Readers’ Column for the week of Nov. 24, 2019

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. 

Does our District Attorney have the courage to write in and say you don’t need proof someone committed a crime in order to start an investigation to determine if there was a crime committed? And then couple that to a certain headline-grabbing investigation? Do you Mr. Martin?

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Kudos to the Berkshire Code Enforcer for cleaning up the junk cars. I want to point out that Spencer and Newark Valley do not have a junk car problem. Ask the Town Boards. They don’t know the difference between a junk car and a lawn ornament. Make the Towns beautiful again!

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In 2015, the Property Tax Cap formula allowed the OACSD BOE to increase taxes by 5.32 percent. The BOE elected to increase taxes only 3.72 percent, or 1.6 percent less. This was completely attributable to fear of voter rejection. This is not recorded in BOE Meeting minutes. This year and 2015, OACSD survived without filling the tax increase bucket. Until taxes are for the children they only feed the bloat.

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I am ashamed that a handful of our local SUNY Binghamton students made national news, and were allowed to disrupt and prevent a speech by renowned economist Art Laffer. Great going guys, nothing like promoting free speech by preventing it! I guess that “sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me” only applies when you are not a snowflake. You students that went there to hear the speech, why did you let these anarchist / Soros puppets take away your rights to hear the speech? You should have physically removed them from the auditorium. You certainly outnumbered the little snots! Sometimes you have to stand up for your rights! ROAR!

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These were the following parties in the Town of Richford running candidates for Superintendent of Highways: Man with a Plan, Improve Roads, Roaring Roads and Continuing Progress. Democracy is alive and well in that part of the county, at least.

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Can someone verify if the mayor promised to resolve the unfair sewer billing scam prior to his election? I am curious if this is true or just a rumor. If true, we need to hold him accountable. Nothing appears to have been done and may fine people who have invested in this village are now having a hardship due to it. This is ridiculous. It has been years now. Come on people, what will it take?

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I also was charged a credit card fee at a local restaurant (without any prior notification or any signage indicating there was an extra charge for cards). Guessing it is not legal. I have not been back since.

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Higher property tax only results in declining value. Recall Cuomo’s teacher Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) to improve professional performance. The problems with the APPR have been FIXED. The NYS Union of Teachers stated on April 16, 2019, “New York State assessment scores will no longer have to be included in teacher ratings. Instead, all Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) decisions will be subject to local collective bargaining [the teachers union].” Instead let’s award participation trophies and be done with it, as it is a colossal waste of time and money. Recall the caterwauling when Cuomo implemented APPR. Not a whimper that it has been neutered in the dark of night. Are not the children the first priority, if any?

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Alien spacecraft hovering over Lockheed Martin! Is this related to the glowing, 6-legged, bug-eyed critters running around the dog park just before dawn? Or is it just a coinkydink? 

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I am searching for a dog cruelty officer for the town Owego. Surely we have someone who has the official capacity to investigate a situation. 

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Last week’s caller mentioned “Iberdrola”. It is the Spanish holding company for NYSEG. Its principal stockholder is the Middle Eastern country of Qatar. They have no stake in our community, pass on all cost increases, bill improperly, refuse to do preventative maintenance, and refuse to allow any contact even under emergency circumstance? This year NYSEG paid a settlement of $3.9 million for failure to follow its’ agreed to emergency plans, thus leaving 125,000 captive customers without power for days in 2017. It cost NYSEG’s captive customers much more than $3.9 million. It was to NYSEG’s advantage to pay damages rather than do preventative maintenance, keep infrastructure current, and comply with its NYS DPS emergency plan. NYSEG is seeking a 23.7 percent electricity rate increase for “infrastructure reinvestment.” In other words, NYSEG has billed us for decades to maintain and keep infrastructure current, but instead paid for $10 million executives and generous payouts to stockholders. This is in effect triple billing. It’s only a matter of time before the lights go out unnecessarily. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but NYSEG is going to keep the penny.  

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Take pictures of junk, trash and hazards, and email them to the Town or Village Clerk, or Board Member. If the problem is not addressed they will have some explaining to do if something happens and they did not attempt to enforce the Town or State laws.

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I guess neither the DA nor the public defender have the gumption to explain how the legal process works, step by step, and who participates at each step. Let the GOP / Fox disinformation campaigns continue to spew nonsense.

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I was just reading in the Morning Times the same question I’ve been asking regularly. Why, when you send a gift for graduation, birthday, wedding etc. to someone, they never acknowledge the gift and they say it’s the parent’s fault. It’s just common sense, if you get a gift from someone you say thank you! 

