Speakout

Where do we get the money?

After reviewing the Sikeston city’s plan for the re-do of the Bootheel golf course, I have a few concerns. It would appear that all of the new features would require extensive new capital construction costs, increased maintenance costs, and additional employee costs to support these additions. Where do our city leaders propose we get the funds to pay for these new additions? Sikeston is a small town with a population of about 16,000+. This new plan requires millions of new dollars to pay for, and support these new additions. Should Sikeston residents just get ready for more taxes, taxes, taxes?

It is a long-term plan for what should be done with the property when money is available. Money could come out of the capital improvement sales tax that is in place, private donations, grants or other sources. It doesn’t mean a tax increase as funding sources have not been decided.

Gin is benefit for community

I’m a 72-year-old who has been a resident of Sikeston all my life. The other night I was on East Malone and looked up and saw the light above the grain bins and a smile came over my face. I remember when my mom and dad used to take me and we would watch them build the bins. Now that it has been sitting empty for years I think our community owes Greg Copeland gratitude for restoring the gin for our community. It brought back a lot of good memories and I think they will be a real benefit to our community.

Pandemic is now political

The blame game is in full swing. Cuomo and Pelosi, just to name a few, want to pretend as if President Donald J. Trump was the root cause of a global pandemic. Let’s take a minute and define the word pandemic. Pandemic is an epidemic that spreads over multiple countries or continents. In order for Trump to take full responsibility and blame, one would need to call it an endemic. An endemic belongs to one people or country. Cuomo and Pelosi are just as much to blame for the death of Americans as President Donald J. Trump. It’s a pandemic. It is not the blame of any of them. To blame Trump for the spread of the virus is really giving him too much credit. This is mother nature at her best, or worst, depending on how you wish to phrase it. It is a virus, it is deadly, it is or isn’t as bad as once thought. We are seeing a shift in the battle against Corona and we will win. Common sense says a pandemic is nothing anyone can actually prepare for or be ready for. That is what makes it a pandemic. Now, we can debate the labs in China, maybe it is man-made, maybe it is man altered, maybe it is not as deadly as many think, maybe it wouldn’t be as big of a deal in a non-election year. The bottom line is history will tell that story. It is common sense we have made it political. It is commons sense that Democrats want to use it against Trump to take back the White House. When did we start putting the party before the country? It is sad. Both sides do it, and it is wrong.

COVID is voting excuse

There is an election coming in November. Many are debating that COVID could interfere and keep people from voting. Sounds like excuses. Voting is the single greatest right of the American people. There are already systems in place to allow all registered voters to vote. You can absentee vote in all states, you are allowed to early vote in most, and you can vote in person on election day. Those who wish to change these guidelines with only a couple of months to go are only trying to cheat the election process. There is no way we should be sending mail in ballots out to people who have no requested them. This will only jeopardize the legitimacy of the election. Be responsible and vote. If you can protest, go to the store, go to football games, etc. You can go and vote. While we are at it, please tell me one good reason to be against a voter registration card. Common sense says we can vote, we can vote once, an ID is a pretty damn good idea, and bulk mail in ballots are for cheating. There is a sure lack of common sense in our nation today.