LETTERS: `GETTING HOOKED' ON LAKE IS SCARY

To the editor:

Many citizens of Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties have been receiving brochures that ask them to "Get hooked on the lake." This is really a scary concept. Getting hooked on something means becoming addicted or enslaved to it. Getting hooked on the proposed lake project will mean getting hooked on more taxes.

The Lake Facts Committee would have you believe that we need another lake, more population growth and tourism, more commercial development and jobs, water supply and flood control.

1. There already are many lakes within 100 miles of our area: Lake Girardeau, Lake Perry, Clearwater Lake and Wappapello Lake in Missouri; Rend Lake Little Grassy Lake, Lake Egypt, Devil's Kitchen Lake, Kinkaid Lake and Carlyle Lake in Illinois; and Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley in Kentucky -- just to name a few.

2. Our schools are already struggling with the present population growth, and more tourism would make our inadequate highways even more congested.

3. Just within the last year, we've seen Blue Cross-Blue Shield Alliance, Sam's Club and others come into the West Cape shopping area, and the Procter & Gamble Paper Products Co. expansion will be completed soon.

4. In order to maintain a constant water level for recreational purposes, using the lake for water supply and flood control was not recommended in the feasibility study.

Nowhere in the Lake Facts Committee's brochure is there any mention of how and who is going to pay for this lake project. As I stated above, the concept of getting hooked is really a frightening thought when I think of becoming enslaved to paying more taxes.

JOAN SEBAUGH

Sedgewickville