Keep the focus on the real scandal of Scott Pruitt at the EPA

I am pleased to see that the Sun-Times is zeroing in on the real story with regard to Scott Pruitt, director of the Environmental Protection Agency. Yes, from luxury travel to absurd security expenses, Pruitt is setting a bad example. But the real scandal is what he is doing to the voices of science and reason within the EPA and the outrageous harm he is doing to our environment — an environment that he has sworn to protect. These are crimes against all living things on our planet, committed solely in the name of ignorance, prejudice and greed.

William Gutsch

Professor of astronomy

Kinnelon, New Jersey

GOP tax plan got me a refund

Unlike the writer in an opinion piece on Sunday, I am not a firefighter paying more under the new federal income tax plan. I am a hardworking self-employed person doing my best to make a decent living. I also consider my self to be middle-class, though I don’t make close to the $70,000 plus overtime, generous benefits and cushy pension that firefighters enjoy.

I was pleasantly surprised this spring that for the first time in years I will be getting a substantial tax refund. I’m probably going to spend it on a new set of tires for my 14-year-old car so I can keep going, or maybe go on a short vacation. I could use a break. The new Republican tax plan appears to be working for me and a lot of other truly middle-class workers, and I am grateful for what I have.

Mark Moran, Willowbrook

Chicago’s third waterfront

In Monday’s paper, reporter Fran Spielman detailed Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to develop additional parkland along the North Branch of the Chicago River. His hope is to make Chicago a “two-waterfront” city.

Chicago, in fact, has a third waterfront, primarily in the 10th Ward: the Calumet River. What about developing parkland there, Mr. Mayor, along with a river walk, instead of using it as a place to dump petcoke?

But the Calumet River is on the South Side, not the North, and in Chicago, that makes all the difference.

John Vukmirovich, Lemont

Our uncooperative president

I cannot understand President Trump’s lack of cooperation with the ongoing investigation into Russian tampering in the last election. Surely, it could have ended by now, had there been more cooperation on his end. Instead, he has fired people and remains obstinate to the investigators. Each day brings new revelations about his past conduct. And it’s certainly not presidential at all.

Vincent Kamin, the Loop