This is in part a response to the letter (April 29) praising the St. Paul Public Works Department. I would like to praise the employees of public works; however, not the management that sets its snow-clearing and street-maintenance plans.

I have lived on the far East Side for more than 20 years, and this was, by far, the most abysmal performance in my history. Snow emergencies were called either too late or not at all. When called, enforcement in my neighborhood by Beaver Lake was non-existent. No ticketing and no towing. This means the fantastic snow plowers of public works are not able to do a complete job, leading to unplowed parts of roads, large ruts and narrow roads.

On each large snowfall, I looked in envy at my neighbors in Maplewood, not two blocks away, on the day after a large snowfall, and their residential roads were cleared without exception curb to curb, while our roads on the St. Paul side hadn’t even been touched. When the roads were finally plowed, the plows had to navigate around parked cars that were not ticketed or towed.

Some may say that cities like Maplewood have fewer roads, so it is easier for them. Well, they also have fewer plows, but they somehow are able to get the job done.

I am hopeful our new mayor will take this matter seriously and develop a better plan for us residents. Our taxes continue to rise. When will the services we pay for also rise?

Dan Lucker, St. Paul

HEALTH CARE LIMBO

As we near the end of the legislative session, many individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness are being left in limbo about the status of their health care coverage. For this reason, among many others, I vehemently oppose the legislation that holds a work requirement for people receiving Medicaid.

This proposed legislation is a direct example of the lack of knowledge and understanding of mental illness and how life-changing it can be for those who live it. Many individuals with a mental health diagnosis in our state depend on Medicaid to receive treatments. Not only that, but this requirement only further disenfranchises a population that has already been displaced and greatly misunderstood.

It is my hope that the great people of Minnesota are able to rally behind one another and stand against this insensitive legislation to help protect our state’s most vulnerable population.

Shaunequa James, Ramsey