Texas taxpayers, aren’t you tired of paying for Ken Paxton’s outrageous antics? | Opinion

Texas’ AG is costing you

I see that our disgraced, indicted state attorney general, Ken Paxton, has reached a tentative settlement with his top staff members who bailed on him after accusing him of still more crimes and misdemeanors they personally observed. (Feb. 11, star-telegram.com, “Texas AG settles with former aides who reported him to FBI”)

Their allegations include that Paxton used the power of his office to help a campaign contributor, who employed a woman Paxton has acknowledged he had an extramarital affair with.

This settlement requires us taxpayers to pay $3.3 million to cure Paxton’s problems with his erstwhile staffers. I’m not willing for one dime of taxpayer money to be used to bail this turkey out of yet another problem he caused.

Is there any way to force him to pay with his own money?

- James Burt, Fort Worth

Go after the real law-breakers

Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn, County Judge Tim O’Hare and District Attorney Phil Sorrells need to revisit their priorities. Instead of setting up a unit to investigate so-called “election fraud” in Tarrant County, which has been shown to be almost nonexistent, they should focus on areas such as gun violence among teenagers and young men. (Feb. 15, 13A, “Republicans, stop obsessing over fraud, focus on winning votes”)

We recently read about a 14-year-old in Dallas County who committed murder and whose father was sentenced because authorities can’t find the son. (Feb. 11, 1A, “Father convicted of murder after driving son to shooting scene”)

But I suppose it’s safer politically to investigate voters than to do anything about guns.

- Suzanne Mabe, Fort Worth

City Hall proper use of money?

One thing about Tuesday’s front-page story “Why Fort Worth’s new city hall has more than doubled in cost” caught my eye: It states that the City Council approved funds for City Hall from two questionable sources: $8.5 million from a Texas public education grant and another $6.4 million from the American Rescue Plan.

What gives the city of Fort Worth the right to use funds designated for education? And was the American Rescue Plan designed to give cities funds for overrun costs on headquarters?

This use of funds seems to be an abuse of power by the City Council. Why wouldn’t the cost of the new City Hall be borne by Fort Worth, not at the expense of education or the federal government?

- Harry Thompson, Bedford

Our water supply has its limits

After countless stories, including some on the front page of the Star-Telegram, about the huge increase in population in North Texas, the shortage and cost of housing and the inability of roadways to keep up with the traffic, we see another front-page story about wiping out 66,000 acres to make a lake to meet the water needs of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitanarea. (Feb. 12, “’This is the Texas rainforest;’ Meet the farmers, cattle ranchers and timber processors fighting the Marvin Nichols Reservoir, a proposed 66,000-acre lake planners say is needed to satisfy the thirst of Dallas-Fort Worth”)

At what point does it become reasonable for residents to say enough is enough? When do we stop encouraging the influx of more people into this area who will then need services?

We can build more homes and more roadways. We can’t build more land.

- Diane C. Etzel, Fort Worth

Bicyclists, give us a warning

My husband and I were enjoying our 45-minute walk on the Trinity Trail along the river east of Hulen Street. Many other walkers and bicyclers were out appreciating the first great day since a week of ice, rain and cabin fever.

I have hearing loss, and even with great hearing aids, I can’t hear bicyclists approaching behind me. Only three bikers that day said, “On your left,” as they passed.

As a courtesy to walkers and especially those with hearing loss, please say, “On your left,” when passing walkers. It’s common courtesy, and it could prevent accidents.

- Joyce Parlin, Fort Worth

Don’t let school bullies win, voters

The Fort Worth school district should reinstate its sex education program. (Feb. 5, 4A, “FWISD botched update of sex ed curriculum”) Religious right Bible-thumpers who don’t like sex ed need to take their kids and themselves out of public schools.

Voters will make sure their voices are heard for this terrible decision in May. We’ll remember those who bullied and intimidated the school board over sex education.

- John Davis, Fort Worth