Mayor's impact is undeniable
10/27/2009Whether or not Mayor Marge Brown of Oregon is re-elected to another term, her record as a hardworking leader for regional cooperation and economic development is undeniable.
Mayor Brown has served as chair of the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments and is the current president of the Northwest Ohio Mayors and Managers Association.
During her tenure at both organizations, she has worked tirelessly for regional progress and cooperation.
Further, Mayor Brown served on the Lucas County Improvement Corporation executive committee representing small cities during its reorganizational period, working for the coordination of economic development efforts in our region. She also serves on the Lucas County 911 Committee, again working for regional cooperation and greater efficiency for countywide services.
Mayor Brown's record as a regional leader for northwest Ohio is uncontested.
Craig A. Stough
Mayor
City of Sylvania
I went to the Lucas County Arena recently for a hockey game. The new multipurpose arena was everything I was told it was. It's very nice and good for Toledo.
The only thing that I didn't care for was that when everybody was standing when the national anthem started, almost everyone was looking around for the American flag. It was up on the second level in the corner.
I fly an American flag in my front yard and this flag in the corner of the arena wasn't much larger than mine.
The American flag should be hanging from the ceiling in the center of the arena. I hope to see a change to a much larger flag the next time I go to the arena.
Ron Izzy
302nd Street
I want to encourage all residents of the Springfield School District to join me in voting on Nov. 3. Six people are running for three available school board seats.
Community members should reflect on the success of the district during the past decade. Much of it is due to the dedicated board members who serve as excellent stewards of our resources. They found creative ways to finance improvements to our buildings and grounds without an additional tax to residents.
The district's rating of excellent on the Ohio State Report Card is a result of their leadership, along with the high quality of the teachers and administrators in our schools.
Board members are knowledgeable about school law, state regulations, and policies that affect schools. They are available and visible to community members at nearly all school and community functions.
Why change? What you have is outstanding leadership, excellent stewardship of resources, caring community members, and dedicated advocates for children and schools. They have no other agenda than the continuation of quality educational services for all children in our community. They provide strong leadership and consistency in setting the right direction for the schools.
I strongly urge you to support the return of Ev Harris and Nancy Decker to the board and the addition of Sherry Koback, who has already demonstrated strong leadership and volunteerism in our community.
I want Springfield schools to continue to demonstrate excellence. Now is not the time to alter our successful march forward. The schools have the right leadership in place. Our excellent superintendent and the right board members will continue to produce results we can all be proud of.
Cynthia Beekley
Holland
Editor's note: The writer is the former Springfield superintendent.
On Nov. 3, the people of Ohio have a big decision to make regarding the establishment of gambling casinos in the state. Promoters of gambling paint a pretty picture centered on thousands of jobs to be created and stopping money flowing out of Ohio to other states' casinos.
Yet, some thought needs to be given to the real impact of gambling on people living nearby to casinos. Please consider the following as you vote.
Only decades past, gambling was largely an unacceptable behavior. What's happened to make gambling more acceptable is not change in people's natural caution and judgment, but government's insatiable desire for revenue.
Gambling, supposed to be a neutral way to raise revenue without raising taxes, is actually a regressive tax on people of low income.
Government should never promote behavior that is demonstrably harmful to vulnerable citizens. Casinos in our backyard would encourage gambling that ordinarily would not take place.
The slot machine is at the root of the addictive behavior of so called "problem gamblers." Responsible for some 70 percent of casino revenues, slot machines vacuum the pockets of those who are least able to afford losses.
The popular penny slots are truly "one-armed bandits" as people play up to 50 lines on each wager, with an experienced gambler able to bet 600 to 900 times per hour. The possible losses are staggering and indeed ruin individuals and destroy families. Finally, casinos spend millions identifying people who gamble. They track their habits and encourage them to come often and gamble more.
Ninety percent of casino profits come from 10 percent of the customers. How many Ohio and Michigan folks will become the unwitting victims of the greed of the government and casinos for revenue?
Please vote no on casino gambling.
Pastor Timothy Loewe
Christ the King
Lutheran Church
Lambertville
I urge you to support Ohio farmers by voting yes on State Issue 2 to create the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board.
Out-of-state animal-rights activists are threatening Ohio farmers with a ballot initiative in 2010 that would ban common livestock practices.
By voting yes on Issue 2, you will send a message that Ohioans want no part of their anti-meat, anti-livestock, vegetarian society.
Issue 2 is a common sense approach to livestock care. It will protect Ohio's number one economic contributor, agriculture, and will bring a wide range of farm and livestock experts together to establish livestock care rules based on science and facts, instead of fear, emotion, and the vegetarian agenda of animal-rights groups.
The creation of the livestock care board belongs in the Ohio Constitution. There are several boards, issues, and programs that were added to the Ohio Constitution which benefit all Ohioans. Issue 2 is the same.
Issue 2 assures that Ohioans will continue to enjoy safe, affordable food, assures the consumer has a choice of animal protein products, and protects the farmers' choice of livestock production practices. If that doesn't belong in the constitution, what does?
Folks, ultimately our farm animals become part of our food supply, and animal rights groups can't handle that fact. Help Ohio Farmers send a message to the out-of-state activists. Vote yes on 2.
Roy D. Norman
Organization Director,
Fulton-Henry-Williams-
Defiance County
Farm Bureaus,
Archbold, Ohio
Allowing right-wing comedian Rush Limbaugh to own an NFL football team would be a bit like putting Typhoid Mary in charge of flu shots.
HAL SIMON
Maumee