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Again – no Chik fil A in Broome County or Tioga County. Yes, I know there are some in the Syracuse / Albany area but they also have the clientele and the population to support it with New York’s very extreme high taxes. You cannot do small business in New York State thanks to your wonderful democratic Governor Cuomo. 

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Well, the 4th of July is behind us, must be time for Christmas.

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Well, the Pennysaver has done it again. You left off a complete phrase on my comment and now it makes absolutely no sense. See if I ever call again. 

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I saw in this week’s Pennysaver that Berkshire is getting their junk cars cleaned up. I don’t know what planet this person is from or if they are totally blind. Today, Sunday, Nov. 17, I drove slowly around just in town and counted 47 junk cars! That is almost twice what they had last year when I did the same thing in the summertime. 

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Did the Owego School superintendent or his assistants ever provide the paperwork from FEMA approving the football stadium and reimbursement? 

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On Nov. 2 I was at the Evergreen Cemetery and I saw two women with metal detectors going over the ground and the soil. When I noticed them they moved on to the Civil War Cemetery and were down there going over the ground with metal detector wands. When I pretended to take pictures of them they got in their car and drove away. I walked up the Sa Sa Na Loft Indian Memorial and I looked over the railing, there were two piles of cremation remains just dumped there. They’re still there. I don’t think people should be metal detecting in the cemetery, I don’t think people should be dumping cremation remains over the memorial. 

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I would like to ask the readers of the Pennysaver if anyone could recommend a tree trimmer who works in Tioga County or in Apalachin. If they could please leave a name or phone number of a person who could trim a tree that would have a bucket truck or who could climb a good height that’s easily accessible, please leave a name and phone number of the business.

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I sure wish the History Channel would have some history programs instead of people shooting alligators.

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To the person who claims he knows who the whistleblower is, are you a liar or a fool?

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I am so excited! I just heard they are going to be dredging the river this spring so that we don’t have any floods. The only thing is, what are they going to do with all that extra dirt? So exciting!

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Black Friday Bowling coming up for all school age children at Owego Bowl from 1 to 5 p.m.! Free bowling, free pizza, and free soda; please spread the word.

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This is sad, I rarely call into the Owego Pennysaver but something has to be said about this. What’s up with the highway project between Lounsberry and Nichols? It’s sad it’s still not done. A simple road resurfacing, guardrail, bridge deck replacement project that was started in May is still not finished. The construction company on the project dragged their feet all the way through the summer with very little all summer. Hopefully they are being fined for not getting this project done. I guess we’re going to get used to the one-way road and orange barrels everywhere. I bet the DOT snowplow drivers can’t wait to plow through that!

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I do not think that Mr. Korchak is a true Republican. It used to be that the loser in a Republican primary got behind the winner so as not to split the party. Not Mr. Korchak. Sad, I hope it is not in our future with all losers.

National Political Viewpoints

How disgusting and despicable to watch Senator Ron Johnson and other republicans mock and make fun of Alexander Vindman. I was truly embarrassed; to accuse him of being a duel agent and question his honor. You acted like spoiled kindergartners. He has numerous medals and a purple heart. He stood in the line of fire so you could eat your steak dinners and sleep in silk sheets. You should be highly ashamed to call yourself Americans. So he wanted to be addressed as Lt. Col. Vindman, he’s earned it, so respect it. I’m glad my grandparents and parents aren’t alive to see what kind of nation we’ve become. Thank you, Alexander Vindman, you’re truly a hero.

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While I was watching the impeachment hearings I kept hearing these same words again and again that make no sense at all, Democrat Intelligence. There is no such thing. It is like jumbo shrimp, hot water heater, and military intelligence. Hats off to George Carlin for those.  

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I was so proud to hear Marie Yankovitch, George Kent, and William Taylor speak. Their words rang true without interest of party. They were precise and professional. I for one believed every word they said. When Mr. Trump interrupted Ambassador Yankovitch in the middle of her testimony, it shows how scared he is and continues to threaten others who will testify. We need to hear their words and not which party we prefer. As the walls close in I’m sure more tweets and tempers will flair. Please be open and not judgmental. Let freedom ring.

