Letters to the Editor | March 27, 2023

Irvo Otieno shouldn’t have died due to the lack of training of the sheriff’s deputies and health-care professionals involved in his death. Some years ago, my younger daughter fell and hit her forehead. When we got to the hospital, it was determined she needed stitches. When the two doctors and three nurses tried to cover her with a drape, leaving an opening through which to work, she fought them. I tried to explain that this 2-year-old was terrified, and if they would only let me under the drape with her, she would let them do their work. Finally, with five adults unable to hold her down, I was allowed to calm her, and the stitching proceeded without further incident. As I read about Otieno’s treatment and death at the hands of so-called professionals, I immediately thought of this from years ago. Of course he was terrified and struggled. I would have, too. Was no attempt made to calm him? Was brute force the only way? How many of these shameful deaths must take place before people are trained to treat other people in an informed and humane way? Why does brutality have to be the first action?

Jeannie Boehner, Philadelphia, cjboehner@comcast.net

The Anti-Defamation League reports an alarming rise in antisemitic incidents. Since 2018, when we witnessed the largest mass murder of Jewish people in America at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, it has now become routine to learn about the defacement of Jewish buildings and cemeteries. Leaders of Jewish communities across the world regularly appropriate large amounts of their budgets to security. Here in Pennsylvania, the Republican candidate’s inept campaign routinely sent out antisemitic dog whistle ads against Josh Shapiro. What can we do? We must do the opposite of what Florida’s governor is doing. Spend money on libraries and teaching. Ban assault-style weapons which turn hatred into murder. If keeping our children alive and thriving means that we are “woke,” I’m proud to wear that label. We need more of us.

Elliott Miller, Bala Cynwyd

Contrary to the assumption made in Inquirer reporter Michaelle Bond’s article on housing vouchers, most housing providers do not discriminate against Section 8 applicants. They avoid the voucher program because the Philadelphia Housing Authority is very poorly run. It takes up to two months for PHA to tell you how much it will offer you for rent. During that time, your house is vacant and not producing income. Why would you accept its offer when you can get more on the free market? The last time I had a rental opening, I had over 100 applicants and filled the vacancy within a week. When I did rent to Section 8, a decade ago, inspectors never showed up for their appointments. It was impossible to reach PHA if there was a problem, and it required me to make unnecessary adjustments to the house. I had no trouble with the tenants — it was the agency that drove me crazy. If PHA were not so poorly run, there would be more housing providers willing to participate in the voucher program.

Pauline Rosenberg, Philadelphia

City Council is demanding that the Philadelphia School District provide a road map for fixing long-standing environmental hazards in school buildings before it considers providing additional funding. Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. has responded that the district does not intend to create a capital plan until after its academic plan is completed in May. Bravo to the city for demanding action on a problem the district has known about for years. Watlington acknowledged recently that the damaged asbestos at Building 21 was discovered two or more years ago. While he was not in charge when that asbestos was first discovered, he was in charge when the Joseph & Associates consulting firm was hired for $450,000 to oversee his transition. Was that a responsible use of money in a district with such pressing problems? Superintendent Watlington’s transition plan may have involved creating an academic road map first. But leaders must be willing to change course when conditions on the ground demand it. Given that the district relies on the city and state for funding, it would be wise to comply with the reasonable request for a plan to achieve safe buildings.

Deanna Burney, Philadelphia

We’re going after oil in Alaska while most of us are still buying and driving SUVs, pickup trucks, and family saloon cars that get less than 30 mpg, indeed with some of those vehicles getting mileage only in the teens. So what does this mean? Are we unthinking, or do we just not care? The technology for family vehicles and small pickup trucks to get 50 to 60 mpg has been with us for years. Our Hyundai Ioniq, for example, gets up to 67 mpg. I would, therefore, ask people to think of the shiploads of oil that would be saved — and how much cleaner our air would be — if the next vehicle they bought was fuel efficient.

Peter Grove, Narberth

There’s no question that the Philadelphia Building Trades union stands to benefit from the years of construction work that will be required to build the 76ers’ $1.3 billion state-of-the-art arena. The real question is, when will Philadelphia start thinking big? When will we finally shake ourselves free of the civic inferiority complex that comes with being sandwiched between the power poles of New York City and Washington, D.C.? Sixers co-owner David Adelman is correct that his team is the redheaded stepchild of the Wells Fargo Center, with both the Flyers and concert promoters having first dibs on available dates. Ownership no longer wants to share the space, event schedule, or revenue with the Wells Fargo Center. And who can blame them? In the ultracompetitive NBA, franchises need to maximize revenue to afford and keep star players. Sparkling new arenas also draw interest from top-tier free agents. Yes, NIMBY-ism is in play, but the 76ers are committed to protecting the adjacent Chinatown community, pledging a significant $50 million benefits agreement to mitigate any temporary inconveniences associated with the construction process. We’re not alone in our support. A coalition of African American religious and business leaders just endorsed the project for the myriad economic opportunities it will bring. The upscale bars, restaurants, and shops the 76ers envision fronting East Market will draw more visitors to Chinatown and uplift the entire district. Build it and they will come.

Mark Lynch Jr., business manager, IBEW Local 98, Philadelphia

I applaud Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget line item that will provide a $2,500 tax credit to nurses entering the profession. But it’s not enough. We are in a health-care crisis, with systemic issues that need to be addressed. As a professional nurse with more than 37 years of experience, here are some recommendations: Finalize the appointment of a chief nursing officer of the commonwealth, someone who understands how we got to where we are, and what we need to do to fix it. Expose more high school students to nursing careers and the hospital environment to encourage more individuals to choose this path. Make obtaining nursing degrees more affordable. Then, when we have the students, we must provide the best education possible, including teachers with current practical experience, not just degrees. Finally, once we have successfully attracted talented young nurses to the field, we must support them in their careers. Safety in the workplace, appropriate staffing levels, and a commitment to caring for patients as job number one are great places to start.

Betty Long, president and CEO, Guardian Nurses, Flourtown

The Inquirer article on the King of Prussia rail line’s demise also contained a statement that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was to study a Roosevelt Boulevard subway as part of its ongoing Routes for Change program. Rapid transit to Northeast Philadelphia has been studied and restudied for a century. I fear this new study will also tell SEPTA General Manager Leslie Richards that “the math just doesn’t work” — and don’t expect it to work. The federal government, mired in debt, will not give $7 billion to Philadelphia. It just ain’t gonna happen. In 2016, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission published a report titled “Alternatives Development for Roosevelt Boulevard Transit Enhancements,” which focused on bus-based projects. With this document for guidance, the next step should be preliminary engineering for a Bus Rapid Transit line along the Boulevard. That’s the way to get to math that does work.

Robert P. Sechler, Media, rpssjs@yahoo.com

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