Poll: Sugar in spaghetti sauce? Yes or no?

It's been a while since I posted. I have a burning question that must be answered. Preferably right now. 

Why does nearly every spaghetti sauce I see have sugar in it? Is it really necessary? 

Here are some of the answers I ran across doing a brief Internet search:

• To tone down the acidity. 
• Just because we've always done it that way. 
• I prefer to use carrots; it's an Italian thing.
• I don't care why; it's wrong. 
• Isn't that illegal in some states? 

My guess is that it depends on how acidic the tomatoes used are. What do you think? It's relevant right now; I am planning to make homemade pasta sauce for dinner. 

Please answer quickly: should I put sugar in my spaghetti sauce or not? Why? 

Thanks for your input! 

Chili Con Carne á la Mom

My mom doesn't get nearly enough credit; she finds the best way to make something and sticks with it. Take her chili, for example. It's evolved over the years. Now she uses:

3 14-oz cans tomatoes (one with green chilies, one salt-free and one Mexican-style blend)
3 14 to 16-oz cans of beans (any kind of white bean, one can kidney beans and either seasoned black beans or seasoned chili beans works well. (Don't use more than one can of seasoned beans, unless you like really hot chili.)

1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
1/2 onion, chopped fine 

Saute onions, add meat and freshly ground black pepper in a large saucepan; saute until meat is no longer pink. Add tomatoes and beans, cook until thoroughly heated. (Usually, 20 minutes will do it, unless it's a double batch.)

This is a mild chili, depending on the brand of tomatoes used. Add more chili powder to season if it's not hot enough.

Berry Good Fruit, Nut and Veggie Salad for One

As promised a while ago, I have made a salad with a lot of fruit and veggies, but the star, of course, are the berries. I suspect this would also be good with thawed and drained frozen fruit. Use organic if you can; there's a real taste difference, particularly in the berries and the cherry tomatoes.

Berry Good Fruit, Nut, and Veggie Salad for One

5 large strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
1/4 C. blueberries, washed and stemmed
10 grapes, washed, stemmed and halved
5 small cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and halved
4 large leaves of romaine, washed and drained, torn into small bite-size pieces
1 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1 oz. chopped pecans
Bacos (if desired - to taste)

Take romaine; wash and drain it (either by using a salad spinner or shaking it). Gently tear into bite-sized pieces into a large salad bowl. Wash, hull and quarter strawberries; scatter evenly on salad. Wash and stem blueberries and grapes, halve grapes and put on salad between strawberries. Wash and halve cherry/grape tomatoes and put on salad. Top with chopped pecans and crumbled blue cheese. If desired, sprinkle Bacos on top.

Use your choice of salad dressing. (Sometimes I make a dressing and sometimes I use what's in the frig.) I prefer either fat-free honey mustard, blue cheese or a low-fat, somewhat weak vinaigrette dressing on this salad.