The past two years have been hard on Ashtabula County.
Revenues are down and the county lost just under a million dollars in state funding for this fiscal year alone. Municipalities have also experienced cuts in state funding. The consequences have been cuts to our safety forces and other services. The number of patrolmen on our roads has not returned to pre-recession levels, and other services, such as libraries, have reduced hours and staff. Meanwhile the steady reduction in teachers continues, with 21 positions eliminated in Jefferson and another 15.5 in Geneva.
Something needs to be done and the Democrats in Columbus have come up with an idea. They want to establish a “Kids and Communities First Fund” and return $400 million to local governments and school districts. The money will come from a $265 million surplus in revenues, $120 million from the rainy day fund and $15 million from Kasich’s proposed tax on oil and gas drillers. Returning $400 million to local communities will help keep police and firemen on the job and teachers in the classroom. The Fraternal Order of Police and firefighters support this proposal and have stated that the effect of all the cuts has made our communities less safe.
What has been the Republican response to the proposal? They won’t even consider it. The tax on the oil and gas drillers is a deal breaker according to them. Better to have middle class Ohioans, the over burdened property owners, bear the whole cost of restoring all these lost services, than to have a modest tax on those who would remove our mineral wealth to increase their already massive profits.
Now we hear of another way Republicans want to increase the burden on middle class property owners. This is HB242, the Republican proposal to give income tax credits to individuals and corporations if they donate money to scholarships which can be used only at non-public schools. Millions of dollars will be removed from the general operating fund of Ohio and the property owner will have to make up the difference in lost funding to police and fire departments, townships, libraries and schools.
I say enough is enough. Vote for middle class interests and for the future of Ohio. Vote Democratic this fall. Replace Kozlowski with John Patterson in the Ohio House and return Capri Cafaro to the Senate.
Lorna Westlake
Austinburg
Opinion
May 5, 2012 Letters to the editor: Lorna Westlake
Dems’ concept makes sense
- Opinion
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We started giving away our civil liberties years ago
Politics is much about phonies.
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Here’s how to improve education in Ohio
In three days a lot of Ashtabula countians will vote on several issues, including two school issues, one of which is a renewal and the other a proposed emergency operating levy.
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Story engulfed in convergence of new, old mass media
I actually didn’t want to write anything regarding the Boston Marathon bombing story, but it has worn heavy on me.
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Vera E. Pentz
Vera Eileen Pentz, age 94, passed away peacefully Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012, at Country Club Retirement Center where she had been a resident for the past 15 months.
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Pedestal topples and relationship falters
Have you ever wondered how teachers and the public became polarized from each other.
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Aug. 11 Letters to the Editor: David Thomas
“With the recent disapproval from our county residents of the three local school levies, the time for a new education funding model has been strongly mandated. -
Aug. 11 Letters to the Editor: Ron Yarian
The editorial opinion (7/29) on the Gun Control Debate was at least an honest attempt to offer some response to address a serious problem.
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Aug. 11 Letters to the Editor: Edith A. Sickler
Your editorial in the July 28 Opine section of the Star Beacon in regard to slow drivers causing accidents, while praising fast drivers, really pulled my chain, so to speak.
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Aug. 11 Letters to the Editor: Mary Ellen Blake
There was a time when the mantra of liberalism was, “I may not agree with what you say (or think), but I will defend to death your right to say it.”
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Aug. 11 Letters to the Editor: Thomas Pickett
I am not interested in arguing over whether or not pit bulls or any other breed should be banned from any area.
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