Editor, Times-Union: I am writing as a member of the American Conservative Union to urge all citizens to support President Bush's proposal for a missile defense shield to protect our country.
The president proposes to scrap the ABM (anti-ballistic missile) treaty, which has severely limited development of defensive systems. This treaty was signed by the United States and other countries nearly 30 years ago, in the depths of the Cold War. It is now outdated because of the demise of the Soviet Union, increased threats from rogue states and vastly improved computer technology.
President Bush proposes a missile defense research and development program, which will result in the ability to strike down missile threats from around the world.
Under the president's proposal, the United States and our allies will have a comprehensive land, ship and air defense to intercept and destroy missiles from Saddam Hussein, North Korea, Communist China and terrorists operating in any country.
Please support the president's proposal, and keep our country safe from present and future threats.
Roy L. Nichols Goshen via e-mail
Flag Thanks
Editor, Times-Union: We wish to take this opportunity to express our thanks and appreciation to all people and organizations who so generously supported our efforts to have the American flags displayed from the lamp posts in Warsaw. Without the support and financial contributions of the supporters of this effort, we would not have achieved our goal of proudly displaying 41 American flags in the Warsaw business district.
We also want to thank the countless people who signed our petition to have our flags flown in the City of Warsaw.
In addition to financial and other support, we want to thank the organizations and government groups and employees who followed through to purchase and place the flags.
We have also received additional contributions which will allow American flags to be displayed from the older gray metal utility poles in the business district. The flag will be flying throughout the downtown area.
The United States Marine Corps has been credited with a motto which we believe is most fitting for our project. "The difficult we will do right away, the impossible may take a little longer." With your support, we have accomplished our mission. Long may they wave!
As a final thought, should any of the flags become wrapped around the flagstaffs supporting them, the merchants in the business district are asked to take a broomstick or pole and unwrap the flag so that it flies freely.
Thanks to all and May God bless you and the United States of America.
With grateful hearts, Bill Dalton Denny Nice Warsaw
Mysterious Taxpayer
Editor, Times-Union: The state of Indiana is facing a budget crisis. The taxpayers of Indiana are facing tax increases and drastic cuts in schools, highway safety and medication for our nursing home residents. We're being told that it's all attributed to a major shortfall in revenues from state tax dollars. But then there's State Senator Harold "Potch" Wheeler, who's quietly introduced Senate Bill #0391 to change the assessment of some unnamed mystery taxpayer with a huge construction project to a rate of only 10 percent.
The bill says this special 10 percent assessment rate "... applies to a taxpayer that: (1) is located in a township having a population of more than 1,900 but less than 2,000 located in a county having a population of more than 30,700 but less than 31,000; and (2) has recorded on its books and records a cost of more than $190,000,000 of construction in process subject to assessment for the March 1, 2002, assessment date." It might not have the name written into it, but according to the state's Fiscal Impact Statement, the numbers zero in on Union Township in Whitley County and a really big construction project. Figured it out yet?
This bill will alter SDI's March 1 assessment by "at least $146.3 million," and shift "about $2.3 million to $3.3 million ... to all taxpayers in all classes that are served by the same taxing units ..." The quotes are from the bill and the fiscal impact statement that I found on the Access Indiana Web page.
Is this the sort of stunt you want your legislators to write into our laws? You can be sure that my state representatives are going to hear from me. I want nothing to do with this sort of politics. If this passes into law, I'll be sure I remember who voted for it come election time.
