51黑料网

The true cost of Amazon

I am a concerned Amazon warehouse employee in Arizona who wants to raise attention to a growing public health issue that extends beyond the workplace and into our communities.

Research and federal OSHA data consistently show elevated injury rates in Amazon fulfillment centers compared to other warehouses. Studies cited by labor groups and federal reporting indicate serious injury rates, often around 6鈥�7 injuries per 100 workers annually, roughly double those of many comparable logistics facilities. A national survey of warehouse employees also found that over 40% report being injured on the job, with most injuries involving strains, sprains and repetitive stress damage.

I am writing as someone currently performing the same physical duties as coworkers in my building but without insurance due to my employment classification. When injuries occur, workers like me are often left delaying care or relying on public systems, shifting costs onto local communities and taxpayers.

This is a public health and equity issue that deserves transparency and investigation.

Kaelee Dotson

South side

LTE's limit

Thank you for quarantining all of the constant, tiresome contributors of LTEs in the print edition by deciding to enforce the one letter per month max. It has been long overdue.

Dewey Bidwell

Northeast side

TEP critic makes false claims

A June 4 op-ed from Daniel Dempsey offered several false and misleading statements as a basis for criticizing Tucson Electric Power.

The author claimed TEP 鈥渉as requested rate increases totaling over 50% in the last six years.鈥� The actual total is about half that amount. He also overstated the growth of TEP鈥檚 鈥渞ate base,鈥� the total value of investments that support our service. That value has not 鈥渄oubled鈥� over six years, and there are no plans for it to 鈥渄ouble鈥� over the next five years.

TEP鈥檚 five-year capital plan does not include investments to serve 鈥淧roject Blue.鈥� If new investments are needed to serve future phases of that data center project, TEP will ensure those costs are fully recovered from that customer.

TEP is not seeking to 鈥渄ouble鈥� rates, as the author asserts, and we have not proposed 鈥渁utomatic鈥� annual increases. The yearly adjustments we鈥檝e proposed would be subject to review and Arizona Corporation Commission approval.

Editor's note: Salkowski is speaking on behalf of TEP.

Joe Salkowski

Downtown

HOAs hounding dog owners

I wish this article explored both sides of the issue here. My HOA limits dogs over 20 pounds; however, it is considered by many residents to be unenforceable, and we have many residents with dogs over 100 pounds.

I believe the statute was created for a very good reason, due to my experience with my next-door neighbor.

Our complex consists of 1-story condos, with adjoining roofs covering most of the backyards. My next-door neighbor lets his dogs go in his backyard to do their business, and subsequently never cleans it ... I have been unable to set foot in my own backyard for three years now, without being assaulted by the worst smell I've ever experienced. I have reported him to the HOA and the county; they've even put a lien on his property, and still the situation persists.

Some communities are not built for large dogs!

Daniel Peters

Downtown

TEP utility towers approved

Attending the Tucson City Council on June 9, I felt elated when the Council announced resolutions to eliminate gun violence, support LGBTQ+ rights, and even oppose Tucson Electric Power鈥檚 proposed 14% rate increase, supporting instead the no more than 4% increase recommended by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.

But when the difficult question was posed, the council voted 4-3 to allow TEP to build nearly 100-foot electricity transmission towers through the longstanding neighborhoods north of the University of Arizona, bordered by Euclid, Speedway, Campbell and Grant.

Mayor Regina Romero joined councilmembers Selina Barajas, Nikki Lee, and Lane Santa Cruz in approving the towers.

Councilmembers Miranda Schubert, Kevin Dahl and Paul Cunningham voted to oppose the towers, urging instead to require the new transmission lines to be put underground.

Some council members worried about being sued by TEP if they required the lines underground. Well, if elected officials always voted so big corporations wouldn鈥檛 sue them, nothing good would ever get done.

Stephen Yozwiak

Northwest side

Crooked and stupid

Many are talking and writing about President Trump's performance on "Meet the Press" this past Sunday. Trump turned red with rage. He referred to the press and virtually all of the media as crooked and stupid, before struggling to stand up and walk out of the interview.

I think that it is fascinating and revealing to notice that people are often describing themselves when they think they are describing others as Trump did when he described journalists as crooked and stupid.

Dave Gallagher

Foothills