Letters to the Editor 02-10-2004
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Meter Reading - Presidential Disaster - Don't File Lawsuit - Treatment, Not Jail Time - Farm Bureau Meeting - Disagrees With Marcus - Dear Friend
Meter Reading
Editor, Times-Union:If you are one of a growing number of disgruntled NIPSCO customers, keep reading, if not, go on to another article because this is a personal observance of the practices of our one and only utility company.
Remember back when the regulatory commission required NIPSCO to reimburse "we consumers" for being overcharged? Well, it seems as though they have found a way to recoup those charges they reimbursed.
The last time we had our meter read was Oct. 30th, 2003. Since then it has been "estimated." When reading the article in the Times-Union Jan. 10th about NIPSCO making another "gas cost adjustment," I knew what was about to happen. Upon going out and reading my own meter, I found that we had been way underestimated. According to NIPSCO, a person using 200 therms of gas should expect an increase of $15.52. If I have this figured right, it means that all the gas already used prior to January but not being reported by having the meter read will be charged at the higher rate.
NIPSCO needs to be held accountable for their own decision in not reading the meters. It wasn't because we had bad weather. They have one meter reader for the whole city of Warsaw. That is the decision they made when they decided to downsize and we the consumer should NOT be penalized for it just because they don't have enough manpower.
We all need to flood the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission with phone calls to complain about this matter. Their phone number is 800-851-4268. If you have a computer, their e-mail address is www.in.gov/iurc It has been two weeks since I made my call and have YET to hear from them, but I doubt they can avoid us ALL if they get enough complaints!
Linda Berger
Warsaw
via e-mail
Presidential Disaster
Editor, Times-Union:Is America finally waking up to the disaster of this presidency? I certainly hope so. The president's appearance on Meet the Press Sunday was just the latest "smoke and mirrors" act that marks this administration. While claiming to be a "compassionate conservative," this president cuts funding for children and the poor, undermines our teachers, raises Medicare costs for seniors, proposes the first constitutional amendment in our history to deny civil rights, removes protections for our air and water and bankrupts our country through irresponsible tax cuts that benefit only the wealthy. Now we know that he either lied or used bad information to put us into war that has killed more than 500 young soldiers, wounded more than 2,000, embroiled us in a quagmire, cost more than $100 billion, inspired those who hate us and virtually destroyed respect for this country around the world. In the workplace, this would be considered either unethical or incompetent and would result in dismissal. I am only comforted by his falling poll numbers. In an age of reality shows, this president needs a serious reality check. What better way for us to provide it than sending him back to Crawford, Texas, next November?
Jeffrey Garrett
North Manchester
via e-mail
Don't File Lawsuit
Editor, Times-Union:This letter is to the family suing the transportation department for "unspecified damages" in the article in the 2-5-2004 issue of the Times-Union. I feel that doing something of this nature is not at all the example of a good Christian family. Suing for "damages" will do you absolutely no good, it doesn't bring your child back. Also, setting a good Christian example is not suing, but forgiving, forgetting and remembering the precious life they lived. If you want to do something about the situation, why not get them to fix the situation and get the community involved? By suing the transportation department, you are not solving anything, you are only getting money. All I am asking you to do is consider what you are doing, we as Christians set an example in the community. By filing this suit you are not setting a good Christian example in front of hundreds of thousands of people that already may have a bad view of Christians. I am only asking you to please reconsider the lawsuit and instead do something that will help the situation, get the community involved and get the real problem fixed.
Bobbie Stump
Leesburg
via e-mail
Treatment, Not Jail Time
Editor, Times-Union:I totally agree with Sonja Roberts in the fact that we definitely need treatment for substance abusers ... NOT jail time or fines. I knew Sonja's brother. And his case was a tragedy. He was not a "criminal". But someone who had a problem that he could not control. He did not deserve what happened to him. Hopefully people will read Sonja's letter and speak up for treatment instead of jail time.
John Frye
Columbia City
via e-mail
Farm Bureau Meeting
Editor, Times-Union:Almost everyone missed an important opportunity last Saturday morning. Very few were in attendance at the Kosciusko County Farm Bureau office for the legislative meeting. But those who did attend got almost a one-on-one talk with their legislators.
We would like to thank Sen. Kent Adams, Sen. Gary "Doc" Dillon, Sen. Tom Weatherwax, Rep. Bill Ruppel and Rep. Dave Wolkins for sharing their time with us. Each discussed issues before the House and Senate during this session and where they stood on these.
A question-and-answer session covered other areas, from pay raises for judges and legislators to the controversial action of Gov. Kernan in recent House voting. Discussion was held on the topic of all-day kindergarten, which some viewed as a smokescreen to get everyone's thoughts off the property tax issue and other major issues.
All legislators urged each of us to get active in the political field, and stressed the need for each person to vote.
