To the Readers' Forum:
I don't know about the rest of you but I am sick and tired of the county legislators wasting my money and telling me it is my obligation. Selling the County Home hurts no one. The residents stay and get the same level of care, the taxpayers and county get an infusion of cash and a untaxable property becomes taxable, the employees can keep their jobs with the same or nearly the same salary and benefits.
In fairness, the county employees union does lose money each a year in dues.
Our legislators whine they can't vote for this win, win, win situation because they are not hearing from anybody but the unions.
I am asking the voters and taxpayers to call and email your legislator. Be polite, pleasant and ask them to vote to sell the County Home. I would ask that you do it daily or weekly.
Another thing: If 500 or a thousand of us could work it into to our schedule to go to the meetings and ask them on the record why they believe that the folks at all the private homes in Chautauqua County are getting in adaquate care.
Why it is not kindness and fairness to give all those seniors who have property in Chautauqua County a tax break, and, finally, why when they ran for office they didn't tell us that you would only decide issues on the basis of who called them. Why, if they cannot decide what is right, can't they put it on the ballot and let the voters decide?
Surely there are 25 people in Chautauqua County who could serve to do the taxpayers' business without obligation to the political parties or unions or the lake association.
If they vote not to sell the home, the union knows that they will not need to make concessions and the projected cost numbers being thrown around won't come close to what it will take to keep it open.
Can you afford it? I can't. Come on Mayville, "save the taxpayers' homes."
Jim Walker
Falconer