Residents shouldn’t have to subsidize electricity for plant

Residents shouldn’t have to subsidize electricity for plant

EDITOR:

Record high job losses, the unemployment connected with the job losses, home foreclosures, high gasoline and food prices. We are in the midst of a record breaking recession. Families are wondering how to pay their bills and just survive. How many times have people asked, “What next?” How about this. In March 5 Vindicator we were informed that electric consumers, both residential and commercial, will be charge extra on their electric bill so V&M Star Steel can receive discounted electricity at its proposed plant. We as consumers are going to pay part of their electric bill. This industry uses electric furnaces which use large volumes of electric power. The PUCO approved Ohio Edison’s request to recover its discount from residential and commercial customers. The extra charge would apply to all customers of Ohio Edison, Cleveland Illuminating and Toledo Edison, all of northern Ohio will be affected by this.

The rate discount and length of time for the discount isn’t being released. The PUCO approved placing the amount under seal because V&M requested that it be considered a trade secret.

As lifelong residents of Ohio, we firmly support new job growth and welcome new companies to the Valley, but the economic times that northern Ohio is suffering through is not the right time to pad the electric bills of residential and commercial electric consumers.

Our local government officials who are trying to bring jobs to the area can do this without burdening the electric consumers in our community. The local politicians should represent the consumers, not add to their already stressed out financial problems.

MR. and MRS. JOHN HAMMER

Youngstown

Real men have real strength

EDITOR:

Reading Ernie Brown Jr.’s March 7 column titled, “Men: End violence against women” reminded me of how blessed I was to have had a father, brother, and husband with the wisdom of knowing what a real man is.

I can’t count how many times over my 78 years on this earth I’ve heard them say “a real man never hurts anyone weaker than themselves.” Only a coward kicks and hurts those weaker than themselves.

Real men aren’t ashamed to cry. They know crying does not make them less of a man, but instead more of a human being. A real man isn’t measured by his height and muscles, but by his thinking and actions. A real man knows that it was a woman with God’s help that gave him life. A real man knows the value and respect they have for women and their fellow man is a compliment to their own character. A real man knows right from wrong and uses his hands productively instead of destructively.

And most importantly a real man knows that by loving God he inherits some of God’s goodness, kindness, compassion, love and wisdom.

Those with real wisdom know that the strong and powerful use their strength and power wisely. Violence cripples not only the victim but also the violator.

MARY LOU JURINA

Youngstown

Clarification

A letter that appear in Monday’s Vindicator criticized a proposal by the Obama administration to shift the cost of treating war-related injuries for veterans from the Veterans Administration to individual veterans’ private health insurers.

The letter was written and sent to the paper before the White House announced that it had abandoned the proposal, which had met with strong opposition from veteran groups.