Thanks again to each one who attended, especially our legislators. For those who missed this meeting, another one should be held about this same time next year ... Make plans now to attend!
Lenore Lewis, secretary
Kosciusko County Farm Bureau
Disagrees With Marcus
Editor, Times-Union:Sometimes I think I respond to a lot of commentaries whose meaning is probably obvious to most readers, but I cannot let some of the absurdities go unchallenged. Such is the case with Morton Marcus' recent "Eye on the Pie" commentary. Mr. Marcus would have us believe that the government would be in better financial shape if everybody would pay taxes on their out-of-state purchases. He thinks taxpayers should be embarrassed for what he calls "cheating states and communities out of taxes due them." I'll tell you what, Morton, when the government gets embarrassed about how much they steal from a working person's paycheck, maybe the taxpayer can be embarrassed about not paying taxes on out-of-state purchases.
To me the problem seems to be the government spending the working person's paycheck faster than it is stealing it from him. They have two choices - steal his paycheck faster or spend it slower.
Until we admit that government jobs must be eliminated and we start eliminating them, nothing is going to change.
Charles Carnes
Warsaw
Dear Friend
Editor, Times-Union:All of the trimmings are stowed safely away, wrapped in tissue paper to guarantee their survival until next year. We are settling back and recovering from the holiday season. We have said all our thanks to the wonderful people who made this Christmas so wonderful for so many families and we have again been reminded of the promise that this season exemplifies. We are ready to fall back and wait for next year.
We cannot ever take the attitude that if we forget today we can rectify it tomorrow, because tomorrow is not always a sure thing. We in the charity field here in Warsaw were shown that tomorrow can be canceled in a heartbeat, and it was.
Our dear friend Chuck Hogan left us last week to serve in a heavenly capacity. We always saw Chuck with a smile on his face and goodies under his arm. Chuck never attended a dinner without loading up the leftovers and delivering them personally to Our Father's House. Chuck never left our place without saying, "I am glad you got to see me," and we were always glad to see him. Chuck called us many times from the trustee's office to encourage us to go just that extra mile for whatever case he was working on and we did because his heart had been touched by some life lesson that he could personally feel, and that made him great in that deputy position.
We will miss him forever and we will keep him forever in our prayers and we will always remember to thank all of the people and the factories, clubs, churches and individuals who go a step beyond to make a stranger's life better. There is great hope for us all, and we promise to tell all of our volunteers and supporters, "You mean the world to us and without you we cannot survive."
Roz Morgan, director
Our Father's House
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- Meter Reading - Presidential Disaster - Don't File Lawsuit - Treatment, Not Jail Time - Farm Bureau Meeting - Disagrees With Marcus - Dear Friend
Meter Reading
Editor, Times-Union:If you are one of a growing number of disgruntled NIPSCO customers, keep reading, if not, go on to another article because this is a personal observance of the practices of our one and only utility company.
Remember back when the regulatory commission required NIPSCO to reimburse "we consumers" for being overcharged? Well, it seems as though they have found a way to recoup those charges they reimbursed.
The last time we had our meter read was Oct. 30th, 2003. Since then it has been "estimated." When reading the article in the Times-Union Jan. 10th about NIPSCO making another "gas cost adjustment," I knew what was about to happen. Upon going out and reading my own meter, I found that we had been way underestimated. According to NIPSCO, a person using 200 therms of gas should expect an increase of $15.52. If I have this figured right, it means that all the gas already used prior to January but not being reported by having the meter read will be charged at the higher rate.
NIPSCO needs to be held accountable for their own decision in not reading the meters. It wasn't because we had bad weather. They have one meter reader for the whole city of Warsaw. That is the decision they made when they decided to downsize and we the consumer should NOT be penalized for it just because they don't have enough manpower.
We all need to flood the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission with phone calls to complain about this matter. Their phone number is 800-851-4268. If you have a computer, their e-mail address is www.in.gov/iurc It has been two weeks since I made my call and have YET to hear from them, but I doubt they can avoid us ALL if they get enough complaints!
Linda Berger
Warsaw
via e-mail
Presidential Disaster
Editor, Times-Union:Is America finally waking up to the disaster of this presidency? I certainly hope so. The president's appearance on Meet the Press Sunday was just the latest "smoke and mirrors" act that marks this administration. While claiming to be a "compassionate conservative," this president cuts funding for children and the poor, undermines our teachers, raises Medicare costs for seniors, proposes the first constitutional amendment in our history to deny civil rights, removes protections for our air and water and bankrupts our country through irresponsible tax cuts that benefit only the wealthy. Now we know that he either lied or used bad information to put us into war that has killed more than 500 young soldiers, wounded more than 2,000, embroiled us in a quagmire, cost more than $100 billion, inspired those who hate us and virtually destroyed respect for this country around the world. In the workplace, this would be considered either unethical or incompetent and would result in dismissal. I am only comforted by his falling poll numbers. In an age of reality shows, this president needs a serious reality check. What better way for us to provide it than sending him back to Crawford, Texas, next November?
