Net-zero goals

The housing crisis in Boston and Massachusetts generally will not be solved by short-sighted backtracking on net-zero goals.

It doesn’t make sense for any new construction, affordable, luxury, or in-between, to be built that is dependent on fossil fuels. Just take a walk around Boston today, and look at the hazy sky from Canadian wildfires. Or visit an emergency room, and see how many asthma patients show up on any day with wildfire haze.

As the climate crisis worsens, anything that adds to this misery by adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere will finally need to stop. Why build housing that might last for many decades if it is not ready for net-zero emissions? The technology is available now, and the costs continue to decrease. Public projects at scale are even beginning on existing buildings – like the geothermal project in my city of Framingham, which my neighbors have enthusiastically embraced.

Boston should be able to outpace Framingham. Net-zero new construction is not only possible, it is absolutely necessary.

Mary Memmott

Framingham

Kamala Harris

Rosie Ruiz was declared the winner of the 84th Boston Marathon for eight days until it was discovered that she never ran the entire course.  She jumped in the race late and was crowned the winner without even breaking a sweat.  Can you see the similarities?  Kamala Harris never entered the race for president.  She didn’t win one primary or caucus.  She didn’t attend any town halls or hold interviews to explain and defend her record.  Rich Lowry, in the Herald, put it succinctly, “She has done nothing to win the Democratic nomination.”  Joe Biden hid out in his basement and won the presidency.  Kamala Harris is hiding in plain sight with hopes of winning the presidency.  She is the Rosie Ruiz of presidential politics.

Donald Houghton

Quincy

Child tax credit

How can senators turn their back on children? On Aug. 1, the Senate voted down the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act. As a result, 16 million children in working families must needlessly continue to struggle.

The key to this bill was the expansion of the Child Tax Credit, one of our most effective tools at reducing child poverty. But too many children experiencing poverty are left out of the full credit. This bill would have helped.

You would think that in an election year, passing tax breaks that help children, families, and small business owners would be a no-brainer. The House certainly did when they passed the bill back in January. But for some senators, political ambition was more important than hungry kids.

I do thank Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey for putting families first by voting YES. Congress must not let this happen again. I expect our congressional delegation to support expanding the CTC to all families with low incomes in 2025.

William Deignan

Medford