Speak Out 02/03/04

Make teachers wealthy

TEACHERS SHOULD be paid $100,000 or more a year. Then people would want to become wealthy by teaching like many choose to be doctors or lawyers, giving us a larger supply of these professionals. The schools would be able to choose the best of the best to teach and motivate our future leaders. The cascading effects would have an enormous impact on our country.

Ways to save

IF OUR state budget is so badly in the red, why did we almost completely rebuild North Cape County Park? How many more projects like this could have been stopped and saved tax money?

Can he take it?

STATE REP. Rod Jetton should take a cue from the last politician who embarrassed himself with an unorthodox outburst. Presidential candidate Howard Dean's exuberant outburst, however well-intentioned, so far has cost him heavily in both Iowa and New Hampshire. Jetton's juvenile antics have cost him a lot more than he realizes. He will pay a high price for his lack of dignity and respect for the office of governor. If ever he should rise to become governor -- heaven forbid -- I hope he is prepared to take it as well as he dishes it out.

Cut city waste

AS A city employee in Cape Girardeau, I can see many ways the city could cut costs. City hall wastes a lot of money.

Budget disconnect

I FIND it interesting that the Department of Mental Health says it has to cut its budget by closing two facilities, yet the director of the Department of Mental Health sent out letters saying he's granting 2 to 8 percent raises. If the budget is in such shambles, how can the department afford 8 percent raises?

Affecting children

GOV. BOB Holden proved where our children rate with him last year when he cut funding and withheld money from public schools. The closing of mental health facilities is just the icing on the cake. Holden has been the worst governor for education this state has ever seen, and our children are going to be paying the price for years to come.

Animal abuse

I THINK if you take good care of your animals, one or two is enough for any family. Anyone who abuses an animal should be jailed for several years and never allowed to have another pet ever.

Smaller equipment

I DO not agree with the fire chief, who said by using smaller vehicles for emergency medical calls we'd have to have more personnel. With two-way radios, these guys could be summoned to join during the fighting of fires. I do not believe they would need anymore personnel by using smaller equipment.

Pets and orphans

AS LONG as pets are spayed and neutered and kept contained, I don't see any need for limiting the number of pets you can have. You can have pets and still feed orphans.

Smaller is better

I FIND it very difficult to believe that using smaller vehicles for emergency medical calls would be as expensive as the larger vehicles. The fire department doesn't need a fire truck to make an emergency call that isn't a fire. The department could get along quite well with a van for emergency calls because the firefighters don't transport patients to the hospital.

Wrong priorities

I THINK we live in a sick society when people have a fit over an abused dog being put to sleep when there are thousands of unborn babies being murdered in the name of an abortion.

Increase gate fees

IN REGARD to the participation fees for sports in the Cape Girardeau School District: One of the easier solutions would be to increase gate fees. This would spread the cost out. It would be a much better solution than what they've come up with.

No printed results

MY SON took a class at Jackson Junior High School that was supposed to do a newspaper and work on the yearbook. My child wrote articles for the newspaper, but he never got his articles back with a grade and the newspaper wasn't published. All he did for the yearbook was work on some stuff in the planning stages. This class needs to print the newspaper so kids see something published with their names on it. Everybody's complaining about money. If this class is a waste of time, why don't we cancel it?

Making sacrifices

IN REGARD to the closing of Cottonwood Treatment Center: Keep in mind that Farmington is only about 70 miles from Cape Girardeau. I am in favor of continuing the help for these children that we have at Cottonwood. But if we can save $2 million, let's do it. We have to make some sacrifices if we're going to save money.