Voices From The Readers

Voices From The Readers
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Come On Out And
Make Strides In OC
Editor:

One in two women newly diagnosed with breast cancer turns to the American Cancer Society for help. That’s an incredible responsibility that the Society meets through a variety of free programs including: providing rides to treatment; providing wigs, scarves, and prosthesis; connecting newly diagnosed patients with survivors; and providing lodging for patients who travel for treatment.

I would like to invite everyone to participate in an effort that helps make these critical services possible and is having a real effect on breast cancer research and treatment. It’s Ocean City’s Second Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk benefitting the American Cancer Society. The 5K event (walk and run) will take place on the Ocean City Boardwalk, beginning at the Inlet on Saturday, Oct. 20.

The reasons to support the American Cancer Society are many. It is the most effective cancer-fighting organization in the world and has a greater community presence than any other. The Society both funds and conducts groundbreaking research that helps determine cancer’s causes, ways to prevent cancer, and ways to cure cancer. The Society invests more than $130 million annually and much of that groundbreaking research is being done in Maryland.

If you or someone you love has been affected by breast cancer, please join us at Making Strides Against Breast Cancer on Oct. 20. For more information, visit www.stridesoceancity.org or call me at 410-723-4653. I look forward to seeing you.

Beverly Furst
Ocean City
(The writer is the chair of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Ocean City.)

Joe Hall’s Union
Motion Important
Editor:

On Sept. 4, 2012 at the City Council meeting, Councilman Hall put forth a motion that required every City Councilman and Councilwoman to publicly state whether or not they support collective bargaining for Ocean City government employees.

Collective bargaining would allow Ocean City government employees to act together and to strike to prevail in their grievances. This is wrong for in government the worker serves the public and acts on their behalf in their absence. Government employees are unique. Therefore, in government, public workers cannot serve two bosses, the public and the unions.

Often times the unions label politicians who are against collective bargaining in government as against labor. This is wrong and misleading. In a Democracy, when the employer, the people, are not present, the negotiations are between labor and government. The people are not represented. This subverts the very democratic process the citizenry hired the public employees to protect. F.D.R., founder of the modern Democratic Party and a tireless defender of labor rights, knew this and on Aug. 16, 1937 said:

“All government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. … The employer is the whole people. Upon employees in the Federal Service rests the obligation to serve the whole people, whose interests and welfare require orderliness and continuity in the conduct of Government activities.  This obligation is paramount … a strike of public employees manifests nothing less than an intent to prevent or obstruct … Government. Such action, looking toward the paralysis of Government by those who have sworn to support it, is unthinkable and intolerable.”

Only Joe Hall and Brent Ashley stood with FDR against allowing public union collective bargaining in the Town of Ocean City. The public is better off to know where their politicians stand. The motion directly compelled the whole council and mayor to make public their positions, even though many were uncomfortable in doing so. The unions often say you are against labor, but remember why FDR was against collective bargaining.

Collective bargaining within the Town of Ocean City would subvert the democratic process and cede the public’s power to unions.

I would advise all voters, if they care about democracy, if they care about government serving the people, to vote against collective bargaining on the ballot this fall.

We are living in difficult times today. Our traditional democratic party, the party of FDR has been taken over by unions, on a federal, state, and now, if the public in Ocean City allows, on a local level. Stand up for our basic democratic process, vote no this fall to collective bargaining.

Anthony “Tony” Christ
Ocean City

Uneasiness Understandable
Editor:

After reading the interview with Greg DeMarco, I can see why the employees and department heads would feel uneasy about their jobs after the firing of Mr. Dare.

As a taxpayer and a property owner over the past several years, I have had many professional meetings with many of the department heads as well as inspectors. I have attended council hearings and observed Mr. Dare’s calm demeanor even when others exhibited less then professional behavior.

I have spent a lifetime observing and working with local government in Anne Arundel County and Maryland state governments serving on many boards and commissions. My background leads me to think perhaps the Town of Ocean City has outgrown its manager form of government or at least needs to redefine the powers and duties of the elected officials.

Vera McCullough
Ocean CIty

Bike Safety Encouraged
Editor:

I have owned summer homes in Ocean City for 17 years, one on Coastal Highway and the other on Edgewater Ave.

I am fortunate to be part of one of the best beach resorts anywhere. Great fishing, beaches, events for everyone and the finest restaurants on the East Coast. I love walking and most days here average six to 10 miles.

During the busy season, I do have one concern. Most people travel town by bicycle for transportation and enjoyment. Ocean City does provide a specific lane for them to travel and it is being used. However, at night many people with dark clothing or no lights are hard to see. I have always thought about their safety.

Last month Ocean City lost a friend to many, Scunny McCusker. Maybe it is time we try and do more to protect all those who travel by bike in the city.

Bruce Johnson
Ocean City

Repair Law Applauded
Editor:

The Tire Industry Association applauds the passage of the Right to Repair law in Massachusetts and strongly urges Congress to pass a comparable federal law to ensure that all American car owners and their trusted repair shops have the same access to safety alerts and repair information as the franchised new car dealer network.

Most new vehicles are equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) to protect motorists from the dangers of operating a vehicle with underinflated tires. Because these systems are controlled by computers, every repair facility must have ready access to complete, accurate information from the car companies or it will be very difficult to keep all TPMS systems activated and in safe working condition. Passage in Massachusetts is a good start, but there is a critical need to swiftly pass the Right to Repair Act on a national level.

The Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 1449) levels the competitive playing field for motoring consumers and between new car dealerships and independent repair shops by requiring that car companies provide full, fair access at a reasonable cost to all non-proprietary service information, tools, fault codes and safety-related bulletins needed to repair motor vehicles.

We support each car owner’s right to patronize the auto service facility of their choice and ask all motorists to visit www.righttorepair.org to send a letter to each of their congressional representatives, urging them to co-sponsor the Right to Repair Act.

Roy Littlefield
Bowie, Md.
(The writer is the executive vice president of the Tire Industry Association.)