Supply-sider mayor?

WHY WOULD Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson object to the sales-tax holiday even though local tax revenue is down? I thought he was one of these supply-siders who believe that cutting, reducing or even eliminating (in this instance) taxes would somehow, some way, increase overall tax revenue. Mr. Mayor, ye reap what ye sow.

An old idea

THE OLD idea that making markets more open and free will inevitably make the government of a country like China more open and democratic is just that: an old idea. In addition, it's wrong.

Lost in the lyrics

CAPE MAYOR Jay Knudtson's op-ed column praising the customer service of AmerenUE during the recent ice storms makes it official. Our relationship with the utility concern can now be unequivocally described as a love-in, although I'll admit that a good deal seems lost in the lyrics, "Come together, right now, over AmerenUE."

Entertaining play

I SAW the River City Players' production of "Deathtrap" and was pleased with the whole evening. The play was good and entertaining. The community theater is voluntary work. I know it takes a lot of hours and work to put together five nights of entertainment. I look forward to the next play and will be placing my reservation as soon as I can.

Chaffee teamwork

I WOULD like to thank Peg McNichol, Rich Payne and Mr. Baker for the help in getting our first responder vehicle painted in a nice facility. This would not have been possible without everyone's help. On the behalf of the Chaffee first responders, we say thank you to all involved. Your willingness to help shows that anything is possible when we work together as a team.

Pitch in awhile

REGARDING THE people in Jackson who are complaining about the time it takes for limb cleanup: If they would help the city workers clean up for at least eight hours, they would understand why it's taking so long. We appreciate the people who understand why it's taking so long.

Debris and mud

YOU CAN'T drive down any street in Jackson without running into limbs scratching the side of your car and running through mud. When you see the street sweeper, it's in the Bent Creek area cleaning perfectly clean concrete. The debris is everywhere. It makes our city look bad.

Longer school days

JACKSON SCHOOLS should take lessons from Trinity Lutheran School, which is going an extra 15 minutes a day to make up for days missed. This will also help with the high price of gasoline.

No moral compass

THE DEBBIE Shank case shows how Dickensian our country has become. The cavalier attitude of the Wal-Mart, the courts and those who support this legal maneuvering shows that America has lost its moral compass. Disgusting.

Latchkey scheduling

SOMEONE SAID the school district needs to consider latchkey kids when planning schedules, citing the many kids at home after school for an hour or so until their parents come home. How do you want the scheduling to be done? Stay later? If so, when are you going to start the day? If your answer is "later." then the kids will be home alone in the morning instead of the afternoon. Why is it the district's responsibility to take care of child care, a task that is the parents' responsibility?

Poor engineering

A LOT of the flood damage during the last few days was caused by undersized bridges. If the water upstream of the bridge is backed up and at a higher level upstream than downstream, the bridge is undersized. Many other states have laws requiring bridges be large enough to pass flood flows without raising flood heights. It is poor engineering that creates a situation like what occurred on Byrd Creek. The water upstream had to spill over the highway because the bridge was so small. The water was several feet higher upstream than it was downstream. The road was acting as a flood obstruction.