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Letters to the editor

Follow the money

DEAR EDITOR:

I read an Oct. 9 Tribune Chronicle article about the award of a contract for a $21 million sanitary sewer project to MS Consultants at the recommendation of Trumbull County Engineer Randy Smith, even though MS Consultants’ qualifications were ranked sixth behind five other qualified consultants.

Your article adds that MS Consultants is the same company that did engineering work for the county on a sanitary sewer construction project where the county was sued by the contractor and lost $2.4 million.

So, what does Smith do? He rewards MS Consultants with another big contract.

In order to fully understand the reason why Smith recommended MS Consultants to get this new $21 million project, all one needs to do is follow the money by checking Smith’s campaign finance reports, available at the Trumbull County Board of Elections. There one will find that MS Consultants’ Political Action Committee has contributed thousands of dollars to the Randy Smith political campaign committee.  Need I say more?

DEANNA MEADOWS

Champion

New Mathews school makes sense

DEAR EDITOR:

The Mathews schools bond issue on the November ballot is critical to the continued success of our children and our communities.

My evaluation of the bond issue is this:  It is fiscally irresponsible to continue to bandage deplorable buildings; finances, including the district’s five-year forecast, show the administration is doing a great job; the former Prestwick Golf Course was purchased at a great price and will provide city water / sewer, all at the center of our district; consolidation is next to impossible and not something I would want for our towns or children; nice school facilities protect property values and increase population; and fighting the state for over 30 years about state share has been unsuccessful.

Have you seen the “Mathews Schools, VOTE NO!” signs in some of our residents’ yards? Some of these residents don’t have the facts, or the sign producer has a personal vendetta against our towns.

The high school is more than 100 years old, and the other buildings were built in the 1960s. Issues include non-potable drinking water, failing septics, failing HVAC systems, non-handicap accessible buildings, no sprinkler systems or security and lack of 21st century technology. Wouldn’t you rather pay taxes for a school building in your town?

People say they pay too much in taxes and they will move. The majority of our tax payers live in Fowler / Vienna. The total effective tax rate paid for Mathews: Fowler is 57.92 and Vienna is 59.1.  Most of the surrounding towns pay more in taxes than we do (Lakeview / Cortland is 75.39, Brookfield is 65.99).

People say that we should consolidate; but 168 students applied through open enrollment to other districts last year, largely because of lack of facilities. Consolidation is next to impossible and who would want our ridiculous buildings, busing issues, high property values and negative voters?

People say that we should fight the state because our state share is so low. We have been fighting the state for over 33 years. Should we continue to fight and waste tax dollars?

A “no” vote on this issue means expensive bandages on dilapidated buildings; houses will be harder to sell; families will not move or build here; and we will lose even more money from the state.

Visit our Facebook page, Mathews Local School District Bond Committee or contact Superintendent Lew Lowery at 330-637-3500.

JILL MURPHY

Fowler Township

Clinton thinks I’m deplorable

DEAR EDITOR:

Hillary Clinton thinks I’m deplorable?

I am a deplorable who:

¯ Has worked since my first paper route and self-employed since. I learned early that 90 percent of “income” was used to buy equipment, supplies and pay employees before I could take “profit.”

¯ Looks at my cell bill to see taxes levied so street corner vendors can give free phones to people who video and post to Facebook or play games. You want a phone? Great. Use it to find a job!

¯ Is tired of my health care premium skyrocketing under the “Affordable health care act.”

¯  Knows the meaning of “is,” as well as the meaning of top secret, classified and sexual relations.

¯ Sees 80+ percent of government “representatives” graduated college with law or political science degrees and never made a payroll, yet “understand” me as they pile on laws and regulations. WWII was won in 3 1/2 years. Today it takes that (and thousands of dollars) to wade through regulations to build anything from a housing development to a steel plant. Do you wonder why America is not competitive?

Many representatives return to the “private sector” to help us navigate the regulations they created. They go into “public service” close to poor, and emerge financially secure by any measure, voting themselves pensions and not using social security like us.

When my friends call for help, I help! Ambassador Chris Stevens was Hillary’s friend? My mother said, “With friends like you, who needs enemies?”

This deplorable knows America is a capitalistic economy. I admire the Carnegies, Rockefellers, Fords, Kochs, Bezos and Trumps of America because they fed the government, employees, accountants and suppliers long before they got rich — unlike money pushers Buffet or Soros. Of all those millionaires, not one chose to run for president except Ross Perot. He was right when he said this of NAFTA: “That enormous sucking sound you will hear is all your jobs leaving America.” I admire that about Trump the most.

Trump is a bum because some of his companies failed? 90 percent of his succeed when the average business fails after two years. People got hurt. I have been there and hurt too. Undergo the financial colonoscopy to borrow money and build what Trump builds. A financial bum he is not!

I am tired of being called a bigot, racist, misogynist or Islamophobe when I say something “progressives” disagree with.

I am eloquently labeled deplorable since it is easier to demonize than understand.

Most important, I am a deplorable who loves the opportunity America makes available to all, want no sympathy, and I vote.

DAN CROUSE

Warren

More taxes, less freedoms

DEAR EDITOR:

More taxes, less freedoms.

Hillary and the Democrats are introducing a payroll tax hike in Iowa. Hillary said twice she will not veto a new payroll deduction for all wages — no exceptions, less take home pay.

