Sound Off

This is Baldwin Sound Off, where you may speak your mind on anything you wish. Because of the large number of calls we receive, we cannot publish all the comments.

Cute photo was highlight of day I just wanted to thank you for putting that picture of little 13-month-old David Scott on the front page of the Baldwin section Monday. That's about the cutest little thing I've ever seen. It just made my day. We ought to have more stuff like that in the paper, instead of always something bad. Thank you very much.

Put end to tax increases Here they go again, talking about another sales tax increase in Baldwin County. Why don't they keep our taxes here at home instead of serving poorer counties? It's not right that south Baldwin County or Baldwin County and Mobile County foot the bill for other counties, and then we have to be taxed more and more. This is getting ridiculous. It needs to be stopped. If people vote for it, then we ought to kick them out of office.

Beach buffer a smart idea The editorial in the Sunday Press-Register was a very good article and appropriate for our area. It explained how we should start heeding the rising waters of the Gulf and move all development back. I've called Sound Off for years saying that Alabama should start with this retreat-type policy and was glad to see a scientist showing that this is the way to go. Imagine our beaches with no development south of the beach road and everything north. Not only is the buffer smarter, but it would attract people more so than a bunch of condos.

Weak presentation during trial I'm a resident of Baldwin County, and I hope our DA's Office doesn't take any notes from Mobile's DA's Office. With all the evidence they supposedly had against Judge Herman Thomas, that they couldn't present their case to convict, is pretty weak. As the people lose the power of the prosecution and the DA's Office, then we'll get the same results in future cases.

Abandoned dog in loving home To whoever dropped Spaz off at the Baldwin County animal pound, with a note: She has received a great home, and thank you very much. She is a wonderful dog, and she, in response to your note, yes, she did get a loving home.

Debt too big for Fort Knox The person who's ready to raid Fort Knox needs to get his information put together. There's not enough gold in the United States of America — in every bank, Fort Knox, in all the homes and everybody who owns gold — to pay off the national debt. We need to realize how big this debt is. It's beyond belief or imagination.

Don't hire; change schedules The person who says we may need to hire more bus drivers so the kids don't have to stand in the dark needs to think again. We don't have any money. Remember all the people who we laid off recently? At least 600. I think the real issue here is we probably need to work 9 to 4. But the kids can't arrive until 8:45. You know, if teachers give, parents have to give. And I do think 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. would work great. Also, the kids would be more alert by then. Thanks for the comment. Maybe somebody will listen to us. The 9 to 4 is great, but don't hire any more. They're already wanting to tax us to death. I can't afford any more; can you?

Burden is on working families This is in regard to the proposed 1-cent sales tax increase. If you look at the U.S. Census reports, the average median income for a two-parent family in Baldwin County is $40,000. Not only that, most families in Alabama, or in Baldwin County, are single-parent families with the average median income for a female being $20,000 and of a male being $32,000. Raising the 1-cent sales tax is not going to do anything but hurt the county and cause people to go to Florida or Mississippi to get groceries and buy things. Single parents aren't going to be able to pay the extra 1 cent in sales tax. Some of our counties already have a sales tax of 10 cents on the dollar. That's why my family and I go to Florida to buy food and groceries and any other purchases that we need, because the sales taxes are cheaper there. Why not cut back and pay the Baldwin County Board of Education employees the same amount that Mobile County and Montgomery and Conecuh and all the other counties pay their employees?

Go green in local schools, too Parade magazine had a wonderful article on a green schools alliance with schools in New York. I wonder if the Baldwin County superintendent knows what that is or would consider it.