Instead of the Legislature changing the means of execution, why not get rid of it?

The death penalty is a tremendous drain on the state’s budget because of all the appeals. When the inmate gets a favorable ruling, the state goes to a higher court, and it continues back and forth. All of these appeals run into tens of thousands of dollars.

Not only the state, but also the counties where the crime is committed, are burdened with the extra expense that a capital case entails. It costs many times more for the prosecutor to prepare for a death verdict than for life without parole. It is much cheaper to imprison someone for life than to kill him.

If the legislators choose to change the means of execution, each of the 10 men on death row is sure to start another round of appeals, because each was sentenced to death by the electric chair.

Isn’t it more sensible to commute their sentences to life without parole and to use the money saved for schools and roads?

Norma Fleisher, Lincoln

LIBA members hypocrites

So, the Lincoln Independent Business Association is all upset (“Senator, LIBA blast LPS for pay hikes,” LJS, Dec. 31) that the top level of Lincoln Public Schools employees received a good salary and benefit package without the public getting input for a week.

I have a few questions for all LIBA members. Did they raise any of the prices for the goods and services they provided over the past year? Did they ask for public input on how much to raise them? Did they listen to the public?

Isn’t this just a case of the pot calling the kettle black? Although the LPS employees involved in this “horrible scandal” did receive lucrative raises, are they excessive?

As a resident of Lincoln for the past 34 years, I for one am sick and tired of LIBA always butting into any government decision it doesn’t like. It seems to portray that it has the pulse of the people, when in reality all it really wants is a stranglehold!

Leland L. Stege, Lincoln

Thanks for Honor Flights!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Nebraskans who have shown their true spirit, support and love for our World War II veterans.

A year ago, our goal was to take one Honor Flight of veterans to see the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. We never dreamed the outpouring of support from individuals, newspaper, radio and television would be so tremendous that we would take five Honor Flights and more than 750 veterans in 2008.

We would like to thank the Lincoln Journal Star, KFOR, KLIN, KOLN and KLKN for sharing the stories and making the veterans and Nebraskans aware of the Honor Flights so more could sign up or make donations.

The silver lining has been the many friendships made with the volunteers, and especially with the veterans and their loved ones.

Bill and Evonne Williams, Omaha