Party time is approaching

Party time is approaching

EDITOR:

Spring is right around the corner and that could mean only one thing. Tea party season. Now I’m not a tea party expert, but I have attended a couple and think some things need to be addressed.

First, if you have never attended a tea party don’t be so quick to criticize. These are peaceful gatherings of people who want to listen to speakers and voice their concerns. In fact, you may be surprised to find out that a friend, neighbor, or co-worker attends tea parties.

Second, the media has labeled tea parties as a conservative movement. Though a majority of people that attend tea parties consider themselves conservatives, the movement should not be painted with such a broad brush.

Third, the Republican party is well on its way to hijacking the tea party movement. Some politicians are even referring to themselves as tea party conservatives. Just remember that Republicans have proven that they can spend our tax dollars as recklessly as Democrats. I hope tea party organizers avoid making any type of alliance with any politician.

Finally, if you consider yourself to be a conservative and attend tea parties because you are afraid the government is taking away your rights and freedoms, I ask that you rethink your political philosophy. Because if you sincerely believe that we are all endowed with certain unalienable rights, and should have the freedom to make our own choices as to how we live our lives, you may be a libertarian.

A libertarian believes that a person should be free to do as they choose with their life, as long as they do not interfere with the rights of others. Whereas, a conservative believes that a person should be free to do as they choose with their life, as long as they do not interfere with the moral values and standards of conservatives. Just something to consider.

BILL HEGARTY

Poland

Figuring out what hit him

EDITOR:

When thinking about what has happened during the past few years to Packard and General Motors, I can’t help but blame greed and incompetence.

I was a salaried employee at General Motors and Packard Electric for 34 years and after that long, I was “spun off” for some reason and worked for Delphi Packard for two additional years until I was threatened and forced to retire at the age of 54. I believe that the divisions of GM being spun off resulting in the forming of “Delphi” were a plan to fail so that GM could forego its obligations, and it worked.

I didn’t ask for a buy out, bail out or a spin off. All I’m asking for is what I worked for and earned in 36 years of service.

I have a solution. Instead of all the “directors and czars” that GM and the Obama administration have, they should have just three, a director of honesty, a director of obligation, and a director of integrity. These are the people who must do their jobs — if there are three people in upper management who qualify.

Excellence is keeping your promise.

RONALD R. DOBOS

Hubbard

Public employees serve well and earn their pensions

EDITOR:

I have followed the writings by Bertram de Souza for the past several weeks only to be outraged. I find it ironic that he leaves pertinent information out of his comparisons so as to sway the public into thinking negatively toward public employees.

His constant bashing of public employees is childish and outrageous. He somehow forgot to mention that public employees pay a great deal of money to fund their own retirement/pensions into a system (PERS, STRS, etc) that is well-managed due to the large number of contributions made by its members, the employees. As an STRS member, I can assure you that I have been paying a great deal into my own pension over the years. There are indeed contributions made by the employers, but not nearly enough to insinuate a “drain on taxes” as de Souza suggests.

To say that public employees don’t deserve the retirements they have paid a great deal of money into is once again insulting teachers, police, firefighters, and all other public employees who keep you safe, teach your children, manage your communities, and provide basic services that perhaps the general public may take for granted. Mr. de Souza couldn’t survive my job as a public school teacher for one day, let alone 35 years. He is taking his tantrums out on people who provide a great service to their communities and keep our communities alive. Somehow, Mr. de Souza has managed to suggest that the his own private sector deserves a better retirement than those who actually provide beneficial services to our communities and youth.

The only thing I can see that de Souza is doing is contributing false information and a negative attitude, all while insulting the employees who teach your children, insulting the individuals that keep you safe from crime, insulting those that protect your house from fire and keep your communities running smoothly. I would like see him survive any of these jobs for a day before he chooses to say public employees don’t deserve retirement that they have paid into for years.

SHAWN REYNOLDS

Girard

Open up the bidding process

EDITOR:

This regards a policy adopted by the Canfield City Council. Recently, several confiscated firearms were declared available for disposal. I expressed an interest in bidding on them. I was told I could not bid because of City Ordinance 2006-03. This ordinance established a “policy for disposal of surplus firearms,” but says nothing about confiscated property. It specifies that these can only be sold to police officers, police departments and firearms dealers.

