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Livonia Observer editorials opinions; Feb 14, 2008
Topic Started: Feb 14 2008, 04:25 PM (809 Views)
Mrs.M
Veteran
http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...520/1199/NEWS10

Tread elsewhere, not on them

I won the lotto. I was born a white, heterosexual male. A member of the ruling class. It don't get no better than that. For example, if the law of nature flip-flopped at midnight and tomorrow the male species became impregnated, I know that within 24 hours, I would be able to obtain, should I choose, a safe, legal abortion at the gas station, health club or local corner bar. Such is the power wielded by my fellow lotto winners and me.

As a lifelong labor union member, I have walked my share of local picket lines but it embarrasses me to say I have never actually marched for a national cause. I'm quite certain the first time I "march" it will be to protect the right of my wife and daughter to govern their own bodies and I'm also quite certain that sincere, well-meaning folk like Rep. J. Pastor, will be truly stunned by the numbers that join me.

With all the problems facing this planet, this hemisphere, this country, this state, this city, I would think that Mr. Pastor might tread elsewhere. On my wife? On my daughter? Not while I breathe!

William McClevarty

Livonia


Ship of state sinking

When will Livonia's bad news end? The Value City store in the Livonia Mall is now leaving, joining a long list of evacuees which includes Quicken Loans, some of the Laurel Park stores, the GM Powertrain plant (proposed), two Kroger warehouses and Chart Hits Video.

So what part of Kirksey's new business boom plan is this? I thought that his third term was going to bring back "The Happy Times."

Seems to me that all he does is throw impotent temper tantrums each time another shoe drops. His failed style of leadership involves little more than fiddling while Rome burns - or more precisely, while the city goes down the drain. The emperor has no clothes! Or has Toto pulled back the curtain and exposed Oz as not at all god-like, but rather only a funny little man yanking levers and switches while producing much smoke?

The Kirksey-skippered Livonia Ship Of State is less like The Good Ship Lollipop and more like a half-submerged Titanic, which is captained by a mad Ahab who deluded his crew with one whale of a tale and promises of prosperity. He shifts his own blame over to the general, poor state economy the same way that "Hurricane Jenny" blames Bush for her ineptness. If the situation is beyond his control, then why did he offer his candidacy as the solution? If he can't meet the challenge, he should resign and let someone else have a shot.

Maybe Kirksey should have a second recreation center built - then his career resume' could boast two measly accomplishments. Perhaps in the spirit of Jerry Ford's WIN buttons, Kirksey could pass out some similar trinkets - I'd suggest buttons carrying the image of Mad magazine's Alfred E. Neuman (what, me worry?).

Leo Weber

Livonia


Standing by Dillon

As a former Republican Speaker, I admire Speaker Andy Dillon's drive, determination and commitment to the people of Michigan. I felt driven to write this letter to oppose the current effort to recall Andy Dillon for many reasons, the most important of those being that Andy is one of the finest men I have ever had the privilege to know.

Andy is an outstanding public servant who has always put the people of Redford Township, Dearborn Heights and Livonia first. He has had to make tough decisions every day in an attempt to balance good government, a difficult economic situation and a budget with too many programs and too little money. With two years of legislative experience, Andy did what none of us before him had the courage to do. He balanced the state budget, instituted reforms to state programs and cut state spending.

His deep roots in the community and his commitment to this state gave him the strength to make these difficult decisions. As Speaker of the House, he has led by example and worked hard to bring all sides together for a stronger Michigan. Now, out-of-state groups want to recall him and silence the voice of the citizens of House District 17.

As the father of four young children, Andy is active in school activities and has worked hard to ensure that schools in Redford Township, Dearborn Heights and Livonia have the tools they need to fully educate children in the community. Andy has successfully secured full funding for local schools, giving students in House District 17 the resources to succeed in school and beyond.

Andy also helped local businesses such as Detroit Diesel obtain incentives from the state that allowed them to create hundreds of good-paying jobs in your community.

