Readers respond to Camp's criticism of developers' plans

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By VICTORIA AYOTTE BROWN / Lincoln Journal Star

Councilman Jon Camp is used to putting people on the hot seat during City Council meetings. After his questioning of the Scott brothers’ development plans, it was commenters’ turn to put Camp under the microscope. “Councilman criticizes hotel center developers” received 77 published comments on JournalStar.com.

“This is nothing more than Councilman Camp being jealous over parking spots. How can you have a hotel without parking?” Crazy said. “I hope he doesn’t manage to scare away the best thing to happen to Lincoln in a long while — which is people who are willing to invest their own money into our core.”

But Ted wrote: “I would like to thank Camp for ensuring that this discussion was public. You are City Council members, not part of a private club, and we’re talking about issues that affect the public.”

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Mayor blasts proposed LES rate increase; 68 comments published.Commentary on this one ran the gamut: bashing Mayor Chris Beutler, supporting him, bashing Lincoln Electric System, supporting LES, lamenting the poor state of the economy and how to pay the bills in the first place.

“I’ll have the usual, LES. Big rate increase crammed down my throat. Oh, but they may be able to get by on 9% or so. Oh, that feels so much better going down. … Who owns this utility anyway? Didn’t they just get a whopper through on us?” the usual commented.

Big Wonder wrote: “I can’t imagine that anyone is surprised that with oil and natural gas prices skyrocketing that electrical generation costs are going up, too. Just because the city owns LES doesn’t mean they can magically produce electricity at the same rates despite big cost increases.”

Fire destroys building at Thomasbrook Apartments in Lincoln; 51 published comments.

Commenters thanked the Red Cross and Lincoln Fire Department and also lamented that a cigarette caused the fire.

“I got a wake-up call on a Saturday morning from one of my two daughters that lived in Thomasbrook Apts. She was crying, standing out in the rain, cold, in her pajamas, watching her home burn!” Dave Kunz said. “I am outraged that another lousy cigarette caused this much pain to so many people!”

Christine S. said: “My heart goes out to all of those who lost everything, or nearly everything in their apartments. I personally know someone who lives there, and my heart aches for him. Thank God no one was physically hurt from this, but I know the mental anguish will continue for some time. God bless.”

Letters 7/10: Give them the knowledge; 49 comments published.The main topics of interest were a letter urging comprehensive sex education and another saying surely Lincoln residents could afford a property tax increase with all the money blown up in fireworks.

Tom said: “I have seen many times where the city does the equivalent of blowing up fireworks. The difference is they are wasting other people’s money.”

On sex education, Safe Driver commented: “We teach our kids in driver’s education to buckle their seat belts. Does that encourage them to go around crashing into things?”

Budget would shorten library hours; 45 published comments.All but a handful of posters blasted the proposal to shorten library hours.

“If hours are to be shortened, they should not be the same every weekday, to give people who must work evenings a time they can visit. For instance, open 10-4 on Mon., Wed., Fri. and from 1-7 Tues., Thurs. and Sat. Give everyone a chance, because those who work other than traditional hours are often the blue-collar folks who, along with their children, might not have so many educational and recreational opportunities as those with higher income,” Nina said.

Typical commented: “So typical that when budget cuts come, the first things to go are the after- school programs and library access. Hmmm … am I the only one who thinks this is messed up?”

Reach Victoria Ayotte Brown at 473-7338 or vayotte@journalstar.com.