Some roads more equal than others

Some roads more equal than others

I happened to be driving on my street, Wilcox Road, on March 4 when local TV station WFMJ was recording vehicles traveling the road for a story on the deplorable condition of this and other roads in Austintown. That was the same day The Vindicator published an article concerning a letter that Jim Davis, chairman of the Austintown Board of Trustees, sent to Marilyn Kenner, Mahoning County deputy engineer, expressing concerns about residential roads that are the county’s responsibility to maintain. Kenner’s on-air response was that the residents must “be patient” with the engineer’s work schedule.

As many other taxpayers in the county I must use roads in poor condition such as Wilcox, Fairview, New and East Webb roads regularly. I venture a guess the roads traveled regularly by county Engineer Marsico and Deputy Engineer Kenner are not in the same state of disrepair. I know the Lockwood Boulevard and Tippecanoe Road area has seen extensive work in recent years. Do you know why this area gets so much attention, deputy engineer? I wonder who lives near this area. I guess only we in the rest of the county must be patient.

The work on Wilcox and Fairview roads was approved years ago. Thomas Fok and Associates was paid $168,356 for “engineering services related to the $1.2 million widening of Wilcox an Fairview Roads in Austintown.” This is a quote from Peter H. Milliken’s Aug. 8, 2007, report of a unanimous county commissioners’ vote. I saw the Fok people doing their job the following year. By the way, the county engineer’s office had, even at that time, a staff of professional engineers (who got their well-deserved raises this year).

How much patience do you have? Drive over county roads away from county officials’ residences and ask yourself that question. We need patience to await actions on our roads, and we need to be patient and remember the inactivity level next election.

William Layton, Austintown

Why penalize responsible adults?

The writer of a Feb. 27 let- ter to editor stated that the Mahoning Valley will lose if a racetrack/casino comes to our area. I doubt that this man has been in a casino or racetrack such as Mountaineer in West Virginia, about an hour’s drive from Youngstown.

I have been there about 12 times in one year. Also, my wife. Not only can people gamble (albeit it does not usually produce wins), it is still entertainment for a lot of good people. There are other things to do than gambling, including having dinner at the Gatsby Restaurant. As for people getting hooked on gambling, I doubt if there are many who become addicted. You have a better chance of getting addicted to the Lotto than casino gambling.

This is the same old rhetoric I have heard when someone wants to better Youngstown. I have never seen or heard about prostitutes or drug traffickers in or around that locale. The writer says let other cities deal with these problems. Sure, and let them get more revenue to run their city or state. Gambling states are all around us, so it must be producing some revenue, or they would have closed them all by now.

John Davis, Youngstown

In defense of teachers, cops, firemen

A letter published last Sun day was critical of teachers having a 6 Ω hour day and having many days off. The writer did not mention the 4 to 7 years of education that they paid for before they earned a dime. He also failed to mention the countless unpaid hours they spend preparing lesson plans, preparing and grading tests. It isn’t teachers who are failing students, it’s the educational systems in place in this country.

The writer of the letter went on to vilify the police and fireman, claiming that policeman basically just get in and out of cars. Is that what he would say to the families of policeman who have died in the line of duty? My view of the police is a little different. Last year when someone was shining a light on my property and the Boardman police were called, they were there within 2 minutes. They searched the property, came into my home, looked about, and were professional in all regards.

The letter also berated fireman. Like policeman, fireman put it all on the line when they go to work. They are highly skilled people who keep members of our communities alive. They too have lost their lives saving others. Their families have to read the writer’s venomous lies about both dead and living heroes.

Lastly, I am not a teacher, I am not a policeman, and I am not a fireman.

Brandon Michaels, Boardman

Try living in the real world

Why is it that the politi- cians and the Democratic Party in particular have lost touch with the ordinary people? The Democrats in the news stories seem to live in a little political bubble of their own making. Don’t they listen to the people that they supposedly represent? When we don’t have any money, how do they think that we can still spend it? These politicians seem so out of touch with reality.

It would seem that all the politicians should pay more attention to the largest special interest group out there ... the taxpayers. We taxpayers are fed up with the unnecessary taxation and the accompanying unnecessary political employment. We do not always have the time to demonstrate like those on the political dole and those whose unnecessary jobs allow them lots of free time to march and wave signs. But we are a bigger group than all the union workers and the political appointees. We are the taxpayers, the people who pay your bills, and we are fed up with your stewardship of our money.

Donald Butler, Warren

Getting less than bargained for

A few months ago our es- teemed governor was traveling the state to get his message of “no new taxes” and “more money in your pocket” across to the people.

However, one of the first moves he made was to make all public employees pay more for their pensions and medical plans, which means less money in their pockets. So, whose pockets is he going to put more money in? Maybe insurance companies and investment firms like Lehman Bros., which he left with a bonus of $400,000 after he and his cohorts had put the company on the brink of bankruptcy.

The governor does not want seniority to count when layoffs and raises are in line. He talks about merit. However, if the person doing the deciding has a personal friend, or relative, or someone he likes, you can bet that person will stay or get a raise. On the other hand, if there is someone involved who has said or done something “the boss” disagrees with, you can bet he will be gone, even if he may be the best qualified person there.

And about health care, it should be known that public employees do pay into their health plans and prescription drug plans. And I would venture to say that public employees’ plans are nowhere near what the governor and state representatives and senators have.

Clyde Gordon, Struthers

Using the bully pulpit

I’ve just read where the Presi- dent and first lady were the headliners for a conference on bullying, which was held in the White House, with parents, students, and teachers from communities all around in attendance.

Maybe he should have first had a conference on this subject with Governors Kasich and Walker.

Andrew Ruetz, Austintown