Letters to the Editor 10-25-2005
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Property Taxes - Delphi Bankruptcy - Don't Be Rude - Get Rid Of Bush - Christian School
Property Taxes
Editor, Times-Union:I was just reading in the paper about the new proposal for property tax. Please tell me where are we going to get all this money to pay taxes, Nipsco, the local gas station and everything else we need to exist?
Our property taxes tripled when the new revision went into effect. We now pay almost $,1800 a half. My NIPSCO budget is suppose to increase 71 percent according to some reports. If so, next year my monthly budget will be $571. I don't mean to sound boohooey here, but we can't afford this. My husband and I both work six days a week. We haven't had a vacation in over three years (where you actually go away and rest). We no longer go to our daughter's in North Manchester on a regular basis because of the gas prices. We, like the rest of the world, live paycheck to paycheck and that's not ever enough.
Does the state government and our national government want all of us to lose everything we have worked so hard for? Farmers are going to be suffering because of the poor crops this year. They can not continue to produce and not make any profit.
I guess I would like someone to tell me "this too shall pass" but I know it's not going to. We have backed ourselves into such a corner. We give huge salaries to CEOs, players of all sports, factory workers who have outpriced themselves and now their work is outsourced and that's just a sampling of the greed.
Where will it end? I, for one, am telling you this, average workers in this country are stretched way beyond their limits. They talk about stress and depression and obesity being so high in our country. I wonder why?
Phyllis L. Barger
Warsaw, via e-mail
Delphi Bankruptcy
Editor, Times-Union:The Delphi Bankruptcy is the largest industrial bankruptcy ever. Even as Delphi executives are being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission for questionable accounting practices, Steve Miller declared it necessary to sweeten the 21 top executives' pay packages, already worth an average of $1.1 million each. He claimed the old executive packages were uncompetitive. Six hundred Delphi executives around the world got additional stock and 486 in the U.S. will get cash bonuses totaling $88 million. Remember, the bankruptcy was only on the North American operations of Delphi.
When you see the words executive and competitive in the same sentence, its likely management is about to help itself to a generous share of the remaining cash on the basis that their buddies at other companies are doing the same.
Your opinion did not side with the CEOs in this battle but why would you want to beat down the American worker? Look around your community, the American worker has been building and supporting Warsaw and its tax base for over a century. Yes, the Union households and those who work in non-union represented jobs, too.
The United Autoworkers Union and its members are very thankful that they can negotiate wages and benefits, as their boat raised so did the others in the community. Do you think that some Warsaw based employers would be paying over $15 or $17 an hour if Unions like the UAW did not pave the way?
Are UAW represented employees' wages and benefits at GM the reason for increased vehicle costs? Here is an interesting fact: UAW members at the Fort Wayne truck assembly plant, all 2,700 of them only represent 8 percent of a single vehicles total cost. Over 42 percent of that vehicles cost is tied up in advertising. Are we going to ask Madison Avenue to take a revenue cut next year to save the auto industry?
Since the United Autoworkers got their start in the 1930s it has been a social movement working to help their members which in turn helped their respective communities. American Union members created the middle class in this country, and that was good for all of America.
Former UAW president Walter Reuther told Chrysler, Ford and General Motors executives in the 1950s that they needed to back a National Health Care program for all of America. He knew then that a National Health Care system would benefit them in the future. No one in charge of those companies listened to him.
This Delphi bankruptcy sends a clear message to America: a middle-class life is increasingly out of reach. Watch while we continue to erode our U.S. manufacturing base as we race to the bottom to compete with third world countries wages.
Mark Gevaart
Fort Wayne, via e-mail
Don't Be Rude
Editor, Times-Union:Lately, as I have been reading the paper there seems to be a tone in the way people talk to one another. For example, in an article from the 12th of this month regarding Silver Lake budgeting, a Ms. Wadkins made a comment about the current town clerk of Silver Lake that was more than a little bit rude. The clerk had the budget balanced and just missed a step in transferring funds between accounts, but she's relatively new, and Ms. Wadkins just crossed the line by speaking, in public, no less, antagonizing words. Is this the fullness of your heart, Ma'am?
