Cast a vote for excellence; support Poland renewals

Cast a vote for excellence; support Poland renewals
EDITOR:
I would like to present my viewpoint concerning the Poland School levy requests that we will be voting on Tuesday. Although the defeat of the levy request in May was disappointing, we as voters can turn to a positive approach and vote "yes" in the coming election.
Voting yes for the renewal of our 1-mill levy will not increase your taxes, and continues to provide the vital financial support for maintenance and upkeep of Poland schools. Voting yes for the proposed 3.9-mill levy provides operational funds necessary to run the system.
As a resident of Poland for the past 25 years, I have personally seen how superb our system functions for our children and grandchildren. Witness our academic excellence or our championship athletic programs, or our award winning marching band, and you have to ask yourself, "Why would we want to change that?" A yes vote for our levies will ensure it will not change.
People desire to live in the Poland community because of our excellent school system and, in turn, realizing above average property values. If either one declines, so will the other -- make no mistake about that.
The need to provide a first rate curriculum and updated facilities, and attracting quality teachers and administrators demands that we vote yes on Nov. 5.
DON HARRISON
Poland
Give Lakeview kids the education they deserve
EDITOR:
Voters, we have an excellent opportunity to support our children in the Lakeview Local School System. As you exercise your voting rights this November, please remember to renew the Five-Year Emergency Levy. This will not increase our taxes. In fact, homeowners will be paying less for this levy than when it was passed in 1988 and renewed in 1993, and 1998.
Our son and daughter have successfully graduated from the Lakeview School System. They were well prepared for college and beyond. Even though our children have graduated and moved on, we continue to have a heartfelt commitment to both the community and to future Lakeview students.
Please join with us. Give the children of our community the education that they need and deserve. Vote to renew the Lakeview Five-year Emergency Levy.
RON and KARY VOLPI
Cortland
21 is magic number for selling booze in Boardman
EDITOR:
Next week's election is a big one for the future of Boardman Township, to say the least. Aside from the school levy, there are twenty-one (that's right -- 21!) liquor issues on the ballot in different precincts.
Included among these 21 issues are several for new carry-outs, including one in the Boardman Plaza located between two churches and their schools, another at a gas station (Marathon) on Rt. 224 at Parkside Drive, and another on Lockwood Blvd. (in a mail delivery store?) There are also issues for four State Liquor Agencies. If you want to envision what Boardman will look like if these pass, take a ride down Mahoning Avenue in Austintown and you'll get the idea!
Both Giant Eagles now want to sell hard liquor. Does a grocery store need to display rows of whiskey, gin, vodka, rum, etc.? The proposed carry-out in Boardman Plaza (Chalet Premier II) also wants to sell hard liquor, even though they already do so at their North Lima location, just 4 miles away. Does a beer, wine and hard liquor carry-out belong in the Plaza, where numerous teenagers hang out on the weekends?
The voters should also know that, in the election last May, a State Liquor Agency was already approved in Boardman at Creekside Beverage. The state, however, has delayed this appointment at the request of other local retailers. This decision has opened up a hornets nest of liquor issues. However, if these issues are voted down, they cannot, by law, be put back on the ballot for four years.
Keep Boardman the way it is. If you live in a precinct that has an issue on the ballot for a new carry-out or a State Liquor Agency, vote "no."
ANTHONY STILLIANA
Boardman
Boardman students are ready to be all they can be
EDITOR:
I am a 2001 graduate of Boardman High School. I come from a family with four siblings -- all of whom have grown up entirely in the Boardman Local School System (or are presently in it). Currently, I am a sophomore at the United States military Academy at West Point.
My experience at Boardman Local Schools was something I would never trade for anything. I developed relationships with peers, teachers, administrators, counselors, secretaries, and even janitors that still continue today, even after being out of the school for a year and a half. There have been so many teachers who have inspired and pushed me to help me become who I am today. There are several teachers with whom I still communicate today. Every chance I get, I go back to visit all those who made such a big impact on my life.
One teacher in particular influenced my experience so much that I wanted to be a high school math teacher like he was. That was Frank Centofanti. I had Mr. Centofanti for two years of calculus and through working together in class, we formed a good professional relationship. He had such an influence on me that I would go home after school let out, then come back an hour later to help him tutor students and to talk to him to hear his words of wisdom. Then, since I was preparing for the physical demands of West Point, after a tutoring session, we would go for a run around the school together.
