Readers’ Column for the week of Feb. 19, 2017

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.

I don’t know how many Spencer residents read this column and follow the Town and Village Boards. The Fire Department situation is just another example of the Boards not being educated on how government should work. Both Boards have attorneys who are supposed to help with contracts. Have they looked at the contract? No. I know for a fact that the taxpayer is charged for fire protection. The Boards should know where and when the money is to be spent before it is collected. There are qualified people in the Town and Village of Spencer who can serve on these Boards. They just need to be convinced they should run. The Fire Department may be getting a slap in the face but the taxpayer is getting a kick at the other end. 

~

I have been watching the comments in this column with respect to the “feud” between the Town and Village of Spencer over fire protection and the cost thereof. While I am not going to comment on the actual costs of operating the, or any, volunteer fire department; I think the residents (and taxpayers) of Spencer need to just look to their west and see what happened in Van Etten in 2011 when the elected officials of both the Town and Village could not resolve their difference like adults and ended up adding approximately $50K to the cost of providing fire and EMS protection to the Town and Village community. Do 2,100 people really need two fire departments? I think not. As Winston Churchill is widely credited with saying (although it was probably George Santayana who first coined the phrase), “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

~

It is so great that this column is separating the politically insulting comments from the rest of the comments. Bravo! Now, when I read the comments, I won’t have to read the first few words before dismissing the comment as unworthy of my time.

~

On Wednesday, March 1 at 7 p.m., come to the Owego Training Facility as two Life Members of the Owego Fire Department are being questioned and possibly being terminated for going against the Fire Board and speaking there concerns for their Company, which is against the actions of the Fire Board. Come here these concerns and make your own determination.

~

The Tioga Central School District information meeting seems long on 91.7 percent State Aid (the carrot) and short on substance; $750,000 of “free” money being thrown into two pre-K classrooms could very well be spent on classroom computers and other educational essentials. Maybe someone should call Bruce Nelson, he has experience renovating school buildings. To throw $750,000 down the rabbit hole is questionable. There are no figures presented for boiler replacement, I’m sure the children will not freeze, they wear shorts to school now. If the driveways and parking lots are not repaved the buses will still deliver the children. Is the school going to be hosting Manchester United soccer games to justify new fences for crowd control on the athletic fields? What is wrong with the fences already in place? The majority of the so-called New York State NEEDS sound more like Tioga Central WISHES! Remember WAVERLY’S budget DID NOT PASS and they STILL HAVE SPORTS TEAMS. This is just the tip of the $20 million of improvements the STATE OF NEW YORK THINKS Tioga Central NEEDS. Who is going to pay the interest on this $6.9 million bond, it’s not going to be free.

~

I am letting everyone know who lives on North Avenue in the sixties to watch their mail. A Valentine gift package was mailed to me and stolen. Be on the look out, these people belong in jail.

~

I really like the new format of this column, with the national political junk separated from the local comments.

~

A couple of weeks ago somebody put something in this column that they fix furniture. I was wondering if they could repost it so I can give them a call.

~

In response to the person in January wanting to do away with food stamps and send us all to the soup kitchens three times a day, the only taxi available for transportation, my cost for one day of meals would be $108, one week $756, one year $39,312. Some savings!

~

We’d like to express our appreciation to the Town of Tioga Highway Department. We live up on Ballou Road and they’ve been wonderful this winter keeping our road plowed. We leave very early in the morning and our road is always plowed and sanded by the time we need to go to work. I think that it’s even been better than the village and the town so we just wanted to show our appreciation to the Town of Tioga Highway Department in their great job in keeping the back roads and steep hills all plowed and sanded this winter. Thank you Town of Tioga!

~

The Route 17 highway signs give sufficient direction to anyone traveling to or beyond Nichols from either direction, so anyone whose destination is Tioga Downs, there is already sufficient signage therefore; my conclusion is any additional sign is unnecessary. 

~

I’d like to say thank you to the Pennysaver for having the call in column and especially for separating the national political views from the rest of the comments. Way to go!

~

Concerning the Tioga County Fair, it’s not all about kids rides and games, plus a lot of eating places. The pavilion between the grandstands and the cattle barns is empty again. Why? Older people don’t care about the carnival section or all of the food vendors. Older people come to see things. Why not let different organizations set up for free; for example, the Tioga County Sportsmen’s Club perhaps with a few local animals, how about ham radio station, police stations, the county fire departments could have displays and perhaps could recruit some new members. Displays are what bring people to the fair, camping trailers, displays, new cars and trucks, military displays, solar power displays, a New York State Conservation booth, kitchen gadget vendors, where did the fudge people go? Farmers market, Boys and Girl Scouts, Camp Ahwaga, senior citizens booth, Boys and Girls Club, Historical Society with a display, Little League, Lions Club, Elks, Public Health. Just some ideas. 

~

I’m calling in regards to the person who put the comment in about the Chicken Coop in Owego – no, it is no longer a store. That is someone’s personal home.

