Readers' Hotline 2/6/13

Take a stand
I agree with the caller, “goodbye Grayson.” I cannot believe giving a $50 bonus to people in the courthouse. Voters of Grayson County should check salaries and see just how high they are. Giving $50 to someone who makes $68,000 or $70,000 a year when there are people in the community that are in need. They can’t pay taxes. They can’t buy medicine. They can’t buy food. They are losing homes. We have taxes sky high in Grayson County. It is time to ask questions, check salaries, see what is paid and see how the offices and computers and phones are used.

Blame the cats
This is in response to the coyote attacks, that people should kill every coyote they see. If you got rid of all the cats, there would be plenty of game for the coyote. There is an old saying, “cats kill the game and coyotes get the blame.” If the coyote had killed the cat, the owner could have saved $1,100.
Editor’s note: I can honestly say I’ve never seen a pack of housecats take down a deer or attack livestock.

Compounding interest
All of these people hollering about Obama running up debt, don’t they know that half or two-thirds of that debt is caused by where Bush ran in debt and now it has interest and all that on top of it by the time Obama took over. Think about it.
Editor’s note: From analysis/opinion published by The Washington Times in October 2012: “In four years under Mr. Obama, the federal government will add about $5 trillion to its debt. Under his predecessor, President George W. Bush, the nation added about $3 trillion over eight years.

Isn’t funny
In response to “can’t see the difference,” who said they got the last laugh on me by saying that the Republicans are everything I said the Democrats are in my previous call, okay, let’s just look at the facts. Look at everything Obama stands for. The things he stands for are immoral. Does that sound like the kind of person that cares about us or America? He is a moralist wannabe dictator. Let’s just see where this country is in 2016, if there is anything left of it by then. That thought doesn’t seem too humorous to me.

Where's the coverage
I was just curious why The Gazette has not made mention of the Carroll County eighth grade girls’ basketball team. This is their second season going undefeated and there has not been any mention.
Editor’s note: The Gazette doesn’t routinely cover the eighth-grade level but we will have a season summary soon. To submit newsworthy accomplishments such as this, sports editor Craig Worrell can be contacted at sports@galaxgazette.com.

Tax delinquents
It’s about time. I’d like to thank the board of supervisors of Carroll County for finally deciding to collect delinquent taxes. I am glad to take action and get this done as soon as possible. The ones that pay taxes are the ones penalized. They have to pay more because they can’t collect [from others]. It’s about time the supervisors pushed this issue forward and brought it to the attention of citizens. Let them list delinquent taxes like other counties do. That way, people will come forward and pay. It isn’t right for one person to pay if they are not all going to pay.

Overdone?
Regarding the new entranceway to Carroll County High School, that is a classic example of priorities in spending the taxpayers’ money. It might be compared to watching welfare recipients in a store at the first of the month, who weigh about 300 pounds, covered with tattoos, spending the taxpayers’ money.

Power savings
I would like to say thank you to Appalachian Power for working so hard during all the bad storms and to all the extra people who came in from other states and companies to help. I know a lot of places were hard to get to and with the freezing weather, they had a hard time to battle, carrying poles in and setting them. To the people that complain about their bills, I am on the budget plan but I still turn off lights, shut off rooms I don’t use and I do whatever I can to save my bill. You should try it. It works.

Why so hard?
Why are they having so much problem getting the delinquent tax list? Does the treasurer not want to give up that information?
Editor’s note: Carroll supervisors say they have had difficulty obtaining a full list of delinquent taxes from the county treasurer.

Median damage
Who is paying for repairs to the median where radar is being used in Carroll County? They sit out there and shoot radar. Where is the revenue going? The state police, they used to use radar on ramps and exit ramps and state crossovers. Carroll County seems to be riding in the grass wherever they feel. That’s taxpayer property they are destroying all the way from the top of the mountain to the Wythe County line in numerous places. Massive mud holes where they have gone through the median over and over again. If you have an accident and tear up the grass, you are responsible for paying for it. Is the money coming out of the sheriff’s department funds to pay for the median? Probably not.