Readers’ Column for the week of Jan. 3, 2015

You may call the Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2378 24-hours a day, or e-mail comments to readerscolumn@stny.rr.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any message.

Attention Town of Owego Residents: A public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2015 for a Tax Cap Override. Hearing is at 2354 State Route 434, Apalachin, N.Y. The phone number is (607) 687-0123. Let your elected officials know what you think about overriding the tax cap.

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If you lost a wrapped Christmas present on Dec. 21 on Long Creek Road, please call 625-3829. We would like to return it to the rightful owner.

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Regarding the OFA football program comment in last week’s Reader’s Column. I would agree that there is something wrong with the program. Winning is not everything, but with the proper preparation, development and motivation, character will grow within our student-athletes, and success will happen. It is the leadership that, ultimately, is responsible for the preparation, development, and motivation of the players. Maybe it’s time for a change of leadership in the OFA football program?

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In regards to the EDU billing system for the sewer bill, when I paid my bill I included a note. The note says, “I vehemently protest this billing process. I’m only paying it because I’m a responsible person and I pay my bills. I believe that this EDU method of billing is totally unethical and probably illegal. Time will tell. It seems to me that the hardships you cause are inconsequential to you. Shame on you.” If everyone that is outraged by his or her sewer bill like I am sends this note or a note just like it with his or her bill, our voice will be heard. Something must be done.

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If religion is taken out of government then there will no reason for the vast majority of Americans to voluntarily elect to obey the law. Without religion there will be not enough IRS, FBI, DEA, TFA, EPA, DOI, DHS, etc. agents, police, and courts to enforce the laws. Perhaps we should then call ourselves the United States of New Greece. The national sport of Greece is tax evasion.

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To all the young adults, college graduates, and young families in our community. We, the longtime residents of New York, your “Progressive” parents, grandparents and neighbors, have a very important message for you. GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN! We have spoken and we care more about protecting our already polluted water than providing you with oil and gas jobs that pay an average of $60,000 yearly. We will continue to vote for people like Cuomo, who equally do not care about providing you with jobs that pay more than minimum wage. We will continue to hold on to the fairytale idea that more art, wine, and tourism are the answer to our economic troubles. We will continue to lie to you about how our future here looks bright because of the promise of “Green” jobs which we must raise taxes to create. Your future here if you stay is more of the same: higher taxes, decreasing population, increasing welfare, increasing unemployment, more blight, and more broken promises. Finally, if you stay you will listen to us complain about how those children who have moved out to better provide for their children don’t come back to see us but once a year. We have!

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To the party in last week’s Pennysaver who wanted to thank Nobama and Cuomo for standing up and doing something for the people. Honestly, sir or madam, what on earth could you possibly think of that either of these two have done for the people? Both have done exactly the opposite in most people’s estimation; at least the working, tax paying law abiding, thinking people. Now, if you are in the low information, or the handout crowd, I guess you’d be correct.

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To the young man who cleaned up the mess of limbs and branches on Valley Road on Christmas Eve, thank you, your good deed did not go unnoticed. Thanks for helping keep things safe for everyone. I hope you had a Merry Christmas, wishing you a Happy New Year!

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Has anyone seen Thelma? I haven’t seen her in a few months. If anyone knows, leave a message in the Pennysaver.

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Well this week he’s a mechanic; I wonder what he’ll be next week.

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The Southern Tier will get a casino thanks to one man, Senator Tom Libous, who called Cuomo right after the so called casino selections were made. Senator Tom carried a lot of bad baggage into the November elections but when push comes to shove, Tom helps the Southern Tier. That’s why he was re-elected.

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I’m reading the New York State medical marijuana regulations. Marijuana is so cheap and so available on every street corner that you’d have to be high to pay to get it legally. And $50 to get a registration card for yourself, are you kidding me? And for the village, $100,000 they’re going to pay? People are growing it in their freezers and refrigerators for God’s sake!