I came to West Point (which was a blessing to get accepted in the first place) with a goal of getting 3.0. I thought my background from Boardman was solid, but I didn't think it would be able to hold with the best of the best at one of the top schools in the nation. After my first year at the Academy, I ranked 74th academically in my class of over 1,000 cadets.
To put it in the most general terms, Boardman Schools set me up for success in college level classes, even extremely challenging classes like those at West Point.
JIM FREEZE
West Point, N.Y.
Why are students happy to have been in Canfield?
EDITOR:
When I speak with former students, I often hear them say, "Canfield was and is a great place to grow up." I have to say the school system played a large part along with all of the youth programs sponsored by churches and other organizations. Our school system is recognized throughout the state as one of the best in Ohio. Our community is recognized throughout the area as being a great place to live, to raise children, and to retire, therefore, our homes maintain and often escalate in value.
If you are not satisfied with an administrator, teacher, coach, or any adult associated with the school system, do not let these personal concerns cause you to cast a negative vote against the entire school system.
If your concern is with a member or members of the Canfield Board of Education, please consider running in the next election or supporting a candidate of your choice. It would not be fair to vote against the teachers and the students because you are upset with board policies or decisions.
If your concern is the increase in taxation, please be aware that by not passing the levy at this time maters will get worse. Each time the levy is put on the ballot it will increase to pay for loan interest. Do we really want to pay loan interest? Let us instead, choose to have our tax money go toward the education of our children. And most importantly, while we are voting for 6.9 mills, we will be subtracting the previous 1 mill bond issue, thus making our actual increase 5.9 mills.
Canfield is a proud community. The citizens care about each other, its traditions and our future as a community. Please do not lose what we have by voting against this levy. Support the levy, support Canfield.
WILLIAM E. KAY
Canfield
X The writer is the retired principal of Canfield High School.
Canfield schools should give taxpayers a break
EDITOR:
I am tired of Canfield school levies and maintaining excellence. You don't have to have the reputation of the top school in the area to provide a good education.
There isn't a year goes by that Canfield doesn't have some kind of levy on the ballot so they can stay on top of the heap. Instead of running around with their hand out all the time, they should learn to live within their means.
Not everyone who lives in Canfield is a millionaire. Some of us are retired and have to make do with what we receive each month. This year the cost of living increase for Social Security is 1.4 percent, which will hardly cover the increase in property taxes, let alone the increase in other living costs.
There is a continuous increase in the number of big new homes, medical centers and many other businesses being built in Canfield. These should bring in a big increase in school taxes.
Also there is the Canfield Fairgrounds that always has something going on. I don't know what the city receives from them. They should be a very good source of income.
WALTER AURIN
Canfield
Imagine what you could lose saving a half-penny
EDITOR:
Would anyone care to imagine what our communities would be like without our safety forces? We are faced with just that question only a short time from now, however too few voters are aware of the reality of what our upcoming sales tax renewal really provides for all the citizens of Mahoning County.
As you may have guessed, I am a county employee, and the tax directly affects my life. But do you also know that the sales tax directly affects each and every one of you as well? Being a law enforcement professional, my duties as a deputy include the safety of all the residents in this county, and the security of keeping those who choose to violate not only the law, but your rights as a citizen, behind bars and away from your families. Your right to be able to feel safe while sitting on your front porch, your children's right to be able to play with other kids from the neighborhood, and your right to be able to shop whenever and wherever you wish without fear of being accosted or victimized by the criminal element, are all at risk.
Youngstown, Boardman, Austintown, all have their own police departments and for the most part the sheriff's department doesn't patrol or answer calls in those jurisdictions except when assisting their officers. However when these fine officers make arrests of the criminal element they all turn to the sheriff's department to house their arrestees pending trial. Without the sheriff's department, those subjects who have just victimized you would have to be turned back out into the streets.
The road department keeps your county roads passable, children services monitors the upbringing of many small children whose families are going through troubling times, warrants and legal notices from the courts need to be distributed by deputies, and the sheriff's department answers calls and patrols the unincorporated areas of the county. All these and other county services are at risk of being cut if this renewal is not passed.
Let's not let tax pessimists stand in the way of progress and the rebuilding of our community. Let's make Mahoning County a thriving and progressive place in which to live.
Vote "yes" to renew the half-penny sales tax.
CHARLES E. EMERY
Austintown