Article published April 20, 2009
A casino belongs in marina
As long as we're on the topic of casinos, let's be realistic and put it where it belongs: the Marina District.
When's the last time you've driven down Front Street to see all the available acreage along the Maumee River? There's more than ample room for any expansion, addition of hotels, motels, and businesses. There's easy access from two interstates, as well as for boating traffic, including Great Lakes cruise ships. You couldn't ask for more parking spaces. The view of downtown is unobstructed as well as scenic, or would you rather look at grain silos, as proposed by the current casino prospectors?
I strongly believe that, for the future of Toledo and the surrounding area, the Marina District is the most viable location.
Had that been done 10 years ago, the politicians wouldn't be scrambling around with the deficit they're confronted with today. Job creation should be priority one.
Bob Mitro
Colleen CourtSchools', lottery's shifty connection
I believe that the state of Ohio is using misleading statements in the promotion of the Ohio Lottery when it keeps saying, "Take a chance for education."
For as long as I can remember, the state has been saying or insinuating that profit from the lottery is helping in the funding of schools, thus leading Ohioans to believe they would be helping the school systems by making available additional monies.
Nothing could be further from the truth. School systems get no more and no less because of the lottery.
Since 1995, lottery profits have been used by the state to replace a portion of the traditional education funding it provides. The state's claims could influence the decision a voter makes when it comes to school levies. I am not in favor or against school levies; I believe the state should make factual statements, not misleading ones.
Marisa Ruggiero
MaumeeWho will hold Congress liable?
The stimulus bill, one of the most expensive bills in history, flew through Congress without proper review to satisfy some disingenuous need for speed. Generations of Americans are now committed to massive debt for a bill whose merits were never fully scrutinized or debated.
Now we're faced with another massive spending proposal: health-care reform. This time we need to keep in mind that it's one thing to spend money, and another to spend it wisely.
As Congress begins to address health-care coverage,wouldn't it be nice if industry lobbyists were precluded from the process, that is, from influence peddling? One can only imagine what the Medicare prescription-drug bill would have looked like had not it been influenced (semi-created) by the pharmaceutical industry. How much money would senior citizens now have saved, and how much less would be in certain re-election campaign coffers?
Health-care reform should have as its goal what is best for our citizens, not what's best for the service providers. It's truly unfortunate that Congress cannot create legislation in a partially isolated environment.
Sure, I know, lobbyists provide education to our representatives, but there is a thin line between providing information and influencing votes for industry gains. How tragic that for some, congressional jobs are so precious that souls are sold to keep them.
Most of us are accountable for daily decisions that we make both at home and at work, but it's so easy to be lost in the anonymity of the legislative branch of government, to make pronouncements, to grandstand, knowing that you'll be able to deflect criticism and responsibility when it becomes necessary. Who in Congress will be held accountable if things don't work out?
Joe Giannetti
Sylvania TownshipProtect public interest in firms
The Blade's April 10 editorial, "The theory on jobs," is an excellent analysis of the state of affairs. Actually, a great number of laid-off workers have stopped looking for jobs, especially those in the 50-plus age group. So the unemployment is much higher than 8.5 percent.
My main concern is that even if the stimulus package is doubled, unless we rectify the cause of economic crisis - the abuse of power and freedom by the business leadership - we are not going to benefit from the stimulus and see any recovery in the near future.
What happened to stimulus money at American International Group and several other financial companies is well known. There is a need to overhaul our financial and industrial management system. The leadership must have measurable performance standards, and the rewards for performance should be realistic and equitable.
The so-called employment contracts of the high and mighty must be governed by some logic so that when a company goes into bankruptcy, the CEO doesn't walk off with millions of dollars in bonus.
I hope the public outcry does not die off until some regulations are in place to protect the public interests in these corporations. Carefully balanced regulations ensure the effective functioning of the free market economy.
Checks and balances are the foundation of our constitutional democracy.
Tasadduq Hussain
MaumeeRecall everyone in Gov't. Center
For all the laid-off people, seniors on fixed incomes, and other needy people of Toledo, I want to thank Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, City Council, and union employees for thinking of us who are less fortunate than they are.
As a senior who lives off a small Social Security check each month, fixing the city's deficit is going to take more from my budget and make it harder on me to pay my bills and keep food in the house. But do they care? No.
You can bet there are many more in Toledo who are in the same boat. It would be nice if we could waste money like our elected officials do and then turn to the city and say, "Hey, I'm going to raise your taxes so I can pay for being stupid and wasting my money."
Oh, one other thing: The recall Carty thing should have been for everyone at Government Center. Get the unions out of council and our local government.
Tom Forbush
Hill AvenueTougher gun laws aren't the answer
I am a member of the National Rifle Association. The April 8 cartoon in The Blade offended me. NRA members are not gun nuts. We are normal citizens, except we firmly believe in our constitutional right to own a gun.
The recent shootings are tragic, but tougher gun laws are not the answer. If we make tougher gun laws, it would be like Prohibition all over again. Instead, we should more strictly enforce the laws we already have or make tougher penalties for breaking those laws.
On top of all that, when our Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution they made the right to own a gun the second right on a list of 10. I don't think they would have made it so high on the list if they thought it wasn't important.
Michael Sodd
Bond StreetObama talks first, thinks later
Kudos to the letter writer criticizing President Obama’s horrible remark on the disabled public. I too have a special-needs child, and the President’s remark was a huge punch in the heart.
How can any journalist call this man an eloquent speaker? Maybe someone should point out his disability — lack of thinking before he speaks.
HEIDI MALAK
Sylvania
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