Letters From Readers: April 28
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Why the raises at GTC?
In The Journal Times article on April 16, I read that Gateway Technical College is proposing a tax rate increase of 4.2 percent to support their 2010-11 budget.
About 85 percent of this increase is for personnel costs of salaries, wages and benefits. Recently, all instructors received a 3.25 percent salary increase, while clerical and technical staff received a 3.5 percent increase. The reasoning was that contracts were already negotiated.
Why did Gateway employees get a raise at all? State employees took a 3 percent wage reduction for two years, although contracts had already been negotiated. Others in the community have also had a reduction in wages, and still others face unemployment. Enrollment is up 15 percent at GTC, yet taxpayers are asked to dip into their wallets yet again.
Something does not seem right. Please send a message and attend the public hearing for the proposed budget on May 10 at 7 p.m., conveniently held at the Elkhorn campus.
Ruth Tylock
Racine
Can drive a success
I would like to thank Union Grove Elementary School students, staff and everyone who participated in the aluminum can drive for Union Grove Park and Recreation on April 23.
Almost 1.000 pounds were collected for the “Cans for Kids” Program. The money will help the Park and Recreation Committee of Union Grove towards sports equipment, park equipment and village park updates.
Timothy Mallach
Village of Union Grove trustee and Park and Recreation Committee member
Biofuels safe, sustainable
The recently published commentary on biofuel facts omits an important one.
Gasoline is derived from oil, a fossil fuel like coal and natural gas, which derives from deposits of carbon locked in the Earth.
All the carbon dioxide released by the burning of fossil fuels is a contribution to the atmosphere. Biofuels are derived from plants that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Therefore, except for the fossil fuel used to produce them, biofuels make no net contribution to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Biofuels, along with other carbon-neutral strategies such as solar, wind, geothermal and conservation, are part of a policy that aims to provide us, and future generations, a safe and sustainable source of energy.
Scott Thomson
406 16th St., Racine
Blame the politicians
After listening to all the banter from our president on TV these past few days about big bad Wall Street and big banks too big to fail, I almost want to vomit.
I believe the biggest joke is the president trying to make his case against them. The liberal media eats up anything he says, right or wrong, as fact. Then we’re fed this dribble daily. I believe the president is focusing on the symptom while trying to make us believe it was the major cause of our failing economy.
The problem started, I believe, with meddling elected politicians “in charge” of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae around 2007. They wanted everyone, regardless of their income, to have a home. They then instructed Fannie and Freddie to make it happen.
Well, if you allow people with poor credit, little or no money to buy property, you’re just asking for big problems. I think that move created the symptom which was as we saw: slick loan executives, banks and speculators trying to make a quick buck with those risky loans that had little or no financial backing. It failed.
The real focus needs to be put where it belongs: politicians in charge of Fannie and Freddie. I think, the president is protecting Democrats while blaming Wall Street and banks as the problem.
I get the feeling, with the president’s arrogance, he doesn’t think we’re smart enough to know what he’s trying to do.
Ron Jones
5000 Graceland Blvd., Racine
Stop pedophiles now
I just read with interest on the online version of The Journal Times about a 61-year-old child sex offender who wants to repeal a law that says he can’t take pictures of minors without parental consent.
Gee, when my child goes to school, the school cannot take pictures of my child for school purposes without my consent. If my child participates in a sport, the league cannot take pictures of my child without parental consent.
And this child molester wants the right to take pictures of children without consent? I have to ask, for what purpose?
Everyday online, our youth are targeted by dangerous people trying to lure them. Often, legal pedophile sites will take innocent enough pictures of children and photoshop them into kiddie porn. They hide these under layers of other sites, such as “home gardening” or Disney.
This is why I’m pushing for state legislation called April’s Law to ensure that this becomes illegal and to pursue minimum punishments so they don’t walk with a slap on the hand.
Please check out http://www.youthvoiceinitiative.org to find out more information and ways you can help. You can also e-mail me at lika.yvi@gmail.com
Lika Saliscente
Racine
Unified should be ashamed
On April 16, Case High School participated in the Gay-Straight Alliance at school.
I am an extremely outraged parent of a student who attends there, the reason being none of the parents were notified of this schoolwide activity. I found out by reading The Journal Times of what my child was exposed to while at school.
As a parent, I should have been able to decide if my child should have attended school that day or not. (My child was taken out of school after reading the article). I feel Racine Unified should not be promoting any type of sexual behavior; they should be promoting abstinence. If the school feels it has to participate in this type of activity, it should be done after school so it does not interfere with children’s academics. Parents would be aware and can make the appropriate choice for their child.
Racine Unified should be ashamed of its behavior.
