Readers’ Column for the week of January 7, 2024

You may call The Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2378 24-hours a day, or email comments to ReadersOP@gmail.com (please note the new email address). We reserve the right to revise or reject any message. Thank you.

The AA Answering Service (Hot Line), in Tioga County, N.Y., can always be reached at (800) 307-4285.

~

Happy 2024 to one and all! Here’s a New Year’s Resolution that will not cost you anything! Well, maybe a little self-control. Let’s all make 2024 the year we stop throwing garbage out of car windows onto the sides of the road, or anywhere that it does not belong. If you do not have a garbage can at home to put your garbage into, there are green cans throughout downtown Owego. Thanks for your help!

~

What happened to all the “Abolish the Village” petitions that I have signed in Newark Valley? They want to bump up taxes 5+%! Just like a car salesman they start with a high figure and make you feel good about a 4% increase. Well, years ago the minimum usage water bill went up 9.1%! 

~

When is the new Main Street Pizza Shop in Candor going to be opening?

~

Don’t forget the Jan. 9 Village of Newark Valley Board meeting. For every $3,162 our taxes go up 1%, which means they want or need approximately $17,391, or 5.47% (5.47% is preliminary increase). At the December meeting it was stated that a few things went up, but no mention of a 3% raise for the Mayor, Board Members, and the six people we employ. To the residents and taxpayers, go over to the village office and ask for the Budget Preparation Publication and check out some of the increases (good reading but very discouraging). I’m repeating myself, but if Tioga County can keep their increase at 1.2%, and the Town of Newark Valley can keep theirs at 2.2% and Newark Valley Fire Department can come in at 2.8%, then I think the Village can do better!

~

During my working career employers did not allow “double dipping” by employees; especially non-profit and government employers; across towns / counties also? Has that changed?

~

A BIG thanks to Cathy and the many volunteers who have made the Newark Valley Community Connection such a great success! Your generous efforts make such a positive impact on our community. Bless you all!

~

Please give us an update on the Jake brake situation. It has been awhile. 

~

I’m looking for the Castle book series. There are apparently a lot of them out there, and if you have any call (607) 625-3564.

~

I notice these days that there are fewer carts down at Price Chopper. It’s either people who take the carts from the store and don’t return them or the people that put their junk and garbage in them. 

~

This is a very big thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Vanderpool of Catatonk. You folks need to be recognized for your wonderful and outstanding holiday display. Thank you very much and may God Bless!

~

I was wondering if I’m the only one that loves those Walgreen advertisements on TV. Why did they close the Walgreens in Newark Valley; that put a lot of people in hardship.

~

This is in reference to the comment that starts by saying, “On the birthday of Jesus Christ,” I want you to know I agree with you when you say what a lovely thing to say on Christmas or any other day. It shows that you are a person who apparently cares about others. It also shows that you apparently know what Revelations Chapter 21, Verse 8 says about liars. 

~

I’m madder than Hiawatha with a leaky canoe over all this hullabaloo about American Indians. First of all there is no such thing since there wasn’t an America before the pilgrims came over.

National Political Viewpoints

I just don’t understand how anyone who is a Christian can support Donald Trump, or be in his cult! Do you not see how he talks about others, how he never takes responsibility, how he talks about women? Let’s be better than this and STOP supporting this individual!

~

This is for the reader last week who said Biden has done nothing wrong and that republicans should be embarrassed. There is not enough time to write about Biden, but I will agree that republicans should have had him impeached back in March of 2021 when he reversed everything regarding border security. The number one job of our government is to protect its citizens. Biden has enriched the cartels by billions while totally endangering the USA. Then there’s the Fentanyl issue and so much more. It’s Democrats who should be embarrassed! There has never been a worse president in American history that has done as much to weaken and jeopardize the U.S. We better hope and pray we get someone who is for America and has some strength or we can kiss our country good bye. Hopefully it’s not too late.

~

Biden – 39% of the Presidency spent on vacation, just sayin’.

~

The Democrats are absolutely going crazy. California gives medical care to all illegals, New York will not stop the buses of illegals, but sets hours for their arrivals. Now the illegals are going into nearby neighborhoods begging for food and clothing, while turning down the food we are paying for them to have. Reparation legislation is being thrown around like a baseball in summer. Don’t ask if I want natural gas or oil; just take it away from me. Is it any wonder why New York lost 500,000 plus people in the last few years? They tell me what light bulbs to use, how much water to use, and they are going after Christians in roundabout ways. Don’t believe them when they say that rich people should pay more. They are part of the rich and they will never pay their fair share. Everyone needs to get out, personally, in November and vote. No mail-in ballots, no home computer voting, protect the right to vote and the Constitution. Democrat or Republican, look for the candidate with common sense and one that will not promise you the sky while making you pay for it.

~

So many questions! How to answer at once? Pick one that makes sense, and get back with us.

~

Many who complain about the Border forget Trump had four years and didn’t correct it. He just complained about the caravan that was coming.

~

The circus (Republicans) is back. Will they do any work this year or just complain about President Biden and Hunter.  They will be searching for that missing evidence.

~

If Trump is as innocent as he says, why does he always want to delay the trials? Seems like he would like to get this behind him.  

~

The person who suggested President Biden spent 382 days out of office, you need to stop watching Fox news.

