Letters to the Editor

Citizens need relief from double taxes

This letter concerns injustice to some people in Chattanooga.

Some (perhaps most) of us bought property in Hamilton Count because we did not want to reside in the city of Chattanooga. The result? We were annexed into the city.

The further result? We were then given the dubious (and unfair) pleasure of paying property taxes to both the city and the county. With the continued dual taxation on property, federal income tax, and yes, that "lovely" sales tax on everything we buy here, it is a wonder that we have money left to buy food.

Please -- it is time we are given some relief from this injustice.

SIGNED: Caroline B. Gillette, Mrs. Robert Agorta, Faye Christian, Dan Christian, Frances Mullinex, Brittany Pritchard, Nora Rodgers, Tammy Mitchell, Synovia Mack, Ruthie Hays and Carol Jewell, Hixson

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Unwanted food just thrown away

I read your editorial entitled "Costly school lunches (Oct. 10). Your assertion concerning the new federal law is correct. I believe these costs could be offset by changing the USDA rules outlined on Page 10 section 210.2 of the school lunch regulations. (I believe this is the correct section.)

I know from personal experience that the students must take a certain number of servings from each food group, even if they don't want them.

For example, if at breakfast a student doesn't put a fruit on their tray, cafeteria personnel will put a carton of juice or a serving of fruit on the child's tray whether they want it or not! It is my understanding this is USDA law.

What happens to all the food children are forced to take that they don't want? It gets thrown away! Unopened cartons of milk, unopened packs of cereal, and whole fruits are thrown in the garbage!

Sometimes students are allowed to share uneaten food or to save them for snacks.

I wish you could stand in a school cafeteria and see what I have seen. I wish I had the power to change this law. An investigation by your newspaper would be a start.

SUSAN M. DAILEY

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No one came to help dog

Recently a friend's neighbor was arrested, leaving a small dog locked in her house.

Her brother got the keys to her house but couldn't get any of the doors open.

Multiple messages left with McKamey Animal Center and the Humane Educational Society were unreturned. A call to the Soddy-Daisy police said they couldn't do anything.

My friend finally called HES and let the phone ring for one solid hour. Someone finally answered and told him they couldn't do anything, to call the police.

We already know what that response was. At this time the dog had been in the house seven days and they had stopped hearing it bark.

Everyone was afraid to break in because the person arrested was considered to be dangerous.

I called WDEF. I spoke with Bill in the newsroom. He said someone should be able to do something. He called McKamey; they told him they didn't go to Soddy-Daisy.

He called the Soddy police. In a couple of hours the police came, broke in the house, got the poor dog out, and one of her cousins took it.

It took seven days to get help for that dog. It's a shame no one would do anything until the TV news was involved.

MARY CRABTREE, Hixson

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Don't bulldoze the city flat

I trust that the Scenic Land Co. and Tom DuPre (front page story, Oct. 6) will not be permitted to tear down a hill!

Perhaps a more imaginative use of the land? A quiet retreat woven into the hillside, with pools, tennis, walking trails, reflective viewing points, minutes from the hectic metropolis? Commercial development burrowed skillfully into the hillside?

We should treasure our incomparable scenic land, not abuse it. A hill removed here, a hill removed there, and someday Chattanooga may be renowned as the Scenic City that was bulldozed flat.

CLAIRE HALE, Signal Mountain

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GOP targets USPS because of unions

The U.S. Postal Service is in dire financial shape, planning to close 3,000 offices and lay off 100,000 employees.

Granted, many of us correspond with email now, but the problem's true cause is a bill passed in the lame-duck session of the Republican-led Congress in 2006. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act requires the USPS to pre-fund 75 years' worth of future retiree health benefits within 10 years. Republicans are undermining public institutions to slowly, but surely privatize our postal service, public schools, prisons, etc.

The USPS doesn't receive taxpayer money for its daily operating expenses, so shedding employees won't help our deficit. It is the nation's second largest employer and is a target of Republicans because its work force is unionized. I want my postal workers to be well-paid professionals, so that we can trust them with our mail.

Some would like to see our mail delivery taken over by a patchwork of private companies. The USPS delivers about 25 percent of Fed Ex's and UPS's mail already. They co-exist quite well.

The Postal Service could be solvent if Congress would pass HR1351. If you appreciate the convenience of your local post office, please ask your congressmen to pass this bill.

HELEN STAPLETON, Sewanee, Tenn.

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Install flat tax, cut aid, subsidies

Enough of this class warfare.

Washington has been beating this dead horse since FDR, so let's end it once and for all. Let's simply confiscate all the assets of every so-called "rich person" in the U.S.; just take it all.

Turn everything into dollars and let Washington use all that windfall to operate the government. Great idea, don't you agree?

Oops, one small problem: We're going to be about 100-plus days short of funding for one year. What are we going to do then?

Perhaps a more simple and realistic plan would be for Washington to install a flat tax (around 15 percent) then cut all foreign aid by 50 percent, all domestic subsidies by 50 percent immediately.

Of course, we know that ain't going to happen. That would be too simple, and it would eliminate too many unnecessary government jobs.

So until we start seriously protesting to our elected representatives we will get more of the same.

So far, Washington has spent around $2 trillion on these pie-in-the-sky subsidies, and our economy is still in the toilet.

PHILIP D. WILKERSON, Hixson

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Southern hospitality something to behold

On Oct. 20, 2010, my wife and I were enjoying a visit to Chattanooga from England.

We dined at the Big River restaurant and were pleased to get talking to a local couple on an adjoining table, who left before we did.

Imagine our surprise, upon paying our check, that these good people had already paid our check for us!

There is not a day goes by without me remembering that act of Southern generosity. And scarcely more days go by before I mention it to someone who greets the news with disbelief and an expressed interest in Chattanooga.

With the world downturn hitting us as well, we could not afford the United States again this year, but, believe me, we, and I hope many others, will be back to enjoy that authentic Southern hospitality. Thanks again.

P.S. I made a point of trying fried green tomatoes, grits and catfish!

PETER AND LINDA FORD

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