4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, December 11, 1991 FO Bi Tie DALLAS 0ST Low taxes may mean lower quality of life Municipal officials in the Back Mountain, like those through- gin the Commonwealth, have adopted their proposed budgets for 1992, and in most cases those who fear higher taxes will be pleased. Not one of the local communities has proposed a tax increase, mostly by holding the line on anticipated spending. ~The good news for many towns is that their tax base has continued to grow, though more slowly than in prior years. The Back Mountain continues to be the area of choice for families relocating to or within the greater Wilkes-Barre area, and new : housing construction here adds to the grand list of taxable property. Business and employment increases help, too, and the new businesses opened recently appear to be only the beginning of commercial expansion. : But growth has its costs, and the pride officials take in not : increasing taxes (Jackson Township claims to not have had a millage hike in 38 years) may prove at some point to have been penny wise and pound foolish. A prime example is found in the lack of traffic controls on Route 309. Whether we like it or not, the expense of installing traffic lights falls on local municipali- ties and in at least one instance an approved light was not put up because Dallas Borough wouldn't contribute $5,000 toward the cost. But what price would you put on the lives that could be saved by eliminating a traffic hazard? Construction and more people also strain the environment, out local municipalities are generally not equipped to assess impacts or enforce standards. That’s understandable; it’s difficult for small communities to pay for expert help in all the fields it may be needed. . The Back Mountain's continued growth brings with it several opportunities and benefits. It also creates new problems and dds to many old ones. To meet the challenges, it's time that ome serious thought be given to combining the resources of he region's municipalities by sharing personnel or services, nd pooling experience wherever possible. Failing to do so will 1it the area’s ability to make the most of the good things to come. Thanks, good sports | The Post has been pleased to publish some true local sports news the past few months. This summer, it was the Dallas ecreation Adult Basketball League and Little League baseball results. In the fall, scores from Back Mountain soccer ap- peared. Lately it's been the winter adult basketball league reports. - Items like these are in the paper because someone involved fvith the group has the interest and takes the time to write them up and bring them to our office. We simply don't have enough staff to go out and cover these events regularly, and we're grateful that they are made available to us. Ifyou have some sports or other news about local people you would like to see in the paper, please bring it in. And if your team’s report appears here, say thanks to the person who sent it'in; b! ¢ V ’ v we = J SL ¥ LB " Shop near home; it's important and fun "The holiday shopping season is in full swing, and retailers are holding their collective breath hoping it’s a good one. Many ~ stores make a large percentage of their sales and nearly all their Profits in the last two months of the year, so this year’s results re particularly important. ol ‘Back Mountain residents are fortunate to have a wide variety HE and services within a few miles from which to choose. ven so, the catalogs and more distant shopping centers cast hor siren song this time of year, and their glossy pages and big ads are tempting. Try to avoid them if you can, because every dollar spent outside the area means a less healthy economy here, and that eventually translates into fewer employment op- portunities, lower tax veceipts and a generally diminished Ruality of life. Best of all, shopping near home means receiving the quality find service you deserve, delivered in a friendly atmosphere by people you know. Catalogs and malls can’t match that. oe a di o> 4 - . ‘Do you agree? Disagree? i Editorials are the opinion of the management of The Dallas Post. We welcome your opinion on contemporary issues in the form of “letters to the editor. If you don't write, the community may never hear a contrasting point of view. Send letters to: The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612. Please include your name, address “and a daytime phone number so that we may verify authenticity. We reserve the right to edit for length and grammar. at 7 Tie SPDALLASCPosT Bln Published Weekly by Bartsen Media, Inc. EET P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 Telephone: 717-675-5211 Ronald A. Bartizek Charlotte E. Bartizek Editor and Publisher Associate Publisher Peggy Young Eric Foster Advertising Acct. Exec. Reporter Olga Kostrobala Classified/typesetting Paul Rismiller Production Manager Jean Hillard Office Manager MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION AND THE PENNSYLVANIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER'S ASSOCIATION RG PEIN ES RN OI I RT NT, TR Tg i TI RE So a 3 J i ¥ oa Neither rain, nor... Photo by Charlotte Bartizek Letters Figures in last week's letter opposing: higher teacher salaries are disputed Editor: I am responding to a letter sent by Robert A. Frey of Dallas and published in your December 4th newspaper. First: I don't know of anyone who works 360 days a year. Per- haps ifone goes back to the 1920's, one could find coal miners who worked 361 days ayear, 10and 15 hour shifts, getting only New Years, Easter, 4th of July and Christmas off. Perhaps that is why we cele- brate Labor Day for these same miners formed a union to fight the owners. Since then the work week has been 5 days or a total of 260 days a year not 360 as presup- posed. The average worker gets at least 10 paid holidays and an average of 3 weeks paid vacation so subtract another 25 days for a new total of 235 days work. That is, I agree, over 12 months. The teaching contract is 10 months for 185 days with only one paid day off—it is called a personal-leave Fur makes a Editor: Remember when fur coats used to turn heads? Well now they're turning stomachs! Furs, once symbols of fashion, are actually the end products of misery, suffer- ing, and death for millions of ani- mals. Whether trapped in the wild or raised on fur “ranches”, fur- bearing animals suffer incredible torment to satisfy human vanity. Years of slick, multi-million dollar fur industiy advertising disguised the suffering and con- day. The summer months are NOT paid days!!! Second: The $39,000 average salary that was stipulated is also in error because the figure used $5,500,000 is an approximation and more important includes not only teaching salaries but also administrator salaries. Double check your figures. Third: I have no idea where you or the newspapers come up with 11.2% increases and in another article an increase of $2,000 in fringe benefits. As a teacher, [ have not been informed of such figures. It would be fantastic to get a salary as high as you proposed—$72,000 plus $9,200 in fringes. It has taken me 27 years of faithful teaching in two states to get a salary that is about equal to what your original average salary stated. Also, I don't know any engineer who works for less than a minimum of $24,000 not what was stipulated ($18,600). Fourth: For the record, we teach- ers have been working faithfully, with no argument with frozen sala- ries and fringe benefits since school started. We have NOT tried to in- fluence parents by manipulating our students. We teach because we want our students tolearn, and we want them to succeed if they go on for additional education. We also prepare students for life expe- riences should they decide to stop at the high school diploma and go into the work force or to the armed forces. Please give teachers credit for the job they do exceedingly well. Visit your schools. Be aware of what we are doing. You would be proud to say you are Back Moun- tain—DALLAS—Parents, Grand- parents. William R. Helgemo Chemistry Teacher Dallas Senior High School cruel fashion statement vinced the public that furs signify glamour, prestige, and career success. However, through the efforts of animal rights activists. consumers have been learning the truth about how furs are obtained, and are choosing not to support this cruelty. Ifyou are thinking about buying orwearing animal fur, please think again. Are fur coats really worth the price? As more and more people learn about the horrendous and unnecessary cruelty behind every fur coat, they are choosing not to buy furs. As a compassionate consumer, you have the choice: the beauty of life or the brutality of fur? For more information, please send a stamped, self-addressed, business size envelope along with your request to Justice For Ani- mals, Inc., P.O. Box 1737, Shaver- town, PA 18708-0737. Colette Devine Justice For Animals, Inc. Mundy's bill would limit insurance hikes A legislative package was intro- duced recently by state Rep. Phyl- lis Mundy of Luzerne County would protect the rights of consumers by prohibiting insurance companies from raising rates on the same service more than once a year. “Under current law, insurance companies can file for increase after increase on the same line of insurance,” Mundy said. “It's time that we, as state legislators, begin looking after the interests of con- sumers.” The lawmaker's package (H.B. 2173, 2174 and 2175) would pre- vent insurance providers from fil- ing for rate increases within 12 months of receiving approval from the Insurance Department on a previous increase. “In January, Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania re- ceived an increase on its 65 Spe- cial Program,” she said. “Six months later, the company re- turned to the Insurance Depart- ment to ask for another increase