City should stick to a budget, too

2/24/2009

As a former Toledo resident, I feel I must speak up. One of the reasons I moved out of Toledo was the income tax imposed.

When the city added a 0.75 percent surcharge, this was supposed to be temporary. Each time citizens are asked for a renewal, the city promises no cut in police and fire protection, and no reduction in waste removal services.

As you can see, the city lied, as usual.

The citizens of Toledo need to get together and file a class action lawsuit against the city for cutting police, fire, and garbage services.

And the next time the 0.75 percent temporary tax comes up for renewal, they should vote it down.

Make the city learn to live within its budget, like the citizens must do.

James H. Markin

Sylvania

Everybody seems to make problems so much harder than they really are. All we need to do to help with our national money crisis is for President Obama to appoint each member of the House and Senate one at a time to his cabinet.

Each then would suddenly remember they accidently forgot about several thousand dollars they owe in back taxes.

After they pay this honest oversight, their confirmation would be denied and then the President would proceed to the next cabinet appointment.

Just think of all the dollars that would be generated from this aw shucks I just forgot to pay them doggone taxes. A simple oversight yeah, sure seems simple to me.

Gary E. Brents

Weston, Ohio

There is nothing like a warm-and-fuzzy, feel-good-all-over story to generate reader interest. Such was the case with The Blade report concerning President Obama s signing of the children s health insurance bill.

The story implies that Mr. Obama has righted a grievous wrong inflicted on underprivileged youth by the parsimonious curmudgeon George W. Bush, who previously vetoed the bill as overly expensive and a backdoor attempt to impose universal health care.

Although many times wrong, Mr. Bush this time was right on both counts. Not mentioned was his support for the original program and a proposed $4 billion increase for inflation.

Also not mentioned was that Mr. Bush s primary opposition stemmed from the inclusion of persons as old as 25 as children and of families with yearly incomes of up to $83,000.

The new law is no doubt appealing to a segment of our society who feel entitled to cradle-to-grave government financial support. But with a stagnated economy, where is the $33 billion for this program to come from? Printing presses?

It would be nice if advocates for government assistance would attack the root causes of high medical insurance rates rather than simply assuming the responsibility for the cost for low income children.

Why not:

1) Scrutinize the insurance companies and their bloated bureaucracies financed with inflated premiums?

2) Better regulate medical care providers to discourage expensive duplication of underutilized facilities and services financed by consumers?

3) And investigate the pharmaceutical houses and how they arrive at their price structures? Is picking the pockets of the taxpayers less traumatic for politicians than going after the insurance, pharmaceutical, and medical establishments, many of which contribute heavily to their election campaigns?

I am all for helping the needy, but the latest kids health insurance law is bad policy, bad economics, and smacks of political pandering

John M. Stewart

Maumee

The Feb. 11 article about Beatrice Thaman ( Local girl honored for sending vitamins to Guatemala ) was very uplifting.

It was refreshing to read something positive in the newspaper rather than the usual gloom and doom.

Kudos to Beatrice and her parents.

Renee S. Drew

Temperance

I m not sure why everyone is so surprised that the banks aren t loaning out the money the government gave them.

It may seem like the right thing to do but no one has ever accused them of being quick to do the right thing.

After all, they had no qualms about signing people up for loans that they knew they couldn t repay.

They re not going to give up their gift willingly if they can avoid it. It might affect their bonus. They might have to give up some luxury that they have become accustomed to. We wouldn t want them to suffer, would we?

Don t confuse the bank executives with honorable men. They re not.

Ron Toneff

Sylvania

Elderly people living in the Lagrange neighborhood unfortunately have become a easy target for criminals. Cecilia Sobecki was assaulted during a burglary in her Austin Street home. Theodore Kusina was assaulted on Lagrange Street with the same results.

I am sure the police are making every effort to arrest the person that committed the crimes.

The elderly are viewed as helpless and easy victims, a shameful way for them to have to live their lives. It seems that those living in Lagrinka must barricade themselves behind locked doors or become instant victims just by going out to the grocery store or walking in their own yard or neighborhood.

Two crimes against the elderly that resulted in death should garner increased attention from policymakers, the county prosecutor s office, adult protective services, law enforcement, the medical community, and faith-based organizations.

Robert Rozek

Sylvania

You attempt a bipartisan meal and, as usual, the conservatives make it an indigestible meal.

America sees that the GOP (grouchy old partisans) has made no attempt at compromise and every attempt to obstruct legislation aimed at stabilizing this economic chaos, sponsored by those whose mantra of free market de-regulations and Treasury fleecing tax cuts for the wealthy parked us on this teetering precipice.

America voted and elected an agent for change who promised to change the political tenor, but those conservatives remain tone deaf after the last two election spankings.

Mr. President, it s time to abort playing nice with a party led by southern extremists who only respect power and disrespect any notion of diplomacy. The nation s needs are too urgent to wait for thimble heads to evolve into rocket scientists.

Later, when this downward spiral has stabilized, you can invite conservatives back to the buffet and assess whether their table manners have improved, or if they wish to continue this food fight.

Russ Sydlowski

Union, Ohio

What is the big fuss over the Fairness Doctrine? If the so-called conservative talk shows have so much influence, how come Barack Obama got elected President and the liberals have control of the House and Senate?

DAVID D. GEORGIA

Briarwood Lane