31 August 2023
Giving it to the government
I am a senior citizen.
Years ago if a couple got pregnant it was said “they had to get married.” Which meant the young man was responsible. Nowadays the government takes over with subsidies or abortion approval.
Years ago there was no pre-school. Parents were responsible to take care of and teach the ABCs and 123s etc. Now government has stepped in.
Years ago there was very little day care; parents had to “figure it out.” Now government wants the taxpayers to offer free day care.
Years ago parents would make their children breakfast and probably pack a them a lunch to bring to school. Now government/schools provide breakfast snacks and a free full lunch.
Years ago preteens and teenagers had curfews; now there seems to be a lack of discipline on the part of parents. Is it government’s responsibility?
We have given much of our parenting responsibility over the last 50+ years to the government. Making parenting easier but not better.
John Heller, North Saint Paul
A favor for St. Paul voters
Pure and simple, Peter Butler did the citizens who will be voting on the sales tax increase in St. Paul a service and a favor.
The ballot language the St. Paul City Council had approved previously was not just misleading, it was a threat … “if this sales tax increase isn’t approved we are gonna get the money by raising the taxes on St. Paul houses.”
T. J. Sexton, St. Paul
Time to get back to work
A recent article in the Pioneer Press touched on challenges facing downtown St Paul with vacant office space, specifically in state office buildings due to the “work from home” benefits afforded state employees. While most private businesses are returning to work normalcy, it appears that the state and city (even Mayor Carter works from home) are happy to offer work-from-home employment in perpetuity.
The state is spending $500 million-plus to remodel and expand office space for employees to not return to work, does that make any sense?
Private businesses have started to realize the negative impact of work-from-home policies; productivity, staff engagement, career growth, etc., etc. The premise that the state and city need to offer work-from-home jobs to be competitive in the marketplace is ridiculous. Wake up, State of Minnesota, the pandemic is over, time to get back to work.
Dan Braun, Roseville
Basics first
I have concerns about the amount of taxes the citizens of our city are paying. My taxes recently were increased by over $900 in two years. Now I filed and hope to receive a property tax refund sometime this fall (homesteaded). This is the first year (2022) that I have received the refund, I have filled it out every other year for 30 years. I usually don’t qualify.
I was led to believe that the property taxes we pay as a St. Paul resident should be going to the infrastructure of our city, i.e. street maintenance, water, education, policing and parks. It should not be going to any special interest programs that are not a concern to many city citizens. If need be, funding for mental health and other programs should be coming from other revenue streams.
I propose that our politicians seek out these sources from large corporations that operate in our city. Proposing a 1 cent sales tax increase on our city may slow/stop future small business growth in St. Paul thus preventing more income coming into our city.
Dan Shaw, St. Paul
At the speed of summer
We pay attention to speed. When Buxton races around the bases, Jefferson running down the sidelines to make an unbelievable reception or Duran with a 100-mph fastball, we are in awe. But it is the speed of summer that affects me the most. Why does summer pass so quickly?
First, we are conditioned at an early age to anticipate summer because of our system of education. Students, regardless of their age, struggle through nine months of the school year, awaiting summer vacation. These days of summer seem to fly by, as the freedom of summer is almost intoxicating. Before we know it, summer has passed and another school year begins.
Second, summer is a microcosm of life. Like life itself, summer flies by. If we were to sit and contemplate the past summer, on Labor Day, we would exclaim how fast it passed. If we would stop and assess our life from any given moment to our first memories, that too would have moved at the speed of summer.
So, how do we slow down summer, and for that matter, the days of our life? You have to make every day, every hour and every minute count by making memories. These memories are like speed bumps, as you look back on a summer, or over a period of years. At each speed bump, or memory, you can dwell, share the experience with others, or simply picture it in your mind.
The speed of summer is but a reminder that we take great care to make memories, because if we fail to do that, all we are doing is watching time pass us by.
Jerry Wynn, St. Paul
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