It's time for Pennsylvania to enact the real cure

I am not surprised the PG thinks "most Pennsylvanians would opt for the governor's broad-based solution" regarding Ed Rendell's plan to balance the state budget that includes a 16 percent increase to the personal income tax ("Taxing Times," June 18 editorial). After all, it's easier to treat the symptom than focus on the cure.

The real cure involves addressing a traditionally bloated state government and its programs filled with fat and duplications. Since there is no way that will happen in time for this budget, do what businesses do in tough times: Determine the amount of spending that must be cut and do it. And, please, don't buy into Gov. Rendell's rhetoric that this means vital services such as police and education will be the first to go. His parading of school district superintendents in front of the microphone crying about raising property taxes is a charade and meant as a political scare tactic. And, by the way, where is all that casino money first-term Rendell promised that was going to relieve property taxes?

As a start I would encourage the PG editors to reread Brian O'Neill's column from June 18 ("Tax Hikes? How About Paring the Legislature?"). Once past this budget process, let's all get behind the effort to correct this disgrace. Although it's small potatoes in the larger financial picture, it will take nothing short of a taxpayer revolt to slaughter that pig.

GRIER KUEHN
Green Tree

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Citizens benefit

I am writing to take exception to the June 16 article by Rich Lord regarding City Council's efforts to bring live video streaming of council meetings to the Internet ("Council Seeks Vendor to Put Meetings Online"). Mr. Lord poked fun at some members who used a little drama over the years to make a point, and said council plays to the camera to showcase pets and torture other officials. Surely he knows there is a much larger purpose.

The city clerk's office has been exploring video streaming for council for some time, because it is the right form of technology for today's environment, and because Pennsylvania Right to Know laws and transparency in government are what the public -- and the media -- have been asking for! With video streaming, if you want to watch the discussion of a specific topic, you no longer have to sit through an entire meeting. You type in a key word and the technology brings you directly to that discussion. If you don't subscribe to cable, or if you live outside the city limits where the government channel is not accessible, you can use your personal computer to watch the meeting 24/7. I'll bet a lot of residents who live in the suburbs may still be interested in the hub of local government.

Let the public be clear. Pittsburgh City Council has one of the most open forms of government. Our Web site contains a Legislative Information Center that is state of the art, and video streaming will be added to the menu. We are open for business.

MARY BETH DOHENY
Deputy Clerk
City of Pittsburgh
Downtown

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Not speaking for all

I am writing in response to the article "AMA Wary of Obama Call for Public Health Insurance" (June 11 Web). As a family physician, I am extremely disappointed that the American Medical Association opposes Americans having the choice of a public health insurance option.

The AMA represents only a small fraction of all doctors in the country, and by attempting to block this necessary reform, it shows itself to be out of touch with the majority of physicians. I support a public health insurance option that is open to all. The private insurance industry has shown its inability to keep health care affordable and reliably available.

I am frustrated with our current system where profit-driven companies stand between me and my patients. The solution begins with a real public health insurance option so Americans have another choice.

ALLISON AIKEN, M.D.
Friendship

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Our medical future

I would like to extend my thanks to the team of professionals at UPMC Presby for the care they gave my mother after her femur and partial hip replacement surgery. I would like to especially thank her surgeon Dr. Ivan Tarkin for his remarkable expertise and bedside manner. If it were not for this surgeon and my mother's health care, she would not be walking today.

My mother is 84 years old and partially blind. The night before her surgery, I thanked God that she had the health-care plan that she had, in order for her to have the procedure she needed. If there were a government-sponsored universal health plan, would they have fixed my mother's leg as quickly as they did or would she be walking today?

Our health-care system is the best in the world. It may need some work, but it does not need to be replaced.

Remember we will all be old one day. Is this the plan we want for our future?

JOANNE TEGETHOFF
McCandless

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A humane system

As we make decisions about health care in our country, I wanted to share my experience growing up in Canada. Our family moved to Canada when I was 10 years old. Our family was covered by the national health-care system. We had excellent health care, and in fact, my mother still sees our family doctor.

I had my tonsils and wisdom teeth out there, and my mother is still receiving state-of-the-art care as she ages. The cost of our health care to our family was and continues to be zero dollars. Everyone is provided with free health care -- the rich, the poor and all of us in between. I proudly tell the story of Canada's fair, humane and effective health-care system. I would like to be equally proud of our health-care system in the United States.

MIRIAM DeRISO
Point Breeze

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Keep them honest

From personal experience, our family has learned that a government-run insurance plan is essential to keep insurance companies honest. Our son has special needs but works two jobs. Of course, neither of the jobs provide health care, so we're currently forced into the "for profit" private market for health care and insurance.

It took much research and confusion, but we found what appeared to be a decent plan for a healthy single young man. After several routine doctor visits, including one for an ear infection, we discovered this plan from a major insurer did not cover any of his visits, tests or prescriptions, plus it has significantly increased his policy rate twice already, in two years.

Outside competition is necessary to keep the insurance companies honest. I received excellent government-run health coverage while I was in the Navy, and our government can best provide -- and should provide -- honest coverage for those who need it most.

G. KATILIUS
Murrysville

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These exit exams are opposed by a broad coalition

Your June 10 article "Senate OKs Bill to Block New Pa. Graduation Exams" contained an erroneous statement by Gov. Ed Rendell, in which he blamed the Pennsylvania State Education Association for leading the fight against a proposal to require school districts to impose punitive exit exams on high school students.

Such statements show disrespect to the parents, teachers, school administrators and organizations representing minority, special-needs and gifted students which, for over a year, have consistently opposed such proposals. Regional coalitions of school districts like the South Hills Area School Districts Association have passed resolutions opposing mandatory exit exams, and more resolutions are on the way.

In fact, education groups that represent hundreds of thousands of people, such as the Coalition for Effective and Responsible Testing (CERT) and the Southeastern Pennsylvania School Districts' Education Coalition, have testified at hearings and contacted policy-makers with letters, phone calls and visits, voicing opposition to a new round of tests that have no basis in research and would do nothing to improve student achievement.

As professionals directly involved with schools, we believe the key to ensuring that students leave high school prepared for secondary education and the work force is not in untested, unproven and costly proposals to require a new round of exams.

That is why nearly 20 organizations formed CERT and developed a plan to ensure high school diplomas are meaningful and help all students achieve. We urge readers to speak out in favor of educational reforms that research has shown will better prepare our students for the future.

LAWRENCE A. FEINBERG
Co-Chairman
Southeastern Pennsylvania School Districts Education Coalition
Ardmore, Pa.
MICHELE MORROW
President
Pennsylvania PTA CERT (Coalition for Effective and Responsible Testing)
Bath, Pa.

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