Speak Out A 06/05/03

The cost of firing

ON FIRING the city manager: Add up the figures to see what this costs the taxpayers -- the severance pay, the interim pay for the acting manager, the cost of advertising for a new manager, the cost of bringing prospective employees to Cape Girardeau. Something most people don't realize: when a city manager is fired, it's generally not because the council doesn't want a bureaucrat who is quick to raise objections to suggested solutions, it's because council wants a yes man.

This board works

A TEACHER who monitored the study hall sessions she supervised for four years found only 30 per cent of the students used the time to study," according to an editorial in the Southeast Missourian in reference to Central High School. I don't know about the rest of you, but if the teacher who monitored study hall when I was in school noticed that I wasn't engaged in productive work, I'd better get busy or be prepared to receive a love tap or two from the best motivating object in school, cleverly called the board of education.

You can send it back

I'M AN overtaxed working person and gladly welcome the tax cut. It's amazing how people will fight tooth and nail against a local tax increase to benefit schools and community but will turn around and fight an income-tax cut. The president and IRS aren't forcing us to take the tax cut. If you don't want it, all you have to do is return it to the IRS. I'm sure the IRS will gladly accept it.

A messy business

I LIVE in an apartment on Pindwood Lane. In the past week I have seen several guests of other tenants use the trees near our parking lot as a restroom rather than walking the 50 feet to go inside to relieve themselves. Some of the tenants have already turned the lot into an auto-salvage yard filled with broken-down trucks. Is it to be a public restroom as well?

Good representative

WHO CARES where Dale Nitzschke lives or works or spends his paycheck? He gets the job done. Southeast Missouri State University could give him five times his salary and still come out way ahead. And he's an exceptional representative for our university, letting the country know that Southeast Missouri is far more than hicks, sticks and bad verse.

Not a good example

SINCE RODNEY "Can't we all just get along" King was recently arrested again, I hardly think invoking his words to try to encourage social harmony is effective or appropriate. King seems to be a classic example of an anti-social personality who doesn't want to get along with anyone.

Taking them to task

JUST LIKE their federal counterparts, it is clear our Missouri Republicans are committed to sacrificing education, health, social programs and environment in the interests of corporate gain and the avoidance of paying taxes. As a taxpayer who sees not only benefit in these programs, but also a need for them, I am prepared to pay my fair share. Kudos to Gov. Bob Holden for calling these selfish representatives to task.

Zero backing

"WHETHER OR not WMD are found takes nothing away from the Iraq war victory," wailed a Wall Street Journal editorial. It doesn't matter much to me or most of the American people that they haven't been found either, but since our rationale for the war seems shaky at best, I suspect that the next time we feel compelled to take out an evil regime (and there are a lot of them), the coalition of the willing will drop to zero.

You'll rue the day

I AGREE with your editorial that the war in Iraq is still going on but predict you will rue the day when you wrote that it will last but "a little longer."

See? More spending

I KNOW exactly what I am going to do with my tiny tax refund. I am going to donate it to the Democratic National Committee so we can defeat this pathetic administration.

Question of leadership

THE CAPE Girardeau mayor and city council have decided. The reason that the tax proposals failed was because the city manager did not have a high enough public profile. Allusions to a "difference in leadership style" are pathetic. Cape's leaders need to reflect a little more on their culpability.

Concert disruption

MY HUSBAND and I look forward to the concerts at the courthouse on Friday evenings. However, there was a mother with two small boys and baby there who managed to ruin the first half of the concert for everyone. She allowed the boys to run throughout the crowd and disrupt the music. She sat on a blanket while they acted like it was a playground. Parents should keep their children at home if they can't make them behave.

Bush means business

DIPLOMATIC OPTIONS and U.N. inspections have no deterrence on terrorists. Only retaliatory action can eradicate terrorists, and it must go on until the job is done if people ever are to live in peace again. It's just like the police removing violent criminals from your neighborhood. They must be removed from the world also. President Bush means business.

What's the holdup?

RESIDENTS OF Cape would like to know what the holdup is on Mount Auburn Road and Independence Street.