Print edition: 
Fight FAIRY dust regulations next
Since Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Wichita, did such a great job leading the opposition to regulation of farm dust (Dec. 13 WE Blog excerpts), I hope he will proceed to fight a similar problem.
I speak, of course, of the looming danger that the Environmental Protection Agency may see fit to regulate Finely Aggregated Irradiated Reflective Yellowish dust, or FAIRY dust.
The EPA has no more intention of regulating FAIRY dust than it does farm dust, but I encourage Pompeo to use all the weapons at his disposal to make sure that FAIRY dust may be scattered far and wide, free from government intervention.
JOHN WILHEIM
Wichita
Biased evaluation
The commentary by Karen Hube (“Separate fact from fiction about tax burden,” Dec. 5 Kansas.com) was just as biased as any other evaluation. I would say the author sees the world through rose-colored progressive glasses that get redder the more income other people take home.
The fact that historically there have been much higher tax rates on wealthy individuals does not justify those tax rates. Does anyone want to voluntarily pay a 90 percent income tax rate? Then how can you ask that of your neighbor? Hube is apparently an ideological partner with President Obama and his famous statement, “I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money.”
Factoring in payroll taxes as part of an overall tax burden is a valid consideration. Similarly, you should consider people who receive more money from the government than they pay in. How many Americans are not contributing to the federal tax base?
Only an ideologue could argue that the rich are not paying their “fair share” and then show data demonstrating how members of that group pay an outsize share of taxes compared with their income.
If you write a commentary to separate tax “fact from fiction” yet only deride the positions of one party, you need to take the blinders off.
JAMES ROBBINS
Wichita
Save school
I recently read that only two schools were protesting being on the chopping block (Nov. 30 Eagle). My sister and I started a petition on change.org the very day we heard that my children’s school was on that list of possible closures. I have been trying to circulate the petition through Facebook but have been able to get only a few signatures.
My children attend Mueller Aerospace and Engineering Discovery Magnet Elementary School, which just recently received a $2 million grant for its program. Why would the school district consider closing this wonderful school? My boys love this school and are striving there. Their reading and math test scores have improved dramatically since the beginning of the year.
CANDIDA JERONIMO
Wichita
