Webb on right track with proposal for four-day week

Webb on right track with proposal for four-day week

EDITOR:

Each day, as everyday citizens grapple with the economic turmoil surrounding them, the financial predicament of the Youngstown city school system becomes an increased worry. Nowhere in this area is education more important than in Youngstown, where the key to revitalizing the area lay in the training of the youth. While some may blame Superintendent Wendy Webb for the financial deficit and, admittedly, she has made mistakes, it is wretchedly unfair to place all blame on her shoulders. Furthermore, I feel it is time to commend her for the work she is doing to rectify the situation, namely her current proposals to save money for the school district. The most hotly contested of these proposals is the plan to reduce the school district from a five day week to four days. Personally I feel this move is very brave on her part and also quite smart.

With the Austintown school district opening their enrollment, Youngstown is going to be losing more students than ever, which means a loss of even more revenue. Options are very limited. Aside from raising taxes, what can Webb do? I’ve seen some critics say that decision will deprive students a day’s worth of education. But, as Webb has stated, the remaining four days of the week will be lengthened to compliment this loss of time. Naturally there will be a few hours lost each week, but if the teachers economize the hours spent in class, education will not be lost along with it. I know when I was in high school the teachers squandered a great deal of time in class by giving us a chance to work on projects and homework assignments; all things that can be done outside of the classroom. If these superfluous moments are trimmed, little to nothing will be lost in the transition.

So, it seems that Webb’s decision is a feasible one. If she indeed can save the district the proposed $599,000 by eliminating a day of the week, why not do it? This education can easily be saved by merely giving the students an increased homework load and using every moment of class to its fullest.

MATT LATTANZI

North Jackson

Give gambling a chance

EDITOR:

It starts again, efforts to legalize gambling in casinos, and again the governor objects, except for state-sponsored (moral?) games purported to increase funding for Ohio schools. In reality, the law allows the state to shift an equal amount of funds from schools to other areas.

Wake up. There are people in Ohio who are moral yet enjoy gambling, shows and dining with alcohol (also bad), so why not do it here rather than make a multi-hour drive elsewhere? No one is forcing moralists with objections to participate. Recent attempts on the ballot have failed more because of the structure and its special interests than morals

A ballot issue with fewer ifs, ands or buts would pass easily. For example: Divide the state into four areas, one to include Toledo, one to include Cleveland and Akron, one to include Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley up to Lake Erie and one encompassing Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton. Each area to be allocated 3 or 4 licenses, with maybe 4 to 6 for the South due to size of area. Each auctioned to the highest and best bidder and with the state getting a piece of the action, say 40 percent of the yearly net. And no tax tricks, no abatements, no shipping of profits out of Ohio until state and local taxes are paid. These dollars to be shared with the 88 Counties on a per capita basis.

Let’s keep gambling funds in Ohio and maybe attract from the neighboring states.

DANIEL VICTOR BIENKO

Canfield

Youngstown’s slippery slope

EDITOR:

It appears that Youngstown has a problem street on the South Side — one that is impassable to eastbound traffic after just a modest snowfall.

I am referring is Old Furnace Road, which runs from near Mill Creek Park’s Ford Nature Center, where it meets Volney Road, to its intersection with Glenwood Avenue.

Last Sunday I tried and failed to negotiate this road after it had apparently been plowed clear of our heavy early January snowfall, but after just three or so inches of new snow had fallen.

The road drops into a shallow ravine and makes a sharp uphill right turn on its approach to Glenwood.

It was after I made this right turn and attempted to climb the hill that my car, an agile front-wheel drive Volvo with very good tires, just spun its wheels in the slushy snow and was unable to go on farther.

At this moment, a Pontiac mini-van whose driver had just turned onto Old Furnace from Glenwood came toward me, traveling at a fairly good clip.

If I had been a little farther on, we certainly would have collided, but as it was the driver was able to stop in time and then had to slowly follow me as I cautiously backed down around the sharp curve and up a modest incline until he was able to get by me. I certainly breathed a sigh of relief when I was able to turn onto Volney.

If the mini-van driver and I had collided, I don’t think that either of us would have been at fault, only the city for keeping an obviously impassable and dangerous road open.

Since there are a few residences along Old Furnace, the city can hardly just close the road. Closing the road off at Glenwood and making it a dead end before the sharp turn in the ravine would be one answer.

Meanwhile, drivers should certainly avoid Old Furnace during wintry weather conditions.

ROBERT R. STANGER

Boardman

Township crew earns praise

EDITOR:

Workers at the street and roads department of Austintown have my deep admiration and appreciation for the manner in which they cared for us during the recent heavy snows. In my opinion, they performed admirably, not only in clearing the initial large amount of snow that fell, but with the continuous follow-up.

In my travels around the area during this period, it was very evident that Austintown crews far surpassed the other areas.

ROBERT M. BRIENIK

Austintown

Animal abusers should pay

EDITOR:

I hope that all of you people who are abusing helpless animals by beating them or leaving them out in the cold without shelter will be caught.

There isn’t a punishment that is good enough for someone like you.

NELIA HUNN

Newton Falls