Letters: County ammo tax targets only legal gun owners

In the Nov. 10 Reader Feedback, County Board President Toni Preckwinkle promotes her plan for a new county tax on ammunition. She says she is proud of this initiative.

In all of Illinois, only those who have jumped through the required hoops to acquire an FOID may legally purchase ammunition. Under her plan, those who legally use firearms will be paying more for the actions of those who use guns illegally. Her plan to equate legal gun use with illegal is diabolic, and will drive FOID holders out of the county for their purchases. Every Cook County resident who believes in freedom needs to stand up and say “no” to this underhanded plan.

Mark A Nauyokas, Justice

More taxes

The Cook County commissioners agree that reducing the overall budget by 1 percent would reduce their capability to provide necessary services. Their alternative is to increase the tax budget by 1 percent, thereby forcing taxpayers to reduce their earned income by that amount. The various taxing bodies all are seeking additional tax dollars, fines and fees from taxpayers that in totality are considerable. Each dollar we taxpayers pay in taxes reduces our spending capabilities and lowers our standard of living.

John Culloton, Norwood Park

Not a misnomer

On Nov. 10, Chicago buried nine-year-old Tyshawn Lee, ambushed and shot dead to spite his father in a senseless gang-related spat.

Does anyone still insist “Chiraq” is a misnomer?

Ted Z. Manuel, Hyde Park

Invest in early education

The United States has 5 percent of the world’s population, however it has 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. It appears warehousing is not the solution to our ever-increasing prison population and obliviously most attempts at rehabilitation do little or nothing. Perhaps investing heavily in early education/assistance would be more beneficial than investing later in prisoner warehousing.

John Corona, Niles

Fall from grace

Barbara Byrd-Bennett’s pathetic fall from grace is yet another lamentable example of a wrongdoer’s betrayal of trust and abuse of power. Perhaps most significant is that she, like all other cheaters, did not attend to the following age-old profound wisdom: If one does not pay meticulous, scrupulous attention to one’s boundaries (whether personal, professional, occupational, political or otherwise), all relationships risk ruin.

What a miserable role model this failed leader was to countless others, especially women. It isn’t common to see women in high positions of leadership make the headlines. I am certain that this is not the kind of equality people seek for men and women.

It is easier to look out the window than into the mirror. And since all relationships are co-created, what might it say about us that we permit, even reward, such dysfunctional leaders?

Leon J. Hoffman, Lake View