Letters to the Editor | Week of Jan. 20-25, 2025

Honor oaths

This is an open letter to all elected officials, at all levels, partisan or nonpartisan. We are counting on them even more than usual to honor their oaths, and to fulfill their duties professionally, competently and honestly — to be the adults in the room, as the president-elect at the top of our government is not one.

Donald Trump’s Jan. 7 news conference was a vivid reminder of his first term: constant public displays in person or on social media that are strings of lies and insults. The lies are not just lies — they are statements devoid of any reality (remember injecting bleach into our veins?). Insults on Jan. 7 included threats to invade sovereign allies, even refusing to clarify that he didn’t really mean it, and an announcement that we should rename an international body of water.

We must call this what it is and use precise words. This behavior is abnormal, offensive, abusive, and scary.

I accept the November 2024 results. I’ll also be demanding that elected officials at every level honor their oaths, because the incoming president-elect is already demonstrating that he will not.

Cathy Murphree

Richardson

LNG industry spurs criticism

A recent commentary asserted that the Texas LNG industry is economically good (all kinds of data) and touted that Rio Grande LNG supports local communities; but how do our RGV communities view the exploitation of their natural resources and quality of life?

In 2014-15, the cities of Port Isabel, Laguna Vista and South Padre Island, who are closest to the proposed LNG terminals, recorded their opposition to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Some concerns were: increased pollution exponentially through LNG emissions blowing across/over the public schools that educate the area’s children and degrade the surrounding waters, wildlife refuges, parks and beaches. Now, in addition to the proposed pipeline/s that would bring the gas into the LNG terminals, could these same facilities be affected by SpaceX sonic booms and tremors caused during heavy booster launches?

The commentary also noted that Texas is at the heart of the LNG industry and serves as the bedrock of U.S. economic growth, but currently Texas ranks abysmally low in education funding as the current Texas Legislature allows LNG both Chapter 312 property tax abatement (allows locals to abate up to 100% of a corporation’s property tax bill for up to 10 years) and Chapter 313 Value Limitation Agreement Program (school districts allow companies to limit the taxable value of their property); consequently, this lost revenue impacts Texas statewide due the way the state redistributes school funding.

Point Isabel ISD rejected Chapter 313 tax abatements for the two LNG terminals proposed; however, the LNGs continue construction amid a recent court case loss, while in June 2024, Cameron County commissioners voted to approve a 40% tax abatement agreement to allow Texas LNG to avoid paying millions of dollars in taxes and to amend the agreement with Rio Grande LNG. Who is working for the residents and who is working for LNG?

A new report from Greenpeace and Sierra Club reveals that LNG exports in the U.S. cause around 60 premature deaths and nearly $1 billion in annual health costs, with numbers expected to rise significantly, if planned terminals are built.

Doesn’t it appear the LNG industry is the one that benefits the most?

Diane Teter

Edinburg

Editor’s note: We welcome your letters and commentary. Submissions must include the writer’s full name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters of 200 words or fewer will be given preference. Submissions may be edited for length, grammar and clarity. Letters may be mailed to P.O Box 3267, McAllen, Texas 78502-3267, or emailed to letters@myRGV.com.

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