Here are Thursday's Sentinel letters to the editor.
Give continued support to AHEC
Dear Editor:
The announcement that the Army plans to build its museum at Fort Belvoir, Va., does not mean the Army History and Education Center at Carlisle Barracks is doomed.
The Secretary of the Army reaffirmed a decision that was made in 2001. Some at Belvoir did not like the proposed location there. He told them where construction will be. The letter says nothing about the future of AHEC.
This facility is of great importance to Central Pennsylvania and continued development of Pennsylvania tourism. It adds to the greatness of the Army War College and serves as a beacon for those who want to discover our Army.
We have had a groundswell of support to keep AHEC. We need the full support of our local newspapers, TV stations, business and civic clubs.
Write to our Pennsylvania legislators. Get friends from other states to write to theirs and send copies to our legislators.
Robert W. Black
Carlisle
In objection to property tax increase
Dear Editor:
We are retired homeowners residing in the Carlisle school district. We object to any increases of our property taxes.
Until the Carlisle Area school board makes more significant cuts to reduce waste and inefficiency, any future tax increase is unjustified.
The school board chose to recommend a 3.5 percent tax increase. Instead of cutting salaries to meet the budget shortfall, the board recently agreed to increase the teachers' salaries. Let the teachers contribute 25 percent of their health care plan to match federal employees rather than the 16 2/3 percent they now contribute for a saving.
Change the culture of spending and waste; spend only on need to have, not nice to have; and shake up the internal bureaucratic special interest and "empires" so that productivity is increased and efficiencies are streamlined and enhanced.
There is a lack of accountability to the community, where more openness and time to solicit and listen to creative input from the community would spark new thinking.
The CASD board and administration have not carefully husbanded taxpayers' money. With a financial crisis looming for the board, their tax and spend policy needs to be reversed.
In these economically difficult times, we need a call for serious budget austerity measures, not gestures. Rather, we need new and creative ways of thinking, surely, not for higher taxes.
Afra and Constant Maffey
Carlisle
‘Road diet' unfriendly to pedestrian
Dear Editor:
I am not at all impressed nor pleased with the "road diet" program for traffic in the downtown area of Carlisle.
It appears not enough thought went into the problem with traffic and especially the foot traffic over many crosswalks in the downtown area.
Where can one now cross Hanover or High streets? What if I get into the wrong lane while driving and must make a left-hand turn? That happened twice to me.
Not enough thought or discussion went into this ridiculous plan. It surely was a terrible mistake to favor vehicular traffic over the residents and guests in the downtown area.
It is not too late for our officials to admit they made a mistake and to return the downtown area to what it was before this very poor idea was introduced and followed.
Carlisle was in pretty good shape for both pedestrians and vehicular traffic before these changes occurred.
Wayne Powell
Carlisle
Letters must be under 450 words and signed. Letters over 450 words will be edited to meet the word limit. Please print you name under your signature and include your address and a daytime telephone number. Letters will be verified before they are printed. Writers may criticize others' actions, but personal attacks will not be printed. Writers are limited to one appearance per calendar month. Send your letter to: Letters to the Editor, The Sentinel, Carlisle, PA 17013 or deliver to our offices at 457 E. North St., Carlisle, or 79 W. King St., Shippensburg.
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