I was glad to see the South Bend Tribune’s front-page coverage of the June 24 rally in South Bend, recognizing the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. I attended, and was moved by the commitment to restoring women’s full reproductive health care that I heard from two excellent candidates for public office.

The article quoted Heidi Beidinger, the Democratic candidate for Indiana House District 5, but did not quote Lori Camp, who also spoke compellingly, and who is running for Congress in Indiana’s 2nd District. Camp was right to point out that the 2nd District’s current representative, Rudy Yakym, favors bans on abortion that are far out of step with the majority of Hoosiers (2023 Ball State University poll). Further, Rep. Yakym is working to jeopardize access to in vitro fertilization through his sponsorship of the Life at Conception Act.

The personal stories shared at this rally remind us that IVF has made many families possible, and that abortion can save the lives of mothers who experience pregnancy complications. I am proud to support both Heidi Beidinger and Lori Camp, who understand these truths and will listen to and work tirelessly on behalf of their constituents.

April Lidinsky

South Bend

Property taxes

I am a retired person living on a fixed income. I have had a substantial increase in my property taxes due to an increase in the assessed value of my property. House prices have spiraled in recent years so, although unrealized, I have a gain in the value of my property. That seems fair even though it will be a financial burden for me.

A substantial amount of these taxes goes to local schools. I have never given my assent to vouchers but families who use them are taking a big subsidy from me. The same goes for charter schools. In the meantime, public school kids from my neighborhood are directed to attend a primary center that is nearly two miles away even though we have a perfectly fine building right here. Other public schools in South Bend have closed, causing mayhem for many families. I pay more in taxes but schools close.

While the county imposes ever greater tax burdens on me, capricious legislation has turned Indiana’s education funds into nothing more than an attractive source of wealth extraction. It is theft. A state that taxes my pension has plenty of money to fund public education.

Laurie McGowan

South Bend 

Upside down

Somehow I have landed in the upside down world. The media has focused solely on Joe Biden’s poor debate performance since last Thursday evening. Yet nary a word about the completely outrageous lies being spewed by convicted felon Donald Trump. Fact checkers couldn’t keep up with the fire hose of lies coming from his mouth! Republicans are proud of his performance. As one commentator on PBS news stated, even the most nimble mind would find it impossible to debate a person so pathologically untruthful!

Anita Blumhardt

Niles

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Vote for Heidi Beidinger and Lori Camp