Give some praise where praise due
Since last year, we have been inundated with press coverage about needed improvements to our health care system. I agree that our health care system greatly needs changing, but it is very refreshing to experience good news about a topic that feels like everything is broken.
My wife’s MRI showed she had intraductal carcinoma, Stage 0. In less than five months, my wife received a mastectomy and has completed reconstruction of both breasts. She is now cancer-free. My wife and I can’t thank Dr. Julie Finley enough for listening to her patient and taking that extra step in providing great health care.
Subsequent visits with cancer specialists showed that most doctors would not have ordered the MRI based on her symptoms. In our case, Dr. Finley’s proactive approach saved my wife’s life. Health care does need improving to control the growth of escalating costs and to expand coverage to all Americans, but I praise our physicians on the quality of their work!
MICHAEL R. & DELORES (DEE) F. NEWBERRY
Ooltewah
Here’s a question: Why operate in red?
I challenge all politicians to answer this question: “How do you justify raising taxes to pay for the deficits that you and your predecessors created?”
How do you justify operating a government entity at a deficit to begin with?
In the business world that many of you came from, did you operate your business in the red? If so, you didn’t do it for long.
Do you run your household in this manner and then expect your neighbor to pony up some of their earned income to pay for your excesses?
Perhaps you do, but most of us do not have that luxury, much less the inclination. How can you look us straight in the face and tell us that you must, once again, take more of our money to pay for your poor judgment and lack of common sense?
In the real world where we live and in which some of you once resided, if you can’t pay for it, you don’t buy it, and stealing the money to pay for it is, for most of us, illegal. It’s really that simple.
Can any of you give me a real answer? I think not, but the challenge stands. Enlighten us, please.
C. JODY CLARK
Dunlap, Tenn.
Charge admission for paving project
I have the perfect solution for Chattanooga’s funding the repaving of the road from Highway 153 in Hixson: Charge an admission fee for a roller coaster ride and call it “Six Flags Over Hamill.”
GARY L. FISHER
Hixson
Include finances in couples’ unions
In an article (June 4), columnist Barry Courter advises his son/children, after marriage, to have separate checking accounts. What a sad commentary on a marital relationship.
I believe the Bible is effective for salvation, but it is also effective for wisdom. Genesis 2:24 says a man “is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This union refers to more than just a sexual union. It is a union in every aspect of a relationship, including finances.
How can a couple be united as one if they have separate checking accounts? How can they set common goals? How can they learn to compromise when they are each seeking their own self interests? How can mutual financial accountability with your life partner be a bad thing?
Due to financial irresponsibility of one partner, it may become necessary to go to separate accounts, but why plan to exclude finances from the marital relationship? Why not use finances to facilitate communication and enhance relationship? Marital partners are wise to accept the biblical counsel to be one in every aspect of the relationship.
DENNIS URBANIAK
Signal Mountain
Raise tax base with marijuana
Once again the evil devil marijuana raises its wicked head to destroy the lives of misguided souls.
Consider these facts concerning the evil weed:
Marijuana is not the “entry drug” that leads our youth down the road to destruction. Liquor and cigarettes head this category. Both legal and taxed by the state and federal governments.
Marijuana sales in the U.S. are a multi-billion dollar per year industry, which is tax free and thus a means to increase state tax revenues.
Marijuana is not the prime drug smuggled into this country. In dollar value it ranks behind cocaine, methamphetamine and opiates. All too dangerous to legalize.
Marijuana use does not promote violent crime, any more than liquor or gambling.
Marijuana can be abused just as easily as any legal drug.
It is time to make radical changes in our tax system. If marijuana were to be legalized and taxed, revenues would be on the par of present liquor and cigarette tax revenues.
Perhaps we should make liquor and cigarette sales illegal in Tennessee. Let’s not bring that nightmare to Tennessee.
Maintain our state sales tax base with an added revenue venue.
STEVE BECK
‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ a troubling policy
There is tremendous honor associated with serving in one’s armed forces — whether it is the United States or any nation possessing a distinguished military history.
How are we to reconcile this honor with a policy that prohibits a substantial constituency of American citizens from serving their country for fear of being expelled owing to their sexual orientation?
Why must intelligent and able-bodied American men and women who wish to serve their country submit themselves to possible expulsion? Imagine the wounding of their pride, the pain of rejection with which they will be burdened and the agony of having to conceal their emotional, intellectual and physical nature for fear of humiliation.
I am deeply troubled by the policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and ache at the knowledge that within one of America’s most distinguished institutions — its military — gays and lesbians must hide behind a curtain of constant apprehension and fear.
RABBI BILL S. TEPPER
Mizpah Congregation
Bills coming due for VW plant
As some of us predicted, here comes a series of tax/rate increases associated with the VW deal paid by you, the tax and rate payer.
The “Memorandum of Agreement” between VW, the state, cities and county chronicles things like: $44 million paid for employee relocation expenses; no taxes or charges for stormwater, sewer, rail, water, electricity or road improvements which add rate increases along with taxes; a new fire station with the recurring expense of 24 hours staffing forever; the memorandum has a stipulation which perpetually undervalues the land and equipment. This produces a measly $2 million per year for the “school tax” when according to the true value of the land and equipment it should be 10 times more. Five percent of the local work force benefits while the rest of us pay for it.
I have three questions: Why did we have to pay $200 million more for VW than Alabama, our closest competitor? Why does a rich foreign car company get the largest tax package in history and local small business gets nothing and even pays the bill? Where in the Constitution does it say that the government can pick the winners and losers?
TIM PRICE
Hixson