The Bike lane Fraud of 2013-2015
Driving along Cave Creel Road between Spur Cross and School House Road I counted the number of TREE STUBS in the medians where there had been DOZENS of fine shade trees - 25 stubs. Those trees always added to the great feeling of a "VILLAGE" in Cave Creek. NO MORE. Now the area is taking on the appearance of a "Concrete Jungle." Most of the medians between Spur Cross Road and Tom Darlington have been stripped of any landscaping, trees or shrubs. Worse yet, the total project budget does not in any way include money to re-vegetate anything. Not one penny!!! Oh sure! they will tell us that they are saving some items and will re-plant some.
The FRAUD is the deception that spending up to $4,000,000 to gain some 5 foot wide bike lanes would somehow result in economic ($$$) development for our two towns. Folks, the 8.4 miles of main roads in the two towns will be torn up, narrowed and re-surfaced to the tune of over $475,000 PER MILE. Part of the FRAUD is that the two towns only have to pay about 4% of the total. WHO PAYS THE REST?? Taxpayers like you and me. Folks, there is no free lunch. The tax on the gas we buy for our cars is intended for roads and their maintenance. Cyclists pay nothing to share our roads, yet our governments decided to fund their hobby. Another part of the bad plan is that all of this disruption of our core pathways was to have been done by December 2015. However, that construction only began in November and it will continue for a total of 5 months, or more. Right in "High Season" for both towns. On top of that my good friends in Cave Creek will see a +$500,000 resurfacing of Cave Creek Road that will start in January from Spur Cross south to Sentinel Rock Road. They say this work will only happen during the night time hours... guess they don't know when the bars and restaurants close.
All of this started back in 2013. Two public workshops were held to try to encourage citizens to support the FRAUD. I attended both and all of the presentations to the Carefree Council. I have written and spoken out against this FRAUD for two years. I am watching the work being done in both towns and I cringe every time I see another median raped of its native landscape and trees. I laugh every time one of our elected folks tries to perpetuate the FRAUD by telling us this will result in more Sales Tax Revenue. Just calculate the math as to how long and how much new revenue it will take at 3.0 percent sales tax to break even.
Folks, we have "been had" and we had a chance to SAY "NO WAY" but not enough residents did. This is what happens when we listen but don't act. Please drive carefully to avoid the falling trees and narrow roads.
Jim Van Allen
A citizen who loves both towns
Where have the bell towers gone?
The United States has far too few religious leaders with the intestinal fortitude to stand up and speak out against the loss of rights, growing tyranny and the push for an anti-God secular ruling class. As God fearing Americans we should pray for the continued well being of those leaders who do speak out and we should avoid the false boundaries that could be formed because of denomination or faith.
I believe the lack of patriotic ardor is a result of convoluted cowardly thinking. The churches, all denominations, can speak out now and possibly lose their precious tax exempt status or they can remain mute and definitely lose their tax exempt status later.
It seems they have chosen poorly.
Wake up guys! You can once again lead, ignite and feed the fires of freedom or you can continue your silence and stoke the fires in the furnaces.
The choice is yours ... to be silent is to be complicit.
Silence, after all, is NOT always golden.
Tom Carbone
Arizona
Hypocrisy in the NBA
Instead of worrying about guns in the hands of us responsible gunnies, these professional jocks of the NBA should concentrate on recognizing and financially maintaining the hordes of little ba$tards they have left all over the map. This would cut down on the number of gangbangers and "baby mamas" who have no positive family standards to practice.
J-P Maldonado
Lafayette, Colorado
Thanks, Obama
Yesterday's mail brought us news from the Social Security Administration notifying us officially of what we've known for several months now:
There will be no increase in monthly benefits for 2016. But wait, there's more. With increased rates for Medicare, my wife and I will each be getting $11.20 LESS per month than what we got in 2015. Never mind that inflation continues to drive up our expenses, our S/S income will decrease by $22.40 per month, meaning we'll be getting $268.80 less next year.
No, it's not a lot of money but by its very nature it's insulting to every senior citizen who worked hard all their lives to get where they are. It's three trips to the grocery store, maybe eight fill-ups at the gas station, five baseball games, eighteen movie theatre visits . . . on and on.
And after all, it is OUR money, not entitlement money. It is money WE put into the Social Security pot and expected to get back.
Difficult to understand that there is apparently money available to bring in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees but no money for seniors. Or veterans. Or America's homeless.
Shame on you, Barack Obama, and shame on anyone who plans to vote for Hillary in 2016 and see these same despicable practices continue.
God help America.
Jim Vail
Scottsdale
Nobody is perfect – My holiday wish for YOU
“You are beautiful in every way, my friend, there is no flaw in you!” Song of Songs 4:7
It’s that time of the year when everything from serious sermons to sappy jewelry commercials and everything in between turn their attentions to taking care of others. And that’s a good thing, although we should probably be thinking about that all year.
But I want to switch things up a little and talk about the importance of YOU. Yup, I am actually going to write a Christmas column about how you need to take care of yourself this holiday season.
OK, let me explain. I am not talking about going out and buying yourself a cart load of gifts and eating all your favorite foods until you explode in a giant ball of self-satiation – but actually kind of the opposite. I want to take a little time this holiday season to consider how important you are to the Lord, to the world and to all those in your world that you will probably be buying gifts and treats for. And to remember that you don’t have to be perfect to realize that value.
Because sometimes worrying too much about being perfect can make us look past our greatest strengths and assets and leave us so angry with ourselves that we stop taking care of ourselves. And the next thing you know, we can’t help anybody else either.