~

Attention all pistol permit holders: Show your support for the National Concealed Carry bill. This bill is in congress now and to be decided on soon. This bill makes your present concealed carry pistol permit legal in any state without additional costs or applications. Call your congressmen and let them know your support for the Concealed Carry bill.

~

I’d like to comment on the beautiful sidewalks in Candor. They’ve done a great job, but what’s the point of plowing a sidewalk when you get to the end and you have three feet of snow piled up at every intersection?

~

Heroin, what problem? You use, you die. Don’t waste my money on narcon. 

~

It saddens me that a caller responded that the times of doing something for nothing are over. That’s the exact mentality that has ruined the world. Apparently that person’s parents taught them wrong if they taught them at all. I agree with last week’s caller. Your reward is in the return to the rightful owners, something that is not yours. Greed and deceit have no place in our world.

The Richford Town Highway has their snowplows out again and the roads are bare. They are wasting taxpayer money. The plow is up, and just out for a morning ride. Meanwhile Richford is a very poor town and can’t afford this. This shouldn’t be happening. This happened with the old road supervisor and is now happening with the new supervisor.

~

The people in Spencer are unaware of the fact that the town board is trying to bring the Van Etten Fire Company into the fire district, and bringing the Village of Spencer covered by Spencer Fire Department. Why is it that the town and village cannot get together to sign a contract so that the Town of Spencer can be covered by the Village of Spencer? This seems ludicrous to me that they would do something so underhanded and not let the people know what’s going on.

~

That attitude finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers shows how our society is today. I hate to be the weeper in that situation with the ring. If that was something that belonged to my late mother and I never got it back I would be heartbroken. People should think about other people, not just themselves.

~

I’m calling about the Van Etten Highway Department. Here it is, we’ve gotten all kinds of snow and it’s getting to the point where we’re stranded here because they don’t want to plow. I don’t know if they think it’s Christmas and they’re saving up for their Christmas party or some Christmas bonuses or what, but it’s getting ridiculous. In the summertime we get a little bit of dust and then we have to live in dust for the rest of the year. The biggest thing is Sunday in January when we had that snowstorm – our roads never got plowed until two days later. Now, on Feb. 13, the Highway Department hasn’t gone through and we have about three and a half to four inches of snow in the road and it’s hard to get around. I think it’s time to get rid of the town supervisor plus the highway supervisor. When it comes election time I think we should get rid of both of them.

National Political Opinion

Please, would one of the loyal Trump supporters tell me why we should love Russia?

Why we should eliminate the consumer protection bureau which has saved the average American about 11 billion dollars from Wall Street and the banks? Why we should have an Education Secretary that has worked hard to eliminate public schools in Michigan? The President does not read and that is okay? The President thinks that America is not the Greatest Country in the world right now? That almost every cabinet officer wants to undo the work of his/her office and/or have no experience with that office? The President believes that fear is the greatest motivator? That a free press is not essential to out democracy, as is an independent judiciary? And why Congress has lost their spine, backbone, courage, independence, perspective, and concern for our country rather than their concern for themselves and their wealthy donors? Thanks for the help. God bless you, for I believe you want to do to the right thing for our country and I need your help.

~

Now that Trump is president, let’s get it all done. End social security, right now! End Medicare and Medicaid, right now! Roads and bridges? Let them rot and crumble. Same with water and sewer lines. We don’t need no stinking socialism.

~

Just think of all the time and money we could have saved if we simply counseled Clinton with her apology. Instead we got hearing after hearing after hearing after investigation after investigation after investigation that turned up nothing criminal. I see we have laws being broken or possibly broken by people in and around Trump and they get a pass. No investigations from the republicans in congress. Why not? What are they afraid of? Does Putin have something on them too?

~

If all of these refugees are so anxious to come here and are so innocent, then why did all the “bad guys” who went to Germany, Norway, Sweden, and other European countries come from the other side of the tracks? Law enforcement agencies report violent crime has spiked because of the refugees. Law enforcement agencies have no time for anything but investigating and enforcing the law since refugees have flooded their countries, which was no doubt the plan from the beginning.

~

Representative Chaffetz is proving that congressional investigations are all about getting your political rivals and nothing else at all. He does not want to investigate the Trump white house or a possible Russian spy named Flynn in the midst of it all? That’s the Republican use of congressional investigations. That is why they do not have a qualified investigator among them. Only party hacks. Flynn had access to secrets. Assume that Putin has them now. Flynn was considered a risk for a at least two months, if not longer. Now people wonder if the acting Attorney General was fired for pointing out Flynn and not the immigration executive order snafu. Nothing from Chaffetz. No investigation. But Hillary Clinton? Seven investigations into the same incident that produced nothing. She was cleared multiple times. Do not believe me? Check the record.

