Transportation plan needs smarter focus and better land use

The development of a regional process and ultimately a product such as the Baltimore Regional Transportation Plan is daunting for an area as diverse as the Baltimore region.

Blending rural, suburban and urban interests is always a difficult task but necessary to develop a truly regional transportation plan. I understand and commend the diligent effort the region's representatives give to this process. I also understand and have witnessed the evolution of the current update of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Plan from the original plan of 1994.

The city of Baltimore did not endorse that original transportation plan of 1994, and although I believe this update is a better plan, it has not evolved to the point that the city can endorse this plan, either.

The updated plan does not go far enough in establishing a true vision for the region by which all projects can be evaluated. The lack of a goal-oriented regional vision seems to lead us to a plan that is too heavily weighted with jurisdictional highway projects.

I also believe that the updated plan does not have strong enough links to land-use planning and "smart growth" initiatives. Transportation infrastructure is key to the development and redevelopment in our region and cannot be looked at in isolation.

The Baltimore Department of Planning will continue to advocate a more balanced and creative transportation plan that is truly regional.

Charles C. Graves III

Baltimore

OC The writer is director of the Baltimore Department of Planning.

Credit does not make life more bountiful

This is in regard to the letter from Joyce C. Robinson ("Chavez's commentary on poverty is 'naive' " Dec. 4) that criticized an Opinion Commentary article by Linda Chavez.

Ms. Robinson's last sentence said: "Try living without credit, and you will find life far less bountiful."

When I was growing up, there weren't such things as credit cards. If you wanted to buy an item, you had the following choices:

Pay cash.

Put the merchandise on layaway, which meant that the store would put the item aside and you would pay so much a week until the balance was paid and you could take it home.

Take out a loan at a bank.

I never felt that my life was not bountiful.

Margaret Maddox

Sparks

Calls for impeachment show hardened hearts

I, too, felt betrayed and angry at President Clinton for lying to me. But I got over it. I accepted apologies for lies concerning a matter that was none of my business anyway -- a matter between two consenting adults, a matter that an otherwise empty-handed prosecutor was about to drag out into the limelight.

I feel sorry for those who wrote the mean-spirited letters published in recent issues of The Sun. By feeding their anger and hardening their hearts into cold replicas of what they were meant to be, these people are paying the ultimate price for this sad affair.

We must not focus on the president's personal mistakes to escape from our own personal shame and shortcomings.

And we must keep in mind that none of our lives would have been or ever will be the target of a $40 million witch hunt as Mr. Clinton's has been.

Most of all, woe be to those Congress members who call for impeachment, for they destroy their hearts not only with hatred, but with political greed and bitterness, too. They are not fit to lead a community of human beings.

Robert Bloksberg-Fireovid

Baltimore

Human rights declaration important in global times

Fifty years ago yesterday, the United States and other nations of the world unanimously ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The goal was to extend the inalienable rights outlined in our own Bill of Rights to all the people of the world.

The motivation for this noble initiative was the horror demonstrated by the atomic bomb and Hitler's death camps of World War II. The extent of human suffering from that war and the prejudiced disrespect for human life made it clear that no individual or nation would be free from a repeat of destruction unless all people enjoyed the benefits of security, prosperity and justice.

The globalization of trade, travel, terrorism, toxic waste and technology makes national borders increasingly irrelevant and military power unable to shield us from new forms of destruction.

If the United States fails to make the basic human rights outlined in the Universal Declaration a foreign policy priority in the new millennium, we will be condemning future generations to the increasing risk of war, disease, poverty and general global chaos.

Chuck Woolery

Rockville

ACLU 'extremism' differs from anti-abortion bombs

In his column "ACLU extremism strangely not noted by media" (Dec. 3), George Will decries the media's unequal coverage of the anti-abortion movement and the American Civil Liberties Union's "extremism." If the ACLU gives up filing lawsuits in favor of bombing buildings and assassinating people in their homes, I suspect he will see the air time equal out.

Kristen Hansen

Baltimore

'Lean and mean' businesses not worthy of our patronage

Thank you for your article "Layoffs rise as firms find it's profitable" (Nov. 30).

Aren't we getting tired of this "lean and mean" attitude?

Perhaps we will again hear more about businesses that do not accept this attitude of pressing the workers so hard. Such a business would be a friend of the people and worthy of our patronage.

Frank Kasper

Baltimore

Kirschbaum's artistic photo deserves widespread notice

The artistry of Jed Kirschbaum continues to amaze me.

Tears stung my eyes as I looked at his Dec. 2 picture of a boy's loving concern at witnessing sorrow to comfort his mother after a fire, his searching eyes and gentle touch.

I hope other papers copied it, for it is a memorable photograph.

Mary T. Koch

Pikesville

Pledge broken to spend surplus on Social Security

After talking and talking about saving Social Security, the president has finally entered into a dialogue regarding its future. However, the fact that the Republicans had to twist his arm doesn't bode well for results.

But that has been President Clinton's strategy for years: Bring an issue to the forefront of national consciousness, use it for political gains, do nothing more about it and accuse Congress of not being serious about reform. The scary thing is that it works every time.

The president didn't allow Congress to spend the surplus on tax cuts; he wanted to use it for Social Security.

He ended up spending $20.8 billion out of the estimated $80 billion budget surplus on government programs. Good thing he wanted to save, and I quote, "every penny for Social Security." But then again, I must be a fool to hold him to his spoken word.

Gregg VanHelmond

Baltimore

Volunteers not volunteers when they're getting paid

Baltimore County Executive C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger wants to pay volunteers to work in the schools. Doesn't that make these people paid employees?

I never got a cent for volunteering. I dare say some of the "volunteers" may be paid more than the school employees are.

Pat Long

Woodlawn

Pub Date: 12/11/98