COLA formula unfair to seniors
When the federal government says there will not be an increase in the cost of living adjustment (COLA) for seniors and disabled veterans, our older citizens will be worse off in 2016.
Instead of fighting political battles in Washington, Congress needs to correct how the COLA formula works. This year’s lack of increase was due to the low gas prices, we’re told. However, most seniors do little or no driving and are denied these savings.
At the same time, prices of food, pharmaceuticals, utilities and Medicare premiums have gone up, causing hardships on older people on fixed incomes.
Please tell your representatives in Congress to adjust this out-of-date formula as soon as possible.
Rocky Renneisen, Signal Mountain
Inland port site a terrible injustice
I oppose the proposed Appalachian Regional Inland Port at the current site in Crandall, Ga.
If constructed at the proposed site, this facility would threaten an environmentally sensitive area. The federally protected Cohutta Wilderness lies two miles east where prevailing winds will carry diesel contaminants directly into those mountains. The headwaters of the Conasauga and Jacks rivers form in those mountains. The site is bordered by the beautiful, clean Sumac Creek which feeds the Conasauga just downstream. All of these streams are home to trout, red eye bass and other aquatic life, some on the endangered species list. There will be diesel contaminant runoff on a perpetual basis and the inevitable diesel fuel spill. The potential of an accident caused by poisonous and/or explosive materials stored in the warehouses will always present a possible disaster.
Private homes across U.S. Highway 411 will be subjected to 24/7 noise, pollution, and bright night lights on 80-foot poles. Property values will plummet. Imagine worship services at Fairy Valley Baptist Church or a burial service in the 100-year-old cemetery with the terrible continuous noise. Traffic will be horrendous as a projected 50,000 to 100,000 trucks a year travel 26 miles to and from I-75 on rural roads.
Please stop this terrible injustice.
Doug Williams, Crandall, Ga.
What we need is a smart cartoonist
If the so-called debate had smart people, then I’ve got some nice ocean-front property over in Dade County I’d like to sell to Times cartoonist Clay Bennett.
How do we keep giving free stuff to everybody who can vote for the Democrats when we are so deep in debt that we’ll never see daylight? Another thing, if we are going to make college education free for everyone why do we need low-interest loans for college students?
Smart people? Looks like we could use a smart cartoonist.
Don Brown, Rossville