Letters
To The Editor
Arab Today provides space for letters from readers as a public service. Letter content is solely the responsibility of the writer.* Arab Today does not endorse any letter submitted to the editor.
Hanson Asks
- What’s it Worth?
Does alcohol
do more harm than good? I have heard of doctors who tell their
patients to drink a beer a day or glass of wine to help clear
their kidneys. Red wine is said to have polyphenols which act as
antioxidants that can fight heart disease. So some alcohol can
be used for good. But answer my question.
Then, answer
this question: How much harm does alcohol cause?
In the end it is the responsibility of the individual to decide
to drink alcohol. That person is taking their life and others
into their hands. Some say it is not alcohol that is killing
people, it is the choice of a person to drink too much and lose
control of their actions. My question is why take the chance?
Does it really taste that good?
Arab is a
dry city. It has been dry for as long as I have lived here. Pick
up the paper and read the headlines. How many times is alcohol a
factor in the crimes committed? How many DUI arrests are there?
Do you realize that these people could kill the people you love?
Would that change your mind when you vote for the referendum?
Complete letter....
Morris
Discusses Alcohol Referendum
April 30, 2008
Letter to the
Editor:
Our city continues to have financial difficulties. Our
schools face financial difficulties and layoffs. There are
several ways to address this problem – increase property
taxes, increase licensing and other fees, or increase the
sales tax rate. We still believe that the solution is to
increase sales tax revenue by increasing the volume of sales
rather than the sales tax rate. We believe that allowing the
legal sales of alcohol would accomplish this goal.
Those who currently purchase alcohol in other cities would
be able to support Arab with their purchases. We would draw
customers from the surrounding area as well. The economic
impact study that we commissioned in 2006 indicated that by
allowing legal sales of alcohol we would attract restaurants
and other retail businesses to our city and that over a ten
year period we could see sales tax revenue increase by over
a million dollars a year. That projection is based strictly
on sales tax and does not include the additional alcohol
taxes.
Complete letter.....
April 27,
2008
Dear Editor -
Thank you so much for your continued support and coverage of
the Marshall North Relay for Life! Thanks to your wonderful
website, readers could get local information on fundraisers
and other Relay related events anytime day or night. It is
because of supporters like you and your kind and generous
readers that we were able to fly past our fundraising goal
for 2008 and raise in excess of $177,000!! We could have
never soared to such great heights without you. Thank you
again!!
Sincerely -
The Marshall North Relay for Life Committee
April 27,
2008
Dear Editor -
Why dose Arab
not have anything for our kids to do? Like a skating ring or
a Movie Theater With gas near $4 per gallon our teens
and adults would spend their money in Arab instead of
driving to Huntsville or other cities just to see a movie.
Arab also
needs to have some industry for Jobs? Good paying Jobs!
Jimmy
McFarlen
Arab
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Bodine
Frustrated With
Local Legislative Bills
April 6, 2008
Sirs:
This letter will explain my
frustrations with bills that are to be introduced into the
current session of the Alabama Legislature affecting
Marshall County. Both seem to be so absurd that our esteemed
representatives are out of touch with reality with their
constituents.
First: Where is the logic behind
the so-called $25.00 tag-tax when you take into
consideration of what is happening with rising prices on
everything that you have to purchase to exist.
Complete letter....
Waldrop
Explains
Commercial Recruitment Efforts
Dear Editor:
March 7, 2008
I have been involved with retail development for the past several years in Arab and have been involved with Applebee's project since late last summer when it began. Mayor Cox and I have met with the QRC owners and their architect many times over the past several months and have worked extremely hard to get to this point.
Complete letter....
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Bodine Responds To
McLaughlin Statement
April 17,
2008
Sirs:
I surely
would like to expound upon Jeff McLaughlin’s statement in
our local papers concerning his opinion about the $25.00 tag
fee being the best solution for the Arab, Guntersville and
Marshall County school systems. (Source: Arab Tribune, April
9, 2008.) Who elected him to make a decision of what is best
for the taxpayers. I suppose I am naïve in believing the
people should continue to have the right to impose a tax on
them-selves, when it is shown to be needed. The solution to
this problem is to consolidate all the systems back into the
county system or prorate the sales tax revenue.
The tag bill will suck more money into a system that will
soon be destroyed by people like our self-appointed king
over his constituents. Representative McLaughlin cannot
support consolidation because he is controlled by the city
of Arab by being the city attorney and on their payroll.
(Source: The Arab Tribune. April 9, 2008.)
Complete letter....
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Commercial Recruitment Letter
Draws Response From Griggs
Letter
to the Editor:
March 9, 2008
I can understand Sammy Waldrop’s frustration with the
Applebee’s deal falling through; nine months of work to get
Applebee’s to the point of approaching the full city
council, and then the deal falls through.
However, and this is a big point, with all due respect to
Sammy, these local restaurant and other business owners have
put years, and many thousands of dollars of their own money
into their projects, and certainly have a right to speak out
about the actions of the CDA.
Complete letter....
Applebee's Plan
Dear Editor,
February 27, 2008
Like most Arabians, I think it would be nice to have Applebee's in Arab. However, I just don't believe the city should have to issue bonds to provide the land and a building and waive 50% of the tax revenue as an incentive. Not only is this proposal grossly unfair to others who take the risk to establish a business in Arab without such guarantees from the city, I think it is unnecessary.
I checked with the mayor's office in Guntersville and learned that they did absolutely nothing to get Applebee's to come there. The only thing they do as an incentive is to possibly provide inkind services and things like helping with access roads.
Could it be that Applebee's probably believes the city will go wet in the next election, but wants the city to provide a safety net in case it doesn't? I understand that they have only two or three restaurants in dry locations in the state, so isn't it a bit unusual to locate in a dry city that is only about 14 miles from another Applebee's?
Also, are we going to provide the same incentives if O'Charley's or another such restaurant want to come to Arab.
I just think we need to give this matter more thought.
Jean Scott
Arab, Al
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