Speak Out 6/14/13

Traffic problem

Cape needs to put in U-turn lanes on Kingshighway and other problem streets to stop people from using the center turn lane as a drive lane. It works great in Jackson and other towns.

Obamacare, hospital

The leading cause of family bankruptcy in our nation is health care costs. These are incurred when people do not have health insurance. Now, Obamacare will soon put into play insurance exchanges so that all can have the opportunity to shop for affordable insurance. In Perryville, an interesting story in their paper is how the local hospital is partnering with a private foundation to pass on money earned to families who have incurred financial obligations from health care costs. Sounds like a good idea and it is for the hospital -- they get paid a minimum of $21,600 per family that gets the money raised. Of course, the family is still on the hook for the amounts over and above this amount, which are extensive, but the hospital gets more money.

Special pickup

I recently had my one free special pickup with the city scheduled. To my surprise, everything was picked up except for a large, old, beat up trash can. Confused by this, I emailed the department. Finally I got a response about it being their policy to never pick up trash cans unless they are labeled "trash," because they'd picked them up in the past and people had complained that the can itself wasn't trash and then the department had to replace them. Sure. Implementing a policy to correct the situation makes sense. However, that policy certainly isn't common knowledge, nor is it listed on the website in the Special Pickup section, nor was it said by the secretary who scheduled my appointment. How was I to know this internal policy even existed?