City and school officials neglect the South Side

City and school officials neglect the South Side
EDITOR:
I am a Youngstown resident who proudly lives on the South Side. I believe in order to properly quell the poverty, crime, violence, drugs, homelessness, joblessness and unemployment that is on the streets and alleys of Youngstown, we must stop playing politics with the federal and state funding that comes to our city and school district.
From mayor to mayor and from superintendent to superintendent in Youngstown over the last 20 years, they have politically gerrymandered state and federal funds to only a few wards or sides of town. This intentional and selfish behavior by our mayors and city councilmen and women, as well as our school board members and superintendents, has not been good for our city. It has caused the crime and violence that plague our city and rob our youth of their innocence and spirit, especially on the South Side.
Growing up here I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly, and the crime, violence and joblessness that exist. Over the last decade or so, more than 1 billion came through the city of Youngstown and the Youngstown school district in federal, state and private funds for construction, and none of it was used on the South Side to effect or change people lives in employment, housing, business or recreation opportunities.
Because of such neglect, the South Side of Youngstown has been hit by an epidemic of poverty and hopelessness. It must not be neglected any more by selfish politics in our city.
On the South Side there are over 30,000 residents who live, work, worship and associate peacefully with each other; 99 percent are good and honest residents and taxpayers of the city of Youngstown. And I hope our elected officials and school board members will indeed respect them and not neglect them through gerrymandering of federal, state, and private construction funds. That would truly be a fair and honest renaissance for our city and the South Side.
WILLIE JAMES RICHARDS
Youngstown
Mayor shows compassionto those who deserve it
EDITOR:
Mayor Jay Williams' continuing efforts in struggling to solve our community problems is a compliment to his character and something I find to be as refreshing as a spring rain.
His lack of sympathy for anyone who jeopardizes their own life or the lives of others does not imply a lack of compassion for their grieving love ones.
My sympathy has and always will be for anyone who is victimized by the criminal behavior of others. There are not enough words to express the sympathy I have for the beautiful innocent children who deserve the love, care and guidance by parents, but are denied it because of their parents' lifestyles.
I believe people showcase their character by their thoughts, words and actions. For anyone to die a violent death is tragic. Those who live too close to the edge are destined to fall off.
A few months ago I overheard an elderly gentleman at a fast food restaurant say about the mayor, "This Mayor Jay, I think is good for all people. He looks like a fixer upper. I think he's OK."
Along with countless others I tend to agree with that elderly gentleman, and continue to applaud the mayor's efforts.
MARY LOU JURINA
Youngstown
The real champions
EDITOR:
The Super Bowl is over. It was played under difficult conditions: 60s and heavy rains. They all did their jobs, for which they are paid big bucks.
Consider people in our area doing their jobs in zero degree weather and minus wind chills. Sixty and raining would be a walk in the park for garbage truck people, newspaper people, outside construction workers, letter carriers.
These are the people who keep our society working well. Give them a cheer. They earned it.
BARBARA KOSANOVIC
Youngstown