Pa. veterans in a bind

Pa. veterans in a bind

EDITOR:

Our county has a nationwide backlog of 600,000 claims for veterans with service-connected disabilities. If you live in Pennsylvania and were wounded or injured while in the service of our country and you want to get a claim approved in a timely manner, you will have to move to another state.

Claims for veterans who reside overseas are being processed in Pittsburgh’s already overburden system. This forces veterans of Pennsylvania, who have their claims at the Regional Veterans Affairs Office there, to wait longer than other veterans in other states. These long waits affect former soldier’s well-being and financial health longer than any other veterans in the United States.

And it’s going from bad to worse. The VA’s 2008 funding had been delayed again. Facilities have had to cut back on crucial services, including mental health counseling and treatment. Construction and maintenance projects that have been needed for years have been delayed again or canceled. Additional claims workers have not been hired, creating further long delays in benefits delivery.

Sacrifices of veterans have allowed this country’s way of life to continue. And while these veterans wait at the end of a very long line they are pushing for a permanent solution: Automatic Funding.

Representatives Bill, H.R. 2514, would amend Title 38 of The United States Code, so that adequate levels of funding for veterans health care would always be assured. This mandatory funding is essential. If passed, the bill will allow the VA to manage and meet the needs of our nation’s sick and disabled veterans — now and tomorrow.

RONALD K. MYERS

Sharon, Pa.

Property values in danger

EDITOR:

The domino effect of foreclosures and abandoned properties in our community threatens the tax base that re al estate has provided local schools and government and the societal benefits of homeownership. Analysts report a one to two percent reduction in value of your home if you live within en eighth of a mile of a distressed property. The effect can be cumulative as the negative impact on the value of your home increases with every nearby vacant or ill kept property. Thieves steal copper plumbing, water meters, wiring, and aluminum siding but leave behind junk cars, trash, and furniture while the vandalized property attracts squatters and drug dealers.

Not only do we risk the loss of property tax revenue but local government is faced with the increased cost of cleaning up these public health and nuisance violations before there is further damage to the neighborhood. The families that live nearby are stuck with the eyesores of boarded up windows and doors, high grass and weeds and the nagging worry that their largest personal asset is at risk.

The Mahoning County Sheriff and the Green Team have worked to remove litter from our roadways with non-violent offenders. It is time to expand the concept of a community court and let the offenders of misdemeanor crimes work their fine or sentence off by improving the quality of life in our neighborhoods. With a collaborative effort between the courts, the sheriff, and government officials the “clean sweep” of the trash and debris in yards and porches of vacant houses by nonviolent offenders can save the taxpayers money while preserving the value of homes in our community.

KATHY MILLER

Boardman

X The writer is a Realtor and a Boardman Township trustee.

Still misses Mill Creek rink; nothing beats skating outside

EDITOR:

It’s now six years since the Mill Creek ice-skating rink closed. Last winter in a letter to the editor, the three Mill Creek Park Board of Commissioners collectively stated that it would cost over $1 million to replace the rink and equipment, add a protective roof, and improve the building. First of all, why would you want to add a protective roof to an outdoor facility? While I don’t know much about ice skating rinks, I do know that with today’s technology, it could be in the 50s and the ice would still be good. Mill Creek Park’s chiller system was outdated and needed a major overhaul.

I did some research and contacted a national management firm by the name of Magic Ice USA of Miami, Fla., that specializes in setting up and operating temporary ice rinks. Magic Ice USA manages The Rink at PPG in downtown Pittsburgh. Also, since I live in Pittsburgh, I contacted the supervisor of the Pittsburgh Parks and Recreation Department (Eric Van). I was told by both entities that if the entire piping and refrigeration system at the Mill Creek Park ice rink were replaced, it should cost at most $125,000 to $150,000 and have a lifespan of approximately 20 years. While these figures may seem expensive, in reality it’s not that much when you look at the entire Mill Creek Park budget.  

The ice rink at Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park is very comparable to Mill Creek Park’s rink. In their letter last winter, the park commissioners lamented over the drastic drop-off in rink customers during the 1990s and gave reasons why this drop-off occurred. In discussing the success of Schenley Park’s ice rink, Van said it’s important for an ice rink to be aggressive in marketing its outdoor amenities to hockey clubs and teenagers (ex. birthday parties). Paying customers — individual skaters and group rentals —account for running and keeping up the rink. The city of Pittsburgh pays the utilities, the park is responsible for staffing and the upkeep of the Zamboni machine. Every 20 years, Van said, the city makes a large capital investment into the rink.

At Mill Creek, it was known for a good 15 years before the ice rink closed that its refrigeration system was outdated, yet proper planning was never put in place to do what was needed in terms of raising money and budgeting.

Nothing beats skating outdoors and if you have a solid product it will sell itself. I have nothing against the large indoor ice facility in Boardman — I’m very happy it was built. But between November and March. I’d rather be outside.

NICHOLAS DuBOS

Pittsburgh

X The writer is a Mahoning Valley native now living in Pittsburgh.