Speak Out A 1/2/02

Scary interview

THERE WAS a very scary interview on TV. The gentleman being interviewed said creative accounting was very prevalent in the financial statements of many of the companies on the stock exchange and that the accounting deceptions used by Enron were very prevalent in the energy and movie industries. And that the reports presented to the public were not to be trusted. Many of these audits did not show the true fiscal health and stability of many of these companies. In many cases, the investor is buying a pig in a poke. In a case of prolonged economic recession, he said that Enron would be only the first of many financial debacles occurring to many companies listed on the markets.

Dad's responsibility

TO ALL the "Uncle Sam's babies" critics: None of you Speak Out callers brought up the idea that the man who got the woman pregnant should pay for the baby. Shouldn't the man have some responsibility?

Building solution

IF A million dollars was spent on tearing down the old Marquette Hotel building, would the lot then be worth $1.5 million? I don't think so. I say the city should tear it down, sell the lot and bill the owner for the difference. The state offices should stay where they are with today's weak economy.

Defending columnists

AS A onetime reader of the Southeast Missourian, I've been taken completely by surprise at the recent criticisms of both Sam Blackwell and R. Joe Sullivan. I've always thought of both of them as two of the most talented, interesting and insightful writers who've ever been on the Missourian staff. Blackwell reminds me very much of a modern-day Thoreau or Emerson, and Sullivan reminds me of some of the early American humorists such as Mark Twain. But they both bring their own unique talents and perspectives on life to their writings. Their writing reminds me of that of others, but each is an original in his own right.

Defending roundabouts

YOU CAN check the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety and find out more information about roundabouts. They cut accidents by 50 percent over a four-way stop, for example.

Customers pay taxes

THESE SPEAK Out callers who want to tax the heck out of businesses apparently lack the ability of logical thought. Business taxes, just like rent, utilities and payroll, are part of a business' overhead. When overhead goes up, prices also rise. In short, the consumer pays these increased taxes. Democrats would have us believe that they're making the evil corporations pay their fair share of taxes. And their simple-minded constituents swallow this reasoning, hook, line and sinker.

Too much taxation

AFTER MY real estate taxes were close to $1,100 and my school taxes were $840 of that total, here are some numbers on my personal tax on cars. I paid around $70 on them, of which $53 was for school tax. I wonder what poor old folks are supposed to do: Starve, so the youngsters can go to a school with all the conveniences we never dreamed of? I hope when a school issue comes up again on a ballot some people will finally say no.

Editorial hit the mark

I WAS delighted this morning when I opened the paper to the Opinion page and right at the top, first editorial, was "Assessment fix should focus on equity." I was delighted because this editorial expanded on everything that I tried to say in my brief call to Speak Out objecting to the blanket reassessment of everyone's property every two years. Thank you for writing this editorial. It was very well done.

Quick power repair

THURSDAY NIGHT there was a wreck on Route W. My heat is electric, and I'd like to thank the power company for restoring the electricity quickly.