Reduce city wards to 4; More clueless drivers in Boardman; Avoid ‘charterizing’ of city schools; Anti-frackers threaten jobs; GOP must end bickering; tips to sell homes

Youngstown would do well to reduce number of wards

This letter pertains to com- ments made by Clarence Boles in a letter to the editor last Sunday about white voters in the 4th and 7th wards. More so, it’s about the 7th because I live there. His comments about the ward never electing a woman or black to city council deserve a reply.

First, has this fellow ever checked to see how many women or blacks have ever run for council? I doubt it. I’ve lived in the 7th since the 1950s and can’t recall any woman or black ever running.

Most Eastern European women (Boles’ words) put family ahead of politics; they cared for their families, which took up all of their time, leaving no time for any political positions.

As for black candidates, I can’t recall any ever running for office because there were hardly any living in the 7th Ward until recently. For example, when I attended Woodrow Wilson High School in the 1950s, we had three black kids in my class.

I don’t care if a person who wants to run for political office is male, female, white, black, green or purple. If they are qualified, fine; otherwise forget it.

As to his Mississippi comments, why didn’t residents do anything about the jerks looting stores and causing violent demonstrations — especially the clowns from out of town?

These incidents just didn’t happen one time, they went on for days. So much for concerned citizens.

As for the comments concerning ward reduction, my belief is we should have four wards. Back when Youngstown had more than 160,000 people, there were roughly 22,000 people in each ward. Today we have a population of a little over 60,000, so that would average out to about 15,000- plus in each of four wards.

Also, these actions should have been done after every 10-year U.S. Census count. Not years later.

E.P. “Moose” Yavorcik, Youngstown

Here are some other rude habits of clueless drivers in Boardman

Elizabeth Nagy wrote in a letter to the editor about rude drivers in Boardman.

She forgot a few things.

How about the drivers who ignore stop signs, talk on cellphones or do 20 mph in a 45 mph zone?

How about the ones who see a pedestrian crossing the street and try to hit them? People coming out of the Southern Park Mall on to Market Street are good for this.

School has opened, and some people in Boardman ignore the school bus lights and pass right through them.

I have three cats who have more brains than the people in Boardman.

As for the township trustees who put up signs in Boardman about how it is a nice place to live, I say, “Forget it”.

William E. Reeds, Boardman

Bickering must stop before city schools become ‘charterized’

This is in regard to The Vindi- cator articles concerning the Youngstown Board of Education.

In the Youngstown public schools, there are future scientists, entrepreneurs, authors, astronauts, teachers, lawyers, mothers and fathers disguised as black, brown and white children waiting to have the opportunities that others have to discover all the talents and skills they possess.

Their futures hang in the balance, while the adults in the administration bicker about who has what power and who doesn’t. Each day that goes by, another child may be losing the chance to become all that he or she can become.

As the heated discussions continue, I can assure you that the governor in Columbus is smiling and taking note. For as sure as can be, he is watching and planning on dismissing this bickering board, authorizing the mayor to appoint a board and then begin the process of “charterizing” the Youngstown public schools.

As we all know, charter schools are paid for with public funds, but are administered by for-profit corporations that must reap a profit to satisfy investors and others.

Some charter schools are effective, while others are not. It would be a shame for the district, for the children and for the city to lose their public schools because the adults cannot come together for the common good: by setting policy and developing and executing plans that will put principals and teachers on a solid footing so that they can carry forth in their mission of educating our future adults.

Time is a wastin’. That’s time our children cannot afford.

Jeanne Klein, Poland

Community Bill of Rights still would threaten Youngstown jobs

If it were up to those push- ing the so-called Community Bill of Rights, jobs that people count on would be illegal in Youngstown. I applaud The Vindicator for continuing to take a stand against this bad law by noting it is pretentious, not legitimate and nothing more than a bid for media attention.

Susie Beiersdorfer was quoted in The Vindicator saying, “it’s about a community’s right to allow what businesses can come into the city.”

What about citizens having a say at the polls? We’ve already rejected this job-killing idea three times in the last year and a half.

We need businesses to want to come to Youngstown. That’s how we will create jobs for the many who do not have one. They say this is about fracking, but since drilling is not even happening in the city, I worry what their agenda is really about. If this issue would happen to pass, your job and mine could be lost.

Robert Wagner, Youngstown

The GOP must stop its bickering

The Republican Tea Party is the ultra-conservative group of the Republican Party. Its platform is quite simple; they advocate small government, low taxes and keeping the Constitution in its original form, thus guaranteeing the survival of the republic and the democratic system.

The opposition comes from the group advocating less conservatism. If the conservatives are going to keep the House and gain control of the Senate, they had better get their act together, because the Democrats are armed to the teeth. They have lots of money and are spending it freely. They are feverishly working to regain the Congress and retain the Senate.

If that happens, Obama will appoint more liberal judges and possibly replace retiring Supreme Court justices.

With the help of our generous president, most of the evil plans to destroy our desirable way of life are already in play. Our only hope is the Republicans are fully aware that the fate of our way of life and the freedom we have taken for granted is in grave danger.

The progressive movement could now get under way. The Republicans who now hold the House are in deep trouble. They have to stop bickering and put together a platform that will appeal to enough voters to send those liberals packing.

Leon White, Columbiana

Advice to potential home sellers

I’m writing this letter about housing prices. This is just a suggestion to anyone interested in buying or selling a home. Before doing anything, first hire a bank real-estate appraiser for approximately $250; it will be well worth it.

In most cases you will be surprised about the asking prices of homes. If you are selling, you will have a better idea of what to sell your home at, instead of waiting forever to sell it if the price is too high.

Right now is probably the best time to buy a home. The marketplace isn’t going to last much longer with the right house price and low interest rates. Good luck.

Margaret Roth, Canfield