Raises necessary when revenue down?
Dear Editor:
Is everyone aware that the city council gave all city employees INCLUDING THE MAYOR a $800 a year pay raise? This averages out to about 3%. I guess we could debate as to whether it is justified or not. The government says there is no inflation. They would not lie to us would they? Because they say this, I and everyone else on social security will not get a raise for two years. But, even if it is justified, can the city afford it? Sales tax receipts are down, and the city does not know how they are going to afford to operate those two sports complex boondoggles they are building. So maybe the city like the state should consider cutting expenses instead of spending our tax money like it is monopoly money. Even if the raise is justified, and the city can afford it the Mayor should not have been included. He is already overpaid for a Mayor of a city of this size. Plus he gets a city paid car to run around in. His raise could better be spent on some of the sewer pipe going to the ball field that was bought without first checking to see if it would perk.
Thomas Taylor
Heber Springs
Healthcare overhaul not wanted
Dear Editor:
We’ve all heard about the monkey with his hand in the cookie jar. That’s a perfect description of what’s going on with Democrats and their stubborn desire to overhaul healthcare. It seems strange because I know they’re not stupid. Massachusetts voters said (including people who voted for Obama) they voted for Republican Scott Brown because he wanted to stop healthcare. Why is this going over Democrats head? Is it bull-headedness?
The fact is, Obama took the election from McCain because of the failing economy (McCain supported Bush so of course things would get worse) but now Obama/Democrats STILL have their sites on healthcare. This is like wanting to repair your heater when the car won’t start. Of course you want a heater but do that when you have a ride.
A couple of things that I disagree with Republicans 1) Obama ran a campaign different than what he actually is…Remember Joe the Plumber, Obama said all along he would take from the rich and give to the poor-translated: take from the working and give to the lazy 2)The reason the republican party has failed is because they haven’t sent someone conservative enough…. McCain was more conservative than Obama and even said the first thing he would do would freeze spending in Washington.
If I were giving Obama advice it would be similar to a child sitting in my car: Don’t touch anything, Be still, just sit there... At this point Obama is not the one to trust to repair the economy. I like the comparison it’s like Madonna teaching adolescent girls-Oh I’m sure he has advisors saying it might be a good idea to focus on jobs similar to when he called a policeman stupid and then had a beer with him but I say we should take the keys from him now before anyone else gets hurt. I suggest that he just play golf and leave the economy to the working Americans.
Tim Nantz
Heber Springs
Heber Springs, Ark. —