Look, this lady, Ms. Wadkins is an elected official, and do we really want people who don't know how to behave appropriately in positions of example? Is our example one of antagonism and bad attitudes? The clerk didn't do anything wrong, she didn't lie or cheat or steal, she merely missed a step in the bookkeeping process. Ms. Wadkins, I implore you, please be a better example in the world.
In the same vein, an article on the 18th about Sheradon Enterprises was equally abusive and rude. For those of you unfamiliar, Sheradon Enterprises sells and fixes many outdoor tools such as lawnmowers, etc. The gentleman displays these on the grass outside his shop, just as a grocer might display fruits and vegetables for sale. It is not a junk yard, it is a place of business and who are we to comment on someone else's land. Are you your brother's judge? Are any of you perfect and can sit on the place of judgment? No, so when people antagonize each other, such as Mr. Clifford in his comment, "Do you read and write the English language?" to Mr. Doan, the owner of Sheradon Enterprises, it makes us all stop and say, "is that really necessary?" Mr. Clifford, was that really necessary?
I urge us all to take a look at ourselves; look at how we talk to people, how we look at them, how we treat them. Do we act in ways that build each other up, help each other grow and demonstrate our capacity to love or are the words and actions we use destroying our capacity for human kindness? In all we say and do we are changing this world and not for the better. Kids can read and God can see all that we are, and personally, it's just so sad that we are losing our natural goodness.
Just let it go. Don't worry if your neighbor's yard is deplorable or someone made a mistake or something isn't to your liking. Neither of these people deserved these words spoken to them and neither of them have done anything deserving of such treatment. Life is beautiful, so please don't spoil it with unnecessary words. Thank you.
Melanie McKinley
Fort Wayne, via e-mail
Get Rid Of Bush
Editor, Times-Union:Hello, readers! Without going into all the negative detail that helped me come to my reluctant decision, I would like to say, "We the People must see that Our President and his Crew are all removed from public office asap!"
I helped to put him in the office and I think it is my responsibility to tell you that I made a big mistake in doing so, just as did most of you. I don't think our president is a bad person at heart, just not too bright, he relies totally on his crew to tell him what to do and this is where the real problem exists.
His crew and their friends are ruining this nation and its future for their own personal benefit! Some still live by the old adage that you don't change horses in the middle of the stream. Well, we are past the middle and it just keeps getting deeper. We need a new and better horse that might have a chance of swimming us out of this mess we have had piled on us.
I don't know how to get the process started, let alone get it done. I'm sure that some of you that agree with me and are not afraid to speak out for the sake of our nation will know how to get this removal started. Please reply via this avenue of communication and tell me how to get started. We can not wait for his second term to run it's course, for his course is not in the best interest of the citizens of The United States of America.
Jonathan R. Mauk
Warsaw, via e-mail
Christian School
Editor, Times-Union:Dear Editor:
Recently, there was an article on the front page about three families who chose the great town of Warsaw as their new home. Their homes were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. I was disappointed to see that the names of our newest Warsaw residents were printed incorrectly under their picture.
Those three families are of the nicest people I've met. Their story is sincere, and I'm very glad that they have finally found a place (town at least) to call "home." Hopefully they will find a house soon.
The thing I found most interesting was that the article misled readers in regard to the paragraph about our schools. The detail that was conveniently left out was that the school that those families chose because of it's superior quality of education is Warsaw Christian School.
Now, I understand that you might have wanted readers to "assume" that the superior schools mentioned were the public school system. However, the teachers and office staff of Warsaw Christian School deserve credit when it's due. Those families in that article chose Warsaw Christian School because of the superior education that our students receive. Although the teachers and staff receive much less compensation than their public school counterparts, they love their jobs, they love God, and they love their students. Our teachers don't treat teaching as a job, but as a calling to do what they love to do, and it shows when they go above and beyond the call of duty for their students, parents, staff, and each other.
I am a Warsaw Community High School graduate. The teachers I had were great and some of them are still there. I wanted the best education possible for my children as well as a loving and nurturing environment. My kids attend Warsaw Chritian School. Enough said.