~

In response to the individual who conflates Trump supporters with simpletons. It is true that I like simple people. They tend not to lie, be devious, skirt the law, demean others, be disingenuous, be irrational, misrepresent facts, attempt to rewrite history, ignore history and outcomes, try to create a dependency where none should exist, and make everyone miserable by equally spreading misery in an attempt to make everyone equally miserable. The qualities just mentioned are what you have aspired to and ultimately praise. The above qualities are truly what we cannot afford anymore but if you wish to persist in their furtherance, know only that you have found yourself on the wrong side of history and the American experience. I will take the simple, direct individual every time and leave you to your congenitally lying, pusillanimous masters.

~

If the Democrats continue being nasty to President Trump, I think he should get his Attorney General to prosecute their darling Hillary for her illegal mishandling of our government emails! Sing Sing is just a hop, skip, and jumpsuit up the road from where she lives. It’d be convenient for Bill if he ever wanted to visit. Besides, she looks good in orange. Well, as good as possible.

~

Illegal immigrants cost approximately $9.5 billion dollars per year in New York State. Those working contribute approximately $1.92 million, leaving the taxpayers of New York to pick up the remaining amount of $9.3 billion. That’s over $1,700 per taxpayer in New York State. May I see the hands of those who want more illegal immigrants in New York State?

~

The new thought is that if you don’t agree with the left, your thoughts, opinions and ideas are all wrong. I can’t figure this out. The left hates the fact that there are other views. What happened to free speech?

~

Not only do we have a president who thinks he’s God, but last night Bill Reilly on Fox News anointed himself. He says they are the only news source that should be believed, and that everyone and everywhere else is suspect. They are famous for giving thoughts and one-sided stories. We have to have honest, and most important is freedom of the press. No Bill, we are not going to just shut up.

~

The ninth “circus” court is a joke and has been overturned over 75 percent of the time by higher courts. Donald Trump needs to start playing hardball and issue a new bulletproof executive order and define illegal refugee immigration. President Trump should jail mayors and governors like Jerry Brown that disobey the federal law. The Socialist Democrats lost the election and are job shopping liberal judges to advance their cause to destroy the USA. President Trump should take off his gloves and confront these miscreants. 

~

I’m getting tired of all the nonsense protests. Don’t these people have jobs or families to take care of? They teach nothing to our children while adding to the division problem. Why don’t they spend their idle time volunteering at soup kitchens, shelters, nursing homes and the like? I guess they just don’t realize where the needs truly are. The need certainly isn’t in these nonsense protests.

~

After the election I sat around thinking how lying Donald could have won this area in the voting and then I got thinking, the obvious hit me right in the face. They closed down Broome Developmental Center and let all the residents back onto the street; so apparently that’s where all the Republicans were hiding all this time. They got out and voted. By the way, all you hard working red necks who carry a gun around on your hips, what has he done for you since he’s been elected? All he’s been doing is helping out the millionaires, the banks, and the Wall Street billionaires. But you know what? This is how you people think, you’ll look the other way because of all it stands for, it has a Republican behind it and all you people think of is party lines. 

~

Finally, President Trump is enforcing the immigration laws that have always been on the books, illegally, which includes gang members and criminals that need to be dealt with accordingly. Would somebody please explain to me why so many people are against this?

~

News flash: Here’s the difference between Republican and Socialist Democrats. General Flynn lied to Vice President Pence about the discussions with the Russians and was forced to resign and/or was fired. Hillary Clinton and Susan Rice lied about Benghazi and the Democrats continued to support both liars. The Democrats are at war with the Trump administration and are trying to destroy it before it even gets started. If the Democrats want a war, I hope the Trump administration give them one. 

~

People, people, people, how long do you think it’s going to be before we have to drop our flag and hang up the new ones? It won’t be long, that buffoon down there is going to get us into World War III. What a buffoon!

~

King George III was put in the nut house for years. It’s that time for King Donald, the so-called president.

~

Shame on those D.C. leakers for letting the truth out. Trump and his advisors are all fake news, false statements and lies.

~

Before whiney Senator Schumer complains about President Trump’s temporary halt on immigrants from specific countries, he should check on how many immigration rulings Presidents Clinton and Obama initiated. A ninth circus, and I mean circus, judge did not stick to the presidential ruling and his decision should be declared unconstitutional. If Trump had done nothing and we had a terrorist attack, Schumer would be the first to proclaim it as Trump’s fault, as he did nothing to protect us. Don’t you just love politicians!

~

Obama was an angel and such a man compared to loony tunes Trump. We don’t have to see what he signs every day, just tell the news we see your face. Enough, enough, enough already, grow up and stop showing off and try to be a president; but I doubt that you can. 

~

The Democrats on the left have to let it go! They lost; there are more important issues to deal with for the betterment of our country. When will they get it? I see them voting themselves right out of jobs come next election.

1 Comment on "Readers’ Column for the week of Feb. 19, 2017"

  1. richard elsbree | February 19, 2017 at 9:46 am | Reply

    For the first time in my long life I am ashamed to call myself a Republican. Not because of the actions of our President, but by those in Congress who refuse to call him out when he lies. I remember when Barry Goldwater called Nixon a “damnable liar” We need that type of courage today.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*