Other Hillary positions are:

The death estate tax– top rate is 65 percent; a new tax of $2.16 per 12-pack; the new federal tax on guns is 25 percent plus  6.75 percent local, for a total 31.75 percent. Ammo tax to follow.

She has plans of raising Capital Gains tax from 23.81 percent to 43.4 percent and offers no corporate tax relief and no personal tax relief.

Hillary is strong on a new carbon tax, all use of coal, natural gas or oil. That’s a climate change tax. It is a massive tax.

Clinton’s tax plan claims $1 trillion in new taxes.

2017 Dems look for government with new rules: 401K, 403B and government debt are at $20 trillion.

More total worth is sitting in the personal 401K and 403B.

Hillary is a progressive, that means socialist.

In 1996 the liberal New York Times, in ‘Blizzard of Lies,’ called Hillary Clinton a ‘congenital liar.’ John Podesta, Clinton’s campaign manager, said in 2015 Hillary has a problem with the truth. Nothing has changed in 20 years.

My dad used to tell me, “You can send a leopard to the cleaners, but when it comes back it still has its spots.”

JACK CANZONETTA

Warren

Some campaign stories embellished

DEAR EDITOR:

PBS aired a program called “White House: Inside Story.”

It stated the White House was built by Scottish and free African laborers. Sounds a tad different than what the First Lady describes as awaking in the mornings.

This was on PBS, the gold standard for liberal truth. Not FOX, Rush, Limbaugh nor Sean Hannity.

With not a dry eye in the DNC convention audience, I had a flashback to another DNC speech in 2012.

A newly married couple who were so poor the husband wore shoes too small for his feet. On trash days, he hobbled on the streets in search of discarded furniture to furnish their humble abode. Strangely, both were Chicago lawyers in a renowned law firm. More tears from the loyal devotees.

With a click of my heels, I’m back to reality.

I can only imagine the daily liberal round-table discussions debasing the oratory during the GOP convention.

JAMES COLLINS

Newton Falls

Blame two-party system for choices

DEAR EDITOR:

Looks like the 2016 election will bring one obvious question: how far should we dig in the trash to find anything of value?

It’s hard for any of us to believe that Hillary Clinton, with no credibility on telling the truth, is now touting how she is going to fix it all by staying the course. She was part of an administration that has increased the national debt by doubling it; failed to make healthcare affordable by implementing the ACA; made empty promises of shovel-ready jobs; caused a significant increase in civil unrest; allowed growth of ISIS and many more failures not listed above.

On the other hand, you have Donald Trump, who can’t keep his foot out his mouth; speaks with vulgarity; is easily unnerved if criticized; and brags, incessantly, of how much he knows.

What is wrong with our election process if these two buffoons are at the top of the ticket? No matter who wins, we will sink to a new low — maybe the lowest level ever of scumbagery in the White House. We have several highly skilled leaders who would do a much better job leading our country, but because we have only a two-party system, we are restricted in our choices. It’s time to eliminate the two-party system because neither party is representing “We the People.”

They create issues just to run against each other and blame the other side for the very same problems that they, themselves, have produced. This creates a never-ending cycle of poor policies being implemented on top of deficient policy repair. Then they try to revamp their errors with additional failed policies.

All of the policy patchwork that never stops ends up costing the average middle-class citizen additional tax dollars, which lowers their wages and obstructs their freedoms.

Things to be said in favor of Donald Trump include that he is not an establishment Republican beholden to the GOP; and he has created jobs in the private sector, as a thriving business man with a mindset of achievement.

We all understand this man is often inappropriate and offensive. But would you like to vote for someone with a track record of success or someone who fails and lies, but does it in a politically correct fashion?

TIM SANTELL

Kinsman

Vote for Constitution party candidate

DEAR EDITOR:

Does the presidential race feel like an unmitigated disaster? Vote for Darrell Castle of Germantown, Tenn., of the Constitution party for president and Scott Bradley of North Logan, Utah, for vice president. Although they’re not on the ballot, Ohio has authorized them as write-in candidates.

We the people can improve our government only by opposing the system that gives power to the few. As president, Castle would secure the constitutional rights of every American, return policymaking to local and state governments, make America a beacon of liberty and restore humility and virtue to the office.

Of the top five candidates in terms of ballot access, only Castle is unequivocally pro-life and will not infringe the right to keep and bear arms. He is the strongest on immigration and religious liberty.

Research the issues for yourself. If you write in Castle and Bradley, your vote will be hand-counted and your voice heard.

GALE  PALMER

McDonald

Film offers insight on vaccines

DEAR EDITOR:

Nice to see a notice for the documentary film “Vaxxed” in the Trib. However, the “anti-vaccine” description is uncalled for and inaccurate.

I’ve seen “Vaxxed” four times. I plan on seeing it when it shows Oct 26 in Niles. I only wish when I was getting my kids vaccinated that I had known what parents today have an opportunity to learn from this film. Vaxxed exposes details by a Centers for Disease Contol and Prevention whistleblower who came forward more than two years ago. It examines issues and events surrounding a 2004 study used to falsely “debunk” arguments the “vaccines don’t cause autism” argument. Data was manipulated and thrown out. In truth, “Vaxxed” actually advocates for safer vaccines.

Autism is a lifelong debilitating disorder. Educate yourself before you vaccinate by viewing the film. There is risk involved in vaccinations and every parent should decide if the risk is worth it for their children with information and facts. Visit www.gathr.com to reserve your ticket.

ANDREA KELLER

Canfield

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