Tina Carson
Milford, via e-mail
[[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
- Property Taxes - Delphi Bankruptcy - Don't Be Rude - Get Rid Of Bush - Christian School
Property Taxes
Editor, Times-Union:I was just reading in the paper about the new proposal for property tax. Please tell me where are we going to get all this money to pay taxes, Nipsco, the local gas station and everything else we need to exist?
Our property taxes tripled when the new revision went into effect. We now pay almost $,1800 a half. My NIPSCO budget is suppose to increase 71 percent according to some reports. If so, next year my monthly budget will be $571. I don't mean to sound boohooey here, but we can't afford this. My husband and I both work six days a week. We haven't had a vacation in over three years (where you actually go away and rest). We no longer go to our daughter's in North Manchester on a regular basis because of the gas prices. We, like the rest of the world, live paycheck to paycheck and that's not ever enough.
Does the state government and our national government want all of us to lose everything we have worked so hard for? Farmers are going to be suffering because of the poor crops this year. They can not continue to produce and not make any profit.
I guess I would like someone to tell me "this too shall pass" but I know it's not going to. We have backed ourselves into such a corner. We give huge salaries to CEOs, players of all sports, factory workers who have outpriced themselves and now their work is outsourced and that's just a sampling of the greed.
Where will it end? I, for one, am telling you this, average workers in this country are stretched way beyond their limits. They talk about stress and depression and obesity being so high in our country. I wonder why?
Phyllis L. Barger
Warsaw, via e-mail
Delphi Bankruptcy
Editor, Times-Union:The Delphi Bankruptcy is the largest industrial bankruptcy ever. Even as Delphi executives are being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission for questionable accounting practices, Steve Miller declared it necessary to sweeten the 21 top executives' pay packages, already worth an average of $1.1 million each. He claimed the old executive packages were uncompetitive. Six hundred Delphi executives around the world got additional stock and 486 in the U.S. will get cash bonuses totaling $88 million. Remember, the bankruptcy was only on the North American operations of Delphi.
When you see the words executive and competitive in the same sentence, its likely management is about to help itself to a generous share of the remaining cash on the basis that their buddies at other companies are doing the same.
Your opinion did not side with the CEOs in this battle but why would you want to beat down the American worker? Look around your community, the American worker has been building and supporting Warsaw and its tax base for over a century. Yes, the Union households and those who work in non-union represented jobs, too.
The United Autoworkers Union and its members are very thankful that they can negotiate wages and benefits, as their boat raised so did the others in the community. Do you think that some Warsaw based employers would be paying over $15 or $17 an hour if Unions like the UAW did not pave the way?
Are UAW represented employees' wages and benefits at GM the reason for increased vehicle costs? Here is an interesting fact: UAW members at the Fort Wayne truck assembly plant, all 2,700 of them only represent 8 percent of a single vehicles total cost. Over 42 percent of that vehicles cost is tied up in advertising. Are we going to ask Madison Avenue to take a revenue cut next year to save the auto industry?
Since the United Autoworkers got their start in the 1930s it has been a social movement working to help their members which in turn helped their respective communities. American Union members created the middle class in this country, and that was good for all of America.
Former UAW president Walter Reuther told Chrysler, Ford and General Motors executives in the 1950s that they needed to back a National Health Care program for all of America. He knew then that a National Health Care system would benefit them in the future. No one in charge of those companies listened to him.
This Delphi bankruptcy sends a clear message to America: a middle-class life is increasingly out of reach. Watch while we continue to erode our U.S. manufacturing base as we race to the bottom to compete with third world countries wages.
Mark Gevaart
Fort Wayne, via e-mail
Don't Be Rude
Editor, Times-Union:Lately, as I have been reading the paper there seems to be a tone in the way people talk to one another. For example, in an article from the 12th of this month regarding Silver Lake budgeting, a Ms. Wadkins made a comment about the current town clerk of Silver Lake that was more than a little bit rude. The clerk had the budget balanced and just missed a step in transferring funds between accounts, but she's relatively new, and Ms. Wadkins just crossed the line by speaking, in public, no less, antagonizing words. Is this the fullness of your heart, Ma'am?
