Letters: Investing in America makes sense; Candidates have shown they care

Editor’s note: The Centre Daily Times welcomes letters endorsing candidates in the May 18 primary election and will accept letters that are received by May 10. Letters are subject to editing, must be based on facts and should avoid attacks on other candidates.

Investing in America makes sense

President Biden has proposed the most ambitious investment in America infrastructure in almost 100 years. The American Jobs Plan would put trillions of tax dollars back into our communities through desperately needed upgrades to crumbling roads and bridges and by investing in education, child care, eldercare, and getting broadband internet into the home of every family — no matter where they live — at an affordable rate.

Republicans are already lining up in opposition to this calling it “a wish list of the radical left” and arguing that billions of dollars in the bill have nothing to do with roads and bridges. However, we cannot let a 1920s approach to infrastructure steal the future from generations of Americans to come.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, China spends approximately 10% of its GDP on infrastructure and has for years — almost $4 trillion in 2020 alone, including $1.4 trillion in tech infrastructure. The United States spends only 2.4% of GDP on infrastructure and lags the world in providing the internet to our citizens. China also spends billions more on education, taking care of their elderly, and providing child care for working parents. This makes us less competitive and threatens our economic and national security in the long run.

Partisanship and distrust of our political opponents has rarely reached the levels that we see now. However, this is one opportunity where both sides can agree that investing in America makes sense. I hope Congressmen Thompson and Keller will support this commonsense legislation.

Candidates have shown they care

Ron Filippelli and Cathy Dauler have worked long and tirelessly for many years, not only for our Borough Council but also for a host of nonprofit agencies. They have given their service without being paid a penny, because they are responsible people who want to give back to the community they live in and love.

Cathy and Ron have always promoted strong neighborhoods and a vibrant downtown area. Cathy has volunteered with new initiatives like Discovery Space, and she has also enriched the experience of many international students by teaching English as a Second Language through Global Connections for over 30 years. Ron generously gave years of his peaceful retirement to serve on the Borough Council after completing a successful career at Penn State. He then consented to act as mayor when the previous one left his term unfinished. He and Cathy have the best interests of the whole community at heart. They care about its people and its history. I know them to be hard-working, honest and fair-minded, and I feel sure they will continue to make good decisions as members of the Borough Council.

I urge you to vote for them.

‘Red Raider’ belongs on the ballot

Here we go again with the Bellefonte Area school board making another no-brain decision, voting on retiring the Red Raider logo 8-1. The only thing that needs to be retiring is the eight board members that voted for it. If you live in the school district of Bellefonte you need to be watching more closely who is overseeing your district’s decisions. And they are not always good decisions either! Words like bigotry, discrimination, etc. were thrown around in the meeting. Ask yourself, do you know anyone who is saying bad things about Native Americans? I can’t name one! There are people across our nation having statues torn down because it offends them and hurts their feelings. Put the Red Raider logo on the ballot and let the people decide. Issue solved.