QUESTION 6 IS GOOD

The recent edition of the Portland Phoenix included information on Question #6, which will appear on the November 8 ballot (see "Bond But Don’t Break," by Sara Donnelly, Oct 21). In outlining the details of the $2 million for construction of a building for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (known as OLLI), the Senior College at the University of Southern Maine, the article erroneously stated that no additional funds would be leveraged with the question’s passage. In fact, the bond will attract an additional $4 million in private funds and, further, the building is part of an additional $12-million campus construction project, which will address a critical need for classrooms on the USM Portland campus as well as provide construction jobs, tax income, and revenue for local vendors and suppliers.

Please join with me in support of Question #6 on November 8th.

Kali Lightfoot, Executive Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at USM

QUESTION 4 = BIOTECH

In your article on the bond questions, you left out the fact that 2/3 of dollars in Question 4 will go to biotech research, mostly to MDI’s Jackson Labs.

Shlomit Auciello, Warren

NO ON 1

The absentee ballots are in, and I encourage all voters to vote early if they think they might not make it to the polls on November 8.

I remember February 9, 1998, the day after the last "people’s veto" referendum to overturn a civil-rights law. Many, many Maine people were surprised at the results because the polls clearly showed that Maine was a tolerant place, and they regretted that they had not bothered to vote.

Once again, the public-opinion polls show broad support for the new civil rights law, but Question 1 threatens to overturn it. Our 1998 experience proved that it’s not enough to be on the side of tolerance — everyone needs to VOTE on the side of tolerance. Please go down to Town Hall and vote NO on Question 1.

Sive Neilan, Portland

YES ON 1

Governor Baldacci chose to sign into law sexual orientation as part of the Maine Human Rights Act. One wonders: Are things so bad now? Do Maine businesses, towns, municipalities, and private employers have a history of denying employment to similarly qualified individuals because of sexual orientation? Same question goes to housing, private clubs (Boys & Girl Scouts), schools, and even religious organizations. Or is it a red herring and, like fish, will smell bad over time? Like affirmative action and school busing, forced equality by social mandates, equal protection for gay people is good, but forcing it creates further inequality.

The equal rights amendment (for all US citizens) was ratified in 1868 and we don’t need another.

Lucia Connelly, Falmouth

HELLO, WHACKO

You do not know me and I don’t know you — but I’m convinced the Devil has you dancing in his courts and is happy about your report on churches you did for the Portland Phoenix ("The Search for Church," by Amy Martin, Sept 23).

The Lord God is truly watching you, and will be waiting for you to recognize that there is a God who cares for you. I doubt that you will appreciate this little note, but I did not appreciate your comments about "churches" either.

Dan Sewell, New Market, Indiana