In Daira Jarrell’s thought provoking article on unified government in The Anniston Star, Oct. 17, she used statistics taken from the Jacksonville budget for FY 99 which need elaboration.Our anticipated shortfall of $332,398 was largely the product of carry over restricted funds, almost $200,000 to be spent in FY 99 although the funds were collected but unspent in 1998.
The remaining approximate $130,000 in the deficit was based on a “worst case scenario,” with a very conservative estimate of revenues, but a generous prediction for the cost of operating expenses.
When our audit is completed, I am confident that overall financial conditions will be much stronger than the projections Ms. Jarrell used.
By the way, in our new FY 2000 budget, the general fund component anticipates a modest surplus.
When all other funds are added, including our utility budget of almost $3 million, total operations are approximately $10 million.
With several new residential subdivisions under construction and new commercial activity dotting the landscape from near JSU on the north to the southern city boundary, it is an exciting time to be in Jacksonville.
We invite your readers to come see for themselves.
Jerry L. Smith
mayor
City of Jacksonville
Political shopping list
Bill Clinton plans to spend $15 million to buy back guns. Predictably, people with common sense argue this is a waste of money.
Of course it is, but as usual sensible people don’t get it. Most important is to project an image of caring. Clinton doesn’t go far enough.
We need $58 million to buy back tobacco.
Let’s get tobacco off the streets (for the children). We should spend $82 million to buy back liquor from alcoholics. We should spend $212 million to buy back adult books and magazines from pornography addicts. Let’s spend $168 million to buy back losing lottery tickets from the losers who purchase them.
Ultimately, we should spend $45.3 billion to buy back politicians who demagogue every issue for their own political gain.
This would include politicians who prey on people’s weaknesses by proposing gambling as a panacea for failing financial policies.
It would include politicians who obstruct justice, use school shootings to advance their personal political agendas, and sell nuclear technology to communists for campaign contributions. It would be the mother of all buy-back programs. If we could get those guys out of circulation, that would be a program I could really get excited about.
Mike Vickers
Oxford
Jesse’s wanderings
I don’t think we need to be too concerned about Jesse Ventura’s Playboy interview statement, “Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers.”
We might even agree. We know he’s referring to those “other” religions.
Armond “Si” Simmons
Pell City
Tobacco funds
An open letter to Gov. Siegelman:
State Rep. Gerald Allen has in-troduced a constitutional amendment to place the tobacco funds that are to be received from the tobacco industry into a trust fund.
The programs earmarked for these funds will remain the same. They will only have to wait a little while before full funding.
The present plan is to use the funds as received and these funds will be depleted at the end of 25 years or sooner, should the tobacco industry fail to supply the funds.
The only hope for these programs would be new taxes, which Alabama voters would certainly reject. Too many taxes now.
Gov. Siegelman, why not allow the people to vote on this amendment?
Why would you desire to say no to a solid future? Alabama voters are the ones to decide the issue.
Robert Shirley
Cottondale
Talladega leadership
After reading the Daily Home’s recent news article and editorials regarding Talladega’s financial condition, and editorials I feel compelled to offer my comments.
Apparently our mayor has forgotten his appointment to the throne of honesty and integrity and has chosen the path of blame and finger-pointing in explaining our financial woes.
Although the mayor has failed to issue a financial report to the council for the last four years, he now blames our outgoing city clerk for all bookkeeping problems.
How is that for honesty and integrity?
Blame someone that has been on the job less than two years for all the problems created by the mayor during the last four years.
For all the self-righteous citizens that bestowed the label of honesty and integrity on our current mayor, take note.
During the last two and a half to three months, the mayor has been asked numerous times to discuss Talladega’s financial condition.
During that same time period he has blamed his inability to do so on computer problems, auditors, family illness, election spending, and now the city clerk.
Under this mayor’s leadership, Talladega has been labeled the racist capital of the world, there is distrust between a large portion of our community and the police force, our city’s population has declined, and we face mounting financial concerns.
For all those that sang the songs of praise and carried his majesty’s banner of honesty and integrity, step up to the plate and explain his inept handling of the real issues we face in Talladega.
Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot. I’m asking the same people that believed the mayor when he said he was instrumental in bringing Honda to Lincoln.
Never mind. Talk about buying a truckload of stumps!
Virginia Tucker
Talladega
Teacher testing
I do not understand the basis for the dispute over “teaching testing” in Alabama.
Will someone please explain to me how a uniform teacher’s test given to all applicants for a teacher’s certificate can be deemed prejudiced against blacks.
Isn’t the correct answer to all math problems the same for all applicants? Doesn’t 2 plus 2 equal 4, regardless of your color?
Doesn’t the usage of nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs in the English language follow the same rules for all people who wish to correctly use the language?
Aren’t the cities of Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile located in the same places on a map of Alabama?
Don’t they have a standardized teacher’s test that has been approved by the federal courts for use in many other states? If so, why can’t we use it in Alabama?
John D. Bonham
Montgomery
Salute to a surgeon
We think Anniston is very fortunate to have a man like Dr. Bryan Freeman. He is the kind of doctor that hurts with you when you hurt; cries with you when you cry; and prays with you before doing surgery on your loved ones. He doesn’t ask if you have money, or ask for it up front. He is the most caring and loving doctor we have ever known.
Thank you, Dr. Freeman, for being such a special person and gifted surgeon. We love you.
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy T. Haynes
Anniston
