SPEAKOUT

HUD rent payments are high

I READ in the paper that HUD rental assistance pays $565 a month. HUD pays $470 and the tenant has to pay $95. That is way over what I can afford or what I pay to rent. You can see in the paper there are a lot of houses for $250 or less. At $565 a month, you can rent a house worth over $70,000. I know a landlord who is renting to HUD and keeps buying more houses, so he sure is making a lot of money. I wish HUD would explain in your paper why it pays so high to rent a house.

Mandatory jail time for meth convictions

THIS IS my first time ever to call Speak Out. I'm only 19 years old, and my friends and I are very concerned about the increase of methamphetamine in our area. We feel that the only way to put a stop to meth is for people convicted of possession of this illegal drug to do some jail time. Maybe then this would show the public that the courts mean business: Have meth, go to jail.

Should have stopped for funeral

I WOULD like to apologize to the lady in front of me who stopped for the funeral going to Jackson from Cape. I was behind her and I was impatient and I didn't realize she had stopped for a funeral. I want to apologize to her.

More on Social Security and retirement

THIS IS about retired workers and Social Security, about retired people. I'm a retired person drawing a pension from the military. I'm 40 years old, married and have two young children. Although I continue to contribute, I exceeded the maximum contribution to my Social Security that I'll need later in life some years ago. So whatever I pay into the system now goes to help someone less fortunate than I or to help make up the deficit in Social Security. I expect to go on working for 15-20 more years as that is what I want, need and hope to be capable of. If I'm more qualified for a job than someone who does not have a pension or Social Security, then that is just too bad for them. Perhaps they should have put up with the family turmoil that I did in serving their country for so many years if they didn't, or gone to the effort that I went time while working full time to get the extra education they needed to make them more marketable for the job than I am. I'm just one more competitor in the job market. This is not a socialist country. We are entitled to work. We must earn the jobs we can get, at whatever level we can get them. If a retired person is working and drawing a pension and also getting Social Security, then fine. They paid the price to get whatever financial rewards that they may have. Don't expect them to say that they've got enough if they're still capable of doing more.

Poor student support for SEMO games

I JUST want to say that I do agree with Marty's comments about the SEMO fans need to increase their intensity for the basketball team. They are missing one important ingredient, and that is the students and somehow the university need to make it easier for those students to be involved and get their tickets.

REPLY: Through the fees they pay, students not only support athletic programs at the university, but also are entitled to free admission to games.

It's not a war until Congress acts

THIS IS to the warrior who fought in two wars. In case he don't know it, the only two wars we've had this century is World War I and World War II. I fought in Korea too, but that was no war. Neither was Desert Storm or all these rest of the dinky ones we've had. Wait until we have a big war like we had in World War II, then you'll know what to gripe about. Speak the truth when you speak it. Congress has got to declare war.

If apes evolved, why are there still apes?

I'M NOT very smart, but I wish somebody could answer this question for me, please. If apes evolved into men, then why are there still apes? And some scientists say they lived 8 million years ago. I'm a little bit skeptical about that. I don't know of any of my relatives who even look like apes. If somebody could answer that question for me, I would really appreciate it.

More publicity needed about meth crimes

IN RESPONSE to the publicity about meth, I agree with the caller that the more the public is informed of the dangers of meth, the quicker we can wipe this drug out. I also see where there's a meeting in Dexter to discuss meth. Yet I, like state Rep. David Schwab of Jackson, questioned why Southeast Missouri's Republican lawmakers are not invited. Republican Pat Naeger of Perryville states that meth users should receive life sentences. I couldn't agree more. I also agree with the person who said that this drug especially poses a major threat to children in Southeast Missouri.

Children worth a soda a day

TO THE complainers in the paper about the school taxes going up. I find it totally amazing that you would rather have children go to school in buildings that are not air conditioned, that are 70-80 years old rather than pay an extra $100-$200 a year. If you work that out, it works out to less than a soda a day. Aren't our children worth a soda a day?

Issue of fairness in zoning decisions

I FIND it rather strange that someone who has voted against changing zoning in one neighborhood now wants to change it for himself in another neighborhood, and he's threatening residents with putting in a bunch of smaller homes if he doesn't get his way. I don't believe that's fair to anyone in the city, let alone the neighbors in that neighborhood.

Moving out because of high taxes

SCHOOL BOND issue. We voted for the school bond issue even though we are a couple retired on a fixed income because we felt like it was past time to get some new buildings and taxes were due to increase about 60 cents per $100 of valuation. Wow, when I saw my tax notice, it shot up a whopping 40 percent, $700 to $976. You can count on this: I won't be voting for anymore tax increases, because we are selling out and moving elsewhere.

Churchgoer wants parade on Saturday

I JUST wanted to call about the Parade of Lights. For those who attend church regularly, it's a little bit difficult to miss church and be able to see the lights. It would be better to have it on a Saturday night, in my opinion.

Thanks for the help with meals

I WANT to thank the Salvation Army for putting out the once-a-month meals for families. I also want to thank Bethel Assembly of God up there on Perryville Road for serving such a good Thanksgiving meal to the poor people.