The following is what our readers sounded off about this week:
Michelle Obama is right
I just wanted to say that I'm always disappointed that you start out [Sound Off] with something against the Democrats, so you must be a Republican paper. And this time, it's against the president's wife. [Last week, a caller suggested that Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign did in Hostess]. I don't think that bakery was doing a good job, and I don't know why you're blaming her. She's right, people eat too many things like that. I don't know why you had to put that the first thing in your paper. Let's get honest.
Happy holidays
Happy holidays, everyone. That's all I need to say. Just, happy holidays.
Unions no longer needed
I'm calling to respond to the person who didn't know what I was talking about for unions. All I know is with the other unions with Hostess, they agreed to concessions. One union didn't. One union demolished a company, as far as people losing jobs. Was it run properly? Probably not. But the union could have given concessions. So over 83,000 people lost their job. Congratulations, union. Speaking of unions, I used to work for a union at a local grocery store. It was the worst experience of my life. I was a hard worker and busted my butt, but I couldn't get a job with other departments because of seniority. It would have been no problem, but it was kind of sad that managers would say, there are three people ahead of you and I don't really want to work with any of those people, but I'm forced to. Unions at first were great, when they started. But now, in the 21st century, we don't need unions anymore. It just raises the cost of goods and services to consumers. Unions are no longer needed. I think Chicago teachers and Geneva teachers should have lost their jobs. They think they're doing it for the kids. But I don't think so. With the new contract, taxes in Geneva are going to go up. Unions cost too much money.
We don't have the money
School board, wake up. Another 1 1/2 percent increase, over and above the increases we've had every single year from you. We just can't afford your luxurious spending anymore. Live within your means. Clearly, the $61 million you have should be enough to make it through. You've lived way outside of your means and given too much to teachers who are overpaid and underworked, and yet you expect us to continue to make sacrifices to support you. Wake up. Get with it. We don't have any more money.
Collateral damage
In Wednesday's paper, Jonathan Bilyk wrote about foreclosures in the Tri-Cities. It seems they are still going up, 40 percent up. Geneva has 105. Batavia has 109. St. Charles has 225 homes in foreclosure. Let's talk about what's in the average home – a husband, wife and two kids. Multiply that by 439 homes in foreclosure, that is 1,756 people on the street. Now there is talk about raising property taxes to feed more money into the schools. They have $30 million in their savings account. More is better, but not when it comes to foreclosure. One more thing to think about. Jan. 1, Obama tax is going after anyone who makes over $250,000. That's an extra $2,000 in taxes to each family. The over-taxing is causing collateral damage to the American family.
Paying for iPads?
I'm responding to who is the real idiot, about calling the people idiots, and people who voted for him. I, for one, never voted for him. And what things to teach the children, as this person mentioned? Well, I'm a baby boomer, and nobody ever paid for my iPads. Us taxpayers are paying for it. What to teach our children? When our children come out of grammar school and high school, they can't count out change. All they know is computers, video games and their iPads. Is that teaching the children? I think not.
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