Jeffrey Garrett
North Manchester
via e-mail
Don't File Lawsuit
Editor, Times-Union:This letter is to the family suing the transportation department for "unspecified damages" in the article in the 2-5-2004 issue of the Times-Union. I feel that doing something of this nature is not at all the example of a good Christian family. Suing for "damages" will do you absolutely no good, it doesn't bring your child back. Also, setting a good Christian example is not suing, but forgiving, forgetting and remembering the precious life they lived. If you want to do something about the situation, why not get them to fix the situation and get the community involved? By suing the transportation department, you are not solving anything, you are only getting money. All I am asking you to do is consider what you are doing, we as Christians set an example in the community. By filing this suit you are not setting a good Christian example in front of hundreds of thousands of people that already may have a bad view of Christians. I am only asking you to please reconsider the lawsuit and instead do something that will help the situation, get the community involved and get the real problem fixed.
Bobbie Stump
Leesburg
via e-mail
Treatment, Not Jail Time
Editor, Times-Union:I totally agree with Sonja Roberts in the fact that we definitely need treatment for substance abusers ... NOT jail time or fines. I knew Sonja's brother. And his case was a tragedy. He was not a "criminal". But someone who had a problem that he could not control. He did not deserve what happened to him. Hopefully people will read Sonja's letter and speak up for treatment instead of jail time.
John Frye
Columbia City
via e-mail
Farm Bureau Meeting
Editor, Times-Union:Almost everyone missed an important opportunity last Saturday morning. Very few were in attendance at the Kosciusko County Farm Bureau office for the legislative meeting. But those who did attend got almost a one-on-one talk with their legislators.
We would like to thank Sen. Kent Adams, Sen. Gary "Doc" Dillon, Sen. Tom Weatherwax, Rep. Bill Ruppel and Rep. Dave Wolkins for sharing their time with us. Each discussed issues before the House and Senate during this session and where they stood on these.
A question-and-answer session covered other areas, from pay raises for judges and legislators to the controversial action of Gov. Kernan in recent House voting. Discussion was held on the topic of all-day kindergarten, which some viewed as a smokescreen to get everyone's thoughts off the property tax issue and other major issues.
All legislators urged each of us to get active in the political field, and stressed the need for each person to vote.
Thanks again to each one who attended, especially our legislators. For those who missed this meeting, another one should be held about this same time next year ... Make plans now to attend!
Lenore Lewis, secretary
Kosciusko County Farm Bureau
Disagrees With Marcus
Editor, Times-Union:Sometimes I think I respond to a lot of commentaries whose meaning is probably obvious to most readers, but I cannot let some of the absurdities go unchallenged. Such is the case with Morton Marcus' recent "Eye on the Pie" commentary. Mr. Marcus would have us believe that the government would be in better financial shape if everybody would pay taxes on their out-of-state purchases. He thinks taxpayers should be embarrassed for what he calls "cheating states and communities out of taxes due them." I'll tell you what, Morton, when the government gets embarrassed about how much they steal from a working person's paycheck, maybe the taxpayer can be embarrassed about not paying taxes on out-of-state purchases.
To me the problem seems to be the government spending the working person's paycheck faster than it is stealing it from him. They have two choices - steal his paycheck faster or spend it slower.
Until we admit that government jobs must be eliminated and we start eliminating them, nothing is going to change.
Charles Carnes
Warsaw
Dear Friend
Editor, Times-Union:All of the trimmings are stowed safely away, wrapped in tissue paper to guarantee their survival until next year. We are settling back and recovering from the holiday season. We have said all our thanks to the wonderful people who made this Christmas so wonderful for so many families and we have again been reminded of the promise that this season exemplifies. We are ready to fall back and wait for next year.
We cannot ever take the attitude that if we forget today we can rectify it tomorrow, because tomorrow is not always a sure thing. We in the charity field here in Warsaw were shown that tomorrow can be canceled in a heartbeat, and it was.
Our dear friend Chuck Hogan left us last week to serve in a heavenly capacity. We always saw Chuck with a smile on his face and goodies under his arm. Chuck never attended a dinner without loading up the leftovers and delivering them personally to Our Father's House. Chuck never left our place without saying, "I am glad you got to see me," and we were always glad to see him. Chuck called us many times from the trustee's office to encourage us to go just that extra mile for whatever case he was working on and we did because his heart had been touched by some life lesson that he could personally feel, and that made him great in that deputy position.
We will miss him forever and we will keep him forever in our prayers and we will always remember to thank all of the people and the factories, clubs, churches and individuals who go a step beyond to make a stranger's life better. There is great hope for us all, and we promise to tell all of our volunteers and supporters, "You mean the world to us and without you we cannot survive."
Roz Morgan, director
Our Father's House
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