Oct 25, 2019 2 min read

The fall elections are fast approaching and it’s only a matter of time before we will be reaching for the mute button when watching TV as the ads begin to amp up.

Recently I’ve been seeing an ad about something that will be on the ballot before it can be made into law and that is the Victims of Violent Crimes Rights legislation. Once enacted, the victims (or their survivors ) of a violent crime would be notified before the perpetrator is let out of jail after serving their sentence. I can’t imagine why anyone would not approve this proposal except maybe the criminals themselves. I suppose it violates their civil rights somewhere or maybe makes it more difficult to assimilate back into society. Too bad! That right was forfeited when the crime was committed in the first place.

I would think that this legislation only affects a small proportion of the voting public, but common sense tells me that we shouldn’t be voting on it at all. Pass the law and be done with it!

If the Legislature is looking for something to spruce up the ballot and bring people to the polls, put something on it that will eventually affect all of us at one time or another and that is the legalization of marijuana. It is a hot topic right now and something we should be voting on. Everyone has an opinion. I don’t care what the “polls” say … look how accurate they were in the 2016 election! If the legislative body wants a true indicator of the public’s opinion, let’s see this on the ballot. Otherwise, you might as well pass the law at night when half the voting body has left early for a holiday recess. Then there would be a clear path to rake in all those taxes and fees that this legislation would generate. Truly a democratic process!

Sally Brown-Pawlosky

Hickory