10A • ALEXANDRIA RECORDER • FEBRUARY 16, 2017
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ALEXANDRIA
EDITORIALS | LETTERS | COLUMNS | CH@TROOM
CH@TROOM Last week’s question Do President Trump’s recent orders involving border security and immigration make the country more safe or less safe? Why?
“With the uncertainty in the world I would say it will make it safer with better vetting.” Patrick Kevin George
“Neither yet. I think it is legitimate to put temporary hold while his team checks how stringent the standards are and reacts to what they find.”
THIS WEEK’S QUESTION Major League Baseball is considering a rules change that would allow teams to issue an intentional walk without throwing a pitch. Is this a good idea? What other rules changes would you like to see baseball make? Every week we ask readers a question they can reply to via email. Send your answers to ndaly@communitypress.com with Ch@troom in the subject line.
Elizabeth Mason-Hill
Joy Kent Tarleton
“He needs to let the vetting process go on without the ‘so-called’ religious ‘bans.’ If he wants to make the vetting process longer and more thorough, so be it. But he shouldn’t unilaterally stop people from coming into this country who have already been through the process and obtained their right to be here.”
“If you start with the premise that we have been safe. Our successful vetting, thus far, has resulted in no terrorists incidents that warrant this ban. We do however have an administration that has alienated many by this xenophobic rhetoric and this travel ban. This results in “Make America More Vulnerable Again.” Kit O’Hara
RECORDER
Nancy Daly, ndaly@communitypress.com, 578-1059
Cincinnati.com/northernkentucky
Say yes to smoke free, no to protected class It’s no surprise membership over that the American the issue. They Lung Association feel that strongly gave Kentucky about it. But it straight “F’s” in has gotten to the its recent report place that another card. Our state is minority will quit the worst in the if smoke- free nation for smokBrent Cooper policies aren’t ers and cancer adopted. COMMUNITY deaths. It has RECORDER GUEST Many of those been that way for COLUMNIST who disagree a long time. with smoke-free Because we are the laws feel it is a decision worst, businesses moving for the business owner. I into our state are surrespectfully disagree. prised to find we allow Worker safety shouldn’t employees to be subbe a choice. Not when it is jected to secondhand possible to make the smoke. The majority of workplace environment states now have smoke safe at a reasonable cost. free laws in place. Sure, we argue the ecoAs it is now, Northern nomic benefits, but at the Kentucky is seen as the end of the day, the reason smoking section for to support smoke free is Greater Cincinnati. That worker safety. image hurts all Kentucky There are some jobs businesses. that come with inherent At Chambers of Comhealth risks. Mining, merce around the state, police work, etc. But the issue of a smoke-free secondhand smoke is a law generally polls at 80 risk that can be completepercent to 90 percent in ly eliminated. favor. It is true that there Regardless of how you is a minority of folks that feel about smoke-free are willing to cancel their laws, it is baffling that the
state of Kentucky also has a law defining “smokers as a protected class.” As a business owner in Kentucky, it is illegal for me to ask someone if they smoke during the interview process. This is knowing full well that a smoker costs an average of $6,000 per year more than a nonsmoker (Ohio State Study). I can consider whether or not someone has a visible tattoo. I can consider their choice of green hair or whether they are bald (where are the bald guy protections?). I can consider where they went to school (I don’t hire Duke basketball fans). But it is illegal for me to consider whether or not they smoke? At my company, we hire the most talented people, so statistically we would continue to hire smokers whether this law was in place or not. And for the record, I don’t think smoking in and of itself should be a disquali-
fier. But I do feel strongly that smokers should pay higher insurance costs. This law prohibits that. It’s true we can charge non-smokers less as a “reward,” but most folks don’t know that, and it can be problematic. Regardless, I think laws should reflect what we value. Do we want smoking elevated to the same level as race and religion? We’re one of the unhealthiest states in the country, largely due to the number of smokers we have, and we value that? I hope you will vocally support a smoke-free law for businesses. Even if you don’t support a smoke-free law, I hope you will support the elimination of smokers as a protected class. We shouldn’t have big tobacco HR policies. Brent Cooper is president of C-Forward in Covington and a resident of Fort Thomas.
