Letters to the editor for May 13

Tax would hurt consumers

South Carolina has been leading the way for industry and manufacturing on the East Coast for some time now. From deepening the Charleston port, to bringing in major international companies, South Carolina has been able to create thousands of good-paying jobs for its hard-working citizens.

Over the past few months, Congress has been considering the idea of a border adjustment tax, or BAT, which would place a 20 percent tax on all imported goods coming into the U.S. All the progress that South Carolina has made over the last decade would be erased if a BAT becomes law. A border adjustment tax on food, clothes and gas will all increase prices. The worst part is, this tax will be pushed onto the consumer 100 percent.

We have just passed a gas tax hike in our state Legislature, which will place more strain on hard-working middle- and lower-class families. Why would we want to allow the federal government to add another tax to the equation? The BAT is a BAD idea. I ask that the South Carolina delegation work to end this madness and say no to the BAT.

Leslie Lovett

Rock Hill

Support research on Alzheimer’s

There are a lot of controversial issues at stake in the upcoming special election for South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District. But I’d like to ask all of the candidates to address an issue that is truly purple.

Alzheimer’s is the 6th-leading cause of death in the U.S., and the only one among the top-10 killers that cannot be prevented, stopped or even slowed. It’s also the most expensive illness in the U.S., with costs that exceed those for heart disease and cancer. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 86,000 people living with Alzheimer’s in our state alone.

As a small business owner, I see the impact of Alzheimer’s every day through the devastating impact it has on individuals and families we serve in York, Lancaster and Chester counties.

Whether or not you know someone who’s been diagnosed, Alzheimer impacts you. It’s an unavoidable reality for our families, but it’s also a budget-breaker for state and federal governments. The cost for caring for these individuals that is largely being shouldered by taxpayers. That can change only with investing in the research to find a cure.

Alzheimer’s will cost our country $259 billion this year. How would you address this unique driver of health care costs?

For every $100 that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spends on Alzheimer’s research, Medicare and Medicaid spend $16,000 caring for those with the disease. As our representative, what would you do to address Alzheimer’s efficiently and effectively?

Please join me in asking all candidates for the 5th Congressional seat to share their plans for addressing Alzheimer’s disease. The National Alzheimer’s Plan set forth a goal to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. We need a congressman who is committed to seeing that happen.

Seth Zamek, Owner/Exec. Director

Senior Helpers

Rock Hill

This story was originally published May 16, 2017 at 12:16 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor for May 13."