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.
The news is starting to leak out: there will be no cost of living adjustment to Social Security benefits in 2016. And to make matters worse, 15 million Medicare beneficiaries could see a 50 percent increase in their monthly premiums. Nearly every year, Social Security recipients receive a modest cost of living adjustment or COLA. However, many on Wall Street and in Washington believe the usual COLA is too generous. These are the same folks who, in the past, attempted to implement the benefit cutting Chained CPI and are calling for drastic and unnecessary cuts to Social Security benefits. If you talk to the average Social Security recipient, they would laugh if you told them their COLA was too generous. These are retirees and surviving spouses who are already spending 37 percent of their Social Security check on out-of-pocket health care costs and are struggling to meet their basic needs when the average annual Social Security benefit is just $14,375. A cut to Medicare amounts to a cut to Social Security. At a time when more than half of households 55 and older have zero retirement savings, and when two-thirds of retirees depend on Social Security for the majority of their income, it is time for Congress to create solutions to the retirement security crisis, not add to their problems. Call your Congressman (Reed or Hanna) and tell him NO increase in Medicare premium, NO cuts to the Social Security COLA.
~
I am baffled that the handfuls of people unhappy with New York who want to secede to Pennsylvania simply don’t move to Pennsylvania and stop making the Southern Tier a laughing stock and failure magnet. What loving family or visionary entrepreneur would want to move here with these Doomed-R-Us folks?
~
To those of you in the Town of Barton who are having explosive fun with your Tannerite bombs are you thinking about the deer population at all? My husband and I have always enjoyed watching the deer come into our yard to eat the apples around our numerous trees. Since you think you have to use Tannerite to target practice we have seen nary a one. I hope you are practicing for deer season. Have fun walking for miles to find one because you are scaring them all away. Not only that, when those things go off it rattles our windows and scares the daylight out of us. About the first time we have to replace any windows because of these explosions we will seek legal assistance. Be warned.
~
How many Tioga County Fire Coordinators on the payroll are also on the Town of Owego Fire District’s dime too? Throw in those also collecting a state pension and you just might have something illegal in the state’s eyes. Look it up as they say.
~
The definition of insanity is doing something over and over and expecting different results. The DA is going to try Cal Harris for a fourth time. Unless the DA has new evidence he is showing everyone what the definition of insanity is. If Michelle’s family wants some kind of justice they need to pursue a civil suit. It’s time for the taxpaying public to move on.
~
Attention All Amateur Radio Operators, everywhere! Join the TIGARS Net every Sunday night at 7 p.m. on W2VDX 146.760 Repeater in Owego, N.Y.
~
Please do NOT put TRASH in the St. Pauly Textile shed at St. Margaret Mary Church. We appreciate donations of clothing, shoes, sneakers, belts, purses, blankets, sheets, pillowcases, towels, drapes and stuffed toys, but unwanted items are a hardship and expense when we have to dispose of them. Thank you for your cooperation, and generosity in donating.
~
You know there is one aspect of Hillary Clinton’s campaign that you have to admire, and that is that no one has such a public record of questionable events in their past, up to and including murders, illegal money trades, long periods of memory lapses when before Congressional inquiries, and yet here she is, looking her fawning supporters in the eyes as if she is saying, “You all know my record and still here you are blindly supporting me with my tired, old beliefs and Democratic standards. My God, are you stupid or what? But, thank you, because if I win I will finish what Obama started which is to dismantle every cornerstone of our nation until we collapse and only the rich (like me) will survive. Thank you Democratic lemmings! God help us.
~
Many evangelical Republicans think that the Pope is too liberal. Wait till they meet Jesus.
~
The OFA Class of 75 and 76 will hold a Class Reunion on Oct. 10 at Tioga Trails. The cost is $40 per person and there will be golf and a food drive, plus many more weekend activities. Registration is due by Sept. 15. For details, email Bonnie Becker Hand (1975) at handbcj@aol.com or Betsey Becker Knapp (1976) at bknapp1@stny.rr.com.
~
Origin of Common Core: former Governor, Janet Napolitano of Arizona; as Chair of the National Governors Association wrote “an initiative of the year.” This led to the formation of a task force of Governors, Commissioners of Education, corporate executives and “experts” in higher education, who in December 2008 released a report that became the basis of Common core. The focus was improving math and science education along with the workforce. A set of standards; published in September 2009, revised March 2010, unveiled June 2010, adopted by the New York State Board of Regents July 2010, additions and modifications, identified in the fall of 2010 were adopted January 2011. Responsibility for testing, evaluation and modification was granted to Pearson PLC London. Contract value $38 million through June 2016. The New York State Board of Regents is composed of 17 members who are unsalaried. They meet monthly usually for two consecutive days and receive per diem and reimbursement for expenses. The responsibilities include the general supervision of all educational activities in the State, and the University and Department of Education. Questor Assessment of Apple Valley Minnesota has been approved to replace Pearson relative to testing, evaluation and program development. Cost $44 million for five years overlapping Pearson. This agreement has been accepted by the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Education but needs the approval of the Comptroller of the State of New York and the State’s Attorney General. Refer to the letter to members of the New York State Board of Regents. What have we received for the first $38 million? Is it really an improvement over the previous New York State Regent’s testing regimen? WHAT TO DO? Who is responsible? Can they vote? WILL THEY? For whom? WHY?
