Don’t grades matter in state tuition plan?

Editor, OBSERVER:

Why can’t the free tuition plan proposed for New York state by our governor be based on academic merit rather than income?

KAREN SCHRADER,

Fredonia

Runaway prices

ail many users

Editor, OBSERVER:

Lawrence Zollinger’s letter (March 19) to the People’s column talking about drug prices reminded me of a visit to a pharmacy in Aruba this past January.

Unfortunately my wife JoAnn and I caught a bug on the airplane that made us very ill.

We had to go to an urgent care on the beautiful island, both of us had bronchitis. We were given three prescriptions each. Each of us got an antibiotic, a decongestant, and medicated ear drops. Six prescriptions in all. The pharmacy did not take our U.S. insurance. I thought we were going to have to mortgage the house. To our surprise our total bill was $95 — or about $15 each. At home the $15 would be for the co-pay. I agree the drug industry is out of control.

SAM MANCUSO,

Dunkirk