SpeakOut 1/16

Thursday, January 16, 2003

Call 471-6636

I would like to comment on your article about a high school referee. I appreciated the article, however I think the article missed one important reason why officials do not stay with officiating. It's because they cannot get games (even at a junior high level) for a couple of years or more because the veteran officials, like the ones you interviewed in your story, continue to do those games. I have refereed basketball games for three years now and I get plenty of games because I was one of the lucky ones who knew some people who could get me the games. But if you're an official, you go to these games at the junior high level, and you see veteran officials with 15-20 years' experience calling these games. I know some referees who will be in the program for two or three years and end up with two or three games a year. To them it's just not worth it, so they drop out. I think that should have been addressed, but I understand the people who were interviewed are veteran officials and they may not see that problem. But some of us do.

It's tax time again. I am a property owner and every year, I have tenants ask me for a statement of the rent they paid for the past year. The tenants are on disability or Social Security but they seem to need to get a tax refund. I'm just curious what the program is about.

According to the Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation, the Property Tax Credit is where homeowners get a rebate on a certain percentage of property taxes. The form is also used to assist disabled and elderly renters to get a percentage of last year's rent reimbursed.

All the stores appear to be gearing to the larger women. Some of us still need petite and smaller sizes.

It is obvious that the poor weather has had an effect on the leaf removal dates. Would you be so kind as to print a new schedule if one has been established.

The schedule was published in the Jan. 13 front-page story. In case you missed it, here it is. The corresponding dates will also be printed in the Calendar of Events. District 6 - Jan. 13 to 17 and March 10 to 14.

District 7 - Jan. 21 to 24 and March 17 to 21.

District 8 - Jan. 27 to 31 and March 24 to 28.

District 1 - Feb. 3 to 7 and March 31 to April 4.

District 2 - Feb. 10 to 14 and April 7 to 11.

District 3 - Feb. 17 to 21 and April 14 to 18.

District 4 - Feb. 24 to 28 and April 21 to 25.

District 5 - March 3 to 7 and April 28 to May 2.