Speak Out 4/11/2005

Ethanol costs less

EVERYBODY KNOWS ethanol costs less than regular gasoline. Now we need to talk to all the gas stations who are charging an extra 10 cents for 10 percent ethanol. They should sell 10 percent ethanol for less money than regular gasoline.

Reason to vote no

WHY DID we vote against the Jackson School District bond issue? Our child attends one of the parochial schools in Jackson. We pay for bus service to transport him to school because we are not allowed to use the Jackson buses that come by our home, but we are allowed to pay taxes for the Jackson schools. We choose to send our child to a parochial school, but we also choose to vote no on tax issues to further subsidize resources we can't use.

Need tax relief

Litter at Woodland

I AGREE with Mayor Jay Knudtson in thinking that littering is a generational thing. I'm in my 50s, and the thought of throwing trash out of my car window doesn't even cross my mind. However, I think many young people don't give a second thought to littering. As proof, drive west on Highway 34. Roadsides look fairly decent until one reaches Woodland School. The litter in the vicinity of that school is the worst that I've ever seen, and it's fairly obvious who put it there.

Cleanup needed

I'M CALLING about the new VFW building. This is a beautiful building and a great asset to our city, but there is one more thing the VFW needs to do. Someone needs to get rid of all the old tires, trash and junk behind the two storage buildings. This breeds mosquitoes, attracts rodents and looks terrible.

Quick to criticize

Caring for our own

WHAT A great country we are. We have people working who cannot afford health insurance but are making too much to qualify for welfare. We have handicapped and disabled people who are now in danger of losing Medicaid. We have enough money to pay for wars, space programs, artists programs, foreign aid, politicians' health care and former presidents' expenses. We've forgotten to take care of our own before we take care of others, and we've lost sight of the less fortunate in this country.

Appreciated help

Can't do both

IF YOU are at a party eating and dancing, you cannot be reading a book or learning math calculation.

Driving speed

I WISH the United States would change all of the speed limit signs to read "Driving speed." With today's modern vehicles, a knowledgeable driver should be able to handle the road with a few exceptions like weather and curves. To all of the slowpokes: Not maintaining the speed limit is called impeding traffic. Get with the program or don't drive.

Don't harm me

SMOKERS AREN'T victims. The people who have to sit anywhere near a smoker are victims. Smokers don't care about anyone but themselves. If they did, they would leave their cigarettes at home. If smokers want to kill themselves, that is fine. But they do not have a right to harm me or my unborn child.

Space lessons

Proper equipment

I AM the wife of a Cape Girardeau police officer. My husband works with equipment that does not function properly and places him at a significant safety risk. I feel it would place him at further risk to explain the issue in detail in the newspaper, but I want this community to know that its officers are not being provided with properly functioning equipment. While we are grateful for the raises that were received, properly functioning equipment has always been the officers' priority. Given the choice of having my husband come home to our family each day making a few dollars less versus not having my husband come home because he was not supplied with proper equipment, I hope this community and its leaders would make sure my husband has proper equipment.

AS A smoker I am willing to pay a higher tax for my cigarettes because I have chosen to smoke. And because that is my choice I do not expect nonsmokers to pay a tax to support my habit. In the same respect I have chosen to not have children, but 95 percent of my local taxes goes to fund public schools. Because they chose to have children and I didn't, why should I pay school taxes? I'll put up my cigarettes when others learn to control their kids and teach them some manners.

A sick bunch

REGARDING THE sick humor comment about the dead cat on Greensferry Road with the "Free cat" sign over it: We did an unscientific poll at our workplace. The majority of folks who read it thought it was funny. I guess we must be a sick bunch.

Negative feedback

Surplus population?

THE ACTIONS of Matt Blunt and fellow Republicans regarding Medicaid remind me of the words of Ebeneezer Scrooge: "If they're going to die, they'd better do it and decrease the surplus population." Is that what the 100,000 elderly and low-income people are in the eyes of these Republicans? I hope the Southeast Missourian will continue to feature the faces and stories of the people who will be hurt by these cuts.

High-caliber performance

I WOULD like to give a literary high-five to all those involved with the Southeast Missouri State University production of "Guys and Dolls." A musical of this caliber shows Southeast's strength in the theater world. More productions like this and Southeast's theater department could become well-known through out the state and country. Congratulations on the great performance.

Object lesson

Music with attitude

I WOULD like to see the Show Me Center book Gretchen Wilson. She certainly has attitude and takes plain, everyday happenings, puts them with a country sound and makes a point. Please book her here for the party.

More classrooms

IF THE Jackson School Board would think more about academics than athletics, it might be able to get the bond issue passed. We need more classrooms and fewer locker rooms.

Forcing values

THE FAR right has tried to force their opinions on the rest of America for 30 years. Since it hasn't been able to do it constitutionally, it wants to attack the judiciary in hopes of forcing its values on the rest of America. It's time for middle America to make its wishes known. Don't let the likes of Majority Leader Tom DeLay win.

Cheaper plan

I AM extremely happy that the Jackson School District bond issue did not pass. Unfortunately, I am afraid I will see it again on future ballots. As an alumnus of Jackson, I experienced first-hand the crowded conditions. We did not have the math and science building then, and I never thought of the facility as crowded. If the district is so desperate for more room, why not spend less money and renovate the old gymnasium to create more classrooms?

Hiring prospects

TO THOSE worried about the NASA people being on welfare if we shut down the space program: I'm pretty sure if they're smart enough to work for NASA they wouldn't have a problem finding a new job.

Wrong location

I CAN'T believe the Cape Girardeau post office is moving back to the wrong location.