Saturday, March 18, 2006
Ohio avoids addressing school finance issue
EDITOR:
On four occasions during the past fourteen years, the Supreme Court of Ohio has determined school funding to be unconstitutional. Yet, nothing has been done to rectify this situation. How dare our pompous legislators display the audacity to defy this ruling by the highest judicial authority of our state. Perhaps their security lies in the assumption that they do not have to concern themselves with answering to the electorate. They perceive voters to be too apathetic, ignorant, disorganized, and unwilling to pursue correction of this travesty. I am certainly no expert regarding educational funding. However, I'm of the opinion that some action must result when our state's highest court rules something to be illegal.
We have been subjected to deceptive information with regard to support of public education. There are those who actually presume that profits from the Ohio lottery are specifically earmarked for education. In reality, lottery earnings are put into Ohio's coffers along with all other revenue. Since the expenditure toward education far exceeds the receipts from the lottery, Ohio's citizens are simply told that all lottery earnings go toward schooling.
We must re-evaluate how our schools are supported. If additional money is the issue, then why is the Ohio Department of Taxation announcing that it is decreasing state income taxes by 4.2 percent in each of the next four years? If property tax reliance is the concern, can we not decrease all property taxes across the board and supplement the shortfall with this tax reduction?
Why would our state's officials select a tax decrease before demanding constitutional compliance of educational financing? Could it possibly be that a tax abatement, during an election year may induce residents to vote for incumbents as a sign of gratitude for this "windfall?" This tax alleviation may raise the ire of the courts and public schools, but really, what is more important?
RICHARD WEIMER
Youngstown
Livestock's effect on water quality is subject of state bill
EDITOR:
Water issues loom large in the minds of many people. The League of Women Voters of Ohio has long been concerned about water quality and now sees factory farming as a potential threat to both surface and ground water. Thus, we were pleased to see the Nov. 21, 2005, introduction of S.B. 230, which aims to provide some safeguards that are currently missing. In particular, it would:
1. Prohibit permits to build concentrated animal feeding facilities (CAFFs) until new requirements about manure handling and storage, including controls and liners, are implemented;
2. Require ground and surface water monitoring at CAFFs;
3. Make additional rules about transfer or sale of manure;
4. Require more information about where manure will be applied;
5. Establish some guidelines about where CAFFs may not be located; and require that fees cover the cost of regulating the facilities.
Anyone interested in preserving water quality should encourage our state senators to support S.B. 23.
KAREN O'MALIA
Girard
Unforgiving editorial was an affront to Lenten season
EDITOR:
One of the hallmarks of Christianity is reconciliation even though as human beings we sometimes find it difficult to forgive.
During the Christian season of Lent, we "hang our hats" on the belief that God forgives and is more than willing to help us learn from our mistakes. And just when we want to talk ourselves into believing that maybe, just maybe, God won't forgive us "this" time, we hear the words of Jesus on the cross, "This day you shall be with me in paradise."
Your editorial last Sunday concerning Patrick Kerrigan was very offensive to me. I am Pat's pastor, I certainly don't pretend that everyone believes or follows Christian principles; however we live in a community where one of the most successful secular principles of rehabilitation happens daily at Community Corrections Corporation, Inc. on Market Street here on the South Side. CCA has built a solid reputation on the belief that individuals can learn from their mistakes.
Pat Kerrigan has been active in our parish and in my opinion, he is proof that we can learn from our mistakes.
Thank God for people who show us that they can and will change for the better. Granted there are degrees of offenses and there seem to be unfortunate cases where people are so full of hate that they seem unable to be forgiven or to forgive. However, if the spiritual and secular communities are enhanced by their respective positive principles of reconciliation and rehabilitation, I think we all win.
REV. EDWARD P. NOGA
Youngstown
The writer is pastor of St. Patrick Church, Youngstown.
Give an honest guy a break
EDITOR:
Patrick V. Kerrigan, a convicted felon, was approved as interim director of Lien Forward Ohio. Kerrigan also brags that he is paid three times as much by a law firm as the $28 per hour that he is being offered.
This is one of many reasons why Youngstown can't attract new businesses Why not an honest citizen who needs work to fill this position?
JACQUELINE A. HANSON
Youngstown