Comments Lacked Courtesy
I am writing to apologize to the members of the Geauga County Budget Commission for comments that I made at Auburn Township’s Aug. 17 Board of Trustees meeting regarding Auburn’s budget hearing.
My comments lacked personal and professional courtesy, and unfairly called into question the motives of the commission members for denying Auburn’s budget. More information, regarding the commission’s concerns, should have been obtained, before answering questions from the board and local news reporters. These types of reactionary actions tend to create political discord, something we need less of.
After working with our county auditor, I now have a better understanding of their concerns, and a revised budget will be submitted.
I look forward to working with the commission members and their staff in the future.
Fred May, Fiscal Officer
Auburn Township
‘White Privilege’ is Real
For anyone that still isn’t clear about what ‘white privilege’ is, simply witness the response by police in Kenosha to a white teenager approaching them with a rifle after he had just killed two persons and wounded a third. They simply let him pass undeterred and unquestioned.
I dare say that if he had been a black man bearing a semi-automatic weapon he’d have been gunned down by a thousand rounds without hesitation.
The deference showed this killer says everything that needs to be said about white privilege. It exists, it’s real and the failure of many white people to comprehend it demonstrates their inability to get outside of their own head and walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.
Tony Festa
Russell Township
Veering Off Course
Throughout my 66 years in this world, I have always believed that in the United States if you produce a product the people want, they will knock down your door to get it — build a better mousetrap and all that.
However, our country has seemed to veer in a different direction as of late.
First, when our bankers decided to play a risky game with the housing market and lost, they didn’t lose. Our government decided they were too big to fail and bailed them out with our tax dollars. The only losers were the little people (‘We the People’) who lost their homes and their pensions.
More recently, FirstEnergy makes a bad business decision with its nuclear power plant and once again our elected officials came to the rescue. It was once again the little people who were asked to bail out the company with higher rates.
Now, we have our Congressman David Joyce providing a bail out for local newspapers. Tax rebates for hiring journalists, for advertisers and for subscribers.
I can tell you what this will do and won’t. It will make wealthy newspaper owners wealthier. The congressman will get a compliant media source — a lapdog instead of a watchdog. Why would you bite the hand that feeds you?
What it won’t do is ensure quality journalism and make newspapers a product that people want to buy.
You would think Mr. Joyce might be working to do something about our crumbling infrastructure in this country or making health care affordable for all.
But, I guess that takes work.
Joseph Koziol Jr.
Troy Township
