State-Journal.com - Your Letters

The State Journal encourages readers to submit letters to the editor for publication by noon Wednesday for the following Sunday's paper. All letters must contain the writer's full name, mailing address and telephone number for purposes of verification. The State Journal will not withhold the name of a writer. Any letter received without a mailing address and phone number will not be published. The State Journal will not publish thank-you letters, obvious form letters or letters addressed to third parties or to the public at large. All letters submitted for publication are subject to editing for length, form and content. Letters may be no more than 500 words long. Letters may be mailed to Letters to the Editor, The State Journal, 1216 Wilkinson Blvd., Frankfort, Ky. 40601; faxed to 227-2831, or e-mailed to rherron@state-journal.com.

Don't take ride,
take the wheel

To the Editor:
I was so thrilled and impressed to read Susan Smith's Sunday op-ed column, "Voters should impose term limits on legislators," but now I find that my words are inadequate to give it proper praise and thanks. I have been advocating voting against long-term incumbents for several years now. My advice has fallen on deaf ears. My last several votes for federal and state senators and representatives have been against incumbents (with two exceptions) for many of the reasons given in the column. The only recourse we voters have to show displeasure with an elected official's job performance is by not voting for them.

Since 1961 I have voted in each primary, general and special election open for my vote, always considering voting to be a pleasant privilege. No more. It has now become a negative chore in my life, because I find myself voting against people instead of for them. This represents a pessimistic attitude and, having always considered myself to be an optimist, this way of voting goes against my natural way of doing and looking at things. I view this as a sad commentary on myself and the politicians for whom I, and many others, have voted over the years.

I don't know Susan Smith from a post, but my bravos and thanks go to her for a courageous commentary. Wake up, Kentuckians. We are being taken for a very expensive ride by men and women who want to keep driving "our car" long past the time when their drivers' licenses should have been revoked!

Ann Burnette
Frankfort

Immigration
issue neglected

To the Editor:
Elections are right around the corner and soon voters will be looking for answers on a variety of topics; however, on one issue our local officials have been all too silent. It's clear to anyone who opens their eyes that the illegal immigrant population in the United States is rapidly increasing and they are refusing to assimilate which only exacerbates the problem. We can see evidence of the growing problem here in Frankfort, but local officials have yet to step up and take action.

It's not enough for local leaders to say, "Well, it's a federal problem and Congress should deal with it." There are local options to de-magnetize our community, including the 287(g) program, but our local leaders must be willing to stand up and take action. If our local leaders refuse to take action and deal with this problem, then the voters will be forced to find leaders who will do something about it.

Marcus S. Hash
Frankfort

Pipeline plan not
in public interest

To the Editor:
Our government has let us down again, or maybe the Public Service Commission is not the government. You catch a criminal with proof that he committed the crime. However, if you did not do it just right, the courts must let the criminal loose on society again. The PSC was presented with a true backup for the Kentucky River supply of drinking water, but as we all know they could not consider this plan because it was not presented just right!

I have no idea if what one reader has thought is true about padding the pockets of the PSC. I think that is just not true. However, it is possible to ignore truth just as it is possible to ignore the best plan for the water supply.
Our magistrates need to consider that a tax on the KAW property will be just another tax on the people. They need not think that the tax will not be passed on to KAW customers. Easy to say that the customers are in another county. What happens when the water at Lexington dries up and then our water dries up? I guess we will have to rely on the "abundance" of water in pool 3 for our drinking water and then we become the customers and pay the tax. At least, maybe, for a little while.

It's time we the "Public" of the PSC make our wishes known. Who does the PSC answer to? Let's help with the appeal. Let's get the rules changed so that all relevant facts can be considered at the time something is being discussed. Let's make sure the fiscal court understands a tax on a company is being passed on to us and that is a tax increase on the public. Are there any statesmen in government any more?

Making the Kentucky River the backup for the Kentucky River is akin to making Michael Jordan the backup for Michael Jordan in case he fouls out of the game. It just will not work. If I am wrong someone please show me where I am wrong. It just seems we are headed for a double whammy, paying for this KAW plant (I am sure it will be a good plant) and in a few years paying for a water line from the Ohio River.

Henry Cardwell
Frankfort

Think green,
conserve gas

To the Editor:
With the price of gasoline at an all-time high, we should think green and conserve our use of gas.

While talking to people that have lived through times such as during World War II, I have been thinking we are not taking our economy seriously. If we all try and conserve some, we may not be forced to later.

During World War II people received a ration of many items, one being gas. Can you imagine how our lives would change if we were only given five-10 gallons of gasoline a week/month to use. I don't think a lot of people would be able to deal with this restriction. I would be willing to bet our crime rate would be off the scale.

So, why don't we all think green, limit our trips to the store? When going out, do several errands and maybe go with a neighbor. Car pool to work. Have you noticed how many cars have only the driver in the car and no passengers?
If we all conserve some, maybe we can make a difference in this great nation.

Bonnie Shearer
Frankfort

Local politics
quite complex

To the Editor:
In this upcoming city election, what we see are some members of the City Commission running for re-election and the appearance of Gippy Graham as a candidate for mayor of Frankfort. It is no secret that City Commissioner Carter encouraged Graham to run. It could be she was considering a run for the same office and with Bowers in the race backed off and encouraged someone else to run against Bowers. And the confusion Bowers has added to the commission meetings stagnates the public process. However, with Gip Graham being a popular name in local politics, if elected he would give Commissioner Carter a "like thinking friend" in the mayor's office. A key team so to speak.

This previous City Commission has been non-functional and mostly due to an aloof three-term mayor who was not able to provide the leadership needed, to come forward with new visions for our town. And those visions do not include the new library or police station. Those improvements would have to had taken place regardless of who the mayor was. So, replacing aging buildings is not a visionary thing. It is a no-brainer.

And how functional is the business of our town going to be carried out with a current mayor wanting to stay in the spotlight by running for city commissioner? There will exist a greater split in the voting of issues if he is elected.
Some years back, I suggested to Commissioner Bowers the Frankfort City Commission should work with the state and find out what buildings are needed by state government and offering to build those facilities, and rent them to the state until the bond is paid and then give ownership to the state for a nominal fee.

Also it was suggested, by making more public building facilities available, perhaps it would allow the state to bring to Frankfort many of those agencies that are spread out across the commonwealth. This would mean more jobs for Frankfort and an opportunity for Frankfort to develop some kind of skyline of pleasant architectural design.

Decision makers can't even agree where the new justice building will be.
In this town, private developers for years controlled the commercial real estate market with the state. Those private developers provide assistance to the state political structure in the way of campaign contributions. If you feel this is "a crock,' take some time to go to the Internet and see whose names are on the lease contracts.

Isn't it a coincidence the owner of Codell Construction Company, which at one time was a mega road contractor, is now in the business of constructing public buildings financed by the government? And that includes the new police station.
That is pure political payback, to this reader. And it is time it ended.

Jim Anderson Stivers
Frankfort