Readers’ Column for the week of April 27, 2025

You may call The Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2434, extension 2, 24-hours a day, or email comments to ReadersOP@gmail.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any messages. To allow more callers to be heard, please limit your comments to 100 words or fewer. We will not be running comments that exceed this number, give or take five words. And please note the new number!

Why do you think I ran away? – Papa Gump

~

It was asked a few years ago why the Village of Newark Valley was in the garbage business. I was told that a private contractor wanted the village to guarantee payment, and the village does it cheaper. The village is now having discussions about a new garbage truck. It seems to me that the savings from letting a private contractor take over would save us money. When asked at a meeting about garbage and maybe an alternative, the mayor stated, “We need the revenue!” What we need is fiscal responsibility and what’s best for the taxpayers. The total budget for solid waste is $86,800.

~

The Carantouan Greenway is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for stealing the GRAY BIRCH SIGN at its Wildwood Reserve. The post and sign disappeared on Saturday, April 19, from the BIRCH Trail section, which was to be dedicated on Earth Day, April 22.

~

I have been hearing a lot about women not being able to vote, and I think people are not explaining things correctly. If you are married, you have to have a paper trail from your birth name to your married name (i.e., marriage license, divorce decree, etc.). They have been doing this for the Enhanced Driver’s License for years now. This is not new; it just sounds like they want the same enhanced rules for voting. Sounds reasonable to me.

~

Want to join a FUN Ladies’ Golf League? Join us on Wednesday mornings at 9 a.m. at Catatonk Golf Course. We start on May 14. Contact Cindy at dcswartz@hotmail.com to sign up or for details. 

~

I hope that the Tioga County legislators will join with Tompkins County legislators in calling for an independent investigation into NYSEG due to rising bills.

~

We need to support New York State in reinstating the Stock Transfer Tax. Originally enacted in 1905, the Stock Transfer Tax was a modest half-penny levy on stock trades. However, it was repealed in 1981, resulting in an estimated loss of $13 to $17 billion in annual revenue for the state. Let’s make billionaires pay their fair share of taxes.

~

Thanks to the reader who confirmed the (extremely limited) places to turn in batteries. They also confirmed the fact that I’m not about to get in the car, drive through construction 40 minutes round trip, spending my time and gas to turn in lithium batteries at Battery world on the Vestal Parkway. The last time I did, they were closed, as they have very odd hours. I really don’t want those batteries building up somewhere in my house until I have enough to make the trip worthwhile. Another example of not enough foresight with some of this stuff. 

~

I read that the Tioga County Historical Society Museum is having an exhibit on Owego during the Civil War. Following your visit to the exhibit, check out their gift shop and purchase a copy or two of books written by local authors on the Civil War from the home front. One of the books, My Dear Brother, is a compilation of letters to a brother in the Union Army. This family lived here in Owego and provides some interesting information on goings-on during the war. Riverow BookShop has some good ones too!

~

One EV owned by the village is not going to “rob us of our HV heat systems.” The county could electrify its entire vehicle fleet with little to no effect on the “electric grid.” If everyone replaced their ICE vehicles with EVs overnight, the grid could not sustain it. The infrastructure will keep pace with adoption rates. NYSEG and other providers are already responding. And look on the bright side: as EV adoptions take off, there will be less demand for gas, and your price at the pump will go down.

~

In case the readers don’t understand what’s going on with the many commercials on the Boob Tube, if they cut the commercials, guess who will have to pay for watching their favorite program? YOU, the CUSTOMER! Then you will complain about the cost of Spectrum going out of sight to offset the cost of bringing us customers the programs we like to watch. We are the ones who have to make up the difference.

~

We don’t have a homeless problem in Owego as much as we have a trespasser and littering problem. 

~

All right, so I was just in my kitchen, and I got to thinking about Ted Clark’s black jellybeans. I loved his jelly beans! I’m hoping another family comes in there. Have a good day! 

~

I have learned from one of my Owego Apalachin grandkids that in one of their social studies classes they’re made to sit through CNN newscasts and then write reports to summarize what they just saw. I take issue with this because CNN is not an objective news source and not an honest news outlet. I would like the Owego Apalachin superintendent to be apprised of the situation. I will be calling him because this is not okay! 

~

I’d like to make a comment about NYSEG billing. I had a budget of $180 a month. It went from $180 to $600 a month. Is there anybody out there that could give me a number to call to complain about NYSEG’s billing with these smart meters? They’re not so smart!  

~

There was a mistake in a comment in last week’s Pennysaver about AutoZone taking car batteries. AutoZone pays YOU $5. You don’t pay AutoZone to take them. 

National Political Viewpoints

Billionaires are looking out for you? Free? Some people will believe anything.

~

It is horrifying that Trump would even consider sending U.S. citizens to torture prisons overseas. Does he not realize we have prisons in this country? Those aren’t country clubs. It is just so insane that anyone could think for one second that it isn’t.

~

The Republicans SAVE Act requires a person’s voter ID to match their birth certificate. That means that 70 million American women (who lean Democratic) who took their husbands’ last names would become ineligible to vote. A marriage certificate is not an accepted document, and more than half of Americans don’t have a passport (roughly the same number of people who voted in last year’s election). All this is to prevent alleged voting by non-citizens, which is already illegal and exceedingly rare. I guess that was when America was great, before women were allowed to vote.

~

The “Proud Boys” are a gang. Trump knows who they are. They should all be deported to El Salvador. You are welcome, Trump!

~

When idiotic past presidents opened us up to trading with China, I tried not to buy items made by that communist country, and still do. However, it is almost impossible all these years later. Either an item is no longer made here at all, or the price for the USA-made item is unaffordable (thanks to exorbitant wages, unions, the EPA, and a plethora of other regulations, and the fact that our kids attend elementary school instead of working in factories for pennies a day). As far as avoiding buying Chinese junk, that ship has sailed (pun intended).

