Speak Out

Why are people in a hurry to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries and increase our Alabama income tax by removing credit for our federal tax paid? When it comes to taxes, some are still wet behind the ears. Or maybe naive!

My socialist friend thinks that all taxpayers are millionaires. Remember, those sales taxes that are removed will be quickly picked up and added to the city and county sales taxes. I've been around long enough to see this happen. Taxes never decrease. Thanks, Rep. Lea Fite!

Fite and his ilk promised to rescind the annual property tax evaluations and return to evaluating property taxes once every four years. What happened? Nothing, as usual.

Don't worry, Mr. Fite. I'm just as mad at Gov. Bob Riley for doing it. Mark my words, I will not vote for either again.

You can't tell a Democrat from a Republican any more.

I do thank Rep. Mike Rogers for keeping the Anniston Army Depot strong, regardless of what The Star thinks.

John Lasser
Jacksonville

Keep George Monk

I have known George Monk most of my life. I think he has done a great job as Anniston's city manager. I'm sure this is not an easy job.

George has accomplished a lot for the city he loves and I think he deserves some appreciation. City Councilman Ben Little stated that George was not qualified to be city manager because he's a lawyer. It appears to me that being a lawyer would be an asset for someone who runs a city.

My question to Little is, what qualifications does he have to be on the City Council? I think the public would like to know.

Jessica Pope
Anniston

Shame on Goat Hill

Re "Money matters" (News article, May 29):

It is a shame that the citizens of Alabama had to pay our legislators more money for a special session when they have shown the lack of work ethic, ability, commitment and intelligence to perform during the regular session.

I was pleased to know that at least one legislator has the respect of the citizens to decline the added tax dollars for not performing his job in a timely manner. As for the other folks on Goat Hill, shame on you. We citizens of Alabama have not forgotten that it the legislators who voted themselves a significant pay raise two years ago, only to prove that they still cannot get the job done. What part of "get ur done" do they not understand?

I only hope that other citizens of Alabama remember this when election time comes around again. Maybe if we wipe the slate clean in Montgomery in the next election and send these legislators home it would send a message that we are tired of this lack of performance.

These legislators have totally failed in their job performance and should not only decline more tax dollars for special sessions but also give back the raise for not performing in the regular session. Then maybe we could have a reasonable education budget so that Alabamians will not only be educated enough to vote but also educated enough to understand what and who we are voting for.

Have the legislators forgotten what they are paid to do on Goat Hill? Shame on them!

Robert Mills
Jacksonville

Thanks to Henderson

The crowd at this year's Memorial Day celebration was the largest ever at Centennial Memorial Park in Anniston. Ken Rollins, the organizer of this event, always opens the service by stating that without Calhoun County Commissioner Eli Henderson there would be no Memorial Day service because the park stood undeveloped for seven years before Henderson got involved.

One hundred and forty years after the Civil War, someone finally built a beautiful memorial to honor Calhoun County's more than 4,000 Civil War veterans, and again it was Henderson.

From one Marine to another, thanks, Eli, for a job well done — and Semper Fi.

Lee Caine
Anniston

Destructive legislation

Can any autonomous republic survive 40-plus years of stupefying nation-destroying legislation?

Our intrepid leaders in Washington, products of our toxic public educational system, have legislated an ethanol mix into our motor fuel, diverting several billion bushels of the U.S. corn crop each year as food for our machines. This mandate will require a five-fold increase over current levels of ethanol by 2020, thus diminishing our obesity and health-care crisis.

Recently, a bill was introduced to ban English as the official U.S. language. Sens. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and 31 others supported this nation-killer. Obama, when firmly established as chief executive within the vast crime-scene known as "D.C.," has promised to lift every citizen out of poverty.

The foxes are in the hen house and eggs aren't the only carbon-based life forms getting laid!

Jesse L. Warmack
Piedmont

Control vs. non control

There are so many things in life we can't control, yet there are so many things that we can control if we only had the desire to do so.

We can't control the price of gas, so do less driving or, better yet, ride a bike.

We can't control the price of groceries. Yet, we can plant a garden. It doesn't have to be a large one to have a fairly decent harvest.

We can't control the closing of so many plants or the loss of jobs. Yet, God never closes a door that he doesn't open a window. It is up to you and me as to how we use that open window.

We can't control the laws on how to correct a child. Yet, we can control that child in public places, especially restaurants. If you are in control of yourself it will be so much easier to control your child or children.

Elaine Jones
Weaver

Benefit of the doubt

Re "Speeding Cops" (Speak Out, May 30):

I agree with letter writer John Johnson that police officers should not use the fact that they are in a police car to speed when there is no reason to be doing so. However, I am curious how Johnson knew how fast the officer was driving. The only way that he could know how fast the officer was going on all those different streets was if he was following him and speeding himself.

Police officers have a thankless job. People never want to see a police officer until they need them. I do not know what motivated Johnson to respond to the officer's alleged speeding through the Weaver area. I do know that to be able to accurately say that the officer was speeding at the locations described in his letter, he had to be speeding himself. If he was not speeding, then it would seem logical that he made the story up in order to stir the pot.

I agree that police officers are not perfect; who is? However, considering that they put their lives on the line in order to serve and protect, I personally believe we should give them the benefit of the doubt, especially considering the modest amount of pay that they receive. Cheers to our police officers!

Chris Oliver
Anniston