Letters to the Editor Policy

Your Support Is Appreciated

Thank you to all who purchased roses during the recent Pennsylvania District Kiwanis Rose Sale! Your purchase helped fund youth scholarships, youth mentoring, pediatric health, and local community service programs.

Sadly, some of the product that reached the public did not meet our quality standards. We are taking strong action to assure these lapses in quality are a one-time occurrence.

We look forward to your continued support in 2007, and to delivering to you flowers befitting your support of our community service programs.

Sincerely,

Montrose Area Kiwanis and

The PA District Kiwanis Rose Sale Committee

Things Can Be Different

First, let me correct and apologize for the tax increase mentioned in my previous letter. The increase was only 28% as reported to one of the newspapers by a commissioner. (I hope you find “correction” and “apologize” refreshing, as opposed to political rhetoric.)

I had a very interesting day in Wyoming County where I got to read the Times Leader from Luzerne County. The question came up in an article of whether elected officials’ pay increases could be voted on through a referendum by the county voters. The answer was that only commissioners can approve pay increases.

Reading on, things get very interesting. Currently, Luzerne County Commissioners earn $42,000 a year. The last salary increase package was adopted in 1992 because elected officials had been earning the same pay their counterparts earned in 1979. Raises approved in 1982 were discontinued in 1987 after public outcry, and the salaries reverted to 1979 levels.

Luzerne County includes the entire Wyoming Valley, plus Hazelton, Dallas, and many points in between. Compare this to rural Susquehanna County and compare our commissioners earning $48,000-plus, to Luzerne’s earning $40,000. Probably the biggest difference is the attitude of our commissioners, and what our voters let them get away with. I recently sat in a meeting where our commissioners set the raises for the next four years. They essentially gave themselves what the unions have obtained for certain employees. The chairman told me how hard they work for their money! (However, remember that Luzerne County is probably at least five times the population of Susquehanna.)

Unless voters become fed up with continued tax increases and ungodly benefits for commissioners, I expect that things won’t change. Voters in other counties have demonstrated that things can be different. Perhaps you feel good about the added benefits our commissioners receive. I’ve only been addressing county issues, which in my opinion give voters a choice.

Sincerely,

Tom Jurista

Silver Lake Township

Back to Top

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
Letters To The Editor MUST BE SIGNED. They MUST INCLUDE a phone number for "daytime" contact. Letters MUST BE CONFIRMED VERBALLY with the author, before printing. At that time you may request to withhold your name. Letters should be as concise as possible, to keep both Readers' and Editors' interest alike. Your opinions are important to us, but you must follow these guidelines to help assure their publishing.

Thank you, Susquehanna County Transcript

For questions, comments and submissions contact us at:
susqtran@epix.net

©