NPC tax increase?
Dear editor:
National Park College has made a very obvious effort to keep itself prominently displayed in The Sentinel-Record for the past many months. In all articles, they directly and continuously use the terms "the need for community support," which is not-so-secret code for: We will want more public money to help fund our grand plans!
On today's front page, NPC President John Hogan has returned to an old line, "being a community college," even after leading a big campaign in 2015 to change the campus name from National Park Community College to NPC, giving it a more regional flare.
I sincerely hope that NPC's board of directors has a good handle on the income situation of Garland County seniors (and most other residents) in that we simply cannot afford yet another tax increase, especially to fund a regional college. Our property taxes are heavy with our obligations to our public (K-12) schools, new fire district "taxes" have been added this year, and we pay a healthy 9.5 percent sales tax, not including the extra 3 percent "hamburger tax" to support businesses.
When NPC's tax increase vote announcement comes out you can bet no local political or business figure will be against it. They will not support any tax increases with their names on the proposal however a tax imitative from another source is always seen as a "positive economic impact" and they will get on that political bandwagon, regardless of the extra hardships placed on county residents if the college tax increase passes.
Jim Pumphrey
Garland County
Work toward inclusion
Dear editor:
I sit at my breakfast table every morning and read The Sentinel-Record, a habit I know many people have. I pay especial attention to the "Letters to the editor" segment as well as the interesting and informative editorials from many professionals concerning issues Americans need to understand found on the Viewpoints page. For the most part, it is a time of day when I decide to become actively engaged in open forum discussions and to expand my mind about current policies.
The following labels are some that describe me: I am a former educator, a Christian, and a Democrat. Some people who read this newspaper would argue that being a Christian and a Democrat are mutually exclusive terms. Not so: Jesus promoted most of the precepts by which we Christians anchor our faith. He was all in favor of assistance to the poor, the sick, the lonely, the bereaved and many other labels that can be attached to people in distress. He encouraged support and love for all mankind. "Love God" and "Love your neighbor" are the two commandments he emphasized. I try to do both to the best of my ability. I am far from perfect and I understand that.
I know we need a more workable immigration system, one that accepts the ideas espoused on the Statue of Liberty and on which our country was founded, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore." The most important concepts of our founding were freedom of religion and freedom of expression. When we turn away people who are being mistreated in their homeland, we are going against our very basic foundations. Yes, we need more administration of these ideas to make sure we are taking in the ones who are truly hurting and in need of our care, but from what I hear on the news, most "terrorists," "rapists" and "murderers" don't come in by way of walking hundreds of miles with bad conditions to get into the United States. That grueling process takes a desperation few of us living here can understand. It won't be easy to figure out, but a steel wall erected along our entire border will only send the message, "We don't want you here!"
I could expound on the contribution immigrants have made in our country, but I think those are evident. Our agricultural system depends on them greatly. Our culture is richer and more diverse because of them. If, among them, are some undesirable characters, Hispanics do not hold a monopoly on that character flaw. We need to look no further than our own people to find all manner of criminals and law violators.
I implore us all to work toward inclusion more and less toward division. We are all human beings, endowed by our Creator with wonderful skills, traits and insights that are useful to society. Let's make peace rather than war!
Carol Nash Smith
Hot Springs
Editorial on 02/16/2019