Dickensian view of county workers
The editorial (“Cuts despite surplus,” Jan. 18) addressing a $4.7 million “holdover” from 2011 was good – until the ghost of Ebenezer Scrooge channeled itself into the writer. In commenting on the 3 percent retirement fund deposit formerly paid by the county for its employees, it read, “Providing employee bonuses may help mend some employees’ hurt feelings....” The feelings of the judges and prosecutors nor the feelings of the sheriff were mentioned. The Scrooge-like tone of the sentence made me cringe.
On Jan. 19 the County Council voted to give a one-time bonus to employees affected by the PERF decision earlier, and doing so also thanked Allen County employees for their “continued hard work and dedication.”
The decision was right and the compliment was gracious.
Employees of Allen County government have not had a raise in several years. Further, many county employees are struggling. Some are living check to check, even in two-income households. Very many employees have second or even third jobs. And all the while, doing their work, as the Council noted, with dedication.
The need for economic stability is apparent to everyone. As the editorial noted, cuts have been made in each department. But ascribing hurt feelings to county employees who will live with the effects of the cuts, and with what would have been a 3 percent reduction in their pay, is to indeed have a Dickensian view of working people.
ROBERT M. ZAHRT Fort Wayne
Guard has friend in Statehouse
As a state representative, it is an honor and a privilege to represent the many in our district who are members of the Indiana National Guard. Their voluntary service to the state is exemplary and their work invaluable.
With this conviction in mind, I attended a news conference Wednesday, where the general of the Indiana National Guard, R. Martin Umbarger, spoke. I echo his sentiments that we must fight to keep the A-10 jet fighters at the Air National Guard base in Fort Wayne. Recently, the Department of Defense proposed a plan to eliminate 21 A-10s at our Fort Wayne base. They intend to replace them instead with nine surveillance aircraft.
Financially speaking, though, it makes much more sense to me to keep the combat fighters in Fort Wayne. The planes at the Fort Wayne base can be utilized for 28 cents on the dollar for what it would cost to keep them operational on an active-duty base.
Our 122nd Fighter Wing is an exceptional unit, having won an Outstanding Unit Award from the National Guard five times. Throughout my tenure as a representative, I will continue to support our local guardsmen by any means available to me.
BOB MORRIS Fort Wayne
Bennett’s loyalties conflicting
Karen Francisco’s piece about Indiana education chief Tony Bennett (“On the road again,” Jan. 22) highlights Bennett’s political contributions, including a large one from online course provider K12 Management of Virginia. In light of the fact that the Department of Education recently testified in support of Senate Bill 179, which requires every Indiana student pursuing a Core 40 diploma to complete one online course, this seems an obvious conflict of interest. Requiring every Indiana student to take an online course also seems like an Indiana “education reform” of dubious value in really improving education.
KATHLEEN SMITH Fort Wayne
Indiana near bottom in recycling
I read with interest “City recycling goal now going to 80%,” by Benjamin Lanka, published Jan. 27.
Though Fort Wayne’s “greening” efforts are improving, similar actions across Indiana, its cities and counties, appear not to be.
Indiana still has no statewide comprehensive recycling mandate and is one of America’s few state governments without an anti-litter slogan campaign covering all cities and counties. The Hoosier state now rates as a bottom-six “worst” for public-spaces cleanliness and related environmental performances in the 2011 American State Litter Scorecard. Furthermore, Mitch Daniels was rated 49th of the 50 governors for poorest Gubernatorial Administrative Environmental Responsibility Reputation by the non-profit Greenopia.
STEVE SPACEK Washington, D.C.