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Our country has been revealed to be a third-world country, as orchestrated by the media and left-leaning politicians. It is certainly no longer “the land of the free, home of the brave.” An American citizen dared to run for President, even though he was not a career politician. He has received nothing but scorn before he even became the nominee. Gasp! He is not part of the political clique! Those of us who voted for him because we thought it was time to try some different ideas by someone who was not a legacy politician, stuck in the mud, are treated like despicable outcasts and, like in third world nations, attacked verbally and even physically, as are dissenters in third world countries. We tell other nations to be civil; yet we are allowing our own citizens, from our elected officials on down, to act in this barbaric manner, badgering a fellow citizen every minute of every day, basically because of what boils down to hurt feelings. Frightening! Meanwhile, nothing is actually accomplished for “we the people” and nothing plausible to improve our lot seems to be offered by the many folks running against the current President – also frightening – they never seem to be aware of what those of us outside the beltway want and need.

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Wake up folks. The transcripts and the testimony of the people who heard the call have confirmed everything the whistleblower said.

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There is zero chance that someone fired from NSC would get hired by the CIA. Zero.

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And now a 15-year-old kid goes in the school and starts shooting up the place. It’s no wonder. It’s against the law to spank your child when they’re misbehaving. Spare the rod, spoil the child, and expect more shootings. This is ridiculous. The parent should be the parent, not the child the parent. You’ve got the whole thing twisted backwards.

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Republicans used to be a good group of people, righteous, patriotic, church going, tax paying American citizens and you still are but you are being duped by supporting these republicans in congress. They don’t give a damn about the constitution. They don’t care about you either by the way, just the rich.

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MAGA, make America Great Again. I think not. MAGA stands for making attorneys get attorneys. This whole administration is more crippled than a dog’s hind leg. Vote democrat.

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When our greatest president ever, namely Trump, takes over again in November and the dimwit democrats are tossed out of control in the house, I hope the cowardly republicans do to the democrats exactly what Schiff and Pelosi are doing to Trump today. Go Trump!

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To distract the public put on a circus, a democratic circus to be exact. We sure are a witness to that. At least the democrats excel at one thing, and all age groups enjoy the circus. They’re very good at putting on a circus.

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Why is it while one is under oath to congress, that congress cannot be lied to but on the other hand congress can lie to the American people. Will a caller call in and please explain that to me? 

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There’s one thing the country shouldn’t have to worry about, and that’s the president doing crooked things in office.

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You people who watch Fox News can’t be too bright. You probably read the Midnight Star and the National Enquirer too. You people believe in conspiracy theories, not reality. The reality is Trump is taking over America. Get your heads out of your butt people. 

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The democrats are digging a hole for themselves with this impeachment nonsense. Adam Schiff and Ocasio-Cortez and all those other impeachers should be locked up for all this foolishness that they are doing. Watch Trump win another term in 2020!

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Another school shooting! Kids killing kids. Come on, something has to stop! Where are the parents in all this? I blame them for all this. It was never like this when I grew up. Something must change fast. Those are our children that are in the news, dying. Is that the way it’s going to be now and in our future? Lock up the guns; take the time with your children. They need you these days, parents.

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Both key Marxist democrat witnesses have never met with President Trump or talked on the phone with President Trump but they sure heard about the conversation with the Ukrainian politician. They had no first hand evidence of that conversation. What is certain we know, is unlike the Obama administration who gave the Ukrainians blankets and food packets, the Trump administration is giving the Ukrainian javelin missiles. Go Trump!

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What we are seeing is a democrat Marxist sabotage of a duly elected president. Patriots need to stand up to these traitors by financially supporting President Trump in 2020, as I will too. Trump will beat the communist democrat losers again for a second time and really a decisive time, then it’s payback time for these saboteurs. 

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I agree with the caller who said what’s up with the grown republican men that have crawled back to Trump after all the shaming he’s done to them and their families. It shows they do not have a backbone and will anything to cozy up to the president for a job. It is sick to see grown men do this. No values!

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Roger Stone, the sixth Trump associate and friend, was found guilty and there are others waiting in the jail cell. You know what they always say; you are whom you hang around with. I can’t imagine anyone who would want to vote for Trump. He’s not even intelligent; he’s just a showman and a liar with bad values. Also, his loose lips will sink his ship eventually.

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How about that Trump, the draft dodger president pardoning three military convicted of war crimes. That means murder you folks. What a piece of work Trump is. Too bad he didn’t get to Nam.

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How rotten and how low is this republican senate going to go to support Trump? They actually attacked, not physically but verbally, Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman, a decorated war hero, a chest full of medals, he’s got the Purple Heart and yet these senators put him down! What is wrong with you people! I have another question. What in the hell is wrong with people who support people like you? Vote democrat.

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