Corbett criticized
Letters to the Editor
Gov. Tom Corbett has shown his true colors and backed away from his campaign promise of providing more jobs to Pennsylvanians.
In other words, he has outright lied to voters by canceling plans to build a new prison in German Township. It’s a travesty for economic growth in Fayette County. It is also a blatant confirmation of the continuing vendetta Corbett has waged against state Rep. Bill DeWeese (D-Waynesburg).
DeWeese worked long and hard with state Sen. Rich Kasunic and fellow representative Tim Mahoney to bring the new prison and jobs, lots of them, to southwestern Pennsylvania. To say that our area has enough prison space is ludicrous. If that were so, why was so much progress made toward building three new prisons throughout Pennsylvania.
Sure I’ll agree that there truly are more prisoners from eastern Pennsylvania. That’s a no brainer. If prison populations have levelled off though, why aren’t the prisons in the other counties on the chopping block?
The answer is also a no brainer. Rep. DeWeese is not from those counties. So, because of personal bad feelings toward the Democratic Party leaders of this area and the vindictive power-mongering of a governor, our county’s unemployed have been spat upon. Once again, the political powers have turned their back and money on us, just as expected.
Bill Doman
Grindstone
Frazier voters warned
Frazier School District taxpayers better beware.
Several seats are vacant on the Frazier School Board in the upcoming election. Rumor has it that a slate is being put together to fill these seats. Beware that some of these “slated” candidates are unfamiliar with the district’s current financial responsibilities.
The district is currently paying the debts associated with the renovations of the 1990s yet some new candidates and some seeking re-election may want to build a new complex that could cost the taxpayers an estimated $25 million if they get their way.
In the “real world,” taxpayers in this district are aware of their own struggle to survive with the state of the economy today. Why would you support those who will most definitely add to your agony? The current audit of the district confirms that Frazier is financially stable in 2010 but with state subsidies on the decline, retirement funds and health care estimated to increase substantially, the district will be knocking (if not pounding) on our doors just to balance the budget for the next five years.
Granted, our school buildings are in dire need of attention, as the safety of our children is always our main concern, but these buildings have been deemed “sound and fixable” at a substantially lower cost.
Before election day, ask the new candidates, as well as those seeking re-election, how deep they are going to dig into your pockets? Beware that some new candidates and some seeking re-election may be guilty by association.
Kathy Burkholder
Perryopolis.
China overtaking us
Look in the rearview mirror, everyone. That streaking object you see is not only closer than it appears, but is about to overtake us. China, like a thoroughbred galloping down the homestretch, is poised to achieve great things.
Their formula for success is quite simple, yet extremely effective; they possess a dogged determination to define a course of action, and then immediately act upon it. China is already either in the advanced planning or production stages of high-speed trains, stem-cell and genetic engineering, electric cars, clean energy systems, and ultra-modern airports, just to name a few. School kids learn five languages, with English being the primary one. They are digital savvy of course, with their efforts in this regard being fueled by a shrewdness to further the growth of the country. Parents are riveted in their roles as motivators.
In our country, any efforts to move forward on critical programs to launch us on the fast track to realization, become lost or defeated by our now juvenile-like, two-party system. Our kids are dropping out of school at an alarming rate; able to text, twitter, and e-mail their friends at warp speed, but owning no marketable skills or social graces to speak of.
Thomas Friedman, the outstanding columnist for the New York Times wrote last September: “China and India have been catching us because they now have free markets like we do, education like we do, access to capital and technology like we do, but most importantly, values like our Greatest Generation had. That is a willingness to postpone gratification, invest for the future, work harder than the next guy, and hold their kids to the highest expectations.”
Now look in your bathroom mirrors, everyone. We are still the same ingenious, innovative, adaptable, persevering people that this greatest melting pot on earth has always been. It’s time to get back to work.
Frank B. Heasley
East Millsboro