Look, this lady, Ms. Wadkins is an elected official, and do we really want people who don't know how to behave appropriately in positions of example? Is our example one of antagonism and bad attitudes? The clerk didn't do anything wrong, she didn't lie or cheat or steal, she merely missed a step in the bookkeeping process. Ms. Wadkins, I implore you, please be a better example in the world.
In the same vein, an article on the 18th about Sheradon Enterprises was equally abusive and rude. For those of you unfamiliar, Sheradon Enterprises sells and fixes many outdoor tools such as lawnmowers, etc. The gentleman displays these on the grass outside his shop, just as a grocer might display fruits and vegetables for sale. It is not a junk yard, it is a place of business and who are we to comment on someone else's land. Are you your brother's judge? Are any of you perfect and can sit on the place of judgment? No, so when people antagonize each other, such as Mr. Clifford in his comment, "Do you read and write the English language?" to Mr. Doan, the owner of Sheradon Enterprises, it makes us all stop and say, "is that really necessary?" Mr. Clifford, was that really necessary?
I urge us all to take a look at ourselves; look at how we talk to people, how we look at them, how we treat them. Do we act in ways that build each other up, help each other grow and demonstrate our capacity to love or are the words and actions we use destroying our capacity for human kindness? In all we say and do we are changing this world and not for the better. Kids can read and God can see all that we are, and personally, it's just so sad that we are losing our natural goodness.
Just let it go. Don't worry if your neighbor's yard is deplorable or someone made a mistake or something isn't to your liking. Neither of these people deserved these words spoken to them and neither of them have done anything deserving of such treatment. Life is beautiful, so please don't spoil it with unnecessary words. Thank you.
Melanie McKinley
Fort Wayne, via e-mail
Get Rid Of Bush
Editor, Times-Union:Hello, readers! Without going into all the negative detail that helped me come to my reluctant decision, I would like to say, "We the People must see that Our President and his Crew are all removed from public office asap!"
I helped to put him in the office and I think it is my responsibility to tell you that I made a big mistake in doing so, just as did most of you. I don't think our president is a bad person at heart, just not too bright, he relies totally on his crew to tell him what to do and this is where the real problem exists.
His crew and their friends are ruining this nation and its future for their own personal benefit! Some still live by the old adage that you don't change horses in the middle of the stream. Well, we are past the middle and it just keeps getting deeper. We need a new and better horse that might have a chance of swimming us out of this mess we have had piled on us.
I don't know how to get the process started, let alone get it done. I'm sure that some of you that agree with me and are not afraid to speak out for the sake of our nation will know how to get this removal started. Please reply via this avenue of communication and tell me how to get started. We can not wait for his second term to run it's course, for his course is not in the best interest of the citizens of The United States of America.
Jonathan R. Mauk
Warsaw, via e-mail
Christian School
Editor, Times-Union:Dear Editor:
Recently, there was an article on the front page about three families who chose the great town of Warsaw as their new home. Their homes were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. I was disappointed to see that the names of our newest Warsaw residents were printed incorrectly under their picture.
Those three families are of the nicest people I've met. Their story is sincere, and I'm very glad that they have finally found a place (town at least) to call "home." Hopefully they will find a house soon.
The thing I found most interesting was that the article misled readers in regard to the paragraph about our schools. The detail that was conveniently left out was that the school that those families chose because of it's superior quality of education is Warsaw Christian School.
Now, I understand that you might have wanted readers to "assume" that the superior schools mentioned were the public school system. However, the teachers and office staff of Warsaw Christian School deserve credit when it's due. Those families in that article chose Warsaw Christian School because of the superior education that our students receive. Although the teachers and staff receive much less compensation than their public school counterparts, they love their jobs, they love God, and they love their students. Our teachers don't treat teaching as a job, but as a calling to do what they love to do, and it shows when they go above and beyond the call of duty for their students, parents, staff, and each other.
I am a Warsaw Community High School graduate. The teachers I had were great and some of them are still there. I wanted the best education possible for my children as well as a loving and nurturing environment. My kids attend Warsaw Chritian School. Enough said.
Tina Carson
Milford, via e-mail
[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092