July 08, 2009 06:46 am
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For those Cambria County residents who did not watch the WJAC-TV news broadcast at 5 a.m. July 1, here is what you missed. Pennsylvania has two choices to balance the budget – cut spending or raise taxes.
According to Commissioner P.J. Stevens, raising taxes is the lesser of two evils because it puts the burden on the people who can afford to pay.
And that is not all he had to say. He went on: If the Republicans in state government will not allow an increase in the state income tax, then Cambria County will have to raise residents’ property taxes.
Is that a threat?
How dare he tell the taxpayers of Pennsylvania what they can afford? Many taxpayers have had to adjust to living on less, and government must do the same. It is time to send a resounding message to government at the federal, state and local levels. You can call, you can write letters, and you should do both. But the loudest message you can send is your vote.
Unfortunately, we do not currently have term limits for these career politicians, but they still work for us – not the other way around. We the people are the CEO of this country, and we can fire each and every one of them when they run for re-election.
Lori Moschgat
Ashville
Coal’s contribution to state, budget
For the seventh straight year, the commonwealth presses deeper into summer with no budget in sight.
However, I am concerned that our elected leaders will ignore the significant contribution of Pennsylvania’s coal industry in saving taxpayers large amounts of money.
According to an annual report published by the Department of General Services, over the past five years, Pennsylvania coal has saved commonwealth taxpayers nearly $100 million in fuel costs. That’s enough money to hire and pay for an additional 300 teachers annually or purchase 250,000 laptop computers for Pennsylvania school students.
However, no one in state government seems to be paying attention.
Despite a state law that requires state facilities to use coal, the commonwealth continues to convert those facilities to “green” energy sources such as wind and solar.
Every year, Pennsylvania’s coal mining industry reclaims hundreds of acres of abandoned coal lands, improving both land and water quality. Yet not a single source of “green” energy used by the commonwealth has reclaimed an acre of abandoned mine land, abated an ounce of acid mine drainage or saved the taxpayers a single nickel.
We urge our leaders to not overlook the important contribution of Pennsylvania coal. Pennsylvania’s coal industry employs 12,000 men and women who pay state and local taxes.
Its trickle-down effect to our local economies measures in the billions of dollars.
We urge our leaders to examine the benefits of Pennsylvania coal to heat state facilities and invest in the future of the state by keeping them on coal.
Duane C. Feagley
Executive director,
Pennsylvania Anthracite Council
Pottsville
No change in wildlife living near windmill
Ever since the Highland wind project in Adams Township began in the spring of 2008, more and more rumors and concerns have arisen about what will become of the wildlife. Well, I’m out to set the record straight.
I live in close proximity to several windmills – close enough to hear the quiet,
hypnotic sound of wind passing through the blades. I’ve had to adjust to the new surroundings. What made people believe that wildlife would not adapt? I can tell you one thing, I have seen very little long-term affect on deer, coyote and turkey activity.
In fact, once the equipment was gone from the site, it seemed that nature acted “business as usual.” I see wildlife tracks, droppings and even beds within maybe 500 feet of the base of the turbines. Of course, nothing came near the noise of diesel engines and the groups of workers.
I invite people to take a walk and look for themselves. There are no dead bats underneath the turbines, no abandonment of habitat from the deer, and the coyotes still walk around at night, just doing what they do.
And I also ask people to ask themselves: Before the windmills, did the deer walk through here anyway?
Turbines sure beat coal piles and the roar of diesel engines that scar the landscape forever.
Dan Mihm
Dunlo
Veterans must unite to keep War Memorial
The Cambria County commissioners are trying to sell the veterans and county citizens down the river. They are trying to hire a private company to run the War Memorial Arena.
If this happens, the commissioners will get rid of the War Memorial Authority, the veterans committee and arena General Manager Jim Vautar and his staff. That way, the commissioners can sell the arena to a private company in a few years, just like they did with Laurel Crest.
I have known Vautar and his staff for many years. They do a great job. I will stand behind them 100 percent. They are great friends to the veterans of this county.
Veterans and county residents should be up in arms at what the commissioners are doing to them. Doing away with the name War Memorial is also a probability the commissioners are looking at.
We must keep the authority board, the veterans committee and Vautar and his great staff. If we lose them, we have lost the only building in the county dedicated to veterans.
Let your voices be heard. Tell the commissioners to keep what we now have.
What we have is working.
Warren L. McKinney
Johnstown
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