Where have the savings gone ?
During calendar year 2008, the Bella Vista Property Owners Association will have realized a savings of approximately $ 5. 5 million by transferring the police, fire and road-maintenance functions to the newly created city of Bella Vista. A review of POA records will disclose that for the calendar year 2006, the POA spent approximately $ 1 million on the operation of the Golf Division. During the current year, the total dollars to be spent on the Golf Division will be approximately $ 3 million. It is clear the Golf Division is currently enjoying an additional influx of $ 2 million. Since golf revenue has steadily decreased because of the number of rounds played each year and the reluctance of the POA Board of Directors to raise golf fees, the solution to the problem is simple. Divert money savings from incorporation to the Golf Division rather than look for ways to improve the operation of that division. I realize Bella Vista is a golfing community and this amenity deserves support of the POA; therefore, I am suggesting to the board of directors that it cap the support of the Golf Division at $ 2 million. Current figures show that this would be $ 1. 3 million in actual cash support and. 7 million in overhead expenses.
Wally Sheldon
Bella Vista
Parents must take responsibility
Give us more of Rusty Rusterholz's type of articles. People need to be reminded that their children are their responsibility, not society's. Schools' hands are tied by parents who think their children can do no wrong. These children grow up with that sense and think that as long as they don't get caught, it's OK. Let's get the word out loud and strong that our children are our responsibility - and our future.
Lloyd E. Collins
Bentonville
Geese better get out of editor's way
In a column in The Benton County Daily Record (Sept. 24 ), editor and general manager Kent Marts wrote that the Bella Vista Patriots' goose-giveaway plan to reduce the number of Canada geese in Bella Vista is going to fail. I don't think he knows the full scope of our plan. It is not a one-shot, onemethod, short-term plan.
Editor Marts is a bow hunter. I think his plan will probably succeed. As I understand it, he plans to have his fellow bow hunters form a circle around a gaggle of geese and shoot on his order of "Ready, aim, fire ! " (This is a strategy he learned from the students of Texas A & M. )
When they let their arrows fly, they will probably not only rid us of a few geese, but we can also probably say goodbye to a few bow hunters. Happy hunting.
Jim Parsons
Bella Vista
Obama suppresses criticism
Free speech is a cornerstone of our system of government and way of life, which includes the freedom to speak out against injustice, and even to criticize the president and our leaders. It seems now that Sen. Barack Obama and his campaign are threatening people who speak out against him and / or his policies with criminal action, fines and imprisonment. The governor of Missouri, Matt Blunt, is even now trying to deal with the intimidation tactics of the Obama campaign. Their modus operandi is to deny, obfuscate and call their opponents liars. It is "off-limits"to question Obama on his radical associations, his record, his roots or his Chicago machine political background. It's appalling, and the only way to stop this is to not vote him into the highest office in the land. If Obama is trying to do this now and he's not even president, what would he do if given real power ? Would there be an "enemies list," and would ordinary citizens be imprisoned for their beliefs, or for daring to criticize "President Obama" ? Whatever happened to the country we all grew up in ?
Eleanor Lock
Bella Vista
Plenty of blame to go around
Lies and distortions are making the rounds on right-wing media these days, blaming Clinton for the current economic mess. There's plenty of blame to be shared by everyone.
The Financial Services Modernization Act was authored by Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, and passed by the Republican majority in 1999. It was signed by Clinton after much negotiation and veto threatening. It essentially repealed the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act, which forbid banks and insurance companies from getting into the investment business. When these businesses were deregulated, mergers mushroomed and the derivatives market for bundled mortgages exploded. Freddy and Fanny, just like many other mortgage buyers, bought these bundles and, like many, got stuck with "toxic"loans in the bundles.
When the housing market tanked, their balance sheets, like others, took a giant hit. They got noticed first (2003 to 2005 ) because they hold so much more of the toxic waste than anybody. Greenspan, some Democrats and even McCain warned that Freddy and Fanny were over-leveraged with bad debt. But the banking lobby got to everyone - Democrats and Republicans, including McCain - and no legislation made it through Congress. In 1999, times were good. We had very low unemployment and the fastest-growing economy in history. Bank deregulation, promising more affordable housing, seemed like a good idea. Everybody, Democrats and Republicans alike, should have known what would happen when you turn humans totally loose with no one watching the store. Greed is a tempting mistress. It happened in the 1920 s, and it's happened again. Will we never learn ?
Dave Barfield
Bella Vista
Bailout OK, but only with conditions
Snake-oil salesman George W. Bush wants us taxpayers to bail out his buddies on Wall Street. No way. Bush fooled us once with the weapons-of-mass-destruction line, but he is not going to fool us again with a $ 700-billion bailout. His credibility is shot.
While I believe that some sort of government intervention is probably in order, I do not believe in writing a blank check to Secretary of the Treasury Paulson to use as he sees fit. Whatever eventually comes out of this intervention, in my mind, the following conditions must be included. First, there must be no taxpayer money used to pay off nonperforming CEOs with golden parachutes. In fact, no executive of any company begging for government help should get a dime of our money. Second, the American taxpayer needs to be the first to be paid off when these companies return to profitability, and the money doesn't come free. We loan it to them at the prevailing interest rate at the time they get the money. Third, an oversight committee composed of highly respected business people needs to monitor the progress these companies make in returning to profitability. This oversight committee should include no politicians. Whether we actually loan these companies money or buy up their nonperforming loan portfolio, the above conditions must be met. Finally, moving forward, we need to insist that Congress get off its butt and enact legislation that will not let a situation like this occur again.
Pete Rathmell
Garfield
Thanks for update on Rogers grads
Thank you for Jim Hall's story on former Rogers High School pitchers Don Lisi and Dan Golden (Sept. 23 ). I believe the community likes to be informed when hometown boys do well. Your paper, particularly Jim Hall, does a good job of that in my opinion.
Doug Stewart
Rogers
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