~

Trump wants to cut expenses. A weekend trip for Trump to play golf is $667,676. That’s $3 TRILLION PER YEAR. It’s personal, so pay out of his own pocket. Drive your TESLA.

~

Peace Mantra: Peace in Ukraine; Peace in Russia. Peace in Gaza; Peace in the West Bank; Peace in Israel; Peace in Lebanon; Peace in Syria; Peace in the Middle East. Peace in the Congo Republic; Peace in Sudan; Peace in Somalia. Peace on Earth. [Repeat various times throughout the course of the day.]

~

With all these DOGE federal cuts, why are we still paying federal taxes? AND let’s see an Excel sheet of costs and savings. I read that Musk has changed his forecast. He stated that by the end of Fiscal Year 2025, he’d save the USA 1 trillion. Now he says 1.5 billion; that’s $850,000,000 difference! Musk’s a businessman? HE’S FIRED!

~

Trump is so swishy washy like a clothes washer. Simply, he needs to document all decisions. Let’s see the FACTS!

~

It was one of the highlights of an unedifying U.S. presidential race. The subject: Donald Trump’s tax returns. Hammered by Hillary Clinton over the disclosure that he’d paid no federal tax, possibly for 18 years, Trump was unable to restrain himself. There was no apology. That would have been out of character. Instead, the Republican nominee blurted out four words: “That makes me smart.” For once Trump – serial liar and alleged serial groper – had inadvertently revealed a great truth.

~

If Kilmar Abrego Garcia had only beaten Capitol police officers half to death with a Trump flag on his way to urinating in the halls and offices of Congress while looking for a vice president to hang, he’d be free right now!

~

The first sentence of the first comment under last week’s “National Political Viewpoints” section puts a spotlight on the problem with politics. It’s a team sport. It’s “home versus visitor.” Democrats don’t have a leader? I’m registered as an Independent and don’t recall ever having a “leader.” I’m capable of critical thinking and formulating my own opinions. I don’t need to be told how to think, feel, or vote. It’s a shame most people in this country are either Republicans who get their news and talking points from right-wing sources or Democrats who get their news and talking points from left-wing sources. Think for yourself.

~

You’re all a bunch of screaming white privileged babies.

~

People wonder why there is so much political tension today. It’s because of the news. Legacy media not only fail to report all the news, but they also edit what they release, reporting what benefits the Democrat party, which they control. You don’t have to be conservative to understand this; you only have to listen to other news outlets and compare. You don’t have to listen to Fox; you only have to listen to something that covers the news a little more evenly. If you care at all about the USA, stop listening to the legacy media and find out what is REALLY going on.

~

I remember when you Trumpsters used to whine about Mr. Biden’s inflation. Have you seen Mr. Trump’s inflation policies? How are your 401k’s doing? How’s your stocks and bonds doing? You ain’t seen nothing yet. Have you got buyer’s remorse yet? Apparently not, for some die-hard stupid people out there. You’ll be stupid and broke when the smoke clears. 

~

The democrats are anti-human. They care about criminals like Gonzalez, not U.S. citizens. The senator who is flying south to help free a convicted criminal MS13 gang member needs his head examined, as do his supporters. The cheap-shot judges who are kneecapping President Trump’s agenda need to retire to the Biden Haven rest home. Go Trump! 

~

When Trump gets into legal trouble, he’s got all sorts of lawyers representing him. Mr. Garcia, a guy from Maryland, who they threw onto a plane and took him down to El Salvador, had no legal representation. This has gone way, way, way too far. It’s one thing to destroy our economy, which he is doing a great job of, but to take our rights, our liberties, and our freedoms away, it’s not happening, Mr. President. It’s not happening, not on my watch!  

~

Trump’s MAGA movement is working because he’s Making America Go Away! Have you seen the stock market? How’s your 401K’s doing? Would you reelect this fool for the third time even though it’s unconstitutional? I wish you people would read a history book and know what in the hell you’re talking about so you would know what you’re doing when you go to the election booth, if we will be afforded that luxury next time around. 

~

I just read where Trumpis calling for Harvard to start paying taxes and lose their tax-exempt status. He’s a good one to talk about. That tax cheat pays no taxes; he admitted it! And yet he wants to go after Harvard because he doesn’t like what they’re saying about him. It’s all about politics for him. This country is going to hell in a hurry. 

~

Now we know that the Democrats have no idea what’s going on in this country. They want to bring back the illegal immigrants! I think they better get with our country today and find out what’s happening. 

~

Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen did make it to El Salvador to cry about convicted wife-beater, illegal alien trafficker, and MS13 gang member Senor Garcia. Van Hollen looked like an idiot, which is typical for Democrats. 

~

Let’s get this straight. The Democrats illegally imported 13 to 15 to whoever knows million illegal alien criminals into this country. And now when we’re trying to get rid of them, the Democrats are fighting and want them to each have a fair little trial in court. Are you kidding me? This Democrat party has sunk to an all-time low. Unbelievable! Legally bring him in when they’re illegal, illegal to take them out, when they’re illegal. You people are terrible, terrible people! 

~

AOC and Bernie Sanders are true supporters of the average person; that’s why they are flying around the country in a private jet. These clowns don’t have a clue. 

~

The Democrats ought to form their TEA Party: Tariff Enough Already?  

~

Our president is not in touch with reality. He keeps telling us there are plenty of cheap eggs to buy. He believes if he repeats this enough, we will believe it is true. 

~

This is a direct quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt: “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”

~

Just because you have seen My Cousin Vinny doesn’t qualify you to be a federal judge. — Mama Gump with both rockers rockin’