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Justice for all?
To the editor: When reading the crime and punishment section of my local newspaper (the business pages), I’m continually reminded of the gross inequities inherent in our criminal justice system.
Virtually every day there are reports of CEOs and directors of major corporations who are charged with fraud and tax evasion – on a grand scale.
More often than not, those charged with such offenses end up making a settlement or plea agreement. Usually, those agreements result in fines and/or monetary settlement of lawsuits that don’t even begin to compensate victims of the crimes. Moreover, having agreed to huge multi-million-dollar settlements, there is usually a denial that there was any wrongdoing. To add further insult to injury, few are ever incarcerated.
If you hold up a convenience store and you’re caught, you’ll have the cuffs snapped on your wrists, get thrown into the slammer, and almost surely will do time. If you are one of those “pillars of society” who unlawfully drains hundreds of millions from their companies and stockholders, cause job losses in the thousands and financially ruins many lives, you’re more apt to first die from natural causes than you are to spend any time in prison.
There seems to be a dual standard of justice in this country when it comes to theft – one for the landed gentry, one for the “common criminal.”
Punishment should be meted out according to the gravity of the crime.
Paul G. Jaehnert
Vadnais Hts., MN
Support excellence
To the editor: I am writing in support of Issue 1, the Benton-Carroll-Salem Local Schools emergency operating levy on the May 3 ballot. The five-year, 3.9-mill levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home just 33 cents per day – less than a cup of coffee.
Your school board has been a good steward of tax dollars. Over the past five years, the district has saved nearly $720,000 through limited employment contracts to retired staff, eliminating 18 staff positions, reducing instructional supplies by 15 percent and reducing bus shuttle service between elementaries. Other savings include $600,000 per year through transferring vocational programs to Penta Career Center and $900,000 from closing Rocky Ridge Elementary School.
Failure of Issue 1 will force the district, in the 2012-2013 school year to close Carroll and Graytown elementaries, move fourth-graders to the middle school and move eighth-graders to the high school. In the 2013-2014 school year, seventh-graders would move to the high school and all programs and activities would be negatively impacted.
Benton-Carroll-Salem is the only Ottawa County district ranked “Excellent” on the Ohio Department of Education state report card. Passing Issue 1 is necessary to maintain this high-quality education for the community’s children.
I strongly urge Benton-Carroll-Salem Local School District residents to continue to support excellence and vote for Issue 1 on May 3.
Richard Lewis, CAE
Executive Director, Ohio School Boards Association
Where does it stop?
To the editor: To the PUCO:
Just where do you get off telling me that I have to pay $1.50 a month for CFL bulbs that I did not order? If I wanted these bulbs, I would go to a retail store to buy them at a cheaper price than the First Energy bulbs would cost.
When does this stop? Are you going to tell me which toilet paper to buy? Which pop to drink? Which newspaper to read?
You people are supposed to look out for the public, not come up with ways to gouge us. The draconian energy policy you people are forcing on us will never economically be recoverable.
Rufus Wallace
Millbury
Time to downsize
To the editor: How can our government tell General Motors and other companies to downsize when it is more in debt and never seems to call it quits when giving our money to other countries.
It seems to me like government should downsize and start paying for the hospital and doctor bills it wants Social Security recipients to pay.
All I hear is how they give themselves raises and other benefits. And how long to do they think that can keep going? Maybe they should come to reality and tell the other countries we have to borrow from China to get the money.
Why not let them borrow, instead of us? Does that not sound right? Maybe not to our government, which acts like we are God.
Jerry Bronkowski
Oregon
Expanded support needed
To the editor: This fall, we hope to be offered an exciting opportunity. The board of directors of the Toledo Zoo is currently asking some of our citizens for ideas and feedback regarding the feasibility of Wood County residents passing an operating levy for the zoo. Based on the results of that dialogue, they will then decide whether to ask the county commissioners to place the levy on the November ballot.
Although Lucas County has historically provide nearly one-third of the zoo’s operating revenue through property taxes, their property values have decreased, along with ours. This has led to significantly reduced revenues, thereby jeopardizing programs and planned improvements. Perhaps now is the time for us to share in their efforts to keep the zoo fiscally sound.