I presented my case in a City Council meeting. I was told that according to Ohio Revised Code 721.12 (A), (Disposition of property unneeded, obsolete or unfit for municipal purposes) the city may dispose of such property, less than $1,000 in value, in any manner it sees fit. I was not going to be permitted to bid.

This property does not belong to an exclusive group. It is city property. In this case, any citizen that can pass the proper background check should be allowed to bid.

This amounts to abuse of power and disregard for the people.

FRANK A. MICCHIA

Canfield

Steaming over a trivial suit

EDITOR:

I read with dismay about the lawsuit brought by Mr. Bresko of Canfield over hot coffee.

Don’t we have enough troubles brought on by lack of jobs, foreclosures, businesses closing, etc. without people bringing suit over trivial things? Obviously Covelli Enterprises has deep pockets and apparently Bresko wants some money and lawyers need work.

What has happened to common sense and personal responsibility? But most importantly, what has happened to treating each other with care and understanding especially during hard times.

We love Panera’s and go as often as we can afford. We have never had difficulty there and eating there is a positive experience. I enjoy the casual atmosphere and knowing that we can linger as long as we like to talk and be with friends and family. I hope that “stuff” like this does not cause that to end. Perhaps Bresko should drink his coffee at home.

MARGARET HENNING

Youngstown

Raise taxes, increase spending

EDITOR:

Many years ago, Youngstown instituted a city income tax. Some years later it was decided that revenue collections were insufficient and the tax rate was raised. This was done repeatedly until recent times when Youngstown had attained the dubious distinction of having the highest city tax rate in Ohio. Today, after minor spending reductions, the city still finds itself with insufficient funds.

Years ago the city of Hubbard instituted an income tax. After a while it doubled the income tax rate. About five years ago voters narrowly approved another increase at an unconscionable rate of 50 percent. After that approval, wasteful spending on public buildings, streets and facilities was plain to see. Today Hubbard finds itself in financial difficulties once again.

Now the village of Lowellville is contemplating an income tax increase. Officials cite the need to be prepared to obtain matching grants. They say that the tax rate has not changed since the 1970s. If the city grew in population or number of businesses then revenues would also increase. The tax rate would not need to change.

It seems that some officials are demanding ever-increasing revenue from diminishing tax bases. Taking a lesson from the city of Youngstown with the highest tax rate, there is never enough revenue. Income taxes are very persistent once in place. The people of Lowellville need to keep this firmly in mind when they vote on the issue.

LOREN KINDLER

Hubbard

A million here, a million there

EDITOR:

Last week the Republican national chairman, Michael Steele, stated that “a million dollars is not a lot of money.” It is to me and most working Americans out there.

These are the same people who think the status quo in health insurance is fine. Wellpoint, parent company of Anthem, just announced that it is going to raise premiums up to 39 ercent. It was reported in the L.A. Times that health care costs consumed over 17 percent of the average American’s income, the highest ever and is predicted to go higher. Republicans are opposed to health insurance reform.

It also should be noted that the leading Republican on the House Budget Committee proposed a budget that would privatize Social Security and shred Medicare.

With leadership like that it is a wonder they get any votes at all.

TOM LAMB

Youngstown

Young assets to the Valley

EDITOR:

I sincerely want to thank a group of eight to 10 young women and men and an Austintown police officer who came to my aid after my car did a double circle turn on a snowy and icy Route 46 (not far from the Austintown Fire Dept. building) and ended up in a snow bank on the side of the road.

A young woman stopped to assist me dig and push the car out of the snow bank. Within minutes more young men and women stopped to assist, to no avail. Finally one young man came in his truck with a chain and pulled the car out of the snow drift. Then an Austintown police officer came to offer assistance and everyone disappeared and I never really never had the opportunity to thank them all properly. I’m very grateful to all of them.

I was on my way home from a great spaghetti dinner at St. Patrick’s Church in Youngstown. It’s really great to know that we have such caring young people in this Valley. This “ole” 74-year-old is super grateful.

God bless you all.

JOHN J. DORAN

Warren