LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Kudos To The Library

My name is Pat Wolfarth and I am director of Children's Ministries at First United Methodist Church in Spring Hill. The church's summer camp operates under my direction, and this year we have taken advantage of a wonderful program offered by Spring Hill's local branch library. Every Friday during the summer, the staff and I have walked 35 to 40 children two blocks to the library and have been entertained, educated and captivated by every guest the library offers.

We have been struck by the moralistic tone of the presentations while also being informative and entertaining. The children, as well as the adults, have enjoyed each Friday's program thoroughly and look forward to next year's programs. We have been impressed by the diversity as well as the caliber and quality of each guest. The library staff has been most accommodating, welcoming and treated both the children and adults with the utmost respect.

We congratulate the Hernando County Library for providing such wonderful, educational and fun programs for the local communities, and especially thank the Spring Hill Library for their dedication to the children in our neighborhood.

Patricia Wolfarth

Spring Hill

Empty Desk Syndrome

THE Bus again! Lordy, lordy.

You see the greeters at Wal-Mart and other places. I'm sure a lot like the pay, but some just don't want to be idle. How about them driving THE Bus? I'm sure they don't demand large pay and may not even need benefits.

Why don't we find resources other than high-dollar decisions on every little need?

There are so many ways to do things without meetings, red tape and big dollars.

In some ways, it's good to have our lifestyles cut back. Wish we could cut our county's leaders. I've had quite a few needs never met. Just another number to call. We could save a lot by not having desks in offices. No one is at them half the time.

Linda Kirkwood

Brooksville

And They Want

You To Conserve

Give this some thought: First you go buy an auto. Bang! There is that huge sales tax on top of the cost. The dealer nails you for prep and transfer fees. Then your insurance company raises the cost of your insurance. Now you go fill the tank. Wow: $78.00 to fill it. You thought you were finished with tax when you paid the sales tax. No, so they blame the oil companies for the high price of fuel. They are not all to blame.

If you took all the taxes off gasoline, a gallon of gas would only cost about 40 cents. So, every time you spend $4 for a gallon of gas, you are paying $3.60 in taxes. If they would stop throwing tax on top of tax, life would be a lot easier.

Now you need a tire - that is taxed. Oil change - taxed. Service - taxed. The only thing I can think of that is not taxed is food, and I am surprised they haven't figured a way to do that.

They tell you to conserve. It seems to me that the less you use, the more they charge to compensate for the loss of profit they expect to make. It all boils down to the less you use, the more they charge. The only ones who gain are the ones who produce the products.

So to beat the high cost, you think I'm going to buy a Prius, battery and gas combination? First off, it will cost you $7,000 to $10,000 more than a conventional auto. You sure can do a lot of driving for that much money difference. Plus, the depreciation. Also, the way I read in the newspaper, a battery replacement runs between $2,700 and $3,000. From what I see, you are not gaining a thing; in fact you lose.

Now, you say I know just the thing. I'll buy a motor scooter and get good gas mileage and save a bundle. Wrong! Here comes the conserve part. Yes, you are going to use less gas and conserve and also put your life on the line; but along comes a law that wipes out the savings you expected - $200 to $300 to take a test to drive one. What a joke. Just another way of picking up revenue. They say they are looking out for your safety. Bull.

If they were worried about your safety, they would charge a small fee for the license. Ninety percent of the time the accident of a motorcycle is that an auto driver is the fault. They give a license to a 16-year-old for pennies to go flying down the road in a 3-ton vehicle, but $300 for a motorcycle. When the low man is trying to cut expenses and they see a slight gap, they jump right in and wipe out any savings you can acquire. Oh, yeah, conserve.

Talk about cutting expenses. Went to the courthouse the other day. There, at the entrance, was security like you'd think it was the White House. Two officers at each door, which I'm sure was six all together. I'm sure one officer would be sufficient. No wonder the sheriff has such a high budget. With things the way they are, I'm sure the courthouse expense could have waited. Easy come, easy go.

I also have been in the recording department three times in the last month; and you have five really pretty ladies, who, from what I can see, do not have anything to do. I don't want people to lose their jobs; but when things are tough, that's the way it goes.

Joseph Allesi

Brooksville