OpinionApril 18, 2005
Speak Out 4/18/05
The mercury link; Medicaid fraud; Good handling; Rice safety; Let's compromise; Some assets available; Try some moderation; Be careful what you say; Limited power; Iraqi correspondent; This wasn't trash; Wonderful program; Cheaper than oil; Renters pay taxes too; Show some respect; Not a historical gem; Seniors need a break; School concerns
The mercury link
I APPLAUD the Southeast Missourian for bringing the autism-mercury link to the attention of readers. It's wonderful that our Missouri legislators are getting close to banning mercury in vaccines for small children. However, if Senate Bill 3 passes, this legislation will be meaningless. I agree that pharmaceutical drugs should be fast-tracked.
Medicaid fraud
AMERICAN WORKERS who are forced out of their jobs because of the huge influx of cheaply paid illegal immigrant workers. This is ruining our economy. The illegal immigrants are bankrupting the welfare programs and depriving American citizens who are eligible for Medicaid and forcing all the laid-off citizens to flood the welfare programs. Removal of Medicaid fraud would bring the welfare programs funding back in balance. Gov. Matt Blunt should and will uncover this fraud.
Good handling
I WOULD like to thank the faculty and staff of Central Junior High School for their wise handling of the weather situation when tornado funnels were spotted. I commend and thank you.
Rice safety
RICELAND FOODS and Anheuser-Busch are the two largest buyers of rice from Missouri rice farmers. This week they have both said they do not want to buy any rice that is grown in the neighborhood of pharmaceutical rice grown to be made into medicine. We need to be very careful not to grow pharmaceutical rice close to human-consumption rice. It's a good idea, and we ought to do it for the sake of science, but do it away from human-consumption rice.
Let's compromise
A SPEAK Out comment said that those of us who voted against the Jackson School District bond issue were irrational. It's that kind of attitude that has angered many of us. You won't listen to us. Your side believes you're right and we're wrong, and there is no bending. We're wanting compromise. We believe some improvements are needed, but we don't believe we need $27 million worth. Why do we need to spend twice what Cape Girardeau did? Work with what you've got. I know you can't renovate some of those buildings, but some of them can be renovated. You keep saying it would be safer for the students to be all under one roof. Every school shooting has been at a school under one roof. I don't think safety is an issue, even though you've tried to snooze us into thinking it is.
Some assets available
I VOTED against the Jackson School District bond issue because $27 million is a lot of money. Kelly School District is getting a lot of the same things for $3.5 million and no tax increase. If the Jackson School District would sell the land it bought on East Main Street, that would give it some extra money to put towards the high school. I also know the district has the money set aside to build a school on East Main Street. It could also put that money toward the high school.
Try some moderation
IN REGARD to the failure of our Jackson School District bond issue: We have a national, state and county attitude that also had its effect on the voters. Negativism in regard to new or additional taxes has been cultivated and promoted in America for decades. It has become the way to get elected or re-elected. Progressives are labeled liberal, and that takes care of that. We have cultivated an attitude if a new tax or increased tax is to improve my situation, vote yes. If it's for others, vote no. You reap what you sow. Moderation is not a dirty word.
Be careful what you say
MY SISTER once upon a time made comments about overweight people and said she would never get that way. Later she had an accident that left her chairbound. She gained 60 pounds. So to the superficial person who said fat people disgust them, what goes around, comes around.
Limited power
HOW MUCH power does the city council want? The ethics committee has had only one case in 11 years. Is this committee a drain on our resources? There is a cap on fee increases. A suggestion has been made to appoint council members if there are resignations and an election is not imminent. Last year we voted on only one issue, a raise in taxes. If we could afford this, we could afford a special election to allow citizens to vote on other items. Ward 3 demonstrated the power of the write-in vote. Do not deny us this right. This is the same council that thought it was above the law when hiring a municipal judge. This is the same council that makes decisions before hearings. This is the council that passed an ordinance underwriting the increased euthanasia of animals. This is the council that uses the words "privileged communication" frequently. These words should be kept at a minimum. No hidden agenda, please. Should the city council be invested with further powers? I think not.
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Iraqi correspondent
SINCE DAVID Limbaugh is not happy with reporting from Iraq, I suggest he become the new Iraqi war correspondent for the Southeast Missourian. He can become the face of the new media. Any reporter worth his salt would jump at the chance. I'll do my part. I will subscribe to the Southeast Missourian for the next couple of years to help pay Limbaugh's reporter's salary.
This wasn't trash
THIS IS a message to a trash scavenger that picked up a wishing well at my home on Edgewood. I had trash out, but this wishing well was nowhere near the trash. Someone just blatantly stole it in broad daylight. I'd like to ask trash scavengers to please only take the trash and leave other things alone that have really sentimental value.
Wonderful program
I WOULD just like to compliment Mrs. Creech and the children at the New Hamburg School on the spring program they presented to their families and to the public. It was wonderful. Mrs. Creech has brought a lot of good out in these children.
Cheaper than oil
A SPEAK Out comment derided ethanol because it has a taxpayer subsidy. The subsidy for ethanol is nothing compared to the subsidy for petroleum. Think about how much money we spend to send the Navy all the way over to the Persian Gulf to protect oil tankers and oil pipelines. We even have gone to war in Arab countries to get the oil supply. Now that's a subsidy. We're spending dollars per gallon to protect the oil industry. We ought to spend just pennies for the ethanol industry and buy it locally.
Renters pay taxes too
MANY PEOPLE are mistaken that people who live in apartments don't pay school taxes. School taxes are assessed on property like vehicles, not just real estate taxes.
Show some respect
THIS IS to the tenured teacher at Jackson High School who accused those who voted against the bond issue of no longer caring and loving our children. It's that kind of an arrogant attitude that has shown through, and we're tired of it. When are you going to stop your arrogant attitude and start listening to the taxpayers? I'm tired of teachers showing movies instead of teaching. I'm tired of teachers having favorites. I'm tired of teachers wasting money on field trips. I'm tired of teachers telling me how to raise my children. Teachers, do your job with what you have to the best of your ability. Stop telling me how to raise my kids. Start showing some respect for parents and community members by listening to our concerns.
Not a historical gem
IT WOULD be interesting to know how many of the people who voted against the Jackson School District bond issue live in the same house they occupied 60 years ago with no additions and few renovations. The high school is the same as it was back in the 1940s when I was a student. I see no reason to look on it as an historical gem or a building that must be preserved of its beauty. It is neither. There are those who feel more comfortable criticizing the youths of today than giving them a decent place to learn, all over a few dollars which anyone can find if they only look.
Seniors need a break
MOST OF us have loved our children and grandchildren and HAVE put them through the public school system. We're senior citizens now, and we no longer have children or grandchildren in the school system, so I will continue to vote no for anything concerning the Jackson School District. We need a break here with our taxes. We can hardly afford to live in this town anymore . So don't put the bond issue's defeat off on us as not loving our children. We love our children and grandchildren just as much as anybody else, but when we're senior citizens and we no longer have children in the school system, give us a break. No more taxes.
School concerns
THESE COMMENTS are about the recent Jackson School District bond defeat. I hardly think it's selfish if someone votes against something that would make our taxes go up $200 a year when we're struggling to pay taxes now. Our school board has no idea how the average parent feels about this bond issue. It's out of touch. No school the size of Jackson needs 11 football coaches and 70 football players to haul in buses when the coach only plays the starters. We need an administration that tries to cut spending. I see buses with only two kids on it going to Fruitland almost every day. If a school is built, will the district close the Annex, Millersville and Gordonville schools. Where will they put all these kids? Would that require another bond issue?
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