Big business & tax breaks
I enjoyed reading Publisher David Brown’s “My View” column with the headline, “Economy must help everyone,” on page 4A in the May 11 edition of the Cherokee Scout.
You stated average worker pay rose 8.8 percent from 1979-2019, which is $21.14 per hour to $23, while CEO’s pay increased during the same period 970 percent. I will add during the same time period, the cost of health insurance had a tremendous increase, and employers made a business decision to pass a big chunk of the cost to the employees.
This meant that this combined 8.8 percent the employees received over the many years was more than wiped out making their paycheck smaller every year.
While the CEO’s pay was increasing 970 percent, starting around 1982 laws were passed, giving industry huge tax breaks by closing plants thus making it profitable to send jobs overseas and Mexico. Big business today is receiving new tax breaks and are paying far less taxes than prior to the 1980s.
It’s easy to understand how they can increase CEO’s pay almost a thousand percent. It is aggravating to know that they are handsomely rewarded by closing plants and sending jobs out of this country.
When I first moved to Cherokee County back in the late ’70s, I found it cost-wise to be a very reasonable place to live. When I retired a few years ago and moved home, I found the mountains still beautiful – a lot of good folks and the quality of live remained outstanding.
I also found that the overall cost of living had become one of the more expensive places I ever lived.
Curtis Brown, Murphy
The writer is a retired vice president of manufacturing.
Shelter helps our animals
The Valley River Humane Society serves Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties. For the past several months, New Digs for Dogs volunteers have been going to the animal shelter in Marble once a month. Under the direction of Director Kirsty Waller, we have helped assist the staff. We have been impressed with the level of care, compassion and cleanliness the shelter operates under. All the staff are friendly and help us to do the best we can.
We brought a gift basket at Easter to thank all the all the employees. New Digs for Dogs will continue to help VRHS all we can because of the amount of animals in need and what a great service it is in our community.
We want to thank Jeannette Kern and Melanie K. Favilla. They posted the needs of the shelter on their Facebook page, and the response was good.
The shelter can always use Purina One Dog Food, dog and cat treats, paper towels, bleach and good quality 13- and 33-gallon trash bags.
If you would like to donate, take items to VRHS at 7450 U.S. 19, Marble, NC 28905, or purchase items on Amazon and have them directly shipped to the shelter.
Sign up for the Amazon Smile program, as a percentage of your purchases all year will go directly to help animals at VRHS.
Spay and neuter your pets. Adopt from shelters and rescue groups, volunteer, donate or just spread the news that VRHS has wonderful pets for adoption. We just adopted a senior dog who is perfect for our family; he loves our other three dogs, and they love him.
You can always call them at 837-2304. Carol, who answers the phone, can assist you for the adoption times, what to donate and about volunteering.
Debbie Graham, Hayesville
Don’t buy the cheap politics
The “Headlines” ad placed in the May 11 edition of the Cherokee Scout trying to blast Cal Stiles and Jan Griggs just shows the ignorance some people have when it comes to a “Planning Committee” and using this to scare citizens.
My understanding is it’s just a committee to review what may need to take place in the county, not what will take place. I would like to see a planning committee take appropriate action to control issues like crypto mines popping up next door to me and others who enjoy the serenity of these mountains.
And who in the world is the Committee for Fair & Just Elections Without Corruption? (It was OK for these people to have a political action committee?) Who is hiding behind this “committee?” Who are the cowards that won’t say who the “committee” is?
Are they saying that forming a Planning Committee is corrupt? At least you would have input with a Planning Committee and know who was on said committee. Perhaps we need a “Committee to Call Out Those Hiding Behind a Committee.”
Don’t buy into the cheap politics.
Harry Brown, Murphy
Not delivering for all of us
I wanted to share my most recent encounter with the U.S. Postal Service. A package was to be delivered on Monday; instead, at 6:01 p.m., we got a notice that it was too large for the box. The next day, I went to the Murphy Post Office and spoke with the lady in charge.
Apparently, the policy in order to get delivery of boxes too large to fit in the box delivered to your home, is that:
1. The house is less than half a mile from delivery box.
2. There are no dogs at customer’s home or those around them.
3. The carrier cannot back out of property and must be able to make three-point turn.
We are in compliance, but still did not get our package.
Also, our neighbor had the same problem on the same day. We have packages delivered often, but if it is late in the day it must be more important to get home than finish your delivery.
The lady I spoke with took my name and number with a promise to figure out what happened and call me. It is now Friday at 2 p.m.; still no call.
If you have issues with the USPS, please make your displeasure known to the USPS. Perhaps lack of service could be addressed if enough of us make them aware of our exasperation.
Vicky Zentko, Murphy
Never lose hope here
If you are looking for hope in this sinful world, you will never find it, because the Bible is very clear when it says in the book of Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
Hope is not something you can wish for or buy. Hope cannot be bottled up and saved for a rainy day. Hope only is found in the precious blood of Christ who died for those who believe in Him. You cannot throw hope to the wind and think it will be enough for you to cling to in times of trouble.
This world cannot give you any hope for soon when Jesus Christ returns this old sinful world will be purged of all sin and corruption and it will be made brand new without any trace of sin, guilt, shame, adultery, slander, malice, hatred, violence, murder nor any other sinful act that is displeases to God. Jesus Christ in the only hope we have for eternal life with Him. You can search the whole wide world and will never find peace on Earth, because it doesn’t exist while sin is rampant in a dying world.
Romans 5:5 says, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us by Christ.”
The moment a person trusts in Christ, that person receives the Holy Spirit inside of them that constantly encourages believers in their hope in God. Don’t die without the hope of Christ in your heart. What a waste of a human being to be totally separated from the One who created you. That’s all God ever wanted, was to have a love relationship with His creation.
Frank Combs, Blairsville, Ga.