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Show Letters to the editor Letter questioned Editor: I read with some dismay the letter of Earl A. Hanson. It was hard for me to follow his reasoning as well as to reach a complete understanding of what he was trying to say. I have a lot in Parowan City that I would like to hold onto against a need of my old age or an emergency by reason of accident or sickness. Does he want to tax me out of the right to keep that lot with no improvements? Who would buy it if I had to sell? My neighbor on lhe east has a house with three times the asessed valuation of ours. The lot size is exactly the same as ours. North of me is a cottage with about half the assessed value of ours and almost half as much footage lot-wise. lot-wise. Across the street there is a much larger house. It has thermal heating, two stories on the back and is fence-to-fence on the same size lot as the cottage. cot-tage. We all have need of police protection, snow removal, paved road, and utility lines, water, and sewer. Who pays for all of this if the land is taxed instead of the improvements? We gave each of our children a mountain lot. Since the deeds were recorded as lots the taxes have trebled, no improvements. But near our lots there is a new matched log house on the same size lot or less. What will their taxes be if only the lot is taxed? I would like to have Mr. Hanson explain to me, if he can, where the justice is in such a tax measure Vern C. Mortensen Gossip judges Editor! The Snake That Poisons Everybody "It topples governments, ; Wrecks marriages, Ruins Careeers, Busts reputations, Causes heartaches, nightmares, indigestion, in-digestion, Spawns suspicion, Generates grief, Dispatches innocent people to cry in their pillows. Even its name hisses. It's called gossip. Office gossip. Shop gossip. Party gossip.. Church gossip. It makes headlines and headaches. Before you repeat a story ask yourself: Is it true? Is it fair? Is it necessary? If not, shut up." We have certain individuals sending out these poems to people around town. Who are they to judge? We don't know of anyone who hasn't repeated gossip in their life. We wish these people would judge their own selves, and if they become perfect they can judge others. It has always been said a fault that really bothers someone about someone else is their own worst fault. If people are so perfect to send poems to other people it's something that they haven't been taken to the great beyond. Valerie Jensen Jan Evans Energy assistance Editor: I In recent years a program was established, Energy Assistance, by the federal government to aid, as we understand un-derstand it, the poor and elderly with their energy bills. This seemed to be a worthwhile way to spend federal dollars. At the end of the last year's Energy Assistance fund allotment we knew of a few students who applied for and received monies. In one instance the student, who was living off campus, rather than using the money for his energy bills paid for a new television. This is not just, but this seemed to be an isolated case. This year, however, a ma jor concern for the sanity of the Federal budget has come to our attention. There is more money in Energy Assistance this year. Now the program is being used to a large extent by local students in the college student housing. The price for this housing is very reasonable (much less than the working public pays) and includes the cost of heating. These students, many of whom are on federal grants for schooling already or are being supported by their families, are eligible for this assistance (usuallyJOO -400). A common comment is not "We are e entitled," but rather "It's there. Why not?" These students are paid in cash and are eligible again in August. The money is not being used for energy in most cases. How can we as conscionable citizens explain poor and elderly people without enough food to eat or mentally ill and retarded people with no place to go, when students from good financiai backgrounds are receiving this money from our government. In these hard times, it is inexcusable for this money to be spent in this way just because it is there. The elderly and poor were among the first to be helped by the program, but that is no excuse to squander the money that is left. It is not the program in its ideal at fault, it is the irresponsibility of citizens that ruins a good intention. It is lime for America to set its priorities, chief amongst which should be the care of the elderly and truly poor families with dependent children, not young people who have other options such as living at home. Names withheld upon request Thank you Editor: I would like to thank the people of Iron County for the many kindnesses and considerations shown to me recently. I have never seen people as sweet and kind and considerate as they are. I love them all. Fire Chief David Bentley |