SPEAKOUT

Higher and higher

If you get a call from Charter Communications saying you can get a TV and unlimited long distance phone for $66.99 a month, do not believe them. You will be charged an extra sales tax, broadcast surcharge, SCC fee and franchise fee for a total of $70.96 plus you will be charged $19.99 for your phone plus you will be charged $4.99 for wiring for a total of $99.93.

Welfare town

This is in response to Mr. Jensen's editorial regarding the declining population our town. I don't know what we can do to turn things around but I can tell you one major reason the population has declined. It is the big elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about for fear of stepping on toes and being "politically incorrect." We've turned into a welfare town. Everyone deserves decent housing but everyone also knows that Sikeston has more than its share of public housing. We can thank our slumlords who figured out a long time ago that it is easier to buy a crummy eyesore of a house for a little bit of nothing, Section 8 it and sit back and collect a sure fire income from the government rather than work to improve our community. This decay permeates into our schools and the health of a school district is one important thing businesses look at when deciding on a location. Sikeston Public Schools aren't what they used to be. Our town isn't what it used to be and I think those of us who are the "older generation" are the only ones who realize this because we remember Sikeston as a pretty, little affluent town with a AAA rated school district -- the envy on Southeast Missouri -- that we grew up in. Younger people don't have a clue. It took a lot of hard working people to make this town what it was and I'm afraid it will never improve because the majority doesn't seem to care as long as they have a monthly government check, a Walmart and an all you can eat Chinese buffet to go to. So, there you have it.

It is easy to blame Section 8 since just around 200 rentals are on the Section 8 program. I do agree that landlords and lousy tenants contribute greatly to our problem however.