Speak Out 01/11/04

The real world

I WORK at the Missouri Veterans Home. I did not appreciate my extra holiday given by Gov. Holden on Dec. 26. I am no better than all the other hard-working people in our area who don't get as many holidays as I do in the first place. I believe Holden did this as a political favor to the unions and to his supporters. What it really did was decrease the care given to our veterans on that day because the work force was cut drastically, as it is on all holidays and weekends. There were so many workers calling in sick with flu and colds, and Dec. 26, was no exception. I wish our misinformed governor could possibly work with us on a holiday. Maybe his eyes would finally see the real world.

Making spirits bright

I WANT to say thank you to the people who worked to make Toys for Tots successful. I want them to know their efforts were appreciated.

Pretty good pay

I'M RESPONDING to "No perks for teachers." Teachers say they don't get any extra days of pay. They just get paid for the days they work. If they get paid just for the days they work, then they are really making a tremendous salary. They just don't work that many days.

Making it legal

IT APPEARS that President Bush is on the verge of legalizing millions of illegal aliens. The key word is illegal. Why do we make legal something that is illegal? What good is any law?

Enforcing laws

I THINK all the talk about fireworks is ridiculous. They cause minimal damage and no loss of life in our area. But people are driving too fast, disobeying the speed limit, running red lights and doing much more damage, yet our police not to enforce those laws. If you don't enforce the laws you already have, what makes anyone expect new laws will be enforced?

Some common sense

I WANT to thank Councilman Jay Purcell for voting the way people should be regarding taxes. It's great to have at least one commonsense person on the council.

Administrators' pay

I watched with interest the Cape Girardeau School board meeting on the cable-access channel. I thought it was interesting, particularly the point that school administrators make a significant percentage more than the classroom teachers as compared to other districts in Missouri. I think it would be a significant show of good faith on the part of the administration if they allowed that percentage to drop back to the state average and for that money to be placed into the general revenue to help with the financial difficulty.

Economic growth

I DON'T know what cutting back at the schools and the request for a tax increase for the fire and police departments are all about. The president is continually saying that the economy is good and is getting better fast. The income of the city and the school district should increase enough to make the proposed actions of the local government bodies unnecessary.

Increase school taxes

I think it's time. I've listened to the school board. One of the school board members should bite the bullet and recommend a tax increase. We don't want substandard schools.

Listen carefully

AS A member of the Cape Girardeau School District task force, I can tell you that the things that were recommended by my committee and the rank order they were given were not the same as those recommended by Superintendent Mark Bowles to the school board. Now I read in the paper that the board and Bowles are asking for a community stakeholders meeting. I'm wondering if they're going to listen to those opinions.

Business sense

I THINK the school board should give us an explanation why it cost $3,000 more per student to educate the children in Cape Girardeau than it does in Jackson. I have said for years that the superintendent should be a businessman and his assistant should be an educator. These fellows are not trained in business practices.