Shannon Hardin, the insider
Re "The city I love shouldn't settle, so I am running to be mayor," Aug. 23: Shannon Hardin must be the least self-aware politician I have ever come across.
He writes, “For years, I’ve sensed a growing disconnect between our residents and our city government.”
Does he mean the very city government he served on for the last 12 years? He states he hears from neighbors who watch the “wealthy and well-connected” get city hall's attention. Are these the same large, moneyed, corporate interests to which Hardin never says no?
To the extent that Columbus faces challenges like homelessness, youth crime, underperforming schools, and a lack of affordable housing and child
care, it’s difficult to separate Hardin from them.
Havingled city council for nearly a decade, he hasn’t just watched these problems persist under his watch – he has allowed them to grow significantly worse.
I am no apologist for Mayor Andrew Ginther, and I believe there are legitimate criticisms of his leadership.
But Hardin positioning himself as anything other than a quintessential city hall insider is disingenuous.
He has been given the opportunity to “fight like hell for you, your neighbors and your kids,” from city council chambers, yet he has failed to produce results.
Why should anyone believe he'll deliver from the mayor's office?
Joe Turek, Columbus
Amy Acton is among the best
As a physician and medical educator who has spent my entire career training physicians in Ohio, I have had the privilege of working with many outstanding doctors. Dr. Amy Acton is among the very best.
I first came to know Acton when I served as residency program director during her residency training in the early 1990s. Even then, she stood out as an exceptionally respected resident physician – intelligent, compassionate, dedicated to mastering her profession, deeply committed to her patients and their families and highly supportive of the nurses, staff and colleagues with whom she worked.
She conducted herself with the highest level of professionalism in every aspect of patient care.
Years later, I had the opportunity to interact with Acton again when she served as a full-time faculty member at Ohio State University from 2012 to 2016.
Once again, I was impressed – this time by her remarkable knowledge, her excellence as an educator and researcher and the genuine commitment she demonstrated to mentoring and developing the students she taught.
Throughout these experiences, I have come to know Acton as a consummate professional and a physician who has earned the respect of colleagues across medicine. She possesses the intelligence, integrity, compassion and leadership skills needed to serve the people of Ohio with distinction.
Based on my firsthand experiences with Acton over many years, I am proud to support her and confident that she is exceptionally well prepared to provide the leadership, judgment and commitment that Ohio deserves.
John D. Mahan, MD, Bexley
Ohio isn't serious about education
Re "New data shows learning loss scope," Aug. 24: Lost learning or academic achievement gaps due to COVID-19? The recent Dispatch article just touched the surface, yet it did expose the oft-repeated bureaucratic refrain from Ohio's education leaders that "schools must develop intervention plans" for students who may have lost academic development.
Sure, throw it back in the face of our schools to figure out, but where is the help from the state of Ohio? Ohio repeatedly declares that it is concerned about the health and welfare of kids, but Ohio fails to step up and provide that support.
If Ohio is honestly concerned about achievement lapses of our youth, institute year-round schooling and move beyond the archaic, inane agrarian school calendar by providing the necessary funding without placing more burden on property taxes.
Eliminate the biased school voucher program, which rewards private and parochial schools; allow those un-public institutions to foster their own monetary resources.
Daniel Finn, Worthington
A 'special' public relations stunt
Re "AEP Ohio, data center companies pledge $18M," Aug. 20: The Columbus Dispatch informs us that AEP Ohio, “alongside Meta, QTS, Amazon, Softbank Energy and Google,” announced a “pledge of more than $18 million in funding to help those Ohioans who can’t afford to pay” skyrocketing electricity bills.
Gee whiz! Isn’t that special?
This “Neighbor to Neighbor” program will provide grants on a “first-come, first-served basis,” an investment in the communities “we’re part of . . . so others are not negatively impacted,” says an AEP spokesperson.
Not negatively impacted!
Are you kidding us? Central Ohio alone already has more than 130 data centers. How did this destructive invasion happen? This AEP and partners funding is an insulting public relations stunt. The amount proposed is chump change for these companies. The environmental impact is all too obvious. The photos accompanying the article show huge, treeless eyesores along Beech Road in New Albany.
The Dispatch article rightfully points out that this neighborly funding “contradicts what industry supporters have maintained, that data centers don’t increase consumer electric bills,” which are “up 22% from May 2025 to May 2026.”
Not only do these ugly data centers increase electricity bills, they consume enormous amounts of water, devour farmland and devalue nearby properties. Any temporary jobs that arise in their construction will be greatly offset by AI’s destruction of jobs in the future.
The enormous money involved and the velocity of data center construction throughout Ohio are very worrisome.
Charles J. Goodburn, Columbus
I panic every month
Dear Sen. Bernie Moreno, Sen. Jon Husted, and Rep. Troy Balderson:
I am writing this letter to implore you to do something to curtail Donald Trump’s reckless spending. So far as I know, the Triumphal Arch has not been started – at least stop this attempt!
Before Trump took office in this administration, I was able to live on a meager income of $2,300 per month. I had worked hard to be completely debt-free for my retirement years. But now I panic every month because my income barely covers my expenses. I accept only one invitation per month to eat out, and that meal cannot exceed $20 with tip. My groceries and gasoline now regularly cost more than $350 per month.
It's good I still can count on Medicare. However, as I age, there are costs that are not completely covered, and I have out-of-pocket charges for them.
Costs should not be so high.
Stop the man from one big expense after another that becomes a burden on people like me. Gilded statues were not necessary.
Carolyn Friedberg, Johnstown
More like Lake Stupid
Gee, I hear our president, Donald Trump, is ticked off that our Canadian neighbors are fighting back on his 50% tariffs (which are taxes that we pay). So, he says he’s considering re-naming Lake Ontario to “Lake America.”
That’ll show ’em.
Not sure why he doesn’t just go all in and have Natalie type him up another executive order naming it Lake TRUMP, though.
Vernon Will, Worthington
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Shannon Hardin must be kidding? He's an insider and hasn't fought like 'hell' | Letters
