Speak Out 12/7/04

Paint the lines

THERE ARE streets all over town that need painted lines. I saw a woman driving on Broadway from Perry Avenue to Caruthers Avenue right down the middle of the two lanes. The lines are very faded out.

Consider Williams

IN READING Michael Reagan's column about the NAACP and Bill Cosby, I think Walter Williams should be highly considered. He seems to have thoughts, as Bill Cosby does, that would really help blacks reach goals they say they're looking for.

Ivory towers

THE PARADIGM for the ivory towers of academia is socialism, not free enterprise. Is it any wonder, then, that those to the left are attracted to the life of academia?

No opportunity

IT MUST be nice to play mom. I never had that opportunity. I had to work because I had children to feed. I didn't get to play mom for my children. I didn't get to bake cookies and all that stuff. I have three daughters doing the same thing. All these commercials make you feel bad because you didn't get that kind of opportunity to be mom to your children.

Late leaves

THE CITY picked up our leaves this week. The crew came by a couple of times. Our neighbors waited until Saturday to blow their leaves into the gutter. We clean ours up and cut the grass so it will be nice and clean. We've put our Christmas decorations up. Now all the leaves have blown over. It really disgusts me.

Premiere concert

MY HOLIDAY wouldn't be complete without attending the Heartland Pops Christmas concert. If you didn't attend this year's event, you missed out on one of this year's premiere concerts. The orchestra and the adult, children and handbell choirs were outstanding.

Don't raise rates

AM I the only one who sees the contradiction? Cape Girardeau may raise fees to increase pay. We would get a 65-cent-a-month increase in sewer, water and solid waste fees to fund a pay increase. Are the people who do sewer, water and solid waste not a part of our city workers? Why do we need to have a different fee raise for these people versus the money that has been found to pay the other city employees? We were promised if we passed this tax for the fire department we would have a cut on how many increases we'd be asked for. Is it any wonder that we doubt our city employees? If the city raises our sewer rates, the next time the city asks for more money I'll be the first one to say no.

Publish the names

I'M READING about teens and alcohol. One thing that would improve teen behavior is to publish all these kids' names. That would do more to get parents on the ball and do more to affect the kids' behavior than enacting more laws. These kids would not want to be exposed, and their parents certainly wouldn't want to be exposed through their behavior.

Rationale for raises

I WAS disappointed to see the recent comments by the Cape Girardeau parks director regarding his employees' raises. Rather than reinforcing his employees' discontent with their raises, he should remember which side his bread is buttered on and should attempt to foster their acceptance of the raises. He might also explain to them that these raises are based on a study of wages done by an independent third party. The reality is that many of his employees were being compensated fairly for their jobs given their level of education and the skills required. Further, he might explain that if his employees are so inclined, they can apply for other higher-paying positions in other city departments, assuming they possess the proper skills and education. If they lack the qualifications for higher-paying jobs within the city, the city provides tuition assistance to help them gain that education. The reality is that nobody deserves $15 an hour for mowing grass in the park.