Nicole Quella
Racine
In The Journal Times article on April 16, I read that Gateway Technical College is proposing a tax rate increase of 4.2 percent to support their 2010-11 budget.
About 85 percent of this increase is for personnel costs of salaries, wages and benefits. Recently, all instructors received a 3.25 percent salary increase, while clerical and technical staff received a 3.5 percent increase. The reasoning was that contracts were already negotiated.
Why did Gateway employees get a raise at all? State employees took a 3 percent wage reduction for two years, although contracts had already been negotiated. Others in the community have also had a reduction in wages, and still others face unemployment. Enrollment is up 15 percent at GTC, yet taxpayers are asked to dip into their wallets yet again.
Something does not seem right. Please send a message and attend the public hearing for the proposed budget on May 10 at 7 p.m., conveniently held at the Elkhorn campus.
Ruth Tylock
Racine
Can drive a success
I would like to thank Union Grove Elementary School students, staff and everyone who participated in the aluminum can drive for Union Grove Park and Recreation on April 23.
Almost 1.000 pounds were collected for the “Cans for Kids” Program. The money will help the Park and Recreation Committee of Union Grove towards sports equipment, park equipment and village park updates.
Timothy Mallach
Village of Union Grove trustee and Park and Recreation Committee member
Biofuels safe, sustainable
The recently published commentary on biofuel facts omits an important one.
Gasoline is derived from oil, a fossil fuel like coal and natural gas, which derives from deposits of carbon locked in the Earth.
All the carbon dioxide released by the burning of fossil fuels is a contribution to the atmosphere. Biofuels are derived from plants that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Therefore, except for the fossil fuel used to produce them, biofuels make no net contribution to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Biofuels, along with other carbon-neutral strategies such as solar, wind, geothermal and conservation, are part of a policy that aims to provide us, and future generations, a safe and sustainable source of energy.
Scott Thomson
406 16th St., Racine
Blame the politicians
After listening to all the banter from our president on TV these past few days about big bad Wall Street and big banks too big to fail, I almost want to vomit.
I believe the biggest joke is the president trying to make his case against them. The liberal media eats up anything he says, right or wrong, as fact. Then we’re fed this dribble daily. I believe the president is focusing on the symptom while trying to make us believe it was the major cause of our failing economy.
The problem started, I believe, with meddling elected politicians “in charge” of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae around 2007. They wanted everyone, regardless of their income, to have a home. They then instructed Fannie and Freddie to make it happen.
Well, if you allow people with poor credit, little or no money to buy property, you’re just asking for big problems. I think that move created the symptom which was as we saw: slick loan executives, banks and speculators trying to make a quick buck with those risky loans that had little or no financial backing. It failed.
The real focus needs to be put where it belongs: politicians in charge of Fannie and Freddie. I think, the president is protecting Democrats while blaming Wall Street and banks as the problem.
I get the feeling, with the president’s arrogance, he doesn’t think we’re smart enough to know what he’s trying to do.
Ron Jones
5000 Graceland Blvd., Racine
Stop pedophiles now
I just read with interest on the online version of The Journal Times about a 61-year-old child sex offender who wants to repeal a law that says he can’t take pictures of minors without parental consent.
Gee, when my child goes to school, the school cannot take pictures of my child for school purposes without my consent. If my child participates in a sport, the league cannot take pictures of my child without parental consent.
And this child molester wants the right to take pictures of children without consent? I have to ask, for what purpose?
Everyday online, our youth are targeted by dangerous people trying to lure them. Often, legal pedophile sites will take innocent enough pictures of children and photoshop them into kiddie porn. They hide these under layers of other sites, such as “home gardening” or Disney.
This is why I’m pushing for state legislation called April’s Law to ensure that this becomes illegal and to pursue minimum punishments so they don’t walk with a slap on the hand.
Please check out http://www.youthvoiceinitiative.org to find out more information and ways you can help. You can also e-mail me at lika.yvi@gmail.com
Lika Saliscente
Racine
Unified should be ashamed
On April 16, Case High School participated in the Gay-Straight Alliance at school.
I am an extremely outraged parent of a student who attends there, the reason being none of the parents were notified of this schoolwide activity. I found out by reading The Journal Times of what my child was exposed to while at school.
As a parent, I should have been able to decide if my child should have attended school that day or not. (My child was taken out of school after reading the article). I feel Racine Unified should not be promoting any type of sexual behavior; they should be promoting abstinence. If the school feels it has to participate in this type of activity, it should be done after school so it does not interfere with children’s academics. Parents would be aware and can make the appropriate choice for their child.
Racine Unified should be ashamed of its behavior.
Nicole Quella
Racine
Posted in Mailbag on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 6:30 pm
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