Everybody wants more jobs. But the Republicans’ plan, even assuming it works, is only designed to create jobs in the private sector.
In fact, the private sector has already been adding jobs steadily for three years.
The reason unemployment has stayed so high is because so many jobs have been lost in the public sector. Police officers, firefighters, teachers and highway workers have been cut.
Due to federal cutbacks and states trying to balance their budgets without raising taxes, government workers are not being hired.
In this heated campaign season, there’s much talk about government as though it were some foreign force.
In fact, the government is the people. Corporations are not people (in spite of what some may have said), but the government is. If we don’t like what our elected representatives are doing, it’s the people’s duty to vote them out.
We need the government and government workers — and the taxes to pay them — unless we want to catch our own criminals, put out our own fires, defend our families against terrorists, build our own roads, teach our own children, deliver our own mail, inspect our own food for pathogens and create scenic parks in our own backyards.
Constance B. Bouchard
Wooster
Not the place for a dealership
Residents on Thorndale Avenue in Stow and surrounding streets are concerned that the city will approve Ron Marhofer’s request to rezone three residential properties on our street so that Marhofer does not leave our city.
The city states that Marhofer has contributed much to the city. His good deeds were strategically timed this past year to help his image.
His plan to demolish three near-century-old homes, along with acres of mature trees, will affect residents’ quality of life and reduce property values significantly. We have children who play on our street; we don’t want an auto mile.
Marhofer has not presented a Plan B. He has spent much money on architects and attorneys, purchased one of the homes, has a purchase agreement for another and is in the process of purchasing a third.
His confidence that the city will approve his request is frightening. If approved, this will set a dangerous precedent for other neighborhoods.
The city has many vacant commercial and retail properties that would meet Marhofer’s needs; however, they would cost more than paying off a few homeowners.
It’s the little people against the wealthy. I’ve asked Marhofer if his child or family member lived on the street, would he think so little of their rights? Please help us in our fight to stand up for what’s right.
Carol A. Tymchenko
Stow
Pumped-up charge
I was driving on Interstate 76 East and noticed a digital billboard.
A photo of Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown was accompanied by these words, “Gas prices up 46%. Does Brown work for you?”
Memo to the GOP: The U.S. Senate does not, praise heaven, set gas prices.
Obviously, when you have some $17 million in outside, special-interest money pour into Ohio in an attempt to smear and defeat Sen. Brown, there’s plenty to waste on just plain stupidity.
Linda E. Bunyan
Akron
