It’s time for a moderate tax hike
Our elected invertebrates are currently sitting in Richmond. When they finish the current General Assembly session, they will once again slash funding for every city and town across Virginia. We as a community will be left to fend for ourselves — a not impossible task.
When we speak of the “glue” that binds our community together we must remember: police, fire, EMT, our educators, supervisory staff, the schools themselves, our libraries and library staff, health and human services, trash, brush and leaf pick-ups, parks and recreation, maintenance and repairs for our sewer system, our water system, the GLTC so important for our less-fortunate citizens as well as our financially able but handicapped senior citizens. All of these critical activities must be funded by us primarily through our property and excise taxes. Of course, our very important church activities we fund voluntarily.
City Council and City Manager Kimball Payne await the final word from Richmond. No doubt Payne and his staff are going through contingency plans as I write this letter. We will need a modest property tax increase to keep our community alive and well. If the City Council proves weak — and we pray this will not be the case, they would have to explain their vision of “the one room schoolhouse” to Areva, Babcock & Wilcox, Genworth, Belvac and all our other wonderful employers.
KEVIN KIRK
Lynchburg
Pride, not politics
The Super Bowl last weekend was a great contest between two rivals.
The halftime show was well done with Madonna “strutting her stuff,” going old school with a new twist.
The commercials were some good, some bad.
One commercial that deserved compliments, not criticism, was from Chrysler Motors. Academy Award-winning actor Clint Eastwood did a great job summing up how this nation has suffered in the past few years and how we are working on getting back on our feet.
Shame on anyone who even implies that the motivational speech was a pat on the back for President Barack Obama’s bailing out Chrysler, a promo for the Democratic Party or any other shenanigans. Wake up people!
Can’t anyone say anything good about this country and its “pull yourself up by your boots” ability without getting criticized?
Again I say, “Shame, shame.”
GREGORY B. STAPLES
Forest
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