Voices From The Readers

Voices From The Readers
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Governor Preoccupied
By National Aspirations
Editor:

Recently our absentee Governor, who has been spending more time running around the country campaigning than here at home running the state, made an interesting speech in New Hampshire.

In the beginning of the speech, he stated that every time Democrats were to mention something negative for the next seven months they should start the sentence with the word “Bush”. Then he went on to list a few — Bush Deficits, Bush long wars, Bush unemployement, etc.

Well I thought it would be interesting to put a local spin on the O’Malley speech with a few of my own:

O’Malley record state spending;
O’Malley tax increases;
O’Malley fee increases;
O’Malley tuition increases;
O’Malley tax increases;
O’Malley dream act;
O’Malley same sex marriage bill;
O’Malley gas tax increase; and
O’Malley income tax increase
There could be a few more but I think that gets the point across.

Maybe while the Governor is out in Wisconsin campaigning in the recall election the people of Maryland could start one of our own.

This I doubt would ever happen but maybe that would be one way to keep our wandering governor at home.

Len Bender
Ocean City

Entitlement A Problem
Editor:

Having a job for a long time can create a sense of entitlement and a belief that one is actually worth the salary received.

The employees of the Town of Ocean City are being prodded and brainwashed into thinking that they are in a position of possibly, in the future, being mistreated by their employer. The union push is pathetic and I hope that OC employees remain thinking and sensible.

Many town employees could probably not even get their own jobs today should come in off the street and apply. Most employees have been there for many years and for good reason. Their STEP raises and COLAs have come along dependably just because they showed up for work every day (except for paid holidays, paid personal leave days, paid sick days and paid vacation days) and performed their basic tasks. Their salaries and benefits cannot be had so easily in the private sector.

This divisive push by an outside union cannot serve the employees well. Consider this — should the highly paid (and by whom?) union reps decide that they can’t accept the next contract, and employees strike see how quickly all of those jobs are filled by our large and unemployed population.

I am not a taxpayer in Ocean City, but I pay hefty property taxes in Worcester County. I am tired of working for the government and more tired when spoiled government employees whine and complain that it’s just not enough.

D. Elliott
Berlin

Wrong To Shift Blame
Editor:

Mrs. Pillas is being disingenuous when she attempts to shift the blame for the closing of a small business from the four-member majority of the City Council to the small business. She attempts to shift the blame to the small business by saying that Island Cycles should have known that at least one in the four-member majority, some of whom are themselves small business owners, would not object to such a draconian measure, as the closure of a business.

It was my understanding that this year, if the business could devise an adequate substitute, that it would have the ensuing 12 months to attempt to comply with the more stringent regulations imposed by the four-member majority.

While the health and safety of Ocean City’s residents and visitors is certainly important, there must be a limit. A balance must be struck.

For instance, would it not be adequate if the business creates complete written instructions, which must be given to every customer, who must signify that they have read and understood the instructions, coupled with an instruction video which the customer must also signify they have viewed and understood.

Surely, the collective minds of seven of our city’s leaders can devise some compromise whereby the safety of our citizens and visitors is recognized and protected and a small business saved.

Peter Ayers Wimbrow, III
Ocean City

Remember Other Stores
Editor:

Now that WalMart is open full bloom and everybody loves it, don’t forget our Food Lions, Superfreshs and Save-A-Lots.

WalMart is set to bankrupt them. They are just hanging on now then WalMart prices will go up in my opinion.

Russ Bradford
West Ocean City