Opinion

To the editor:I would like to know why, when a minority of people feel something is needed, it becomes a taxpayer obligation.It seems to me with the professional and business people involved in these projects that they would just go ahead and build them and then charge a user fee to cover their costs. The reason is they know it is not a good business proposition. Even as a breakeven, it would fall short.Everyth...

To the editor,In past years we had elected officials, both county and city, who were concerned about living within a budget.Now their attitude is to promise special interest groups anything they want in the rec center, and then they will think of some way to get the money out of the taxpayer, which in the city?s case did not take too much thinking: just raise property taxes to whatever level it takes to bail us ...

To the editor:A special election will be held on March 4 for voters within the unincorporated areas of Jefferson County.The proposal is to allocate the county?s portion of the Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) as follows: 64 percent property tax relief, 20 percent roads and bridges, 16 percent construction of an outdoor swimming pool and indoor recreation facility.This 16 percent allocation would ...

To the editor:Shine a light above your porchLight a candle in your heartBe the brightness in the darknessFor the Haileys make this start Let love beam within your soulsMay your eyes be opened wideFor the sake of little onesLet awareness be your guide Enbrace the Haileys post and presentDon?t be afraid to cryVulnerability creates braveryIn the midst of the question ?why?? Bravery to beat the ...

To the editor:One of the worst examples of our ignorance of evolutionary values in America is our current definition of ?American exceptionalism.?All too often I hear this idea expressed on talk shows as defined by our military power. American exceptionalism is referred to as the influence of our govenment on foreign countries, and the power and influence of our economy and culture.We need to simplify the idea ...

To the editor:According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, Jefferson County currently has 30.2 percent of adults who report currently smoking, which is well above the Iowa average of 19.5 percent.February is ?Heart Health Month.? Every time you use tobacco, your arteries are hardening and narrowing, making it harder for blood to flow. This puts more stress on your heart, which can lead to an aneurysm, ...

To the editor:This is one of the coldest winters in over 30 years.Imagine being outside all the time having to forage for food and water that you absolutely needed to make it to the next day or week? Well, the birds do and so do the other critters out there.With more than a foot of snow on the ground for the past weeks, it?s impossible to find anything to eat. A bird must eat nearly half of its body weight ...

To the editor:Recently we experienced a wonderful surprise; we came home to find our driveway void of snow!We later found out the ?Booster Club? and the student athletes of Fairfield High School were responsible.Such a wonderful organization that hopefully everyone supports to help our young people in the same way they helped us. These fine young members showed their appreciation and had such an important ...

To the editor:With the upcoming special election for county residents to vote for the support of the pool and gym project, I would like to share some of the reasons I feel a yes vote is important to our community.When I say community, I mean all of Jefferson County because we truly are all one.As a lifelong resident and business owner I believe these facilities are very important to the continued growth and ...

To the editor:In reference to ?Regulator among farmers to spill manure in 2013,? (The Fairfield Ledger, Feb. 4) it?s important to note that the DNR database shows a minimum of 9,750 animal feeding operations in Iowa.The article cites a 65 percent increase in manure spills, but the number of spills represents less than 1 percent of Iowa farms when compared to the number of animal feeding operations. With only 10 ...

To the editor:National groups have banded together in a boycott of the cookie sales by the Girl Scouts because of their ties with the Planned Parenthood business.There has been growing concern over the years about the slant of the Girl Scouts? resources, role models and affiliations. The Girl Scouts continual collaboration with the billion dollar Planned Parenthood enterprise whose foundation is deeply racist ...

To the editor:As a member of the Fluoride Action Network, I am informing you that the federal Farm Bill recently signed into law by President Obama contains a provision that overrides a ruling by the EPA to phase-out the toxic fumigant sulfuryl fluoride because it leaves unsafe levels of fluoride residue on food.The aggregate dose that children receive from these residues along with the fluoride from other ...