Emails to the Webmaster

Emails to the Webmaster

(Letters to the Editor)

Local activist missed the boat on “insight”

The fact that immigrants are undocumented goes to their illegal status.  Members of my family aren’t documented immigrants.  They’re Legal Citizens.  They earned that right when they showed their respect for this country by entering through the proper channels and not by breaking law.

Barbuti noted that American’s aren’t giving immigrants “the opportunity and comfortability to be part of the culture.”   She’s right.  As an Italian-American, I’m hard pressed to find government instructions in Italian.  Voting, income tax filing, motor vehicle information, etc are in either English or Spanish.  The income tax instructions, provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, notes in both English and Spanish, that “translators are available.”   Lets give the benefit of the doubt that printing that note in other languages would be too costly.  Visiting the website of the Department of Revenue, you’ll find that “Assistance is available in 140 languages, including Spanish, Italian, and German – the most common languages, other than English, spoken in PA households.”  Sadly, the only other language that this note is written in is Spanish.  Then again, the Governor only has an Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs.  Where is the political correctness concern for the Affairs of Italians or Germans?  Being second or third isn’t political correctness worthy.

 Would shopping in area stores allow for “comfortability” to me as an Italian-American?  How about my choices when I check out at a register? Surely, the process that involves money would be taken seriously enough that I’d have some sense of “comfortability”.  Nope, like the display signs, it’s English or Spanish only.

 “Multiculturalism”?! From Government to Sesame Street it’s clearly biculturalism at best.

Maybe it’s time for the politically correct crowd to concern themselves with including the other legal immigrants. Isn’t that “Thinking Globally-Acting Locally”

Frank Gioia
Kunkletown

E

We’re using up our land resources on the development of malls instead of better quality employment opportunities.  The mallification of the area has to stop. We’re in dire need of quality economic growth that can sustain the area’s primary earners.  Sadly, the only noise about these better quality employment opportunities has come about because of a need to create backup locations for financial organizations located in New York City .   

We act so surprised that property taxes are going up.  I’ve alluded to it in some of my past letters and discussion on www.poconocommuter.com forums.  We’ve increased our residential population and only increased the lower paying jobs with more stores.

Taxation solution is in improving the tax base.  An increase in the quality of employment would increase the tax dollars collected and restore some of the balance lost.  The windfall would be if we capture a segment of the New York City commuters.  Those tax dollars would be new-found money.  But overall, better paying jobs would increase the amounts of tax revenues to State and Local agencies, thereby lessening the burden on the rest of us.  Instead, we’re developing a growing potential for a large future brain drain. 

Education is an investment.  One of the returns is working in the area where the education was received and paying back the community with tax dollars.  We’re paying over $10,000 a year to educate our children with hopes of going to college for what?  Is working in a casino or store the future that we want for them?  Are we paying all this money so that they can leave the area and generate tax revenue for another area? 

In the end, quality jobs are a necessity, localized stores are needed but entertainment places and malls are a luxury.

Frank Gioia
Kunkletown

Re: Proposed Cell Tower

I recently received an email that appears to have been distributed for Thomas Murphy regarding the proposed cell tower erection on school grounds.

I understand the reservation of having a cell tower near schools.  I’m currently leaning against its erection due to the fact that it is a relatively young industry/technology.  We don’t fully understand or know what, if any, are the long term effects of exposure.  I would be inclined to support building it somewhere away from a high concentration of children who are still in the developing stages of their lives.

Mr. Murphy’s letter on the other hand is totally out of line.  The notion that he is writing it as a citizen and not a member of the Board is utter nonsense.  In my opinion, that statement indicates a lack of understanding of his role.  He is a member of that Board and his actions good or bad reflect on it.  If he wishes to be involved with a position which he can separate himself from then he should step down.  It was a role he accepted and he should act accordingly.  What other actions or statements would be allowed after saying “I am acting as a citizen not as a member of the board.”

What is more troubling is what he goes on to write. 

“The cell phone company would claim that their emissions are within government guideline.  I would remind you that the same government allowed our troops to use Agent Orange in Vietnam and now those brave men suffer from severe health issues.  The same government also allowed lead in paint, and asbestos products in our buildings, which were both found to be deadly.  The government declared the air quality “safe” immediately following the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers, it was later proven a complete lie.”

To start, is it being implied that the cell phone companies are not transmitting within guidelines when he writes “would claim that”.  Doesn’t that statement potentially avail him and the board to a libel suit?  Ironic that in his listing of Cons for having the tower he lists “liability issues”.  His statement might be a liability concern. 

He goes on to conclude that the Government lied and put its citizens in harms way.  Need I remind Mr. Murphy that there is a segment of our local area that believes that Pleasant Valley School District, a local governmental agency, is covering up a mold issue/problem in its schools and is putting our children in harms way.  Is this the Government that Mr. Murphy is questioning?  Would it be right if we were to add perceived mold problems to his list of Government lies?

Frank Gioia
Kunkletown

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