> SOUTHERN INDIANA — I am paying too much in taxes



Stepping back, I was just wondering how many of you out there have an occupation as a result of the training you received from serving our country in the armed forces as both me and my boy have?

Some have better-paying jobs than others and of course that’s their choice. So why is Floyd County GOP Chairman Dave Matthews getting blasted for something so many of us are or should be thankful for?

Then we come to the issue of taxes and are we paying too much. Where do I start on this?

My wife and I are retired and we, as Mr. Matthews, feel we pay too much. Why? Especially because our president is using our taxes primarily to extend his left-wing agenda.

We wonder why Warren Buffet, the Koch brothers and many more of the super rich have used their influence to receive tax breaks resulting in all of them paying a less percentage of their taxes than we do. We wonder how many of our tax dollars have been spent on multiple studies by the Corps of Engineers and other government agencies for over 30 years to build another bridge across the Ohio. We wonder how many of our tax dollars are spent on five agencies trying to coordinate their regulations in granting an oil company permission to drill. We wonder why Peter Orszag, the former head of the budget for Obama, would say our taxes are being wasted when we have 110 agencies trying to promote science for our children.

We agree with Democrats Harkin, Warner and Manchin decrying the Social Security tax cut (payroll tax cut) for a fund that dearly needs money while failing to cut anywhere else … and real taxes.

I don’t know Mr. Matthews, but by now, if you step back from any partisanship, his blessing of military training provided to him, like you, a vocation. If you don’t agree we are paying too much in taxes for government waste and duplication, then perhaps you’re related to “left field” Susan Ryan.

— John Krueger, Clarksville



Reader has questions about property taxes



  I have questions about the town-owned homes that Clarksville employees have lived in rent free. If I remember correctly, one was on Harrison Avenue and one in Kenwood in Clarksville. I would love to know the appraised value of these two homes and how much property tax was paid.

I have a house on Harrison and property tax is out of sight. I had one on Kenwood years ago and the tax was way too high. I think of all the people who have lost their jobs and cannot make the payment or pay rent, plus utilities. Guess they will have to move to the Haven House; again it’s who you know.

The property tax cap is very misleading. It seems people think that if you have retail property, it’s all profit. Can the property tax be passed on to the tenant when they are fighting for survival themselves?

Gas bills and sewer bills are almost impossible to pay. Senior citizens and people employed can hardly pay now. I have seen a follow-up on the people not paying any property tax. That must be nice. I would love to know their secret. Please, it sure would save me some money

I thought all the new people that just took office would get right on this. Again, it’s who you know. You scratch by back and I’ll scratch yours.

— Eunice Baldwin, Clarksville



Reader disappointed with shelter’s response



I recently found a German Shepherd near my home. I have three dogs of my own, but this little guy needed his family.

I took him home, placed him in our yard and immediately posted signs in our neighborhood. I called vets, shelters, placed an ad in the News and Tribune, posted on Facebook and also took him for a microchip check two times in hopes to find his family.

Four days later, I received a call from the J.B. Ogle Animal Shelter wanting me to bring the dog back because “someone had called” and this was a dog adopted out at their shelter.

I spoke to Sarah Green, the director of the shelter and told her I needed to be sure this was in fact the same dog. She assured me they microchip all their adopted pets. I informed her I was told by the vet’s office which does all the microchips from the shelter that this dog did not have a microchip. She made sure to tell me I cannot legally keep someone else’s dog, which I responded that was not my intention.

 I asked her to give the caller my number so he could identify his dog to me. Later that night, the caller left a message, saying he would call back the next day. The next day I did receive a message from the director of the shelter again, only this time threatening me with the police and animal control coming to take the dog.

I was called a thief, treated so poorly and rude for doing what I thought was helping out an animal in need. I told her I was still waiting on a call back from the possible owner, which she said had called all day and I had ignored his calls. She told me the possible owner lived two blocks from me, when he actually lived in downtown Jeffersonville. I did call the possible owner and he said he had called one time and admitted he did not tell the director it was any more than that.

Long story short: He told me one distinct character about his missing pet, at that time I was ecstatic I knew we had found his family. You would think with all the bad PR recently associated with the shelter, the new director would treat people with more respect and honesty. I only hope J.B. Ogle is exerting as much energy as I did to find happy homes for their babies at the shelter.

— Betty Thierman, Clarksville