A more fair location?

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It makes little sense to relocate the state fair from its present location to another location within Lincoln and incur the cost of building new facilities.

If new facilities need to be built, then why not relocate the fair to the middle of the state (i.e., Kearney or Grand Island)? It will cost the same to rebuild at any new site, and by relocating to a facility more centrally located than Lincoln, it will provide easier access for all Nebraskans, not just residents of Lincoln or Omaha.

Randy Williams, Nelson

End the runaround

My home was purchased in 1997 and within a couple of years the assessment went sky high. I protested and was shot down, because it was supposedly inspected just before my purchase.

This year I protested again because of the enormous increase. The referee told me that they would only consider a current appraisal (at a cost of about $300). I’d asked him to come inspect my house because something had to be wrong. He recommended no change in value.

I went to the commission and asked for reconsideration, and an inspection. Again I was turned down with no change in value.

With help from a real estate agent, I found that the crawl space under my house had been included as living space on my tax record since I bought the house. With this information the county finally sent an appraiser to inspect my house. But since the commissioners had already made their decision, I had to pay a $25 fee to have the State Tax Equalization and Review Commission review my protest. That was Aug. 29 and they still haven’t reviewed my case.

It is unbelievable that the assessor’s office made me go through the stress, time and personal cost to correct their mistake.

I have friends that wanted to protest but just did not have the time or resources to go through this regimen.

Patrick Faden has really put his job on the line by running for election with the hope to correct the inadequacies of this department. It is time for a change. Let’s get someone in there that is hands-on. The assessor/register of deeds is paid for by the taxpaying people of Lancaster County, and we deserve better.

Joy Kokes, Lincoln

Rein in spending

As a Nebraska taxpayer and small business owner, I am writing in support of Initiative 423, otherwise known as SOS or Stop Over Spending, which will be up for vote on the November ballot.

I am disgusted by the ads that the opponents are running because they are untrue and funded by special interest groups who profit from our tax dollars. These scare tactics are unbelievable — who would ever favor “shutting down schools” or “cutting back essential services like fire and police”?

Initiative 423 would do none of this, and when studied prudently, it makes a case for common sense. It does not cut any current spending, it just limits the spending increases to population growth and inflation. Beyond that, it must go to a vote of the people who will then decide how much they want to increase their taxes to pay for “more.”

I believe we should no longer accept a state government incapable of living within a reasonable budget, one that is constantly taking more from our family budgets but not willing to live within a budget of its own.

There is only one solution to keep the money you earn — limit government spending. Vote in favor of Initiative 423.

Charlotte Ralston, Lincoln

Thanks LJS, Lincoln

On behalf of the family of our late Sudanese student, Saida Dak, we’d like to thank the Journal Star and the wonderful members of the Lincoln community who have stepped up to help.

Soon after becoming an American citizen, Saida passed away while visiting Sudan. She left behind a disabled daughter, a son in high school, and a 6-year-old ward.

The family has had a tough time coping with the loss of their matriarch, but the generosity of readers has helped a lot. In addition to financial support, the Sudanese refugee community, the Lincoln Housing Authority, Nebraska Health and Human Services, and the good people at First Presbyterian Church have all pitched in to try to ease a difficult transition.

Proof once again that it’s the spirit of community that makes Lincoln such a great place to live!

Clayton Naff, Lincoln, executive director

Lincoln Literacy Council

Vote for real change

Every election millions of people vote against themselves and their own self-interests for the sake of one or two issues they feel so passionately about. These people had been called “issue voters” until 2004 when we called them “values voters” because the only real issue most seemed to care about was abortion or gay rights.

For 30 years there have been millions of voters each election who only vote for a certain candidate because he or she is against abortion rights, for example. These voters are being used.

Politicians have used these “values voters” for decades to get into office and for decades have never actually done anything about the issues they told voters they would change, and they never will. Because as long as those issues are still out there to exploit, they will continue to get votes from the single-minded.

In 2004, there was renewed talk about the “values vote” and how important it was. Millions of people went to the polls to stop gay marriage, or stop abortion rights.

At what cost? Those voters were so concerned with abortion, etc., that we now have a Congress and White House full of people that have fueled terrorism around the world, begun a needless, endless war, raised our national debt tremendously, cost American jobs, are so full of scandal and corruption it’s hard to keep track of who went to jail when, and the list keeps on going.

And where are the results? Did you get what you wanted from them? No.

Every election these issues voters put the rest of the world on the back burner for one or two issues, and the world keeps getting worse. It’s time to wise up to the fact that you are being used. Vote for yourselves this time and vote for a change.

Ryan Patrick, Lincoln

Too good to be true?

I heard a senator from Colorado on the KFOR John Baylor show talk about the booming economy in Colorado and how successful their education system is all the way through to the college level.

I wonder, if that is the truth, why did the citizens of Colorado suspend TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) for five years in a vote last November? Apparently they just couldn’t handle any more prosperity.

Something smells fishy to me. I plan to vote against Initiative 423.

Robert R. Reynolds, Lincoln

Trapped in sea of red

Six years ago Bush campaigned to “bring honor and integrity back to the White House.” Did it take more than 400 contacts with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff to do that?

I despair that I live in a state that still lists for the president and the GOP. Our country has lost all sense of shame and accepts myriad wrongs in order to get what is considered by some as right.

We have Pete Ricketts running on ambiguous “values” that we narcissistically assign to ourselves as he tries desperately to look more Republican than Democrat Ben Nelson. But what are these Republican “values”?

If I vote for change next month, am I once again throwing my vote away because of the heavy majority of GOP voters here? Or are there others here with real “values”?

Derek Ryter, Lincoln