It’s ONLY $63
On Friday, the 30th of September I picked up my mail from our P.O. Box. The usual stuff; the two local papers, bills and junk mail. I generally do not read the ‘other’ newspaper but I do glance at their editorials from time to time. What caught my eye was a letter signed LearnYes.org.
The letter was promoting the need to pass the CCUSD override once AGAIN. It had the usual laments of teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, loss of music, art classes and EVEN the loss of their one and only RN on staff. What really peeved me the most was they tried to justify this new tax increase by stating it would only add “no more than $63 per year based on a home assessed at $235,000.” Coincidentally, in what I considered to be junk mail, we received our 2011 tax bill notification. In that bill, of the 11 taxing entities, CCUSD tax was $401.53 on my equivalent home value of $236,800 (formerly appraised at $525,000 in 2008). CCUSD is the single highest amount on the bill! So, yes, I consider “Just $63 more” a big deal. In the new economic times we live in today, with unemployment, loss of wages, underwater home values and so on, now is not the time to increase or add new taxes on an overburdened population. Everyone I know, myself included, has had to make very difficult financial decisions, namely getting by with less. I suggest that CCUSD also “Learn” to live within its current budget and stop asking for more of your hard-earned money every few years.
I will vote No on the override.
Enough is enough.
John Vannucci
Cave Creek
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An epic battle is happening now!
A dear friend of ours, someone who has always stood for what is right and good, is the subject of a vicious attack. That man is Russell Pearce, our Arizona State Senate President.
As your Arizona Congressman, I fought to defend our border in the halls of Congress in Washington, DC. My book, "Whatever it Takes," outlined what we need to do to regain control of our border, enforce our laws, protect American jobs and keep America from being overwhelmed by illegal immigrants.
While I was in Washington, DC fighting for you, Russell Pearce was here in Arizona fighting for you. In fact, it was Russell's legislation, such as the employer sanctions bill and SB1070, that changed the debate and made enforcing our nation's immigration laws a top priority.
Will you join me in thanking Russell for his tireless defense of Arizona and our country? Your contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250 or $500 will have a big impact on our state and country's future (visit electrussellpearce.com).
If the pro-amnesty forces defeat Russell Pearce, it will be a massive blow to everything we have worked so hard for in the last decade.
Friends, as your Congressman, I always appreciated your generous financial support. Now I am asking you to join me and support Russell Pearce. Do not let the pro-amnesty lobby win. By donating, you can show them what we patriotic and law-abiding Americans can do!
Your contribution at this critical time would mean so much to me.
Thank you and God bless you,
JD Hayworth
United States Congressman, retired
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Vote NO on CCUSD’s 15 percent M&O override!
June 29, 2011
Hope Olguin
Maricopa County Education Service Agy.
4041 North Central Avenue, Suite 1100
Phoenix, AZ 85012
Dear Ms Olguin,
Below please find my Argument Against the Cave Creek Unified School District November 8, 2011 special election for the 15 percent M&O override. Please include this in the Voter Information Pamphlet and include my name.
Thank you
Michael A Pfeffer
Carefree
Vote NO on CCUSD’s 15 percent M&O override!
Employing their typical scare tactics, CCUSD predicts dire consequences to education, if they don’t get this latest M & O Override. The truth is; they don’t need more money! The M&O override enacted in 2006-7 will provide funding through the 2013-14 school years. The K-3 Override will not expire until after the 2011-12 school year.
The growth in enrollment experienced by CCUSD in 2006-7, when the original M&O override was approved; will probably not be seen again until the 2014-15 school years or later, according to CCUSD’s own demographic consultants.
Override supporters claim CCUSD needs the 15 percent M&O override to “keep class sizes manageable.” However, when CCUSD recently received nearly $1 million from a federal stimulus program, the district chose to give teachers and administrators significant bonuses instead of hiring new teachers. In comparison, Scottsdale and Fountain Hills school districts used their federal stimulus money primarily to hire new teachers and reduce class sizes.
When there is record unemployment and we are all forced to tighten our belts, CCUSD’s arrogant governing board has authorized nearly 2 percent salary increases for the coming school year!
Vote NO on CCUSD’s 15 percent M&O override!
(Editor note: Apparently this and other letters against the override were not received and/or not printed in the Voter Information Pamphlet.)
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Letter to savers
Money saved is a form of stored work, usually earned by someone who paid taxes and set aside to pay for needs.
Until recent years, money saved was valuable for what it could earn, invested safely in banks or an IRA in bonds. Older people used interest income to live on. When they went bye-bye, what was left over went to the family for their needs, after taxes were paid.
