Speak Out 5/22/06

Taking land

GLOBAL TRADING may not be as pretty as Hardee's. It may not bring in as much revenue for the city as Hardee's. It does have the same property rights as Hardee's. Taking land, with or without paying for it, to give to another private owner is wrong. This is the kind of eminent-domain abuse that makes me cringe. Our city needs to do what is right. If the city wants to take this land for a street, then pay the owner for it. If it wants to take it to give to someone else, forget it.

Parking squeeze

ON CLARK Street by Central Junior High School, people park on both sides of the street, making it harder for two-way traffic to get through. Often I have had to stop to let another motorist pass. It wouldn't hurt these motorists to park a little farther away and walk farther so cars aren't directly across from each other.

Taxes top cost

IT FINALLY happened. With last month's increase in the Federal Universal Service Fee, our telephone bill's taxes and user fees are higher than the base rate for telephone service. Is there something odd here that taxes are costing more than what we're purchasing?

Political robbery

I HOPE everyone read the "Earmarks hijacking" editorial. So many Americans do not realize or comprehend this sneaky political practice of adding unrelated funding requests to bills for major things that need to be passed. No wonder the politicians do not like the idea of a line-item veto. There should be no need for it. When a major bill is presented, it should contain only requests for that particular item. We are being hoodwinked and robbed every week by our own politicians.

Unjust action

WHAT IS happening to the Lichteneggers, who own Global Trading, should scare us all. That anyone's property can be taken to provide parking spaces for another business or any other such skewed reasoning is unjust.

Paying for landscaping

I CAN'T believe Cape Girardeau is opting out of the sales-tax holiday. I guess the city has to recoup some of the money spent on the landscaping project at the interstate.

School safety

AS A working single mother with two children in the Jackson School District, I find it good to know the police are patrolling the schools and making sure students arrive safely. I have a 16-year-old who drives to school and a 12-year-old who sometimes walks instead of riding the bus. We know we have child predators in our area. My children's safety is much more important to me than the extra sleep you could get if you could drive faster in school zones.

Family savings

IT IS irresponsible for the city to claim that it must opt out of the sales-tax holiday because it needs the money more than working families trying to get their children through school. Perhaps the city should cut some dollars out of the landscaping fund so that working families could save money on school supplies.

Smart move

I want to make people aware that a water park is not a bad idea. I know 10 different families that go to the Farmington, Mo., water park at least once a month. They spend the whole day in Farmington. Congratulations to whoever came up with the water park. It sure got surrounding communities to visit the fast-growing area of St. Francois County.

Legal immigration

I WATCHED the president's speech regarding immigration and was a bit confused. Did his poignant story about the injured Marine end in the soldier's request to be an American citizen? What is a non-citizen doing in an American military uniform? I was in the military, and I'm an American citizen. While we may need the troops, all military personnel should be American citizens first. I do not approve of amnesty to the thousands of illegal immigrants out there. I am proud of what my ancestors went through at Ellis Island. If you want to live in our country, then do so legally.

Please reconsider

Members of the Cape Girardeau City Council may be able to afford all of the high-priced materials for their children's school supplies, but for me it is hard. I have four school-age children. All of them need different supplies. Most of the supplies they have on their list to buy are never used, but we still have to buy them. If there will be no sales-tax holiday on back-to-school items, I will spend the extra gas money to go elsewhere. I hope the council changes its mind on this decision to not have this tax holiday. I will get the supplies my children need no matter what. But what about the other children who go to school without supplies because they cannot afford to buy them? Please give these families and their children a chance to have what they need at a discounted price. If council members really care for the people of this city, they will reconsider.

Spanish required

Immigration is a problem. My brother goes to school at the University of Miami and can't get a job because he didn't speak Spanish. If I moved to Mexico or Cuba, would employers change the language for me?

Matter of choice

People regularly make comments complaining about traffic near schools, then demand that others send their kids to school on buses. Buses are there for families that are unable to get their kids to school on their own. Surely you wouldn't like it if I tried to impose my will on you.

I'll ride the CAT

Cape Trans Link is a terrible name for the new bus system. We need something catchy. Here's an example: Cape Area Transit (CAT).

It takes a smile

It takes a lot more than professional dress to command respect in any workplace. A power suit without a smile is worthless.