City tax proposal is not reasonable
Re: “Grappling With Tax Hike” (editorial, June 3).
You refer to the mayor’s “reasonably proposed” tax increase. Perhaps you should revisit the definition of reasonably; 33 percent is not reasonable, even by California standards. Even with no increase in eight years, this amounts to an average of 4.125 percent per year, which is still not reasonable.
You stated businesses raise prices and wages to keep up with inflation.
2009 inflation rate was 0.4 percent.
Walmart just lowered prices again.
And when was the last time you heard of anyone getting a wage increase?
As for Memorial Auditorium being closed, what was the return vs. expense of operating it the past year?
And take-home police cars do not deter crime. How many serious crimes were committed within three blocks of police headquarters last year?
And your denigration of anti-tax protesters and Tea Party rallies demands an apology. This country was started by an anti-tax tea party rally.
Keeping recreation centers open and staffing them does not stop gangs. Responsible parents and communities do.
Throwing good money after bad never works (see federal stimulus fiasco).
And who told you that council members are elected to “occasionally raise taxes”?
RANDALL CARD
Bakewell, Tenn.
Not carry a gun and drink? Really?
I was in Memphis recently. The paper reported that a man had been arrested in the afternoon on Beale Street when he got on his motorcycle, hit another motorcycle as he tried to pull out, and was stopped by police. He admitted that he had drank six, maybe eight, beers. He was carrying a concealed weapon, for which he had a permit. Sure, no one is going to carry and drink. How naive and ludicrous that is!
TOMMY HEWITT
Sewanee, Tenn.
Listen to pleas to freeze taxes
In 2006, 85 percent of Hamilton County voters cast ballots in favor of a tax freeze for the seniors. In Tennessee, 20 counties and 22 cities have enacted the freeze, according to the Tennessee Comptrollers’ website. Hamilton County and city of Chattanooga have not. How do you think our citizens would react in this state of depression if the issue was voted on now?
The seniors, who are living on Social Security, did not receive an increase for cost-of-living this year. Utility prices have increased (water, electric and gas). Grocery prices have increased.
Most of our senior citizens are living on the “edge” (bankruptcy, foreclosure, loss of credit) trying to survive in this economic depression. We have had to sell our assets just to make the monthly bills and pay our property taxes. To salaried employees: I am talking about your parents, grandparents, and all relatives who are senior citizens; we need a break.
We cannot afford the present-day taxes. How can we possibly afford a tax increase?
Please support us, and freeze the property taxes for the seniors. We are in dire need and hope you will hear our plea for help.
CAROL HORTON
Big corporations don’t care about us
I’m sick of both Republicans and Democrats. I’ve decided there’s not a nickel’s worth of difference between them. Donkey, elephant — they look like turkeys from where I sit. Bought-and-paid-for lackeys — all. Neither work for you and me; they work for the highest bidder. We’ve become USA Inc., owned and operated by independent contractors and multinational companies.
Right now, BP (the company of shoulda, coulda, woulda) is Big Corporations’ “We Don’t Care” poster child. It was Big Financial, then it was Big Auto, then it was Big Coal, and now it’s Big Oil. Tomorrow it could be Big Pharmaceutical, or Big Health Care or what-have-you.
If you are tired of bought-and-paid-for politicians sleeping with corrupt corporations, then speak up — now — because y(our) voice is getting weaker and weaker, y(our) presence smaller and smaller. If you haven’t figured out by now that big corporations don’t care, you aren’t listening and, you better start listening and speaking up! Put the United States citizens’ boot on all their collective necks, and hold it there until they are forced to remember who their real employer is — us!
SANDRA ARMSTRONG
Rossville
Cheney’s legacy visible in Gulf
Cry for the wildlife, fishermen, their families, and all the others dependent on clean water in the Gulf. The oil industry has treated the Gulf as its own private lake. Mr. Cheney and his high-living friends will downplay the disaster they have created. Think about this next time you get to vote. Our ex-Vice President Cheney (whom we elected) told us that this couldn’t happen. But it did! Now he will probably say that we can fix it although it will probably leave vast areas of the Gulf poisoned for decades.
The Russians had their Chernobyl, which made vast areas of the Ukraine uninhabitable, and we condemned them for irresponsible behavior. Now we can claim no moral superiority.
TABER JENKINS
Hixson
Wamp connections make you wonder
It seems that everywhere he goes, Rep. Zach Wamp emphasizes the value of the Tennessee Valley Corridor. I read that he has strong connections to a public relations firm, AkinsCrisp Public Strategies, that determines the agenda for the Corridor group. One has to wonder whether his interest in the group poses a conflict of interest in that many of the businesses that fund the Tennessee Valley Corridor fall under Wamp’s influence as a head of the House Appropriations Committee. I also read that Wamp’s recent graduate son now works with the same public relations firm. Humm.
GLEN MOULTRIE
Guns not needed to protect rights
Our Republican delegation has succeeded for a second time in their attempts at making bars and restaurants safer for everyone. All done in the name of protecting our Second Amendment rights which is the right to bar arms.
Our governor disagreed and tried to stop this legislation but, as we know, was overruled.
Many others also disagreed, such as our County Commission, City Council and many family people across this state.
I agree our Second Amendment rights should be protected. Our Constitution with all its amendments should be and are protected every day by our uniform servicemen. What I don’t understand is why is it necessary to carry a gun to a bar or restaurant to protect those rights? The two don’t connect.
HENRY A. HOSS
Lower the bar on letters to editors
Reading the letters to the editorial pages is a good way to gauge (albeit in a regional, microcosmic way) which way the winds are blowing on a wide range of topics.
Though it may be said that they mostly indicate who is annoyed enough, or has enough free time, to go on record, the tip of the iceberg theory may apply. Here is what I gather from the letters I’ve seen popping up with some frequency. Popular pastimes are jingoism, polarization, passing judgment, shouting down vs. discussing, heads in the sand, parroting one’s favored “commentator,” spewing venom while claiming to hold the “high ground” (politically, or religiously), and in general, attacking anything that moves.
In my high school class on journalism, it was said that an article should be written so as to be clear enough for a 12-year-old to read, and understand it, in consideration of a wide readership. After reading “Letters to the Editors,” I think you need to “lower the bar.”
DAVID GRAY