices rise, it will put gas prices up 2 to 3 cents, and sometimes a nickel, in the late evenings. On Oct. 30, the price went up to $2.47 per gallon for unleaded gas. But oil was down $5 per barrel that day — from about $82 to $77 a barrel.
In general, when oil goes up a dollar, gas rises about 3 to 4 cents. So, there should have been a decrease in gas prices to about 20 cents less than posted.
It doesn’t take long for gas-station managers to run out and raise the cost of gas when oil prices rise. But, when oil prices fall, the price per gallon of gas stays up!
Is this gouging?
Ed Matthews
Hitchcock
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