The Toledo Zoo has proven through the decades to be a regional asset. Two-thirds of all Wood County residents have visited the zoo in the last two years. Sharing in the zoo’s support would give us an opportunity to be much more than stakeholders. We would also share the perks, such as, one morning a week with no admission charge, free school visits and programs, etc. The levy would be identical to that of Lucas County in both benefits and millage.
As a retired Wood County educator, I applaud the zoo’s efforts to educate us about animal care and welfare, as well as conservation of nature. For example, the newly opened Nature’s Neighborhood, an interactive exhibit that has become a destination, encourages young children to interact with animals and appreciate the natural world. How refreshing these experiences are, relative to the world of electronic technology in which we live.
The zoo is and has been a familiar part of our lives through the years. I encourage the Wood County Commissioners to put this levy on the ballot in November so that we may have the opportunity to be directly involved in preserving and enhancing our regional treasure – the Toledo Zoo.
Judith Conda
Perrysburg
What has happened?
To the editor: When I was a young man in the `40s and you heard of someone killing another person and eventually being sentenced for the crime, you knew the person faced the ultimate punishment. We would say, “He is going to the electric chair.”
Somewhere a judge in the old days said, “When the person that you killed comes back before me – at that moment, you will be freed. Until that time, you will spend the rest of your days in prison. Bye-bye.”
What has happened in America? Who are these people that want killers set free? Do they want those killers to attack their families?
Larry Erard
Oregon
Being snookered?
To the editor: Voters are being told the school budget has been cut to the bone. I ask, are nearly $2,000,000 in wage and benefit increases in the next five years a cut?
I’m not an accountant, however, after looking at the forecasted budget and being told employees are not being given raises, I question my math – either I can’t add or subtract or I am being snookered by the administration.
Voters are told that school employees haven’t had a wage increase in years. The budget for FY2010 to FY2011 shows an increase in wages and benefits. The proposed salaries for the next four years show increases also.
The increase in wages and benefits for school employees the next five years are as follows.
Wages: FY2011 ($367,997); FY2012 ($56,714); FY2013 ($136,882); FY2014 ($293,077); and FY2015 ($246,185) – a total increase of $1,100,855 for the five years.
Retirement and insurance: FY2011 ($238,902); FY2012 ($80,035); FY2013 ($119,164); FY2014 ($175,650); FY2015 ($180,735) – a total increase of $794,486 for the five years.
The total increase for wages, insurance, and retirement: $1,895,341
If the levy isn’t passed the following cuts are proposed by the administration:
• Eliminate field trips.
• High school busing (two-mile radius).
• Eliminate playground monitors.
• Clean classrooms every other day.
• Have employees increase their share of benefit plans.
• Increase class size.
• Cut back on custodian hours.
• Building shutdown after school.
Each cut is a “no brainer” except busing, which is a tactic used all the time. The proposed cuts punish the children. Why aren’t the teachers asked to sacrifice?
On May 3, please vote no on the 3.95 mil tax levy until more cuts are instituted in the budget.
Terrylee Dembowski
Gibsonburg
Editor’s note: According to Kevin Slates, Woodmore treasurer, the figures in the forecast were prepared in October and have since changed.
Levy benefits community
To the editor: The Woodmore Local School district has a 3.95-mill levy on the ballot May 3 that will bring an additional $600,000 dollars annually for the operations of the school district. On March 24, 2011 in the article “Seniors, please pass this school levy . . .” the author sarcastically attacks seniors, while once again providing misinformation.
The author states that $480,000 of the $600,000 will go for salaries and benefits. This is absolutely not true. Even with the passage of this levy, the school district is permanently eliminating five employees for a savings of $235,000.
It is absolutely unfair to attack our senior citizens as one group that is targeted by our levy. We have a strong levy committee comprised of senior citizens, farmers, professionals, white collar workers and blue collar workers. The levy is critical to the school district to be able to maintain services.
The passage of this levy will be a benefit to the entire community. Schools are in competition today with other school districts. Our ability to stay competitive enhances our enrollment and protects property values.
A taxpayer’s vote is very personal. We hope that our voters see fit to vote for the issue and protect the quality of our schools. Some will be unable to vote for this levy and we understand their issues.
There are more people without students in schools than there are with students in school. But just as your extended families; grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and parents supported your education; it is now your time to support our present students.
Thank you for considering this issue and, most importantly, please vote.
John H. Fernbaugh
Superintendent
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