Leaders know just one solution: Tax
Well, here we go again. A property tax increase by our mayor and City Council is necessary to pay for pay raises, keep recreation centers open longer and hire more employees.
Hello! Don’t these people know that we are in a recession? Or are they like the Washington crowd that says tax and spend?
Surely, there is someone on the City Council who has enough sense to come up with a plan to cut some of these services and avoid an increase.
We seniors are taxed to the limit. A few dollars more in taxes does not seem like much, but when your income is pretty well fixed, it is difficult to accept. Come on, council, do your job.
JERRY FOUNTAIN
TVA boosts rates, conceals salaries
It was “ho-hum” when I read that the TVA was imposing yet another rate increase. After all, it’s almost a rite of passage that electric rates increase in the summer due to the law of supply and demand, right?
However, an article buried on Page B8 of my North Georgia Edition piqued my attention. It seems that the TVA was considering blocking an attempt by the Knoxville News Sentinel to find out what top TVA executives are paid under the Freedom of Information Act.
Last time I checked, the TVA is a federal government agency, so I can’t imagine why the American people are not entitled to such information. Anyway, they acquiesced and we should find out soon.
After we get that information, I wonder how many TVA customers will question the rate increase when they see what the bloated bureaucrats are being paid. I know I will.
STEVE BERNTHAL
Blairsville, Ga.
Legislators should learn language
Recently, a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives proposed that driver’s license tests be administered in English only.
Defending his position, he said, “When we allowed them people to take tests in a foreign language, the accidents went up. … I ain’t making it up. This is facts.”
Yes. Let’s require the applicants to pass a test in English as well.
CAROL STEIN
Mayor squeezing too hard with taxes
To Chattanooga city officials:
How can you justify giving pay increases and hiring more people by imposing your strict rule of law by taking from the people who were smart enough to purchase property?
Do you not realize that many people are still unemployed, or disabled.
The rest of the country is going bankrupt, yet the mayor wants to squeeze blood from a turnip to create jobs and pay increases.
The city should be acting responsibility like all others by cutting back on city services and expenses — not spending more — how stupid is that.
You do not freeze property taxes for the elderly or disabled, you are very short-sighted in your financial plans and you honestly don’t have the best interests of your citizens at heart.
Shame on you, Mayor Ron Littlefield, wanting to raise property taxes. You should be impeached. You leave us with a legacy of foolhardy decisions, high taxes and high unemployment. You just raised property appraisals during the recession and you want to hit again — shame on you.
BILL MCPHERSON
Harrison
Neo-cons’ lines are just wrong
“Less government, more freedoms” — sounds good on paper. But as all bumper sticker/tag lines of the neo-cons, absolutely wrong!
Do you really want to end safety inspections and countless other government oversights? Most FDR economic regulations were finally abolished by Reagan and Bush/Cheney. Unregulated greed leads to economic collapse. Was that lesson not learned from the 1920s?
FDR policies were leading the country out of the depression, no matter what you hear to the contrary. Most people consider World War II ended it. Let’s consider why: massive government spending, which created jobs for the war effort. The stimulus is working and would work even better if more were put into it!
The GOP, Tea Partiers, Libertarians, etc., just make up anything to keep people angry and fearful. For example, “the Democratic administration will cause hardships to seniors, the middle class, and the disabled” — totally made up, and then repeated over and over, as always. Remember the “death panels” and “birthers”? Just the same old typical lies! Why do some people keep listening to and then repeating such propaganda?
Read Acts 2:44-45, verses that neo-con politicians totally ignore.
WALTER M. BENTON
Signal Mountain
Thieves taking money from us
You and I are being stolen from every day. Our state and federal taxes pay for roads, textbooks, school buildings, teachers, health care and protection from our enemies, all of which are stolen by these thieves.
Americans working to stop terrorism may give their lives for these thieves. The thieves do not pay taxes or serve in our military. The thieves are the over 15 million illegal immigrants enjoying our valuable American lifestyle and not paying a cent for it.
Is that fair? Are you not angered by this? I am talking about the tax money you have to pay to have the good life you have by being an American citizen.
That extra money, multiplied by the number of illegal immigrants in our midst, would go a long way to pay for state and federal budgets deficits. Illegal alien/immigrant theft is an outrage! And, because we live a country of 50 states united, illegal aliens in Arizona are stealing from you just like illegal aliens in Tennessee.
Unless you like being a victim of illegal alien theft, call your representatives now! Let us be rid of illegal aliens. Then you can choose your own charities.
ROGER W. CATLIN, M.D.
Get legal proof of Obama birth
Is anyone else getting sensitive about the ongoing criticism of “birthers”? The latest I have seen is a statement from a woman official in Hawaii who says that she has seen Mr. Obama’s birth certificate, and he was born in that state. Somehow, a third-party committee of one who says “trust him” about my president strikes me as ludicrous.
Whatever else he may be, Mr. Obama is a lawyer who would never go into court simply saying “trust him” in defense of a client. He would offer every shred of evidence he could find. Conversely, if he were to face an opposing attorney who simply defended his client by saying “trust him,” he would laugh his opponent out of court.
I’m not running for the office, but if I were and anyone questioned my citizenship, I would send him a copy suitable for framing and a nail to hang it on. Why is such an obvious and easily accomplishment piece of evidence not available? Is it true that the Certificate of Live Birth which has been offered is actually a poor forgery of his half-sister’s document? And to whom is it not important that “birthers” are correctly asking for legitimate proof?
CLIF TINKHAM
Back Testerman’s vision, elect him
If you live in District 8, I strongly encourage you to vote for David Testerman for School Board in August.
If you’ve had the good fortune to have David as your children’s school principal, you already know the many reasons to vote for “Mr. T” (as the kids affectionately called him.)
David Testerman has 30 years of successful educational experience in the Hamilton County schools, including 26 years service as principal of five different county schools.
But if you haven’t had the opportunity to personally see “Mr. T” in action, there are reasons above and beyond these qualifications that make him the candidate of choice.
David Testerman has a heart for children but a head for business. He understands that simply spending more money is not the answer to our educational problems. He likes to ask the tough questions and use the answers to develop innovative solutions.
David Testerman has a strong vision for our children’s future. I encourage you to support that vision with your vote in August.
To keep our schools in capable hands, please vote for “Mr. T.”
KATHLEEN PASCAL