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The two people that called in last week talking about how this country is declining and how things are becoming worse and worse, hit the nail right on the head. This once wonderful country of ours has been on a slow decline for a number of years now. Since the present administration took over six years ago they shifted the decline from low gear into passing gear and then pushed the accelerator right to the floor. We are slowly becoming a dictatorship. The president wants everything to be his way. The government is trying to control every aspect of our lives and either we don’t care or as this Gruber guy says about Obamacare, we’re too stupid to understand what’s going on. Things are just getting worse and worse and worse.

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Please correct the Christmas Wish, as there was a correction in the telephone number. For the Christmas wish, if you watched it on WVIA Saturday afternoon on Dec. 20 and watched the Elvis Presley program of musical faith, please give me a call; I would like to talk to you. My number is (607) 598-2233.

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Once again the taxpayers took it on the chin. The recent fracking ban and casino decisions define the spineless, corrupt Albany administration. After six years, two bureaucratic hacks supposedly influenced Cuomo, conveniently after the elections, the $30 million Cuomo war chest certainly came with strings attached. Of course the so-called politically fertilized “grass roots” movement, sponsored by paranoid radical environmentalists also fit into the picture. After 30 states approved fracking, New York, the number one taxed welfare state chose to ignore reality. Does anyone still believe these special interest groups, and the foundations and the wealthy are really concerned about your health and welfare? P.T. Barnum said it best, “A sucker is born every minute.” He must have visited New York.

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In regards to the comment about the tipping of the delivery person, well it would be very nice if they thanked the person that sent it. Some of them are quite generous and I really look forward to the Pennysaver too; and not only that, the person sent me a card with her address on it. Thank you!

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Newark Valley Mayor Jim Tornatore’s Letter to the Editor in Dec. 28 issue concerning the Community Thrift Store was too little too late. The store has relocated to Maine. The Mayor is out of touch with most residents in Newark Valley. He states that the forcing of residents of Whig Street to pay for sidewalks they don’t want is for the safety of the children who walk to school. I live on Whig Street and the bus picked up my son. The playground at the Trout Ponds has not been upgraded in over 25 years. There’s much that could be done at the Trout Ponds to increase safety and comfort of all Newark Valley residents who use it. We have a brewery but they had to locate the tasting and tapping to Owego. The Mayor’s focus is on sidewalks. His own survey proves to be of little interest to residents. Yes, we will dearly miss the Lowes and the Community Thrift Store. Thanks Jim. Now we have yet another empty condemned structure on Main Street. Good job.

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In the Dec. 28 issue of the Pennysaver, I was wondering why you didn’t have the sound off in it. We enjoy it, so please put it back in there. God bless and please have a Happy New Year! Note from the Editor: It was on pages 6, 23 and 33. Have a great New Year!

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Of all the bad news that’s going around anymore it’s kind of good to have something positive come out of Albany for a change. Thank God the governor’s got enough sense to not allow fracking. Fracking is the biggest boondoggle the state’s ever seen and the country’s ever seen. They’re tearing up land for a few people to make a lot of money. Why should a few people profit at the expense of everyone else in the state? Thank God we have somebody with a brain cell.

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I would like to thank Tioga Downs for their Winterfest. Many of the events are free and appropriate for all ages. We took our grandson and he enjoyed the tractor wagon ride around the track and the musical light show. It gave us something to do other than just stay inside and sit around. I am looking forward to other events like this one.

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I’d just like to make a comment about the Court Street Bridge. The village or the town or who ever is responsible that goes through all the trouble to put up all the lights to make it look beautiful and when you come over it at night or at dusk, I think it’s ridiculous and I think it’s a laughing stock to the village of Owego. The storeowners decorate their stores beautifully, you go to the bridge and one side is lit and the other side isn’t, one is lit here and one is lit there. I think it’s a laughing stock. It’s a focal point coming into Owego and here it is, it’s a joke.