Metro Pulse/Letters to the Editor

Opinion: Letters to the Editor

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TMA Did Back Tobacco Bill

I am writing in response to an article [March 4, Ear] that was published in Metro Pulse regarding Sen. Tim Burchett’s efforts to pass the tobacco preemption law allowing local governments to regulate tobacco products and usage.

It was stated in that article that many groups “sat on the sidelines and did nothing for this bill.” One of those groups included in this list was the Tennessee Medical Association. Even worse was the statement that TMA “couldn’t care less about health, that it exists only to increase compensation for doctors.”

In response, I would advise the author of this commentary to get his or her facts straight before making this kind of accusation. TMA passed resolutions in the House of Delegates supporting legislation on the tobacco preemption law. Further, TMA has been involved in the tobacco preemption law since the filing of the bill. We have spoken to legislators on the issue, included an article in our weekly legislative update specifically asking TMA members to contact legislators on this issue and provided talking points to our attendees at the recently held Doctors’ Day on the Hill so that they could advocate for the issue when speaking to their legislators.

We have worked closely with the coalition established to address tobacco-related issues in Tennessee and any of the lobbyists/representatives for those groups would assure you of TMA’s involvement, including the two of those referenced in the commentary, the American Heart Association and the Children’s Hospital Alliance of Tennessee.

I find it strange that the author of this commentary failed to contact TMA to determine what efforts the association had taken to promote the tobacco preemption law before writing such mistruths. I would hope that the Pulse would be more responsible in checking facts before allowing an author to vent what appears to be personal prejudice against the Tennessee Medical Association.

John J. Ingram III, M.D.
President-Elect, TMA
Maryville

Risk Mismanagement

Joe Sullivan’s [March 4] article regarding medical high-risk pools is an excellent analysis of a problem and a solution. It also points out the complexity of a health care system where a solution to one problem often makes other problems worse. This complex of issues is often referred to as acting like a balloon squeezed into the hand so that when pressure is applied to one side, it bubbles out on the other. Of all the fiascos and fiasquitos engendered by TennCare, its inadvertent torpedoing of the TCHIP program is one of the most unfortunate.

Sen. Mark Norris’ bill to re-establish a high risk pool in Tennessee is a step in the right direction and one that is supported by many in the insurance and health care industry including the Knoxville Association of Health Underwriters and the statewide organization, Tennessee Association of Health Underwriters.

Your article is a positive service to the understanding of health care issues in Tennessee. It would be interesting to see others on topics such as cost-shifting, medical malpractice insurance, direct-to-public drug advertising and the state of public health in Tennessee.

John Carlton Templeton
Knoxville

No-parking Lot

Several issues ago, your paper noted that there were not a lot of folks parking at the new county parking lot on State Street, between Union and Commerce.

I walk through that lot every day, on my way to and from work. I also walk my dog there, almost every night. During the day, I can observe the lot from a window in my office. You may be interested to know that over the last several weeks I have never observed more than nine cars parked in that lot, which has the capacity to hold 285 cars.

There was a sign at the entrance to the lot this morning, which proclaimed an “Early Bird Special.” All day parking for $3 for those who arrived before 9 a.m. At 9 a.m., there were six cars parked in the lot.

David E. Waite
Knoxville

Short of Sight

The “West Knoxingtonville” article [April 1] was one of the most useless, unnecessarily patronizing articles I have ever read in your paper. Having lived in New York, downtown Orlando, and downtown Miami, I have witnessed first hand the pros and cons of “downtowns.” I am extremely hopeful that downtown Knoxville can also be a thriving, profitable (for independent business owners) venture and venue for the citizens of this county to live, work and play.

However, having lived in Florida and witnessed the many “New Urbanism” projects being developed, as well as having a graduate degree in real estate development where I studied the subject of traditional neighborhoods and the “New Urbanism” concept, I am quite surprised to see the sarcasm with which you treat the Northshore Towne Center project for West Knoxville.

I live less than a mile away from the proposed project, and, having visited such developments in Florida, can’t wait to visit a project like this where I can shop, play and possibly even work, in one concentrated area.

Yes, we need to develop our downtown. But also, the reality of this county and region of the country must enter the picture somewhere. We have cars, we need cars and always will, absent trillions of dollars being magically invested in Knox County so that we can connect all parts of the county with subways and light rail, which of course will never happen.

Why is it that those who espouse the virtues of downtown living develop incurable tunnel vision, such that only a complete, urban lifestyle and development pattern is the answer for everyone who lives in the county and is the magical cure for all of the alleged “woes” of suburban sprawl (i.e., America’s growth and development pattern for the last 60 years)?

In other parts of the country, architects, environmentalists, town planners, community activists and others are thrilled with the idea of the New Urban communities as a realistic compromise between urban and suburban growth. I would think that a paper like Metro Pulse, that makes large efforts to encourage downtown revitalization, would also recognize the benefits of this compromise. Tens of thousands live in the county, outside the downtown core, so where would you have them live? Knoxville will never be a major urban city like New York, or even Atlanta. We have to try to develop based upon our own unique circumstances and desires. Sarcastic attacks on a proposed project that attempts to find a middle ground are incredibly shortsighted, pessimistic and do nothing to serve our community.