Saddam gets how many `do-overs'?

2/17/2003

It seems to me that no matter what the facts are, the anti-Bush moralizers will never stop wanting to give Iraq more chances. Like children on a playground who have lost but keep yelling “do-over, do-over.” Have they even paid attention to the report by Hans Blix? Saddam Hussein has had 12 years and now up to 17 United Nations resolutions. How many do-overs does he get?

Eight nations of Europe support our country's policy toward Iraq (Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary). Turkey will allow us to use military bases on its soil. Today there are fewer war protesters in Europe than when the other great “warmonger” Ronald Reagan placed Pershing II missiles there. What is France's opposition based on? Possibly revelations of their helping Saddam re-arm? Or is it in support of their own powerful oil interests?

Last summer both parties said that President Bush had to go to Congress and to the United Nations for approval. He got both. So much for “fundamental hollowness.”

I agree with The Blade about the decision of Mike Ferner. I support his endeavors to comfort those in need. I do not support his class warfare. Read the Fifth Amendment. It not only protects our bodies, but our property as well. People here can be as silly or as smart as they like to be. That is the freedom we enjoy.

If Mr. Bush got elected illegally, who put Saddam Hussein or Kim Jong Il in charge? How do they maintain the power to lead their countries? Do they have the consent of the governed? Our freedoms should be extended to all. The means must be found and put into action.

JOHN F. MILZ

Perrysburg

Congratulations to Toledo City Council for passing ordinances pertaining to the city's sex businesses. Our elected officials reserve the right to set and preserve the standards of the community they serve. However, did they go far enough?

The type of behavior that goes on in these businesses can and does lead to the many social ills that are all too prevalent. Lustful behavior leads to fornication, adultery, prostitution, sexually transmitted disease, divorce, and incest.

Yes, we are all responsible for our own actions and decisions in life, the purveyors of this lewd behavior may say. After all, nobody holds a gun to anybody's head to make him participate. Should we lock an alcoholic in a room with a bottle of liquor?

Now the ones who have been profiting way too long from this so called “adult” activity are trying to hide behind the Constitution much like the way the flag burners do.

Chances are they can't even spell “constitution.”

DALE E. HENNING

Tremainsville Road

Our mayor's aides, earning more than $53,000 a year, can't stuff envelopes properly. Our Municipal Clerk of Courts awards $72,000 in bonuses on her second day on the job. Our president of the board governing the Toledo Area Metroparks, has another “senior moment” (not his first), forgetting that he signed a letter concerning a private firm bid on land near Camp Miakonda. Our county commissioner, when she was a City Council member, votes to accept $15,000 on a $68,000 city business loan ($57,000 loan plus $11,000 interest) for a personal friend.

Do these people believe that because they are government officials they have a right to waste our tax dollars and have no one to answer to? These are only a few of many examples of waste in our local, county, state, and federal offices.

Voters must become more informed and demand accountability. Otherwise government officials, with all their comforts and perks, will continue to raise existing taxes along with finding new ones at our expense.

ROBERT KOSZYCKI

South Detroit Avenue

As taxpayers, what should we look for to determine the risk of higher taxes in Toledo? You can find it in The Blade if you examine what has already happened and what is coming down the road in development programs for this city. I refer especially to the Marina District. And this has nothing to do with the merits of the project.

As an accountant, I was taught it was important to read the footnotes on balance sheets. But cities like Toledo don't issue balance sheets, which show assets and liabilities, so there are no footnotes to read. They issue operating statements, showing receipts and expenditures only. They do not show possible risks of any kind; they are off the books. Only Moody's pays attention. Keep in mind also that some corporations, like Enron and others that are in deep trouble, use “off the books” strategies; forget about footnotes.

We now are paying more than $1 million per year for the Commodore Perry and the residential apartment projects, which did not meet the estimated revenue for debt payments; only the developers are home free. And the Mud Hens Stadium deal, which looks very good right now, still poses a potential risk if the fans fade away, although I hope not.

If that potential burden is not enough to worry about, possible increased taxes also affect industrial and commercial firms when they consider locating in any area.

Ohio will certainly raise sales and real estate taxes immediately; just read The Blade. The federal budget problems needing solutions right now will also have an impact. So, regardless of the intended delight of having more sports and eating facilities in our area, I believe the timing should be a dream for the future; certainly not now.

CALVIN LIEBERMAN

West Central Avenue

The citizens of Toledo were duped into voting for Issue 2 (the school tax levy) by its sponsors and supporters through their false or misleading information to solicit our votes for passage of that issue. Now and for the next 25-plus years we property taxpayers and our heirs must bear the economic burden it has imposed.

Adding further to this burden is the scheduled destruction of landmarks of Toledo's heritage schools that could be otherwise readily revamped and retrofitted or that could be turned into income-producing recyclable properties. The net result is loss of irreplaceable structures of immense heritage and significance and loss of their potential income-producing and debt-reduction value.

Because of these breaches of public confidence and trust by TPS sponsors of Issue 2, a group of concerned property taxpayers is determined to seek redress of these and other property tax-funded issues that we feel have been subsequently compromised.

The initial purposes and goals of Toledoans Against Property Tax Abuse are:

1. To oppose all unacceptable property tax spending and levies.

2. To achieve fair taxation and representation.

3. To offer alternatives to replace property tax.

4. To promote fair elections.

5. To oppose demolition of any Toledo public school funded with property taxes.

6. To support renovation and/or recycling of Toledo public schools.

7. To hold responsible and accountable any parties engaged in past, present, or future illegal or irregular voting activities or misuse or misappropriation of property tax dollars.

Toledoans have borne the burden of property tax abuse too long. Working together it can be stopped. It's time for a change so we will never have to say “they duped us again.”

DAVID FLINT

Lewis Avenue

What did the feeble-minded individuals do who decided to use Wildwood Metropark as a forum for their anti-war message? Did they have a walk or a run against war? No! Did they pass out anti-war literature? No! Did they hold up anti-war signs? No!

They decided to graffiti up just about every bench and sign in the park with a black marker. These people need to realize that although living in America does give them the freedom of speech, it does not give them the freedom to commit vandalism.

CONSTANTINE CHRYSOCHOOS

Edgebrook Drive