on that service. This practice of continually filing for rate increases cannot continue.” Mundy said her legislation also would give the Insurance Depart- ment adequate time to evaluate rate increase requests. “The department approves in- surance increases after a long and extensive review process,” she said. “Then, within months, the insur- ance companies are resubmitting another increase. My proposal would ultimately reduce the work- load of the Insurance Department and give its stafl more time to investigate and determine the merit of each and every increase.” The lawmaker said she decided to introduce the package because of the impact these rate increases have on consumers and busi- nesses. “As a former business manager, I recognize the difficulty in budget- ing funds for health care when rates change every couple of months,” Mundy said. “And, I rec- ognize just how important health care coverage is to employees. My legislation attempts to address the concerns of consumers and busi- nesses. This is especially impor- tant since both groups have little say in the rate increase process.” Only yesterday 60 Years Ago - Dec. 11, 1931 WATERS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF DALLAS SCHOOL BOARD Daniel Waters was elected presi- dent and Dr. George K. Swartz, vice president at the reorganiza- tion meeting of Dallas Borough School Board held Monday night in the high school building. Sisters of Mercy are celebrating the centenary of the religious pro- fession of their founder Catherine McAuley with a Mass at College Misericordia. Bishop Thomas C. O'Reilly D.D. of the Scranton Dio- cese will be present. Fire resulting from a defective flue seriously damaged the second and third floors of the home owned by Michael Wallo early Thursday morning. Wed - Anna Penxa to Lewis Burrton. Rural League opened its second season on Tuesday at Meridian Hall, with Beaumont winning Dallas 29-17. 50 Years Ago - Dec. 12, 1941 JOHN AND GEORGE AYRE CLOSE SHOP TO ENTER SERVICE rs In additon to its work in trainif.g youths in the metal trades for National Defense, Dallas Township Defense School. is assisting local farmers by repairing all kinds of farm machinery as another phase of its national defense effort. John and George Ayre have closed their electrical store on Main Street and will enter the service of the United States. Funeral of B. Frank Bulford, 86, last surviving signer of Dallas Borough Charter was held Mon- day. Pvt. Walter Wilson is stationed at Fort William McKinley, near Manila in the Philippines. This fort was under severe Japanese air bombardment early this week. Engaged - Marie Hudak to Jo- _ seph Zula. Members of Dallas Chapter g Eastern Star are planning to givz® Christmas baskets to the needy, which will be prepared and dis- tributed from the home of the general chairman. 40 Years Ago - Dec. 14, 1951 NO SHORTAGES FROM NEW DALLAS WELL Mgr. ‘Leslie Warhola, ‘Dallas’ Water Co. has received no report: of shortages since its new Dalli_/ well went into action. William H. Crompton shot a 9 point buck weighing 195 1/2 lbs. last Friday. # James Patton, Noxen, Senic# Class member of Lake-Noxen Township Schools was named Outstanding Senior for Rotary Club Endorsement. Back Mountain Church League reported Shavertown Methodist 39- 27 over Trucksville United Meth- odist; St. Therese's 40-32 over Huntsville Christian. 30 Years Ago Dec. 14, 1961 KIWANIS HONOR DAVID, JOSEPH AND HOWARD. . ISAACS FOR SERVICE David Joseph and Howard Isaacs were honored for 25 years of service to club and communtiy at a recent meeting of Dallas Kiwa- nis. James Besecker, Dallas, realtor has purchased the vacant busi- ness properties of Viola Morett, located on Main Street, Dallas. Dallas School Board reorgan- ized Tuesday night electing incum- bent Charles Mannear, president ‘and Dr. Robert Bodycomb, vice president. Dallas Senior High basketball squad brought its exhibition ref ord to two wins, against one losis by downing West Pittston 66-57 Tuesday night at home. Lake-Lehman lost its second exhibition game losing a heart breaker to Wyoming, 46-43. 20 Years Ago - Dec. 8, 1971 MISERCORDIA HOLDS ITS SECOND ANNUAL MADRIGAL DINNER Roof of a two story building on Lake Street, owned by Mildred Devens collapsed under the weight of ice and snow, Monday after- noon. Dallas captured the Old Shoe by defeating Lake-Lehman 45-0 last Wednesday night at Wyoming Area's stadium. Gail Cornell, Jane Niezgoda, Cathy Tranell, and Cynthia Osborne, Lake-Lehman seniors were honored as “Girls of the Month” by the Harveys Lake Women's Service Club at the Christmas party held at Lake Ele- mentary School. Second annual Christmas Madrigal Dinner celebration will begin at College Misericordia at 6:30 p.m. The medieval costumes used were made by the college's Home Economics Department under direction of Sister Marion Joseph, RSM. Wed - Stasia S. Newberry and Robert S. Dymond.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers