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Volume XVII, Issue 4 - January 22 - January 28, 2009
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Columns Reviews |
We welcome your opinions and letters – with name and address. We will edit when necessary. Include your name, address and phone number for verification. Mail them to Bay Weekly, 1629 Forest Drive, Annapolis, MD 21403 •
E-mail them to [email protected]. or submit your letters on line, click here
Invest in Infrastructure
Dear Bay Weekly:
In reply to your question posed in the January 8 issue, I do have a few thoughts. I concur that building more roads would not be the best use of any federal funds, nor would building more schools, green or otherwise.
My vote would be to replace existing infrastructure that is in imminent danger of failing. I include such things as 100-plus-year-old water and sewer lines and existing bridges that have served two or three (or more) times their anticipated service life. While these are not flashy projects, they are critical ones that I would rather see replaced on a planned schedule than as a result of catastrophic failure.
–Glenn H. Weder, Hollywood
Southern Maryland Metro
Dear Bay Weekly:
I believe the greatest advantage for the mass majority (regarding the proposed President Obama windfall and how to spend it) would be to expand the Metro system into Southern Maryland. This would drastically reduce rush hour traffic for multiple counties and in turn, slow down the speed of traffic on the ground. Although I am a well-seasoned driver (30 years licensed experience) I find Maryland Route 4 traffic to be very intimidating. Regardless of when you get on this heavily traveled road, you better have the skills of driving on the Indy 500. Even in the slower right-hand lane.
In addition to reducing traffic, many fatal accidents and commute time, there would be the advantage of less pollution from individual vehicle emissions as well. An expanded Metro system would also serve individuals who do not actually ride the Metro themselves, but do happen to live near it. I’m speaking of reduced traffic congestion here. A prime example of reduced traffic is as follows: When gas prices were at their all-time highest and many people gave up driving and took the Metro, commuting to Washington, D.C., (from Deale, Maryland) went from a 90-minute commute to 45 minutes! This was not an exception but happened to be the rule during this trying time.
Furthermore, an expanded Metro system into Southern Maryland would also be an economic boost, unlike any previous economic plan in this area. The ability for people to find good paying jobs would increase significantly with the ability to travel to Washington via the Metro system. Not only would more people be bringing home better paychecks, but most likely they’d now have access to good company-sponsored health plans as well. Connecting Southern Maryland to Washington will have a huge trickle-down effect in the local and county governments, too, allowing both to prosper once again when residents have more money to spend.
And should there be any additional funds left over, let’s propose that this money go into separate county coffers to assist people of low to moderate income with their tremendous electric bills. Who would have ever thought that our electric bills would be equal to or greater than one’s monthly car payment? Granted, there are many serious problems with today’s economy, and we can’t fix them all. However, empowering people to earn better incomes and assisting them with one of life’s greatest necessities should be foremost in the minds of government planners.
–Renee Snider, Churchton
Superduper Paper
Dear Bay Weekly:
Every time I get to read Bay Weekly, I marvel at the fabulous job it does communicating Bay Country for all of us who live here. Your paper is absolutely superduper — even if my old sparring partner (and dear friend, by the way) Bill Burton and I don’t often see eye to eye on wildlife issues and hunting.
I’m helping a group, right now, form up to give animals more of a voice. See www.annapolisforanimals.org.
God bless you and your staff, and I simply want to say thank you to all and the best of luck this year. What a great contribution your paper makes to all of us.