Trashing of savings has been going on for decades as inflation took its toll, but the real ambush began in earnest when our so-called “Fed” took the bottom out of interest rates. This was so that banks cold make low-cost loans to anyone at all. We all see how well that worked out. Today, after taxes, income on savings is less than zero.
Thus, this leaves savings only its value for spending; however to keep the punchbowl wet for a few months, the Fed has poured an Amazon of printed money into bailouts, buyouts, stimulus, grants, loans, gifts to friends, quantitative easing – trying to keep the Titanic afloat. As a result, the value of everything we have has been trashed as the dollar crashes. We are all Lootees – victims of looting.
“The Folks” who have no savings, pay no taxes, work off-the-books and are still counting on receiving the jackpot of income credits, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Supplemental, Disability, Child Support, food stamps, etc., are in for a shock. The America you once knew is on life support and won’t be back any time soon.
At some point there will be no one and nothing to tax. When no help arrives, flash-mobs are waiting to march and burn in America as they have in Greece, Spain, Ireland and England.
Unless the looters and trashers now running the show are replaced with honest responsible and courageous people, a bread-and-soup line could look good. If you’re not ready to settle for, “It was a great ride while it lasted,” you might consider carefully before casting what could be your last votes.
Sincerely,
John P. Brebner
De Pere, Wisconsin
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He just flat out lies
It is sad when the president can stand before this nation and flat out lie to sell his programs and his reelection. On September 26 Obama said "Somebody who's making $50,000 a year as a teacher shouldn't be paying a higher effective tax rate than somebody like myself or Jeff [Weiner, CEO of Linkdin], who've been incredibly blessed." He has made similar statements before and after.
President Obama is trying to sell his plan to increase taxes as a matter of fairness. We can all agree or disagree about what is fair, but in trying to convince us he just flat out lies.
According to his 2010 tax filing, he paid over $466,000 or 26.9 percent of his adjusted gross income. In 2009 he paid over $1.8 million or 32.7 percent of AGI. A teacher making $50,000 a year with a family of four (as Obama has) and taking just standard deductions would pay nothing and even get a small refund.
For a president to lie like this is appalling.
Rich Bail
Scottsdale
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Andy Rooney
I was saddened to hear Andy Rooney was retiring. The world needs a few more curmudgeons like him. The dictionary says a “curmudgeon” is a “crusty old man,” and that fitted Andy to a T. He pointed out all the ridiculous things and people we put up with on a daily basis, and he did it with a grace and humor that none of his “serious” competitors could master. I hope the sardonic smile never leaves his face.
Ralph G. Smith
Cave Creek
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ATF Fast & Furious
I noticed that your paper has pretty well trashed the ATF operation known as Fast & Furious and rightly so. If I was the parent of the Border Patrol Agent who was killed with one of the guns that wound up in Mexico I'm really not sure how I would react to the political response coming from Washington. Being overcome with anger would be only the beginning. To add further insult I believe President Obama said something to the effect that Eric Holder was not aware of the operation. If that is accurate I find it extremely difficult to believe. If Holder was aware he should be held accountable. If he was not aware he should be fired for not being aware of an operation of such magnitude being conducted by those for whom he is responsible. My opinion, for what it's worth, is that he knew about it and approved it from the onset. My experience from working with federal law enforcement is that they are extremely tight lipped (to a fault) about their investigations and don't share information even with other federal agencies. Their investigations often don't have an end goal and allow it to go wherever it takes them. They are big on conspiracy cases and often times these cases fizzle out. The only ones you hear about are the ones that have a successful conclusion. I think that while you are trashing Fast & Furious you may also want to mention that the gun sellers in Arizona bear some responsibility for selling these weapons to people knowing that these guns are headed for the drug cartels. The sellers can deny knowing this all they want but it is no more believable than having Eric Holder say he did not know anything about Fast & Furious. And just so you don't think Fast & Furious was an original idea of the Obama administration there was a very similar operation conducted by ATF during the George W. Bush administration called Operation Wide Receiver. You may want to mention that in your paper as well just to show you are fair and unbiased.
Sincerely,
Richard Cain
Scottsdale
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Our employees are supposed to report to us, right?
