Speak Out A 06/04/03

Stop grading CR 244

PLEASE KEEP the road graders off of County Road 244. If you're trying to find something for the guys to do, please find them another job or send them home. Stop sending them down to tear it up. Just when the dust is bearable and it's semi-smooth, the graders show up and destroy the road, making it rough and, because of the dust, dangerous. Of course, if we get rain now, we will have mud because the gravel is piled along the side of the road. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize the money that would be saved by blacktopping instead of the three days it takes to tear up the road two weeks. Please stay away.

Time to be aggressive

I THINK it was a smart move by the Cape Girardeau City Council to clean house in the city manager's office. So far, the new people at the CVB and the inspections office are much better than the prior occupants. That's the type of change Cape needs. I hope the city council will also get behind the TIF project. If we're going to grow, we need to be aggressive.

Some real action

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Cape Girardeau City Council for taking action to improve trust with the voting public by sacking the city manager. Finally, some real action. I hope other city workers will take notice that they need to perform well or they'll be replaced too.

No support for increase

I AM an assistant professor at Southeast Missouri State University. In my three years here, I have received one pay increase of 2 percent while dealing with CPI increases of 3.4, 1.6 and 2.4 percent. When pay increases do not match price increases, that effectively becomes a pay cut through decreased purchasing power. Now Gov. Bob Holden want to raise taxes, taking even more money out of my pocket. I find that difficult to support.

Goodbye to classes

TO THE person who spoke out against seniors being let out of school early: Graduation has already taken place. Seniors always get out of school when graduation has taken place. The date for this year's graduation was set before the start of this school year, long before the snow days were used. Originally, seniors only would have missed three or four days more than the rest of the students. Once the seniors have their diplomas, they will skip school.

Useful lawsuits

PEOPLE ONLY complain about lawsuits when they do not suit their own purposes. If a doctor makes a mistake, it is a big deal. Colleges should stop graduating dummies. Doctors need to be brilliant. People have a right to professionalism.

No child-tax refund

FOR ALL of you who think the tax cut is going to help everyone with children: If you make less than $26,000, you will not receive the $400 per child tax refund. Is the tax cut really helping those who need it?

Enthusiastic firings

I'M A teacher and have spent some time around Central High School principal Mike Cowan. As a caller claimed, he is fired with enthusiasm. Perhaps he needs to communicate to other teachers and school personnel that if they are not fired with an equal amount of enthusiasm they will be fired with enthusiasm.

Clustering businesses

SCOTT MOYERS doesn't seem to recognize the cluster theory of business development when he questions whether downtown needs another antique store. In fact, clustering similar stores together can draw more people than having a stand-alone operation. Shoppers know that there is a wider selection, and they can compare price and quality. Downtown Cape is quickly becoming the best place for antiques in the region. By the way, I love reading Moyers' column each Monday. He does a great job.

Let's get real

THEY THINK with a few new people in office that the residents of Cape Girardeau will have more trust and will gladly vote in all these new taxes. Let's get real here.

Kept his promises

IT'S CRAZY to say that state Sen. Peter Kinder should represent all of his constituents because so many of their demands are conflicting. Those who elected him knew he would support doctors over lawyers, business over labor and privatization of public education. The fact that he has done just that means that he deserves credit, not criticism, for following through on his campaign promises.

We're all bad

TO THE person who said he is tired of seeing the murder rates rise: What are you doing about it? Do you volunteer to be a watchguard for the block you live on? Humans are not good in nature. Nor are they the product of their environment. We are all bad at heart. When folks look honestly at their own thoughts and intents of their own hearts, they realize this and need to look to the one who can change them.

What we settle for

SO THE Cape Girardeau City Council fires it's city manager. Brilliant. Who's the next guy to blame for the council's own failures? We will get the government we settle for. Remember that the next time the polls are open.

A smart move

I AM so glad to see that there is a law in the works to ban these heavy trucks from the far left lanes. It is about time trucks were forced to stay out of people's way on a busy multilane highway. This is the first smart thing our government has done in a while.

A matter of trust

MAYOR JAY Knudtson and the Cape Girardeau City Council think they are going to get back the residents' trust by firing city officials and replacing them with their pick. When are the mayor and council members going to get it through their thick skulls? They are the ones the residents don't trust.