Texas health care mandates threaten small businesses: Letters to the Editor

As a small business owner in El Paso, I am deeply concerned about the impact of expensive health care mandates passed by the Texas Legislature. These mandates may be well intentioned, but they place an unfair burden on small businesses like mine and threaten our ability to remain competitive and successful.The reality is that Texas is experiencing a health care cost crisis, and the Legislature’s willingness to layer on mandate after mandate has made that crisis worse. Many small businesses simply cannot afford the high costs associated with checking an endless series of government boxes when it comes to providing their employees with health care and prescription drug benefits. This puts us in the difficult position of having to choose between offering affordable health care to our employees or remaining financially viable. Furthermore, these mandates limit consumer choice and force individuals to pay for services they may not need or want.Unfortunately, the Legislature is again considering legislation — House Bill 2021 — that seeks to micromanage employer-sponsored benefits. I urge lawmakers to reject this legislation and any additional health care mandates that raise prices. Instead, they should focus on promoting market-based solutions that expand access to affordable health care for all Texans. This includes promoting competition among health care providers, increasing price transparency, and expanding access to health savings accounts.Small businesses play a vital role in creating jobs and driving economic growth. We need policies that support our success, not burdensome mandates that threaten our ability to compete and thrive.David E. Saucedo IICentral El Paso

The Diocese can do better

As a former El Pasoan, my ears always perk up when El Paso is in the news. Of late, national news related to El Paso has focused on the migrant crisis, which seems to be centered in El Paso. National coverage shows the migrants laid out on the sidewalk circumscribing Sacred Heart Catholic Church. As a baptized Catholic, I am happy to see a Catholic church providing refuge to those seeking asylum. But, with all the holdings of the local church I can’t help but ask if we can’t do better than having the migrants sprawled outside in squalor — this is neither dignified nor humane. I remind the El Paso Diocese what is stated in Luke 6:31, “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”

Carolina Perez

San Antonio, TX

Stop paying Congress first

If we default on our debts due to not raising the debt limit, I hope we stop paying members of Congress first. It only seems fair since they are the only ones who can do anything about it. Issue them I.O.U.’s payable when their pay is allowed according to the debt limit.

John Justice

Northeast El Paso