I bring this up at the holiday season for a couple of reasons. First of all it’s a time of the year when many of us come face to face with friends and relatives that we may have not seen in a while. And suddenly we feel a rush of responsibility to force a year full of love into a short season.
Well back to what I said at the beginning of the column, maybe it’s better to try doing that a
little at a time throughout the year. But let’s not think about the past right now. Let’s focus on the present, and the fact that all you really need to do this season to show your love is ‒ to show your love.
You don’t have to buy the perfect present for every single person you know. A gift is always a nice gesture. But remember it is the thought that counts, and the perfect thought is simply to let someone know you love them.
And you don’t need to suddenly be a superhuman host that creates the ultimate holiday experience for everyone you know. Parties and festivities in which we welcome others into our homes and our hearts are lovely opportunities to share our earnest and sincere love with others; don’t let the need to please and impress get in the way of that.
It’s also not necessary for you to solve all the problems of the world’s problems during the holiday season. Sometimes our desire to help the hungry, the poor and the disadvantaged as well as those in our own families can become overwhelming around this time. It’s valuable that we are thinking about them and doing what we can. We don’t need to save the world, just try to make it a little better by being your loving self.
Finally you don’t need to completely fix everything that you think is wrong with you in time for some kind of incredible New Year’s Resolution. First of all remember that you are not broken. We all have struggles, challenges and issues we need to deal with every day. Deal with them confidently knowing that God loves you and created you the way you are for a reason, and that reason can only work if you love and respect his creation – that’s YOU.
What you do need to do at this time of year especially is to open your heart to the Lord and let him work his miracle within the miracle that is you. You are beautiful and created in the image of the Lord. So love yourself, and let that love spill out to all you meet.
And be open to how the Lord wants to continue to work on the masterpiece that is you. Be open to His will for you and his way. He has a plan and YOU are a big part of it.
Believe in the Lord this holiday season and believe in YOU, because He believed in you enough to create you. And that’s a pretty big deal. Merry Christmas!
Please Visit
Does Senator McCain need a reality check?
Ben Swann of Georgia's CBS Channel 46 hit a home run showing both Gov. Christie and Senator Mark Rubio are tools for the forces that want chaos in Syria as they created with take down of Gaddafi in Libya. Ben's Reality Check program shows how people like Gov. Christie, Senators Rubio, Graham, McCain and Pres. Obama are risking WW III with convoluted logic to take down Assad of Syria. Prior to our giving arms to the "good" terrorists Christians, Jews and non extremist Muslims lived in relative peace. We can thank the Russians for warning us about the Boston Bomber and taking out ISIS by taking away their oil revenues. Something we refused to do due to environmental considerations! Whether the oil is burned in a car,truck blown into smithereens by high explosive bombs it will have about the same carbon footprint! The fact is that all the people we accuse of being bad guys don't want US Dollars! That is really their big crime against humanity! Always follow the money trail!
Sincerely,
Joseph DuPont
South Towanda, Pennsylvania
With God's help
This is the season to reflect on who we are, where we came from, where we’re headed. And with God’s help, we’ll get there.
During this Christmas season, recall that our lives are dependent on the land we live in, whether we come from a long heritage line or have just recently adopted the United States, we owe our being to it and the God that helped create it. This special place in the universe was created on a foundation of values and principles that date back over 10,000 years. That early period gave birth to two inventions: agriculture and family.
Two thousand years ago, with the birth of Christ, those early developing principles coalesced into our modern Judeo-Christian values and virtues.
We took another step about 240 years ago when we declared our independence from political and religious tyranny. A few years later we created the Constitution that allowed a separate body to govern us through defined limits.
It has become clear that over the last hundred years we’ve slipped away from what the Founders struggled to build. We the people are now uniting to amend that governing body, which we alone allow to exist.
The abuse continued last week with our government rallied itself to spend, against our wishes, even more of our children’s future and beyond, away. All we ask is for a governing body to listen to us and to have the courage to abide by the Constitution and the rule of law.
Regardless of our individual beliefs, humanity’s values and character over thousands of years have remained the same: God, through his Son, taught us to treat each other the way we want to be treated, fair and with dignity. We remember those principles as they are celebrated at this time of year with our fervent wish for good will toward all.
Merry Christmas and good will to all.
Mike Kapic
Arizona State Director
http://www.conventionofstates.com/
Convention of States Action · PO Box 1073, Purcellville, VA 20134
"I think our children are worth it." -Dr. Tom Coburn, retired U.S. Senator
This Christmas season I'm reminded to stop and reflect on what's really important in my life. Christmas is one of my favorite times of year, because it's about an eternal love that gives freely. I love to savor these special moments with family and enjoy our holiday traditions.
It really puts things into perspective. All I have to do is look into my children's eyes, see the joy that's there, and I know exactly what I'm fighting for. What kind of America is waiting for them? Have I ensured that my kids have greater opportunities and liberty than I did?
I would do anything for my kids, and I'm sure you're the same way. We often talk of self-governance being the fundamental principle of the American ideal. But, as the great economist Milton Friedman once said, the American society is really one that is motivated by family.
At its core, that's what Convention of States Action is all about. More than anything else, we are fighting to save their America—for our children and our grandchildren. At the end of the day, nothing else matters more than restoring liberty and prosperity for future generations.
This movement isn't about us. It's about what kind of America will we leave for the next generation?
Together we can ensure that our children and grandchildren inherit an America that is more prosperous and free. This is only possible with committed patriots like you who love America and care enough to do something about it.
Thank you so much for being a part of this historic movement to save America. I pray you and yours have a very happy Christmas holiday,
Mark Meckler
Convention of States Project
