As a homeowner, I watch closely the political circus and promises that will not be kept once the politician gets in office. I also watch the local circus as it usually affects my pocketbook. As a retiree who is on a fixed income, I am amazed at the number of governmental offices who figure they should not have to suffer in a downward economic crisis. Why not just tax the landowners? They have lots of money! I live in Washington County in the Warren school district. I deal with a superintendent who feels without all new schools the children can't be taught, teachers are not qualified to teach in old buildings, and education is denied due to not voting in favor of a tax hike to property owners in spite of a five time refusal by voters. This superintendent states the financial pool is drying up, yet he has wasted school money five times to get the issue on the ballot. I have not seen him refuse a pay increase for the benefit of the children. As a matter of fact, he took on a second job for more personal income but allows Warren school district the privilege of paying all his benefits. I went to Washington School in Marietta for an activity concerning my grandson and was amazed that the school was functional despite being constructed in the early 1900s. The teachers were proud of the school's heritage and the history it provided the students. Apparently the Marietta school board knows how to maintain their schools and the teachers are able to teach in the history rich environment, without benefit of all new schools.
Now comes Children Services. They want more money for pay increases. Seems the economic crises should not affect them. When state and federal money is not available, just make homeowners pay more taxes. As a nurse, why didn't I think about that to get a raise? I realize the programs are an added benefit, but that should not prevent them from doing their jobs effectively. After all, the money does not go to the children, it goes to the staff. As a nurse, I know nurses do their (jobs) even when they don't get raises.
As a retiree, I am glad I made double payments so my home was paid off when I retired, even though it took years and lean times to do so. Now I am on a fixed income dealing with spiraling increases in gas, food, utilities, and medicine and worrying about benefit cuts. To make more profit, companies do not honor promised benefits to retirees. We aren't of benefit to them anymore, so we are the first on the chopping block. As many other grandparents, we are raising grandchildren. Food alone takes most of our income as we have three teenagers. We also deal with getting our children to and from school due to a superintendent who had a temper tantrum and took high school busing away when he didn't get his way.
Enough is enough. I hate the statement "It is only pennies a day to -." Pennies add up and that is what retirees live on now. Let's stop going to the landowners for every thing just because they are lucky enough and worked hard to pay off their homes. How else would we be able to live on our retirement incomes. Stop teaching our children the only use for a retiree is the money you can take from them.
Arietta Bates Ridgway
Fleming
