MAIL BAG LETTERS FROM READERS

I read the article in Wednesday’s edition of The Times Leader and think it is unconscionable that Tom Marino is attacking Congressman Chris Carney without knowing if he had a good reason for his absence.

Congressman Carney was absent to be with his wife, Jennifer, before her breast cancer surgery.

As a member of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, I am completely dismayed by this callous and hurtful article. Our mission is to represent, support and serve breast cancer survivors and their families in Pennsylvania through educational programming, legislative advocacy and breast cancer research grants.

Congressman Carney demonstrated his love and support for his wife during this serious medical procedure, and that is a measure of a true pro-life stance.

Perhaps Mr. Marino could turn some of his political angst into an act of human kindness and send Jennifer Carney a message of hope for a speedy recovery.

Politicians should add BMX park to agendas

Why doesn’t someone use the BMX park as a campaign promise? “I will see to it the kids get a BMX park in the Valley!”

I think it would work. Let’s see who’s smart enough to run with it (on it). The kids need something to do!

Writer touts availability of free speech therapy

I read with interest The Times Leader’s article “How to choose an inpatient rehab facility” (July 31), which addressed the issue of private speech therapy for adults.

I would like to address the topic of speech therapy for children. Since private speech therapy is not available to people without health coverage – as well as to people whose employer-based health coverage covers little, if any, private speech therapy – I want to point out to your readers that every child in the United States has the right to free speech therapy.

A downloadable brochure titled “Special Education Law and Children Who Stutter” is available on the website of the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation, www.stutteringhelp.org. Free therapy can start in preschool and run through high school. The website of The Stuttering Foundation also offers many other free resources.

Workers deserve sensible solution to pension crisis

Earlier this summer the Pennsylvania House of Representatives provided a workable fix to the so-called pension crisis by passing HB 2497.

It was a practical solution because it spread the pain for all stakeholders. HB 2497 would require new hires to contribute more than 10 percent of their incomes to maintain current benefits, and school district pension costs would be 17 percent lower in 2015 than they would without any changes. This bipartisan effort passed by a margin of 196 to 6.

However, the state Senate, in an apparent attempt to rescue defeat from the jaws of victory, refused to play ball with the House and postponed any decision on state pensions. One can only speculate as to why, but great insight can be gained by following the money.

The Commonwealth Foundation, a proponent of the failed attempt to privatize Social Security, refocused its effort on implementing defined contribution plans in the state, which are private and for-profit, for state employees with the same old argument, that defined benefit plans are suddenly unaffordable. The only winners in any such scheme would be Commonwealth’s major constituents – Wall Street bankers and traders.

A sinister interpretation of these actions would suggest that some senators actually want the system to fail; a crash would bolster their argument for private plans. Hopefully, Pennsylvania’s senators will fight to fix this problem now and move on.

However, there are only two options and they could not be clearer. Senators can side with middle-class Pennsylvanians and pass HB 2497, or they can opt for a protracted battle in defense of the ideas put forth by The Commonwealth Foundation, including board member Pat Toomey and his wealthy friends.

Polls have found that for the first time in our nation’s history Americans do not believe that their children will have a more secure existence than their own. Should the Senate insist upon eliminating stable pensions for new workers, that notion will become a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Magistrate, code officer win resident’s gratitude

Buyer beware. In May 2008 I signed a contract with a local contractor to have my home re-sided and other work performed. Prior to the completion of the project the contractor requested the final payment, and in good faith I met his request.

As you might guess, that was a major mistake; he never finished the project. That was lesson number one – a lesson, I would imagine, learned by many people following the 1972 flood.

Then lesson two occurred as I contacted the Better Business Bureau, which attempted to resolve the situation by speaking with the contractor. It was unsuccessful and told me that it has no legal enforcement powers, and it considered my case closed. The bureau recommended I contact the state Attorney General’s office.

I did and completed the necessary paperwork (complaint form). That office was unsuccessful, sending me a letter saying that it could not establish a pattern of deceptive or unfair conduct to pursue the complaint.

Lesson three: I submitted my problem to the Luzerne County District Attorney’s office. It responded that my problem was civil, not criminal, and as such it could not intervene.

Lesson four involved what, no doubt, should have been the first action I should have undertaken. I contacted the district magistrate’s office. Due to the compassion and due diligence of the honorable Judge Diana Malast and the Plains Township code enforcement officer, Mr. Kenneth Shaffer, the contractor was held responsible and was ordered to reimburse me for all my expenses incurred while pursuing this matter.

The residents of Plains Township are fortunate they have a district magistrate and code enforcement officer working for the citizens. These two individuals are a credit to their professions, and my family and I can’t praise them enough for how they helped us.

Rosemary Boland President Scranton Federation of Teachers Jayne McLaughlin Shavertown Marinus Jensen Iowa City, Iowa Sam Talarico Erie Tim Turnbaugh Plains Township