Prison should not be in Mosby’s future

Your editorial about former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby was excellent, especially in its concluding paragraph, which pointed out that while her actions that led to her legal problems cannot be excused she also leaves behind a legacy that is positive in many regards (“The rise and profoundly sad fall of Marilyn Mosby,” Nov. 12).

And let us not forget that all of her perjury charges, regardless of legal niceties and language, were based on her attempts, as misguided as they may have been, to retrieve her own money from her own retirement account. That reality was not allowed to be stressed at the trial, but it is a fact, nonetheless. Some punishment is obviously appropriate for the guilty finding, but incarceration, regardless of the so-called expert opinions quoted in some reports, is not.

— Harris Factor, Columbia

PSC correct to protect environment

No, the Maryland Public Service Commission got it right (“How the Public Service Commission dimmed the lights on Gov. Wes Moore’s tech ambitions,” Nov. 8).

The PSC did not pull the plug on the Aligned Data Centers. Aligned Data Centers refused to present a solution to meet Maryland’s need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They chose their profits over the needs of Maryland.

There are alternative solutions such as methane-based electrical generators and battery storage for their backup needs. However, Aligned chose profits over the needs of Maryland.

While a data center may bring in tax revenue, current climate mitigation efforts are costing hundreds of millions of dollars a year. An example is the $228 million tunnel being put in Ellicott City for climate-fueled large rainstorms.

Diesel generators are not only bad for the climate, they produce a tremendous amount of pollution, including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and ground-level ozone. While a data center may have high-paying jobs, how many? Ten? And remember jobs don’t matter on a dead planet. It doesn’t take a computer — or a power-consuming server — to calculate what Maryland stands to lose if we don’t solve the climate crisis.

— Dave Arndt, Baltimore

Florida lender never scrutinized Mosby deal?

One of the curiosities of Marilyn Mosby’s homebuying escape in Florida is the fact that she applied to purchase an eight-bedroom house near Disney World by telling the mortgage lender that she intended to use it as a second home (“Marilyn Mosby has been convicted of perjury. What’s next for the former Baltimore state’s attorney?” Nov. 10).

Say what?

If I were that mortgage lender, I think I would be just a bit incredulous at that point. “Um, do you have a very large family lady or maybe you intend to do some large-scale entertaining?” Apparently not all of the avarice in this real estate transaction was on the part of Mosby.

— John Fuller, Perry Hall

Higher taxes not the way to fix budget deficits

I am commenting on the recent observation by some lawmakers that raising taxes and fees is the ideal way to address further state budget deficits (“Best way to offset Maryland budget deficits is with a balanced approach — starting now,” Nov. 9).

I think it is very self-serving of our state legislators to have overspent the state budget for the next few years and then for them to claim that the “least disruptive” solution is to raise revenue. Is it least disruptive to their political careers? Certainly, it’s not least disruptive to the citizens of Maryland in a time when prices have already risen sharply in the past few years.

Please consider all options to reduce the future deficit and not just reach out for more, more, more!

— Dennis Phillips, Bel Air

Harborplace redesign a ‘nightmare’

The new Harborplace design is an unmitigated disaster (“New plan for Baltimore’s Harborplace must be poked, prodded, debated,” Oct. 31).

There is no way that the community meetings and public surveys conducted by the developer elicited a plan for high-rise apartment and commercial towers along the waterfront. I would urge the developer to share the results of their interactions with the public that produced this nightmare design proposal.

Gov. Wes Moore, Mayor Brandon Scott and members of the Baltimore City Council should direct the developer to go back to the drawing board. To add insult to injury, the developer now wants $400 million from the taxpayers to convert Harborplace public spaces to Horror Place.

I bet William Donald Schaefer is spinning in his grave.

— Glenn Fuller, Laurel