Downtown needs assistance of everybody to bring it back

Downtown needs assistanceof everybody to bring it back
EDITOR:
In response to the article Sept. 8 in which Mr. Silver and Mr. Thomashow expressed their concerns about deplorable conditions in the area of Federal Plaza. Very well expressed! They have all the right to be upset.
I also work downtown and see how it's been neglected for many years. Those businessmen who are still trying to stay in the city deserve more cooperation from mainstream.
In the first place, most of us agree Federal Street should never have been closed off, resulting in no parking for cars and trucks doing business on the Plaza. The bar has patrons with no place to park but on the brick walkway. With the weight of these vehicles the bricks are breaking, cars have bumped into the concrete planters, now you have one big mess. Not to mention, lights have burned out in those beautiful lampposts and are never replaced.
This is everybody's problem. If you have pride in yourself and your city, you should be concerned.
We all understand the restoration project is under way, but why haven't these areas been maintained up until now?
We get plenty of out-of-town people who patronize Powers Auditorium, which is the city's pride and joy. What must they think about this area, and why would they want to invest in a business here?
Give the business people in town the cooperation they deserve.
LOUISE REPKO
Struthers
Action on Medicare reformis needed immediately
EDITOR:
I work with senior citizens who have enjoyed relatively healthy lives. As part of the management team at the Paisley House Retirement Home, I know the "Golden Years" bring on more ailments and the need for daily doses of prescription medication.
Since 1965, seniors and disabled in the Medicare program have had a guarantee of health care coverage. Today, Congress has the opportunity to continue that promise by reforming Medicare to give our nation's seniors and disabled long overdue prescription drug coverage. This is particularly important as 10 million seniors have no prescription drug coverage. These seniors are bearing the full cost of their prescription drug costs today and need access to affordable coverage now.
Medicare covers 40 million Americans but is the only major insurance provider not offering any type of drug discount or cost sharing. When juxtaposed with the fact that prescription drug costs are the fastest growing segment of health care expenditure, the call to action on this issue must be immediate.
I urge you to contact your congressman and senators urging them to support prescription drug benefit legislation.
AUDEAN PATTERSON
Youngstown
Playing the blame game
EDITOR:
It humors me to listen to people place the blame of all the destruction and inconvenience brought on by the weather on some board, on politicians, on government in general. They continually ignore that what happened here occurred across the country.
I have yet to hear one person say that their Creator may have had something to do with this. We thank a being that may be busy keeping the planets revolving in their orbits and then suddenly stops in order to give us some material object, that decisive field goal or a NASCAR win and then damn a political entity because it took two hours to get to the fair. Such drollery serves no one and accomplishes nothing.
KIM R. KOTHEIMER
Boardman