Speakout 7/8

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Sikeston Municipal Court. All the cases involved the new Zero Tolerance Ordinance inflicted on us in May 2004. In my opinion, some of these cases could be summed up in one word: extortion. The city and the powers that be should step back and take another look at this new law. I agree that something needs to be done to clean up our fair city, but not on the backs of citizens on a fixed income. The city wanted us to clean up, but while we were doing so, our faithful code enforcement officers were taking pictures of our cleaning. Zap! You get a fine, no warning. We as taxpayers voted in the 1/4-cent sales tax that was to cover the effort. But the city decided to go after all the people on fixed incomes. I am landlord of these properties. That's double jeopardy, isn't it? I was a victim of the yard police and paid a fine over a pile of limbs a foot high and four feet across in the rear of a residence, which was the result of storm damage. I am a resident of Sikeston, a voter and a taxpayer. I read where Sikeston is trying to run people of a criminal nature out of our town. I would agree we need to run out the criminals and freeloaders, the filthy not-good honest taxpaying citizens. Just who are they trying to run out? Not everyone has the means to hire the work done or have access to a pickup truck to remove such things on the spur of the moment. I guess when they have run out of all the common folks, there will be nothing left but stuffed-shirts to run this town. Without common folks, who do they think will pay the taxes to deal with such a farce? So, people of Sikeston, take heed. Don't hesitate. If a storm blows limbs out of your trees, get out there as soon as it happens and clean it up.

I have a complaint about your newspaper. The paper we got yesterday (June 28), some of it was so blurred we could hardly see it. The area residents who received degrees from Southeast, we couldn't even read it. It seems that you could do better than that. Maybe you could reprint it.

Sorry. We reran the graduate list in the July 1 newspaper.

Typical Republicans. The only people who got to leave Iraq were the big shots.

Someone asked, "What's his plan?," speaking of John Kerry and his commercial on every American having a right to health care. We may have a right but how will you pay for it? Listen closely, folks. He has to raise your taxes. He will do like any other Democrat has in the past. He will raise your taxes. He will also cut the military. What do you want? Less defense? More taxes? If that's what you want, vote for the idiot Kerry.

Mayor Mitch Thompson, the Miner Board of Aldermen and the city employees would like to make it known they have no desire and no intention of merging or considering a merge with the City of Sikeston. Only the residents can make this happen and why would Miner residents want to merge with Sikeston and pay quadruple tax rates? I personally think Miner residents are smarter than that, even if Mike Marshall thinks we aren't. On the other hand, if Sikeston would like to become part of Miner, we would welcome talks in that direction.

I have always been a person who thinks a town should have more businesses than it does churches, although I have lived in Morehouse for 55 years and just now witnessed it happen. Morehouse now has only seven churches, but the businesses consist of a karate school, a restaurant, a furniture store, a Quick Sak, a post office, a bank, a car wash, a tanning salon, a bar and now a tattoo shop. What's next, Morehouse? A massage parlor?

I am against Economic Development to lure new businesses to locate in Sikeston if it involves abating sales taxes and property taxes and other financial aid to the new business. If Walgreens wants to build a new store in Sikeston, let them use their own money. It is grossly unfair to assist new businesses at the expense of existing businesses. The City of Sikeston should provide the same financial aid to the other pharmacies in Sikeston that it is giving to Walgreens. The City of Sikeston should keep the playing field level for all businesses. I would bet this newspaper would be opposed to the City of Sikeston assisting another newspaper to locate in Sikeston. I would recommend that the City of Sikeston not provide any financial aid to any new business if we have three or more of the same type of business as the new business looking for a handout. Walgreens has a lot more money than Sikeston, but we are helping this company to get bigger and drive the existing pharmacies out of business in Sikeston. Everyone, including Walgreens, should pay their fair share of taxes. I am going to continue to use Super D, where I have received excellent service.