Brent Spence Bridge: The time is now
is pleased to announce the association of
Michael R. Miller
Senior Vice President/Investments Branch Manager in our Cincinnati, Ohio office.
(513) 794-4870 direct (800) 298-5667 toll-free michael.r.miller@stifel.com 8044 Montgomery Road, Suite 515 Cincinnati, Ohio 45236 Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com
ALEXANDRIA
RECORDER
A publication of
For over 50 years now, countBridge. This ensures that we less vehicles have traveled from lessen the burden placed on Northern Kentucky into Ohio, Northern Kentuckians as the and vice versa, on the Brent process moves forward. Spence Bridge. Whether to Government needs to be transport goods, travel or eninnovative and begin partnering gage in commerce, Brent with the other institutions of our Spence has been heavily utilized society, whether it be other over the years, and this traffic Adam Koenig governments or the private has taken its toll. Currently sector. Collaboration is key, and COMMUNITY operating at nearly three times RECORDER GUEST P3’s are an invaluable tool for what it was designed to carry, a COLUMNIST the government to use to more new bridge is essential, yet this efficiently service its citizens. project has repeatedly been kicked to Although detractors can always find the curb. However, thanks to the curoccasional issues, these projects have rent administration, the needs of Northbeen extraordinarily successful across ern Kentucky, Greater Cincinnati and the country, and it’s time we capitalize the entire Midwest could soon be placed on their effectiveness. near the front of the line in Washington. It is heartening that President Trump According to recent media reports, realizes this, as stimulating private replacing the Brent Spence Bridge is business is good for economic growth No. 2 on the president’s list of infraand job creation. This is particularly structure priorities. While this alone is important in this case, as the current welcome news for our region, the debridge has been labeled “functionally tails are even better. This $2.5 billion obsolete” by the National Bridge Invenproject, which will directly create 2,200 tory. The impact of this move on our jobs, would be half-funded by private region is immeasurable, and fantastic. investors. This is a boon to taxpayers Northern Kentucky is a thriving area whose dollars are normally spent withwith an emerging economy, sound comout concern. And those jobs aren’t even munities and an active and engaged accounting for the increased economic citizenry. Our infrastructure has not activity that is sure to come as a result kept up with challenges of the 21st centuof the construction of a newer, more ry. This is why it is critically important modern bridge. for construction to begin on a new Brent Partnering the private sector with Spence Bridge, and I look forward to government can produce tangible beneseeing the role that private sector infits in a much more efficient manner. vestors will play in the project. This was our thinking behind passage of While we will continue to wait and House Bill 309 last session, which set up see what the final transportation plan a regulatory framework for Publiclooks like, I look forward to seeing the Private Partnerships, or P3’s, in Kennecessary planning and permitting tucky. It was an honor for me to support begin. I look forward to seeing the 115th this legislation, which Governor Bevin Congress work with the president to signed into law in 2016. P3’s allow the rebuild our nation’s infrastructure. I public and private sector to partner in commend the new administration for its financing capital projects and other decision, and I’m excited to work with government services. This bill allows our federal delegation to get this project our government to join with businesses done. to move forward on transportation proRep. Adam Koenig, R-Erlanger, reprejects. As a protection for Northern Kensents the 69th District in the Kentucky tuckians, HB 309 specified that no tolls House. His district includes parts of would be put on the Brent Spence Kenton and Boone counties. 228 Grandview Drive, Fort Mitchell, KY 41017 654 Highland Ave., Fort Thomas, KY 41075 phone: 283-0404 email: kynews@communitypress.com web site: cincinnati.com/northernkentucky
Alexandria Recorder Editor Nancy Daly ndaly@communitypress.com, 578-1059 Office hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday See page A2 for additional contact information.