Readers write (April 16): Tom Emmer, recycling, burqa ban, Donald Trump, banning farm videos, Tiger Moms

Tom Emmer's commentary made me curious about Gov. Mark Dayton's "tax the rich" fixation ("When will Dayton leave his illusion?" April 12). Our governor is fond of wrapping himself in the flag and saying that he feels undertaxed.

But, by his own method of defining rich -- someone who earns more than $250,000 -- he doesn't qualify. His income taxes showed only $127,000 in taxable income in 2009. So he wasn't really talking about taxing himself.

He was talking about taxing someone else. Like most of his supporters, he feels so strongly about all the spending initiatives before him that he's willing to raise someone else's taxes to achieve them.

Now, that's conviction.

RUSSELL LAST, GOLDEN VALLEY

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Failed gubernatorial candidate Emmer is correct about there being an illusion, but wrong about what that illusion is. To continue to argue that we cannot tax the wealthy because they're the job creators is an absolute illusion that borders on insanity.

ELIZABETH T. CANTRELL, BURNSVILLE

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Other than sour grapes, what can one infer from Emmer's commentary? Did he suddenly find the pulse of the Minnesota voter and at the same time figure out high finance?

We've had a decade of Bush tax cuts. We've had eight years of Pawlenty tax cuts. Where's the prosperity? Where are the jobs?

Emmer shows his naiveté when he claims that wealthy individuals and businesses will avoid a state with high taxes. This ignores real financial pundits' studies that show state taxes are only one of many factors that affect a decision to stay or go.

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Regarding Dayna Kennedy's commentary on recycling ("One way to boost recycling: Uniformity," April 6): Whether you are barista topping off a cup of coffee or a school kid finishing a bowl of cereal at home, you should put the plastic milk jug in the recycling bin. Residents and businesses within St. Paul are able to recycle plastic milk jugs when they are empty.

Markets for plastic milk jugs and other bottles with a neck are very strong, and demand is high for good quality material. There are no city ordinances that prohibit or inhibit recycling of this type of material.

St. Paul, along with its recycling partner, Eureka Recycling, is continually searching for strong, stable markets and evaluating collection efficiencies and costs in order to add materials to its recycling programs. For more information about recycling at your home or business, visit www.stpaul.gov/recycle.

KRIS HAGEMAN, ST. PAUL

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The article describing the arrest of a woman who violated France's antiveil law has convinced me that the country has legalized fear of people living there who practice Islam.

It's wrong to force people not to wear clothing related to their religious beliefs. I agree with France's Muslim population, which calls the law "Islamophobic."

DAN WICHT, FRIDLEY

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No wonder Trump is questioning our president's birthplace -- he's trying to divert attention from himself.

CATHY BUXENGARD,

WORTHINGTON, MINN.

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I'm disturbed by how our food industry operates. I have been suspicious for some time, but after reading your articles, I'm now outraged ("Bill would ban video of farming operations," April 9).

As a consumer and mother of small children, I'm careful about my food purchases. I buy organic and free-range whenever possible.

I appreciate the work of animal-rights activists who stick their necks out to help me make responsible food purchases so that I can feel comfortable feeding my family food that doesn't have chemicals or has been treated inhumanely.

If this bill passes, consumers will have lost their watchdog on farms.

MARTHA MORIARTY, MINNEAPOLIS

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All faith communities connected with the Minnesota Council of Churches have commitments to the well-being of children in Minnesota. We are called to care for all children, not just our own.

As Yee points out, this commitment has tremendous political and economic ramifications. If we don't invest in our children, we are failing them and our own future.

After reading her essay, I heard a politician from New Jersey complain about the way low-income school districts fund their early childhood education programs there. "What planet on earth would do that?" he dramatically asked.

See what happens when we don't properly educate our children? They can grow up to become politicians who make ridiculous statements and support shortsighted policies.

BISHOP SALLY DYCK, MINNEAPOLIS

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