Last Sunday’s newspaper article about the probable appointment of Trustee Seaman as Tinley Park mayor was an unsettling reminder of what the mayor, trustees and clerk have gifted to themselves in longevity pay. Shame on all of us for being so complacent in letting it happen in the first place and allowing it to go on for so long. This, along with a host of other shenanigans that have only recently come to light, have cost taxpayers a lot and damaged the integrity of our political leaders. Keep digging, Mr. Pratt. There is more to be unearthed.
Tinley Park
It would be horribly unjust for the state of Illinois to seize, by eminent domain, the homes, farms and livelihoods of people living in the cross hairs of the imaginary South Suburban Airport. No airlines have ever been interested and are not now. It has no Federal Aviation Administration approval. There’s no private partner. The land the state has acquired is in patches, not all contiguous, and has come off the tax rolls. The uncertainty is horrible especially for the landowners and their finances.
Was the writer who complained about the Cubs’ ballplayers spitting their pumpkin seeds onto the floor of the dugout watching their first ballgame? This has been going on for as long as I can remember. I remember seeing ballplayers spitting their chewing tobacco onto the dugout floor. Please find something meaningful to complain about.
El, Chicago
I would like to comment on the political cartoon I saw in last Sunday’s edition of the Southtown. While the cartoonist certainly has the right to free speech, I disagree with the drawing that denounces the death penalty for the Boston bomber, saying that we are hypocritical because we will be murdering a murderer. I would like to know how the cartoonist would feel if his child were the victim of a terrorist bomb. Would he really think of forgiveness if his child were killed or severely injured? Any parent would know the answer to that.
Oak Forest
Columnist Scott Reeder wonders why you and I pay higher taxes to ensure that state employees receive more generous benefits than we can hope to ever receive. Most state workers do not pay into Social Security. They pay 8.5 percent or more of each paycheck for their pension benefits. I doubt most Americans would give up Social Security for only a risky 401(k) plan. Scott should research how many state employees have advanced degrees — nurses, social workers, certified public accountants, civil engineers, neurosurgeons and college professors earn more than the average worker. Free market competition sets state compensation.
It’s not surprising that Leora Bell, a resident of Country Club Hills, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking the payment of property tax rebates that the city promised to thousands of residents in 2012. Maybe she should be asking former Mayor Dwight Welch, “where did all the money go?”
Tony, Tinley Park
Regarding Kathleen Parker’s May 15 column in the Daily Southtown, once again, it’s Christians as victims. Religious beliefs don’t have to be changed. They just have to stay the heck out of government. Remember, Kathleen, separation of church and state. Hey, if you don’t want contraception, don’t use it. If you don’t want to have an abortion, don’t get one. But don’t outlaw things that the rest of the women of the world and this country may want to have because of your religious beliefs. I rest my case.
JK, Tinley Park
Wow! Eighteen hurt and one person killed in Chicago over a recent weekend. Everybody’s complaining about director Spike Lee’s new movie, “Chiraq.” Even Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel doesn’t like it. Why? Because Spike Lee’s telling the truth like he does in all of his pictures? Good luck, Spike Lee. I like your movies.
Jerry, Chicago Heights
Mr. Bully, aka Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, thinks he can break the law and do whatever he wants. He’s sitting there saying pension reform has no effect on him. Who does he think he is? Election time’s over. Now he’s going to go back to the way he used to be. To cut the budget, let’s eliminate some of these aldermen. That’s a big savings. What do they work, 20 hours a week?
Speak Out allows readers to comment on the issues of the day. Email Speak Out at speakout@southtownstar.com or call 312-222-2427. Please limit comments to 30 seconds or about 120 words and give at least your first name and your hometown.
