Speak Out B 06/19/02

Road excuses don't wash

THE SELF-CONGRATULATION of city and school officials about the new high school road, which won't be ready before school opens, is nauseating. This highly important road and accompanying intersection which won't be ready until the end of the year will be carrying some of the city's most inexperienced drivers. Do these officials realize that their justification for the delay basically suggests that they believed the people of the city are too dumb to understand a slight re-ordering of the city's road plan? I hope they're going to at least have traffic-control officers there for a while.

What's best for everyone

VILLAGE CLERK Bob Moss, a dedicated devotee of a Dutchtown levee, recently wrote that he finds it "very hard to understand the arrogance of those who presume to be wise enough to know what's best for everybody else" and then proceeded to pen a lengthy piece, in effect telling us what he thinks is best for everyone else.

Take them away

THOUGH I remain adamantly opposed to using tax increment financing funds from taxpayers to build an elite enclave for the wealthy and an accompanying members-only golf course, I do support using TIF to build a downtown golf course, a longtime dream of Southeast Missourian editor Joe Sullivan. In fact, I would go so far as to favor a taxpayer subsidy to cover the expense incurred by having those who play the downtown course hauled off by men in white coats.

Why we need it

I AM so tired of people bashing the proposed River Campus. Do any of you who think it's such a horrible idea know what it will even be used for? Do you know the current situation of the performing arts department? Have any of you been to Brandt Hall and witnessed the lack of space for practice and classrooms? Our budget, like many of the other departments, has been cut due to the financial mishap of the state. The River Campus would greatly benefit the students who wish to major in the performing arts. I was appalled to see a caller who thought it would be better to get a new baseball field so the other fields in the park would not be destroyed rather than fund the River Campus. Let's get our priorities straight.

Revenue-producing idea

MUCH HAS been said recently about the budget crunch in Cape Girardeau. So how do the city's leaders respond? Instead of using a TIF to attract retail development, they're going to use one to build an exclusive subdivision -- so the area can attract executives? Wouldn't the city do better to focus on bringing manufacturing, technology or distribution jobs to the city for more revenue? Or like one caller suggested before, how about using TIF funds to expand the mall and attract more retailers to boost sales-tax revenue? I guess Cape Girardeau would rather keep the status quo and put the cart before the horse.

Inconsiderate photos

I WANT to know why photos of a fatal accident are allowed to be printed. As someone who recently had a family member killed in an accident and who, thankfully, did not have to see photos from the scene, I would like to say that I think it is morbid that the Southeast Missourian would print those. The family of the victim almost certainly doesn't want to look at that. Have some compassion and consideration, Missourian staff.

Spoofing the news

THANK YOU for writing an editorial on the Internet site, The Onion, which posts stories spoofing the news. I think it is the second-best satirical site in journalism, superseded only by faux pro-Republican Speak Out comments and Southeast Missourian editorials, both of which appear to be on the surface -- but are anything but -- strong endorsements of conservatism.

Take it up a notch

I WILL not vote for anymore taxes for anything. The government is going to have to tighten its belt.

Deadly consequences

I WANT to comment about the "homeless" guy that was hit on I-55 the other day. It is sad that he was hit and killed, but even more sad is that the police should have run these men off many months ago to keep them from living under the overpass and begging for money. It is one thing if they needed the money, but they didn't. I know several merchants who have had them come in their stores with hundreds of dollars on them. I really hope people wake up and realize that they have been taken to the cleaners by these bums. They want something for nothing, much like the guy from Olive Branch, Ill., who was always needing car repairs.

Try a window tax

I WOULD like to comment about the cigarette tax. If we're going to have taxes and spread it equally to everyone, why not a window tax? We had it back in the 1800s. That's when they counted your windows and you were taxed by how many windows you have. I think that tax will work better.

Don't pick on teens

I WISH the police department in Cape Girardeau had more to do than harass teen-agers. They need to be getting the dopers and drunks every night instead of harassing teen-agers and college kids. All they do is sit and wait for them to come out of bars. They stopped my son for 5 mph over the speed limit. This was at 9 o'clock at night. They need to get out and patrol William Street and Kingshighway where they're having drag races and where I almost got killed the other night.

Trash and pets

TO THE caller concerned about trash in Jackson: There should be no problem with dogs and cats getting into the trash because there is a leash law in Jackson. Dogs and cats are not allowed to run loose. Garbage bags should not be a problem as long as people follow the rules and don't let their dogs and cats run loose. We've been residents of Jackson 46 years. There should be no problem.

The other pollution

WE APPLAUD George Bush for trying to keep dirty bombs from terrorists from polluting our air. But we are equally appalled at his decision to allow American energy industries to pollute our air and make fat profits from them.

Take another look

I'D LIKE to ask the residents of Cape Girardeau to take another look at Jay Purcell. He's not part of the good-old-boys club. He works for truth, justice and the welfare of all working families in Cape Girardeau.