Since the early 80s, I have been a steady writer of letters to my congressmen. Recently, I wrote to U.S. Senators McCain and Kyl and U.S. Representative Ben Quayle. I received a very thoughtful response from the last two, but from McCain? Nothing. Rien. Zip. Niente. Nada. Bupkus. This, however, does not surprise me, as I have never received a reply from our senior senator, even when he was in the House of Representatives. However, way back when I was a Republican (no: I am not a Democrat!) I received McCain's political mailings when he needed campaign money.
Senator McCain, here's a clue: You are our employee, duty-bound to reply when addressed.
J-P. A. Maldonado
Phoenix
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Thank you, Mr. Sorchych:
First, I didn’t know newspapers printed letters to the editor without submitting the person’s name. Second, if the anonymous parent whose letter you published sees my car at the school at 7:30 a.m. and sees me leaving at 4:30 p.m., he/she can be assured that I have worked a 9 hour day with a 20 minute lunch break (hardly enough time to go to the bathroom and eat my lunch – which I bring by the way – have you seen what they feed the kids?).
Plus since he or she thinks that’s all the work I do, I have decided to stop bringing work home 5 nights a week and that weekend day that I spend 6 hours planning for my week is soooooo gone. I’m going to wing it!!!
Oh, and I make $29,000 plus I am evaluated on how well my students do, what extra club or event I bring to the school and how many hours I volunteer for fundraisers. I have no idea where his/her facts come from.
I hope you print my letter, but my husband said you won’t. He said you only print anonymous letters that you write. Is that true?
I guess I don’t need to sign this!
Editor note: Your husband is an idiot. I have never written an anonymous letter to the editor and most writers on school matters want anonymity to protect their kids from retribution.Back
Big government. Big problems.
They say that when you notice government in your everyday life, it has gotten too big.
Lately, it has been hard to even turn around without seeing the fingerprints of government touching every aspect of our lives.
When I travel up and down my district talking to Arizona’s job creators, workers, and unemployed, I hear time and again, that government regulation and uncertainty are killing sustainable job growth.
The Arizonans I talk to know exactly how we can get America working again—and its by shrinking government. Unfortunately, President Obama’s response is more burdensome, overarching government.
We have seen big government eat up jobs and economic growth at an astounding level.
Tax-and-spend liberals, like those in this Administration and the Democratic U.S. Senate, believe that government is intended to create jobs. However, it is simply not designed to function that way. Government works best when it creates an environment that allows the private sector, the genius and hard work of the American people, create jobs.
Career politicians and unelected bureaucrats in Washington do not know how to run a small business in Arizona better than hard working Arizonans.
When bloated government interferes with families, small businesses, and farms we see the results.
This Administration’s regulatory environment has destroyed jobs and created a weak and uncertain economy. We have seen over and over that more stimulus and more government spending are not the means to more jobs, but further economic decline.
Take for instance ObamaCare. This government take-over of healthcare mandates that everyone have insurance whether they want it, need it, or not. It puts an unelected Washington bureaucracy between patients and doctors. Furthermore, ObamaCare has failed at even the most basic of measures and has not contained costs. Since its passage, ObamaCare has caused health insurance costs to skyrocket at a rate three times higher than the historical average.
Then there is the president’s so-called stimulus. President Obama promised that if the Congress passed the $787 billion stimulus bill immediately, unemployment would not reach 8 percent. Today, we are staring down our 32nd straight month of unemployment at or above 8 percent. Unemployment has not been this high for this long since the Great Depression. This is unacceptable.
Unfortunately, these overreaching programs just scratch the surface of where Washington under President Obama is headed. There are at least 219 new regulations under consideration for the upcoming year by this Administration. These 219 regulations have a projected price tag of $100 million or more.
Most Arizonans do not need anyone to tell them that big government and over-regulation have job-crushing results. The 9.1 percent unemployment rate speaks for itself.
It is time to stop growing government and allow the private sector to regain the confidence it needs to start employing Americans. When we unwind the red tape and unleash the free enterprise system our economy will come roaring back. Those are the kind of fingerprints we want on life in Arizona.
Rep. David Schweikert
Republican, Arizona
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The real enemy
I know WEALTH is a DIRTY word but the fact remains that there are only THREE WEALTH CREATORS: Mining, Farming and Manufacturing.
Everything else – insurance, diners, beauty shops, retail chains – all live off of those things.
Obama can talk all he wants about shovel ready jobs, but the only way for America to survive is to be able to compete against the Chinese and others who have minimal environmental or work safety standards.
Obama and the tree huggers have done more to impede Mining, Farming and Manufacturing than all of our enemies in all the wars which this nation has ever had to fight!
Sincerely,
Joseph DuPont
Towanda, Pennsylvania
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