TNT letters: Matt Driscoll’s bias; Canada’s response to gun violence, VA loan troubles

Canada’s response to guns

Canada introduced legislation to implement a “national freeze” on the sale and purchase of handguns as part of a gun control package that would also limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that look like guns.

The new legislation came just a week after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

When are we going to wake up and smell the carnage?

Pat H. Montgomery, Federal Way

Driscoll’s bias

RE: “Vigilante justice has no place in Pierce County politics” (TNT, 06/05/2022)

Once again, Matt Driscoll, the Clown Prince of Tacoma, has shown his unfettered bias in his latest editorial. Driscoll’s diatribe against Josh Harris exemplifies his bias against the citizens and taxpayers of Tacoma. He cloaks his prejudice of citizens attempting to secure and recover stolen property as “common sense,” and decries the actions of a citizen attempting not to get killed via vehicular homicide.

Josh Harris had called the police to rectify the situation of his stolen property, and the suspect predictably fled. The police did not pursue because they are forbidden to pursue. The suspect will be charged and out of jail within a week, committing more thefts of other’s property.

Magnanimously, Matt Driscoll acknowledged that crime has risen meteorically in Tacoma. He actually allows for the fact that the citizens have a right to be upset, but doesn’t want the citizens to fight back and resist crime.

He wants a victimized and cowering populace, where thieves have more rights than citizens. If Driscoll ever becomes introspective, will he wonder over his role in the increase in crime and lawlessness? He has used his Editorial page as an avatar for the hapless Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodard and the sad-sack City Council.

Doug Aguirre, Tacoma

VA loans

I urge my elected officials to sponsor legislation to improve access and competitiveness for VA loans. It is imperative veterans receive a competitive loan that provides them the opportunity to purchase a home.

Currently veterans are losing our ability to purchase a home in this unbelievably hot housing market. A VA loan simply can’t compete against a corporate landlord company paying cash and over asking price. The VA appraisals can take an average of 14.8 business days to complete and other qualifying steps can lengthen the time to close a sale — frustrating buyers and sellers. Non-VA loans only take a couple of days.

Furthermore, VA borrowers are less successful than borrowers using conventional loan products, with 11% of VA borrowers changing loan products during their housing search, compared to only 1% of conventional borrowers who change financing methods.

Factors such as reduced housing stock and rising home prices coupled with cash-only or sight-unseen purchase offers have led to conditions where all buyers with financing are facing difficulty having their offers entertained. VA loans stand little chance of keeping up in this market.

I am a veteran being directly affected by this. I urge the Democratic National Committee to focus on this problem.

Daniel Bennett, Lakewood