Wrong time to hike electric bills

5:10 PM Saturday, November 7, 2009

Wrong time to hike electric bills

The PUCO has authorized the electric utility providers to eliminate special electric rates, with the exception of schools or interruptible power rates.

This means many homeowners across Ohio will feel the pain of increased electric bills at a time when we are struggling to make ends meet.

When I made the choice to heat my home with electricity, it was due to the fact that First Energy offered a special rate for cold weather months. Now that rate has been eliminated.

This is not the time to burden struggling Ohio families with higher electric bills. I believe the rates were dropped to create a method to raise money to fund energy-efficient programs and construct alternative sources of energy to prepare for cap-and-trade. If cap-and-trade does go through, homeowners like me will take a second hit due to the fact that Ohio uses primarily coal to produce electricity.

I calculate that my electric bill will double after all is said and done.

My second concern is how are we going to attract businesses to come to Ohio, or even keep the companies we have, with electric rates increasing.

Michael Cain

South Charleston

Coalition sending items to troops

The Coalition of Independent Citizens, an affiliate of the Tea Party Patriots, recently embarked on a project to send needed items to the troops in Afghanistan.

We decided to engage the Springfield community in our project, and the response was beyond our highest expectations. The CIC’s goal was to collect enough items and postage to send 50 boxes to the troops. We put large boxes, donated by U-Haul, in business and schools around the Springfield area. We put smaller, flat-rate boxes in smaller businesses, requesting they fill the box and pay to send the box.

The coalition distributed the boxes and picked them up and organized a Pack It In Party on election night. Coalition members and citizens from the community joined efforts, and with food and drink proceeded to pack tables of items into the boxes. Members addressed labels obtained from anysoldier.com. The scene was heartwarming.

The results were 80-plus boxes and close to enough postage to send all the boxes. And we received more requests for items and postage to be picked up.

We would like to express our gratitude to the community for the success of our project. I know the troops will be very pleased with their efforts also.

We had a request for a similar project and we are considering a Fourth of July project for the troops.

Dian Paaske

Springfield

City losing its history with buildings

This letter is in response to an Oct. 19 Speak Up.

Yes, I agree with the person who wrote about “Why don’t you just tear down Springfield South!” Yes, they have already taken everything else that meant anything to us.

They have already torn down some of the history that meant something to us.

How are the parents, or the grandparents, supposed to tell our grandchildren about the history of these buildings?

Now the only answer we can give them is just go to the Springfield Clark County Library for your answers.

Barbara Rhome

Springfield

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