~

According to fake news, we the people don’t know how good we have it under Biden Nomics. Well, that’s an interesting spin on it. What a bunch of crap. 

~

So a study just came out that 3% of journalists are Republicans. The other 97% are far left anti-MAGA Liberal Democrats; and you wonder why the news is mostly fake. 

~

So Donald Trump won’t be able to run for president in Colorado and Maine. Uh, two down, 48 to go. 

~

We all know what’s going to happen and you don’t have to be a fortune teller to read the future when Donald Trump runs for president. And if he loses again, and he will, he’ll do the same old stuff. He’ll throw a temper tantrum and say the election was rigged, and you foolish Republican voters will believe it. 

~

How can you far left anti MAGA Democrats keep calling in here and saying there’s absolutely no evidence for Joe Biden to be impeached? Are you freaking kidding me? Or do you hear your news from The View and Morning Joe? There is so much evidence it isn’t funny. And if you open your eyes and stop sticking up for this make-believe President, maybe you’ll see something. 

~

So Donald Trump is a threat to national security? That’s pretty rich from a party that let a spy balloon fly over our country and didn’t shoot it down until it was over the ocean. And it’s come out that they weren’t going to let anybody know about the spy balloon until somebody found out about it. You know what? Joe Biden is controlled by China because they have the goods on him, but if you think Trump is a security risk you’re not paying attention. And, by the way, how come the Biden family is getting 10s of millions of dollars from China? What did they do to get that money? Please explain. And why are Joe Biden’s grandchildren getting money? Please explain that to me.

~

Only a Democrat would call in and complain about not enough new laws and rules being passed by Congress. What do you expect from a party that loves big government and wants to control every aspect of your life? The difference between a Democrat and Republican, you want to control and own. 

~

I cannot believe that Biden is on vacation as the border crisis keeps growing. I guess that tells us what kind of a president he is, not even protecting this country. 

~

How did Biden bypass Congress to give military weapons to Israel when it all depended on immigration measures? He funds the wars so the innocent can get killed. 

~

I don’t know why people question the Supreme Court. You know the purpose of the Supreme Court is to help any Republican cause that comes along to the final decision. If you don’t believe that, you’re living in another world. 

~

Donald Trump incited a failed insurrection against the United States of America. 

~

Did you see that Biden is going to release all those barrels of oil? Isn’t that nice of him? What a wonderful president. He’s the one who did it! Don’t fall for it people. It’s election time and he wants you to vote him back in. The Democratic Party has made each and every one of you out here in this country suffer for three years under him, forcing you to buy electric cars, banning everything you own. It’s disgusting. It’s time to say goodbye and vote for somebody else that really cares for the people. It’s time for a big change. 

~ 

My complaint is interest charged on student loans. Every day we hear of millions of dollars sent out of the country. Kathy Hochul has a never-ending checkbook daily, yet we give no thought to the honest hard working students with college loans. The interest rate is up to 11%, which means any payments are fruitless. Why in the world can’t the rate be reduced to zero or 1%? This is ridiculous! Everyone reading this should call your representative, and only hope they care!

~

Wake up New York State! Our great governor is turning our state into a communist dictatorship. Look around. Our ship is sinking with her at the helm. She is giving out money as fast as Mr. Biden. She has allowed us to become a sanctuary state, she has poured millions of dollars into the new Buffalo Bills stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. so the Bills wouldn’t leave town, and her husband owns a concession stand at the stadium. Now she wants to take Trump’s name off of the State’s 2024 Presidential ballot. If the Democrats can’t win against Trump, they will eliminate him. We have the right to vote for anyone, not just who the Democrats want us to. That is totally wrong. Why doesn’t she try cutting taxes for us New Yorkers instead of giving our money away daily? Wake up; we are going down at the hands of our elected officials. I’m 77 years old and I never thought I’d see our great state of New York in this bad shape.

~ 

So the Houthis based in Yemen have fired drones and missiles at U.S. destroyers in the Middle East, so far with zero success. The feckless and incompetent Biden administration has ordered U.S. forces to not fire on the Houthis. The Houthis are surrogates or puppets, for you liberals, of the Iranians who have now sent their own destroyer into the area. The Houthis and Iranians need to be taught a great lesson. A massive strike against the Houthis and one on Iranian oil fields would provide that exact lesson, but don’t bet on that happening when slow Joe is in command. 

~

The Supreme Court ruled that forgiving student loans was unconstitutional and against the law. Yet slimy Joe Biden is still trying to pass on $130 billion of student loans to the hard working people, and you talk about a lawless society and the end of democracy. It’s against the law, Joe. Stop trying to buy votes. 

~

Joe Biden took 140 vacation days last year. In his final year, let’s hope he takes 365 vacation days. 

~

Whatever happened to the Republicans and their meanness and anti-Americanism? Why are they siding with the communist regime of Putin against Ukraine who’s done nothing to anybody in this world except exist? But yet they’ll sit around and they’ll go to impeach our president where they can’t find a crime for but they’ll see if they can find one, and now they want to impeach the Homeland Security Chief. And yet, Trump was guilty of so many crimes, he tried to blackmail Ukraine’s leader; he was getting money on the side. I see today his businesses just got almost $8 million in kickbacks from the foreign governments overseas when he was president! And you people couldn’t find any reason to get him out of office even though he was impeached twice? This is a sad day for the Republican Party in America.