State workers’ angst
Many thanks to reporter Kevin Miller for his excellent article (“State worker benefit cuts focus of budget hearings,” BDN, Feb. 10) on state employees who are being asked to pay part of the cost for their health insurance.
Employees earning $50,000 to $90,000 are being asked to pay “slightly more than $400 “annually while those earning over $90,000 are being asked to pay “about $810 more annually.” For the thousands of Mainers who are paying $400 or $800 or more monthly for health insurance, I say state employees should stop whining.
Irene Chandler of the Maine Revenue Service “said many state employees can earn significantly more in the private sector” and it’s not worth losing some of them over health insurance. Yes it is! Maine has one of the largest state employee work forces in the country (ranked 21st among all states).
Maine also pays that work force an average of $8,439 more than the national average (ranked 9th). So, yes, please leave for the private sector. Maine’s state government needs to slim down and become more efficient.
Helen A. Shaw
Rockport
Tax credit correction
Elinor Goldberg’s op-ed column on expanding the child tax credit (BDN, Feb. 10) states that “under current law, earnings in 2008 must exceed $12,500 for a family to qualify (for the additional child tax credit).”
In fact, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act passed by Congress on Oct. 3 lowered the threshold for the additional child tax credit for tax year 2008 to $8,500. It is our hope that every eligible Maine family will take advantage of that change.
Greta Grant
H&R Block
Bangor
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No God, no morality?
In his letter to the editor, “Don’t use God” (BDN, Feb. 5), Mark McCall steps into a dilemma that most atheistic thinkers eventually come to; that is, when one rules out any absolute moral authority, anything and everything ultimately will be acceptable.
He implies that faith in the archaic God is what keeps many people from believing that it’s OK “if two guys kiss.” Mr. McCall apparently believes that homosexuality is an acceptable practice. Does he also accept man-boy sexuality? Bestiality? Infanticide? Theft? Murder? He probably does not accept all these other behaviors, but if he doesn’t, what is his basis for rejecting them if he accepts no absolute authority? How does he criticize a person who does accept these other behaviors? Is each person to be the arbiter of his own morality?
It would seem that this is a real problem for his belief system.
Robert Merriam
Stockton Springs
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WLBZ supports delay
I have responded to hundreds of viewer questions about converting to digital television. Happily, many residents are already enjoying WLBZ-DT and other digital signals available in our area. Viewers now want to know what kind of antenna they need to receive digital signals they can watch on their digital televisions or, by hooking up a converter box, on their analog sets.
A good VHF/UHF antenna is important, particularly one that can be steered toward transmission sources.
Not every antenna needs to be mounted on a rooftop, but many households in rural Maine will find it necessary to install one on roofs now covered in snow and ice. That’s a job better suited to warmer temperatures.
Other viewers have had converter box coupons expire or fail to arrive, so they have not yet been able to ensure digital reception at their homes.
Combined with antenna challenges, delaying the date that television stations turn off their analog transmitters makes great sense.
WLBZ 2 will honor the June 12 deadline and supports the delay, because it will work best for our viewers. To help the maximum number of households, we will keep running both our analog and digital transmitters until we are required to stop broadcasting the analog signal.
This change has been most difficult for viewers. WLBZ has broadcast a digital signal since 2002. A few more months running both transmitters is a small inconvenience to make sure viewers are prepared. I’m happy to answer questions; call 800-464-1213, ext. 500 or e-mail jhoran@wlbz.gannett.com.
Judy Horan
WLBZ president
Bangor
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Kill fairness doctrine
American citizens who cherish their liberties and freedom must wake up. Some Washington politicians want to limit free speech by eliminating conservative talk radio through the fairness doctrine.
Liberals enjoy a monopoly in most major newspapers and media as well as having their own talk shows. Conservatives have one news channel, Fox News, where both sides of an issue are presented. Conservatives have several talk shows where people can call in to express opinions about issues.
As Americans, we have the freedom to listen to radio shows we like and turn off those we don’t. Talk radio and Internet sources are the only places people can get all the news uneditorialized.
President Kennedy once said, “The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.” We can’t communicate with politicians if we don’t know what they’re up to.
Our government is out of control because we have not held politicians accountable. We just keep re-electing them because of their party. Did you know that this issue is coming before Congress? How tragic if we give up our freedoms and liberties because of our apathy.
James Blois
Oakfield
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GIs’ cry for help
Where’s the outrage? It was reported that last month more young American GIs’ committed suicide than were killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. They’re tell us something. It is a cry for help: “Bring us home!”
We’re still spending more than $10 billion a month in Iraq and billions more in Afghanistan while our own economy implodes. The politicians don’t get it.
In November the American people voted for change.
Bring those young Americans home and put them to work rebuilding America. There is so little time left.
Dick Hoyt
Lubec