SPEAKOUT

Golf in the graveyard

I JUST just drove home past the graveyard. There's a guy out there practicing his chip shots. I'd like to wrap that five iron around his neck. Do you really think it's OK to turn all of our local cemeteries into golf courses? If you do, then I'll be glad to die on No. 9 green.

Watch those assessments

I WOULD just like to warn Cape County to watch out when you're being assessed on your property. I added a new addition on last fall, and the county assessor came by to measure it. After he was done, he wanted to know if I had made any changes to my basement. I don't have a basement, and they've been charging me for it the last five years. I called the assessor's office and was told that they would not refund my money and that I should have paid attention to my paperwork. I never saw any paperwork except for the assessment papers pertaining to my car.

City street signs backward

THE STOP signs at North Sprigg and Bertling have been installed exactly in reverse as they should be. North Sprigg should be through traffic since this was built and designed to expedite traffic into the Show Me Center and eventually to the new bridge. Plus, there are 20 cars going north-south on Sprigg Street to every one going east-west on Bertling. These signs should be reversed now to prevent the numerous accidents already happening and will continue to happen because of this mistake. Question to the city: How can you justify a stop sign on Bertling at West End Boulevard which dead ends just north of Bertling and not stop Bertling at busy North Sprigg? This is a mistake that should be corrected as quickly as possible.

Public has its opportunities

THIS IS in response to the caller who thinks the school officials have their priorities all wrong. Where were you during all the public meetings that were being held? You needed to put your two cents worth at that time. We need this bond issue to pass to give our children safer and better schools to attend. Obviously, you have no school-age children, otherwise you would consider their education a No. 1 priority.

Why no riverboat license?

CAN ANYONE out there please tell me why the Missouri Gaming Commission will not allow a riverboat license to be issued south of St. Louis when in the city of St. Louis and in the city of Kansas City they keep letting them have new licenses and put in new boats it seems like every quarter? Yet Cape Girardeau and Scott City are trying to get it, but the commission will not release a license to us. Let us have that license.

REPLY: The riverboats mentioned all received their licenses before the moratorium when into effect. Also, Boyd Gaming hasn't submitted an application for a license to the gaming commission yet.

Social Security management

REGARDING YOUR editorial March 24, I deeply resent your reference to Social Security as an entitlement. That money is our money and our employer's money, and if the Congress had kept its sticky fingers off it and allowed it to earn money for us, none of us hope to live long enough to spend it. There are those who were not forced to contribute to it, but changes have been made to allow them to collect it. And if we had all the worthless IOUs from the great chambers on Capitol Hill, Social Security would never go broke. It is not an entitlement by my standards. I could retire as well off as our congressmen do on their federal pensions if Social Security had been and was being properly managed.

Concerned about the cost

I'M CALLING about the inauguration of our SEMO University president. There are so many people in town who are just appalled at the outrageous amount of money that's being spent on this inauguration, and we really truly think that is President Nitszchke was a caring administrator about this, he would put a stop to spending all this money and put it into an area that would have benefited our students.

Pick on basketball

I'M CALLING in response to the column in the Sports section about what's wrong with the game of baseball. Apparently, Mr. Litke doesn't realize that there are other sports with bigger problems than baseball, and all he wants to do is rip baseball to shreds. First of all, I don't know of any players in baseball who go around dressing like women when they go to sign books. And no player in baseball is making an ungodly salary of $25 million a year, which no basketball player is worth. Mr. Litke, if you want to find a sport with problems, look at the National Basketball Association. You'll find the biggest bunch of babies and sissies in any sport, and that goes for any sport, baseball included.

Think of the legacy

I HAVE something for the seniors and everyone else to think about before they vote on the bond issue for the new schools and new equipment that's coming up April 1. We may have to pay more taxes, but we will be paying taxes only one time a year. However, the people whose children are now in school pay every month so that we can receive a monthly Social Security check. Think about what a legacy these new schools could be to your children, your grandchildren and possibly your great-grandchildren. Before you go to the polls to vote, think about these things and vote yes.

Too much juggling

I'D PLANNED to vote for the school bond even though I had my doubts about trusting the school board on a rollback issue. But the latest move on the new appointment of the principal of Washington School has changed my vote back to a no vote. I'm sure the new appointee is a good person, but there seems to be too much juggling by the superintendent and the school board.

Penny wise, dollar foolish

I HAVE two daughters who were born, raised and educated in Cape Girardeau. They now have young families of their own and have moved to Jackson because they want their children educated in the Jackson school system. I also have three cousins who did the same thing. They realize that Jackson residents have always supported their schools. They also realize that although they pay higher school taxes, the value of their homes has increased much more than the additional tax dollars they spend. Any real estate agent will tell that property values are directly linked to the quality of the school system. Young people who are starting families usually opt to buy or build a home in the best school district, and this increased demand means higher property values in that district. Cape has several areas where property values are stagnant or declining, and this isn't limited to the south side. Sure, opponents of the school bond issue might save a few bucks in taxes but could possibly lose much more than they save as their property goes down in value because of a deteriorating school system. This is called penny wise and dollar foolish.