Letters to the Editor: Found money for Delaware
Found money for Delaware
Delaware is again looking for funds to balance its budget. Have they looked everywhere? Payments to individuals, IRS Form 1099-Misc, is an opportunity. When someone performs a service, yet is not an employee, that person receives a check and an end-of-year summary, IRS Form 1099-Misc. Income earned within the boundaries of the taxing authority is taxable. Today without withholdings, if the filer lives out of state, his 1099-Misc earnings are taxed out of state. Let’s mandate all income earned in Delaware is taxed here. There is no requirement to validate a check recipient’s information. If state and city taxes are withheld, coffers fill; the check recipient adjusts incorrect information at the Departments of Revenue. Claims about over-collection, income earned out of the jurisdiction, etc. have relief when the check recipient proves his information. The coffers await the claim. The check recipient is visible, too. What a dilemma. Prove you are the check recipient and are a responsible tax-paying citizen subject to paying their debts, or leave your money behind. Proposal summary: The state coffers now have 1099 income from services performed in Delaware, so does Wilmington, and a whole new class of responsible tax-paying citizens appears.
Rollyn Trueblood
Hockessin
Delaware’s net too wide
The Delaware Supreme Court is scheduled to hear final oral arguments on the constitutionality of Delaware’s death penalty on June 15. Although the arguments will relate primarily to Delaware allowing non-unanimous jury recommendations for death sentences, and also allowing judges to override juries’ recommendations, I pray that they also take into consideration Delaware’s high risk of executing an innocent. Delaware’s death penalty law casts far too wide a net. Only two states have more than Delaware’s 18 aggravating factors that can lead to a capital murder charge. Delaware does not require DNA evidence to seek a death sentence. Two men, Jermaine Wright and Chauncey Starling, whose sentences were recently reversed, were convicted without a shred of forensic evidence against them. That’s a risk I don’t think we should be willing to take. Once an individual is convicted of a capital murder, the slippery slope continues. Delaware is one of only three states that does not require a unanimous jury recommendation for a death sentence. Delaware is one of only three states that allow a judge to override a jury’s sentencing recommendation. With too wide a net, flimsy evidence, crooked behavior by prosecutors and non-unanimous sentencing recommendations, Delaware needs to get rid of the death penalty before we kill an innocent person – if we haven’t done it already.
Kristin Froehlich
Wilmington
Appalled at transphobic cartoon
I am writing to express how appalled I was to see the vilely transphobic editorial cartoon by Mekele published in your newspaper. The cartoon depicts some of the most prejudicial attitudes against transpersons, such as the imagined link with child endangerment, and portrays the trans identity as a passing fad, when it is in reality (although perhaps not in reality TV), a lifelong struggle for transpeople to live an authentic life, be safe from violence and discrimination, and to access gender affirmation surgery and other necessary health care. The cartoon ran opposite a very well written and very convincing comment from a trans man, and I hope that most people will read this, and reject the stereotypes and fear mongering promoted in your cartoon.
Richard James
Bellefonte
No place in the newspaper or society
I was shocked to find the incredibly transphobic editorial cartoon by R. Mekel published, positioned next to a thoughtful piece by a young trans man. The cartoon not only portrays trans identity as a passing fad, it also perpetuates some of the most prejudicial attitudes against transpersons, such as the imagined connection with child endangerment. This type of cartoon has no place in your paper, just as the views it represents have no place in a society built on the ideals of freedom and justice for all.
Kirsten Olson
Wilmington
Forgive the lost ones
I read in a recent paper a letter from a woman who claimed to be a Bernie supporter and lifelong Democrat, stating that she would vote for Donald Trump rather than Hillary Clinton. This woman was not the only Bernie supporter who has made that statement, and such statements make no sense to me for several reasons. Essentially they are saying that they would rather vote for a man with absolutely no experience in democratic governing, who is a blatant misogynist, objectifies women, lies and bullies people, and attacks those who disagree with him. Hillary and Bernie agree on over 90 percent of the issues. I truly hope that those Bernie supporters who are considering a vote for Trump if Hillary is the Democratic nominee will be forgiven for they clearly know not what they do.
David Mandelbaum
Rehoboth