NEW ALBANY — Open letter to Rep. Hill

Congressman Hill, I've changed my advice to you. Let me pretend to be one of the 40 percent of Americans who do want you to vote for President Obama's Health Care Bill using the vastly popular “reconciliation” formula. I think you should ignore the polls in this case. Trust me when I say that I sincerely believe that more than 60 percent of Americans (and an even higher percentage of Hoosiers who will have the chance to vote for you in November) will totally forget that you ignored their wishes and voted for this bill anyway.

The voters have already forgotten your heartless comments at the Bloomington Town Hall meeting about it being “your meeting” and that “you set the rules.” They'll forget this vote by next November too. Hey, while you're at it, why not slip a secret vote on Cap and Trade in there while we're all distracted with the endless chatter about half of the Americans picking up the bill for less than 5 percent of us, while at the same time sacrificing the standard of our own health care? After all, many of those illegal immigrant workers you intend to cover might actually get to vote for you if you cover their health care too. Oh, and just because at least half of Americans are strongly against abortion on demand, don't let that stop you from using our tax dollars to fund free and easy abortions. After all, the unborn will never have a chance to vote against you.

Speaking of tax dollars, please don't think that anyone noticed that you expect us to pay 10 years of taxes for six years of health care. We want universal coverage so badly that we trust you to not spend any of that money on anything else but health care four years from now. That's kind of like all that money in Social Security you promised not to spend. Where is that money, by the way?

Oh, one more thing….don't think that ignoring us and voting in this bill will in any way influence votes for you when you run for governor in 2012. Your absence from the House of Representatives while you campaign could actually work in our favor. We love what you're doing. Count on our ignorance. Keep up the good work!

— Dave Matthews,

Floyd County GOP chairman



Reader fed up with city issues

I would laugh if things were not so bad in New Albany. The mayor says the only salvation is to “Ultimately to solve city issues (requires annexation) to expand the city tax base and levy” (The Tribune, Feb. 2, 2010). Do the politicians think we are all stupid and ignorant?

Look out county folks, here they come — same old “tax and spend” mentality. Why do we pay firefighters top wages and medical and huge pension benefits, when you and I do not have these but do have to pay for them. This also includes all the other public employees who are on the pity pot about they are under paid (well, they got $500 that I did not get). Hey, taxpayer, did you get your payout? Bet not!

How about the school board, who simply rubber stamp all requests. If we had not built the extras swimming pools, football stadiums‚ etc., we would have money now to support education (I did not say support pensions!).

And, while I am at it, how about starting school after Labor Day and ending at Memorial Day. Sure didn’t hurt my generation. Spring break, Fall break, Oaks Day, etc. No wonder they go to June. And, why did the new superintendent‚ pay highly paid and benefited deputies to take early retirement packages. Did the school board vote on this?

What a shame! I vote that the city of New Albany cancel all pension contributions for 2010, which should provide $3 million or more to support the city and its population. I am sure the city police and firefighter would agree this is good for the city. Not sure if the union would agree, but who needs them anyway.  And by the way, Greg Fifer was wrong when he said the city is using EDIT money to support the sewer department and that the county folks do not pay into EDIT. We, if I am correct, all of us that work play and eat in the city, make it possible for EDIT dollars to be collected. Also the county folks for years have been paying a pretty good premium on top of what the city folks pay.

If Kay Garry was close to accurate in The Tribune, she reported that $6,450,000 is due the sewer department from the city. Hey Mayor, how about we get this paid back before you bail out the union and hire police people that you hope someone will ultimately pay for?

We are paying more in total taxes than ever before. State, local, and sales taxes, on top of property taxes, which, even if limits are put in, will go up as the assessments go up. And believe me, they will.

Yes, it is time for a change — no unions, no pensions, and maybe no politicians. It is time for new management — the current ones simply do not get it!

— Robert Sullivan, New Albany



Reader questions Reinvestment and Recovery Act

787, 284, 10 — What do these numbers represent?

The 2009 Reinvestment and Recovery Act (”the stimulus”) authorized $787 billion to help the United States recover from the effects of the recession that started in 2008. So far, as of Feb. 19, $284 billion or 36 percent of the $787 billion has been spent.

This week, letters poured into newspapers across the United States, asking why Kentucky U.S. Senator Jim Bunning was making such a determined stand against an additional $10 billion in new spending, over and above the $787 billion in stimulus spending, to extend unemployment benefits.

Oh, that we in Indiana had a Senator principled enough to stand up and say, “Can we take this $10 billion out of the $503 billion we haven’t spent yet?”

No where but Washington, D.C. would it be considered a good decision to add another $10 billion to our debt when $503 billion is still available to be spent from another account designated for the same reason.

— Kelly Roggenkamp, Georgetown