~
We are writing in regards to Harnick Road in Apalachin in the Town of Owego. We have called in for three weeks in a row before we got to speak to the supervisor. We have asked for calcium to be put on the road to settle the dust. They did come that week and put calcium down in front of each driveway, but left the rest of the road with nothing but dust! We know the homes at the bottom of the hill must be happy to have no more dust, but the people on the rest of the road have to drive through a lot of dust to get to their driveways. There are 13 driveways on the dirt part of our road that never get any attention. We fight our way through dust, dirt, mud, ice and snow! Yes, we choose to live on this road, however, we pay taxes and are not asking for much. There have been many times the school buses won’t travel our road. The bridge on Harnick Road has stood up to two floods and the road has been the only means for many to get to their homes.
~
Friends and family of loved ones resting in the cemetery: A meeting will be held at the Weltonville fire Station on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. Please plan to attend! Nominations and an election of officers will be held. Donations to the maintenance fund will be greatly appreciated. If you are unable to attend, you may send your donation to West Newark Cemetery Association, 10839 Rt. 38, Newark Valley, N.Y. 13811. We sincerely hope to see you at this important meeting.
~
There is no reason for anybody but the military to have assault weapons. No reason. Except for the money the NRA is paying our politicians. That is just crazy and they can stop it tomorrow by stopping the selling of ammunition to anybody but the government. Why do they keep pretending they care?
~
If you are dumb enough to buy Hillary’s answer of using a cloth to wipe her server you are a true Nationalist Socialist Democrat. Hillary is a liar, a phony, a fraud, and a walking scandal bigger than nobama, if that is possible. She has managed to avoid press conferences like no presidential candidate in history. She is totally void of humor and is more than unlikeable. And the real tragedy is she is the major Democratic candidate for United States President. Where are the honest traditional Democrats? I guess they are all under the Marxist banner now.
~
I called last week and it was not printed. I wondered why. My comment pertained to the 3-foot high grass and brush that I noticed in the median on Route 17. My comment was if we don’t get Trump in there after Obama our country is going to turn into a third world country. It just amazes me that the richest nation in the world cannot afford to mow its own lawn. I’m guessing the reason my comment wasn’t printed was either because the editor is a Democrat or they have a family member that works for the New York State Department of Transportation. I ask the editor, please do not be biased to certain comments that are called in. I will look to see if my comment is printed in the next edition. Note from the editor: I am not affiliated or registered with any political party. Your comment may have come in after deadline, thus not printed until this week. This is an opinion column for the public.
~
I’m looking for a Smith Corona or any other type of typewriter in working condition. If you have one in lying around, please call me at 565-8063.
~
This is for the Town of Owego Supervisor, mainly. I don’t know how dumb he thinks our voters are. Does he think he’s going to take our voting right away and appoint whomever he wants? I doubt it’s going to happen because that Superintendent is going to hang right in there, and I don’t blame him. It’s a guy that just wants to get all the power he can get. It’s not going to happen.
~
Upright freezer, good condition, second floor, free to strong individual who can remove. The number is 235-6664.
~
I was reading a publication and found a clock repair service in the area, which is very hard to find these days. It’s called The Clock Shop and it’s on Hooper Road in Endwell, 754-2980. Also, the lady that does the clothing repairs, Jean, her number is 687-2069.
~
I just have a quick thought. I think our neighbors and surrounding towns should know what a horrendous epidemic problem heroine has become in our lives and communities. If you could print names, age, date of death and who lost their lives and family members maybe they will feel it if they see it in black and white. It’s knocking on all our doorsteps. God forgive us.
~
The Republican’s flying machine has reached new depths. Now since when does someone’s personal emails become released publicly? I thought we were just going to look for classified material from Hillary’s emails. Why are we into her TV shows and her daughter’s emails back and forth? Why aren’t Republicans going to open up all their emails? What’s fair for one should be fair for all! Don’t you agree?
~
Attention people: With the upcoming primary we need to make changes in our town. Now is the time. People we put into office aren’t doing what we want them to so it’s time for the change and remember this with the upcoming election and in the future.
~
We’re getting ready to back to school. The school administration and employees had meetings on Tuesday. I hope that these schools will recognize the bus drivers a little bit more. We are the first people to see the kids in the morning so we set the tone, and the last ones to see them at night. I just don’t think bus drivers get enough praise in these meetings that take place.
~
It is amazing how many unqualified people run for public office. They would be laughed out of a personnel department in a private company. Anyone can put up flashy signs all over the place. Voters beware; know the experience and background of the candidate you vote for to do the job for you.
