October 13, 2008 07:01 pm
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Kirk Street wrong place for 48 units
The 48-unit “townhouse” development again being proposed on Kirk Street is not a feasible location for such a development. It was voted against in 2001 and 2002 by the commissioners.
Mark Dempsey, Gene Meyers and the developers are stating this would not be a low-income housing project, but they’re asking for $4.3 million dollars from the Kentucky Housing Corporation to fund this project. The KHC offers a Housing Credit Program that creates tax incentives for developers to build low-income rental housing. Housing credits offer property owners a 10-year tax credit for each unit set aside for low-income families. To qualify for the funding, the development must be at least 60 percent low-income.
The KHC Web site states that “writing the application is not that hard, it just takes time.” It also stresses the importance of working with them on the application well ahead of the deadline.
The application process started in August; the developers waited until they were facing an Oct. 20 deadline and time was of the essence to ask the commissioners for a letter of support. Either the developers have poor planning skills, or they didn't want advance notice for the neighborhoods involved.
Mark Offerman of the KHC states that “research is important, applicants should double check statements made in the applications, and when discussing need, provide facts and documentation that support the need.”
Where are their facts and documentation? We have low-income housing available in Ashland now. The developers state this would be the best thing to happen to the Pollard area. The facts are that our quality of life, our safety and our property values will drastically decrease while the developers’ wallets will increase.
Tim Howard, Ashland
America needs new New Deal
This is in response to the editorial of Oct. 7 headlined, “Hoping it Works.”
I hope it works but fear it won't. Wall Street greed has created Main Street poverty. While some of the money is needed to stabilize the banks, the majority should go to Main Street. These are drastic times and call for drastic measures.
What America needs is a new New Deal like Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s in the 1930s. It worked then, and it will work now. Create a new CCC and WPA. Heaven knows, America needs it. Every year devastating wildfires and hurricanes damage still unrepaired property. Our roads and bridges are crumbling before our very eyes.
America needs to put her trades back to work at a livable wage. By trades I mean steelworkers, ironworkers, electricians, stone masons, carpenters, plumbers, factory workers, etc. They are the middle class; they are Main Street, and they are struggling
Without a thriving middle class, you are left with only rich and all others, and that, my friends, breeds misery and strife for any country.
Charles Joyce, Honolulu, Hawaii
Pedestrians unsafe going to Wal-Mart
Driving up Melody Mountain, those walking along the road truly frighten my husband and I. They have barely any room to avoid oncoming traffic. Why was there no sidewalk built when Wal-Mart SuperCenter was developed? It is a matter of time until someone is seriously injured or killed.
Since adding a sidewalk may not be feasible, why not offer a free shuttle between Ashland Town Center and Wal-Mart ?
Should an innocent person pay the price because they cannot afford a ride to Wal-Mart?
Jamie Howard and Jacqueline Howard, Ashland
America seems so divided today
This nation was won with blood, sweat and tears and designed with the wisdom of good, God-fearing men and women who were bound together with love of country. Their goal was God and country.
Today, we seem to be divided in every way. The people do not trust our elected officials, either state or federal. I was just watching five preachers on KET and one of them almost called the other one a liar right on television. This is terrible and something is terribly wrong.
Our president, vice-president and a large percentage of our senators and representatives are millionaires or have rich daddies, which leaves our lunch bucket group in limbo, and the moral majority seems to have changed from religion to politics.
Every one knows that there needs to be a change in direction of our leadership in Washington, both Democrat and Republican, but how do we do it? Maybe we could answer the question with a question: Have we deserted God, or has God deserted us?
Cliff Barker, Morehead
Obama won’t lose because of racism
Barack Obama won over 30 states in the primaries. All had a white majority, and many were over 90 percent white. Yet Mike Reliford of The Independent would have us believe that if Obama loses the election, it will be because of racism, not because of his stands on taxes, abortion, national defense, immigration, etc.
The facts say otherwise. A recent study asserted Kentucky was racist because McCain is leading over Obama in the state, 55-37 percent. This is actually a smaller difference than in 2004, involving two whites (Bush won 59-39 percent). Could it be that Republicans will continue to win Kentucky regardless of race?
McCain wins the white vote by a 2-1 margin in Kentucky (62-31) but Obama wins the black vote a near 22-1 margin (87-4). Obama may lose the election but it will be because of his flaws, not racism.
Alex Barker, Catlettsburg
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