The City of St. Paul is constantly raising taxes, which can result in taxing people (especially elderly) out of their homes.

When our winter season begins and the city declares snow emergencies, they threaten to tag and tow cars. The city only seems to ticket and tow cars in downtown, around Grand Avenue and Highland Park.

If they would stand firm on their stance of towing and ticketing illegally parked vehicles from all over the city would make more money AND create safer streets.

If they’re not going to tag and tow cars all over, why bother doing it at all? It’s a joke!

Jacqueline Heintz, St. Paul

Cause of the collapse

Gregg Mensing’s letter published Sunday, Jan. 19, “The Obama Economy,” cannot go unanswered. He notes, “our economy collapsed under President Bush, a collapse caused by the banking industry.”

That banking industry was solely responsible for the 2007 economic collapse is fantasy, an incorrect recollection of economic history. Most recessions and economic collapses are the product of bad government policy. The one in 2007 was no different.

In the run-up to that recession congressman Barney Frank and U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd manufactured reckless, high-risk government housing policies in an effort to generate home ownership. Sen. Dodd, as I recall, was bought and paid for by the housing industry, having refinanced two of his properties via Countrywide Financial at exceptionally low interest rates via his personal relationship with Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo.

At the same time, an ideological Fed Chairman – a disciple of Ayn Rand – was force-feeding money into financial markets with excessive expansionary money-supply policy that continued for years. Housing economist Ed Gramlich internally warned his colleague Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan that excessive money was creating a housing bubble. The Wall Street Journal, nearly every day for months and years, warned way too much money was in the system for way too long.

Excess money had to go somewhere. It went into speculation in housing markets and commodities. It unleashed animal spirits in housing loan industry.

As Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson stated at testimony on Capitol Hill at the time, “ There is plenty of blame to go around here.”

Lawrence Sagstetter, Shoreview

Regarding ‘Implications’

This is in response to a letter with the title “Implications” in the Jan. 12 paper.

I too was 17 when Roe v. Wade was passed, but my father’s bravery in having an “Abortion is Murder” bumper sticker did influence my reaction, one of complete shock. I continue to be shocked by the very sad fact that babies are being killed.

I know personally many people who waited a long time in order to adopt.

As a woman, a mother and a grandmother, I feel this way: A baby is not just tissue in a woman’s body, a baby is SOMEBODY.

Tons of love is being discarded in the interest of a woman wanting to discontinue her pregnancy. It breaks my heart to think of how many wonderful people were prevented life by abortion. Hopefully hearts will be turned around to see the preciousness of each and every baby. The implications of reversing Roe v Wade would surely help in that regard.

Kathryn Lindner, Circle Pines

Helping children in Haiti

A sincere thanks to the St. Paul Pioneer Press for including Mitch Albom’s Los Angeles Times column, “Helping one child at a time in Haiti,” in Monday’s paper.

On New Years Day, I read Mitch’s book “Finding Chika.” It brought tears to my eyes. I read about Mitch and his wife who were taking care of Chika. I learned that Mitch was involved in helping the children in Haiti for many years.

The column “Helping one child at a time in Haiti” brought even more information about the terrible situation going on there. It warms my heart, so to speak, to know that Mitch is trying so hard to help the children of Haiti. In my opinion, Mitch Albom is a hero in today’s world.

DeAnne Cherry, Woodbury