He spearheaded the bipartisan 21st Century Jobs Fund which set aside $2 billion for the development of high tech jobs.

He worked hard to bring road paving projects to the district.

And his town hall meeting on power outages in the district resulted in DTE making much needed investments to upgrade the distribution system in the district.

I want to call on the citizens of Redford Township, Dearborn Heights and Livonia to stand up to outside groups that want to tear the community apart and recall Andy. These groups do not have the community's best interests at heart.

Rick Johnson

former Speaker of the House of Representatives


'Right to work' law overdue

Re: Letter by Jean Bedford on Right to Work:

The union wage contracts have not done a thing for 90 percent of the people that are not represented by the unions, except to drive up the cost for everyone else so that the 10 percent can get "union" wages.

Government receives less work for more money on contracts for which union wages must be paid, i.e. "Davis-Bacon." Ohio gets more bang for its tax dollar and consequently receives more road miles of construction and maintenance work on its roads for less money than Michigan does for its tax dollars. Why: their labor costs are less.

I have two sons: One is IT (information technology) educated and had to move to Tennessee in order to secure employment in an automotive related business. The other has a bachelor's and master's degree and cannot secure employment in Michigan.

Are you are telling me that the union wrote these laws that disadvantage the general public? No, the Democrats wrote these laws. And attempting to redistribute wealth through whatever means they have, is what they do best, whether in the public interest or not. The "right to work" is a law long overdue in a Michigan that has businesses bailing out as fast as they can and in the process terminating thousands of employees in jobs with perhaps a high school education with higher pay than the "non-union" work force.

These businesses are paying in the high millions of dollars to begin anew in a different state or country with a different work force.

Welcome to the 21st Century. Working under union representation is not a privilege, except for the few connected to other union leaders who can benefit themselves and their friends. Level the playing field so everyone can secure employment and not just the select few.

It would seem that there are uninformed people out there, and, one of them thought that she could write and publish. And she did. Is this the Livonia Observer or the Redford Observer?

Bernard A. Skotzke

Livonia
I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG.
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Otis B.
Veteran
Leo Weber is my new hero. Greatest letter ever.
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Mrs.M
Veteran
http://hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...526/1199/NEWS10
There are reasons for optimism here

The news on Livonia's business front could seem pretty bleak, if you choose to look at it that way.

But despite the commercial vacancies across town and the various closings we've reported in recent months, there are still plenty of positive signs out there. One came last week in the form of a proposed closing of Value City, which means a loss of jobs and a store closing. But the closing will finally open up options for revitalizing the long-declining Livonia Mall, meaning new investment is coming.

Yes the economy is languishing, but businesses are still investing in Livonia.

Look at the Wonderland Village project, with its many new shops and restaurants that are still putting down stakes here. Look north on Middlebelt to the Schoolcraft area, where the new Lowe's project will fill a vacancy and, just across the freeway, where both Wine Palace and Bob Evans are planning major improvements.

At the same time, work has already begun near the Eight Mile and Farmington roads corner where a new Tim Hortons, Walgreens and Taco Bell are going to be built. A mile away, Joe's Produce on Seven Mile completed a major expansion last year. So did Westborn Market on Middlebelt.

On the campus of the Felician Sisters, significant investments have been completed at St. Mary Mercy Hospital and Ladywood High School. Work is also under way at Madonna University.

Just east of I-275, drivers can see the investment of another school of higher education, construction of a new campus for Davenport University - a 40,000-square-foot facility - grows near the Embassy Suites. New businesses are finding their way into plazas at Newburgh and Six Mile and elsewhere around town. And all of this happens during this really tough economy.

In the past year, city officials report Livonia's unemployment rate was 3.2 percent, still much better than similar-sized communities.

Traveling around the town, we may see signs of business vacancies and stores closing. But we should also notice there are still plenty of people working in Livonia's salons, restaurants, medical offices, small retail stores, banks, drug stores and elsewhere. Yes, the glass is still half-full.



I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG.
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