DEAR EDITOR:

Two recent columns demand responses. The first on Dec. 20, “Repeal Ohio’s Unconstitutional Income Tax Rule,” urges a repeal of the temporary state income tax assessed to, mostly, people working from home by their employer’s municipality during the pandemic. I find it interesting the Tribune Chronicle and state Sen. Roegner of Akron want to give those who didn’t lose their jobs because of COVID-19 and are working from home a break, while blue-collar workers get no such break.

Roegner’s contention that people should pay income taxes to the municipality where they work rather than the one where they live is wrong, unfair and doesn’t even make sense.

Years ago I worked in Solon, and my local income taxes were claimed by Solon rather than Warren, where I lived. Now where did I need city services more — at my place of employment, where I only spent 40 hours a week, or at home (and in the local area), where I spent the remaining 128 hours weekly? To be blunt, if I had to choose between the fire department putting out a fire at my home or my place of employment, I’ll pick my home every time.

This was a stupid law change by the Legislature years ago that was undoubtedly lobbied for by big business interests and secured for passage with campaign donations.

Then Dec. 20, Brenda Linert, in “Baseball Fans Must Adapt,” tries to take a lighthearted approach to the Cleveland major league baseball team dropping the Indians name. I agree with her husband’s disgust over this, but would go a step further.

The facts are:

1. Study after study show the vast majority of Native Americans couldn’t care less what sports teams name themselves.

2. When the Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins were named it was intended as a high compliment to Native Americans, implying they were great warriors, courageous, athletic and strong. Furthermore, Chief Wahoo’s smiling visage was beloved by Indians fans for over 100 years because he was viewed as enthusiastic, energetic and represented the joy of the game.

3. The truth is the only people who take offense to the Indians and Redskins names are the radical leftists, the same people who have been actively trying to stifle speech and silence dissent in our country.

As any leftist activist could tell you, if you can change the vocabulary of a people you will change their thinking as well. This isn’t really about the names of sports teams; it’s about the leftist America-haters repudiating our history and founding principles so they can replace it with worship of the state and socialism.

My solution to the professional sports teams and leagues cowardly caving to leftism is to be done with them. I don’t watch their games on TV or attend games anymore and frankly, I regret wasting so much time over the years doing so.

JAMES DUNLAP

Mineral Ridge