Letter to the Editor: Who is being nannied?
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During a hearing on the "Hunger Free Campus Act," a bill designed to address food insecurity on college campuses, our local state senator dismissed this issue as "nanny state stuff." These are similar to his comments on a bill that would make it an infraction to smoke in a car with young children, which Senator Azinger opposes as too much big government.
Senator Azinger fashions himself a small government conservative, but not when it comes to benefiting himself. Per pandemicoversight.gov, the Azinger Group (the self storage business the senator manages) was the recipient of a five-figure PPP loan, a loan that has since been forgiven. I've never heard Senator Azinger decry this type of government spending.
Perhaps Senator Azinger could explain how it's not an unacceptable "nanny state," big government idea for his business to get a handout, but it is for our state to ensure college students don't go hungry. Or maybe he could consider donating the value of the forgiven loan to a college's food pantry. That's the least he could do as thanks for the "nanny state" taking care of him.
Neal Wilson
Williamstown