Spring Hill bond deserves support

As grandparents very interested in public schools, particularly in Spring Hill, we want to encourage every voter to support the bond proposal. Our entire campus needs overhauling. Already the primary campus is approaching capacity, and the condition of the intermediate campus surprised us four years ago. Our community is growing because Spring Hill is a great place to live. But for many, the deciding factor is the school system. We cannot put this package on hold and be competitive with other districts that have met the challenge. The future of this school district depends on moving forward now.

Let's not nickel and dime the package. Ticket booths and turf should not deter support. The assessment committee has done an outstanding job in determining the most for the least amount of money, as well as dividing the package into two phases. We want to attract and keep the best teachers and administrators for our students. It is up to us as a community to provide the facilities and environment that will lead to success for students and teachers. We need your "yes" vote.

Leon and Betty Kirby, Longview

Vote against LISD bond

This is in response to all the "vote for LISD bond" letters.

I don't think now is the right time to completely repair everything that should have been corrected in the prior years. Sure the tax rate was lower last year. Appraisals are higher. My taxes still increased.

Why can't we work into this problem in increments, instead of burdening people at an unsure time as far as income, possible job loss and cost of living increases for fuel and food?

I read a letter to the editor on May 4 about condtions in our schools. Instead of looking at conditions now, why was she not worried before? There have been other "for" letters, but enough is enough. I had to respond.

People, wake up and vote against this. You will be paying for this for 28 years. This will not include any other additions to taxes, appraisals, etc.

I may be wasting my time writing this letter, but I have stated my point. Please go to vote "against" the bond issue. We can work together to help this city, not to disable it.

Don't forget other city expense increases each year: water, sewer, trash pick-up, etc.

Dwane Beck, Longview

Congress should tackle real issues

We "of the land of the free and the home of the brave" are distraught with fear of a sagging economy, war, $4 gas, immigration, health care and other issues that we can't persuade Congress to even start to correct.

Lawmakers would rather conduct hearings on the use of steroids by athletes than take care of matters for which we elected them.

The shortages of rice, wheat, corn and other farm products in the United States could be addressed if we quit paying large landowners and farmers not to plant crops — and encouraging them to plant all the corn, wheat and rice they can to prevent world starvation.

The cost of gasoline has been driven out of sight by speculators who pay millions of dollars for tankers of oil for more than $100 per barrel. These "entrepreneurs" need to be controlled by legislation making them financially responsible. Compel them to prove they have the money they have bid for the product before being allowed to purchase OPEC oil.

Montana, recognized as the coal capital of the world, was a party to the development of gasoline from coal at a low cost. Early in the development of this new fuel, the OPEC countries saw that such a discovery would greatly diminish demand for their oil, and they cut the price of their product and the Montana coal was immediately forgotten.

Geologists tell us the state of Alaska is sitting on a vast sea of oil which Congress has prevented drilling and development to protect the caribou. Granting permission to drill the Arctic shelf will produce hundreds of millions of dollars from lease bonuses and the continuing payment of royalties to the U.S. Treasury to help finance all the give away programs of our elected officials.

Please write your congressman and senators and demand that they vote to allow drilling in Alaska.

R.E. Peppy Blount, Longview