Delivery tax

I’d like to comment on Sunday’s article regarding the Boston City Council weighing a new food delivery tax (“Boston City Council weighing contentious new food delivery tax,” March 22).

I had to read the article three times to try to understand how a 15 cent tax would improve public safety – are the delivery people suddenly going to stop bicycling on the sidewalks, or stop bicycling against traffic, or start stopping at all red lights, or start to yield to pedestrians?

It is just another political money grab that is SO out of touch it’s laughable.

Donald Trump was elected again, City Council, so READ THE ROOM!  Enough!

And this is coming from a voter who leans Democratic 80% of the time.
The phrase ‘nickel and diming’ us to death fits perfectly here, because 15 cents literally is a nickel and a dime, lol!

Ken Mahoney

Peabody

Prostitution

Much printer’s ink has been shed reporting that Cambridge City Council member Paul Toner was among the men charged with patronizing a prostitute. The publicity might well have repercussions in the sphere of his job, his marriage and his political career.

The time is long past for Massachusetts to treat prostitution as it has chosen to deal with cannabis: Legalize it. That would stop the headlines such as this and, consequently, the collateral damage.

Harvey A. Silverglate

Cambridge

Progressive agenda

Mayor Michelle “not my first rodeo” Wu, appearing to relish opinions as strong as Irish coffee, whatever that means, delights in sharing that Boston is diverse (28% of our residents were born in another country) and safe. This isn’t 1847. Boston isn’t accepting poor Irish victims of potato blight. This is a modern, technologically advanced city with deep roots in American history. Yet we have empty storefronts, trash, homelessness, drug use, bicycles on sidewalks, and bus lanes that serve primarily as short-cuts through traffic.

Take a walk up State Street, once a coveted address for merchants, lawyers, and investment managers. Today, it’s a pothole-strewn, barren landscape of failed or struggling businesses with a bike lane that seemingly serves no purpose other than to dissuade people from visiting. It’s pathetic.

Now we have the owner of Giorgiana’s market on Tremont Street on the verge of losing her business due to decisions made by Wu. Her business survived COVID and the George Floyd riot vandalism, and she thought she was in a better place financially. But the progressives in city government have apparently decided she hasn’t suffered enough. Here’s an opinion – there’s an agenda at work here. And it’s not in our favor.

Sean F. Flaherty

Boston

Sanctuary

My letter is short and to the point. Why can’t the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have a vote, Yes or No, on the question of our state being a sanctuary state?

Tony Meschini

Scituate