Editor, Times-Union: I've got something for people to think about; that is property tax. I can understand our government's reason for sales taxes. Sales tax is included in purchasing an item. Here's my problem, first of all, I don't think land should be owned. It is owned by the Earth. I can understand people wanting to pretend they own land. Once someone buys a piece of land, they should pay a sales tax and that should be the end of it. But no, as long as someone is living on their piece of purchased land, they have to pay the government their "property" tax. The government is your eternal landlord. It's the truth. The only difference is your eternal landlord does not come out and repair your land. I just think it's terrible that after someone has purchased their land, they can be kicked off for not paying the eternal property tax.
Kelly Drake Syracuse
Special Teacher
Editor, Times-Union: The Warsaw School System will lose a very special teacher this year after many long years of service. Charles Hunter has been a sixth-grade teacher at McKinley and Lincoln schools for most of his career. He has touched the lives of many impressionable young people at a time when they needed it most. We know this first-hand because we were blessed to have been his students. Many years ago, Mr. Hunter would read from the children's Bible, making sure that he not only molded the mind but the heart as well. He was a very strict teacher that disciplined with the heart of a father. Who could forget those blackmarks, double blackmarks and the beanbags. We both look back at our childhood and Mr. Hunter always stands out as one of the adults that made a lasting impression on us as children.
Mr. Hunter, on behalf of all of the countless number of students that you have touched, a heartfelt thank-you for all of your years of dedicated service, both to the school system and to God. May He bless your retirement as you have blessed your students.
Terry and Lorie (Loy) Conley
Leesburg
Child Support
Editor, Times-Union: I have debated over whether or not to reply to the letter by Marc Caruso on May 15 concerning the problems in the Child Support office, but after reading Jennifer Collins' letter, I feel that it is time to let people know what has happened in my child support case. Yes, they are poorly staffed. Even when they were staffed with more than two, it wasn't staffed. Six-thousand cases, four caseworkers ... not good. There are still more than 6,000 cases now, with only two caseworkers and a deputy prosecutor who has so much to do, isn't really getting anything done. Just look how many people are behind and nothing is getting done. FACTS!
If anyone received one of those letters about being dropped from the child support list, please check and make sure that everything is correct. I received one of those letters and I know, for a fact, that the arrearage owed will not be paid within the 60 days that they say my case will be closed. So, that brings me to a question. Where is the money still owed?
I sent them a certified letter concerning this matter last week, and only did so because you can't talk to them on the phone and anything you want to know must be requested in writing.
My case started back in November, but we didn't learn of the problem until February. I tried to find out what was going on and why things were the way they were, but no one would discuss this with me. I shouldn't have to hire an attorney to find out why a $5,000-plus balance went to 0. Just answer my questions. But they didn't, so I contacted the office of Rep. Dave Wolkins, Indianapolis. His office made some contacts and guess what - a balance showed up. Imagine that!
Now they tell me that my case will be closed in 60 days because there will be no arrearage owed? I don't think so.
Where do I go from here? I guess it depends on the answers that I receive from the last letter I wrote. I asked for a complete accounting of the case.
I feel that there are probably more people in the county who need to double-check their child support case. If you have any questions, write to them, try to get the answers you need. If you don't get them, then call your state representative or state senator. Maybe they can help. What have you got to lose? It's not their money ... it belongs to the kids.
Sue Barton Warsaw
Teen Drinking
Editor, Times-Union: The Kosciusko chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving was glad to see Gary Gerard's May 25 editorial about the teen drinking problem. Alcohol is the No. 1 drug problem among young people, killing 6.5 times more young people than all other illicit drugs combined.
MADD's programs, such as Street Smarts and Fake ID, as well as Protecting You, Protecting Me, help young people learn the dangerous impact of alcohol on an undeveloped brain, as well as how to make safe choices. Every state has a 21 minimum drinking age law for good reason, it saves approximately 1,000 lives each year.
Kosciusko County MADD applauds the efforts of its law enforcement and highway safety partners, and asks the community to help us with our mission - to stop drunk driving, to support the victims of this violent crime and to prevent underage drinking. Research proves that it takes parents, college leaders and the community working together to prevent underage drinking and binge drinking.
In 2000, 36 people died in alcohol-related traffic crashes in Indiana, representing 23 percent of total traffic fatalities. MADD will continue to lead the battle against drunk driving and underage drinking, but we will need your support.
YoLanda Kuta, secretary/treasurer
MADD of Kosciusko County Chapter
Warsaw
Nasty Letter
Editor, Times-Union: In response to Don Kaiser's nasty, insulting, letter concerning Gary Gerard, published in the paper on Thursday, May 30th, I want to inform Mr. Kaiser that it is none of his business where Gary chooses to live, and certainly none of his business where he chooses to work. I, like many others, enjoy Gary's views and usually agree with them. I also remember some of the letters sent in by Mr. Kaiser in the past, and all I can say is: "Thank goodness, no one has to pay him for his silly views."
Dixie Lawshe Warsaw
Seatbelt Enforcement
Editor, Times-Union: This is in response to the letter in Thursday's paper about the seatbelt enforcement zones.
I too faithfully wear my seatbelt and so do my children. My daughter and I were in an accident about a month ago that, had we not been wearing our seatbelts, we would've been either seriously injured or possibly killed. I was stopped at a seatbelt zone in Syracuse also.
My daughter and I both had our lap seatbelts on. My shoulder belt is an automatic belt but the motor went out of it two days before I got stopped. I immediately called my local police and asked them if I would still be legal if I had my lap belt on. I was told yes. My husband even called the sheriff's department and they also said yes. However, I was still given a ticket for not wearing my seatbelt even though I was wearing my lap belt. I told the officer that I was told that I was legal and all he would say was I was told wrong. I continued to try to argue but all he did was write the ticket out and call to another police officer that he had "another one." He also told me that I could take it to court if I wanted to. Nowhere on the ticket did it say that I was wearing my lap belt but I wasn't wearing my shoulder harness. Of course not, if it did then it would show I was legal. The radio advertisement about the seatbelt zone says that police don't like to write tickets but as far as I am concerned, they do!
