License fee is
a tax we all pay

As a retired small-business owner, I was amused at first, then angered at the recent letter written by D. Rico Munn, executive director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies.

Mr. Munn stated that regulatory programs are not funded by taxpayers, but rather are funded by the regulated professionals through licensing fees. Mr. Munn ignores the fact that these programs are funded by everyone, taxpayers and non-taxpayers, rich or poor, who purchase the goods and services provided by those being regulated.

When I was in business, many of my clients were surprised to learn that one-third of the cost of the service I provided was for my taxes and licensing fees. In other words, I wrote the check for the licensing fees and taxes, but my clients paid for them.

A license fee may be for a worthy cause, but it is a tax that everyone pays.

JIM CHINN
Cedaredge

Leaders need to track jobs created by stimulus plan

I supported President Bush and voted for him twice. This past election was indeed momentous when one looks at this nation’s history. I do wish President Obama success, and I accord him the respect the office deserves.

He has made some significant, if not symbolic, decisions in these first weeks. He believes this huge “stimulus” will indeed stimulate job creation. Would it not be right to levy, on each separate allocation of monies, an estimate of the numbers of jobs to be created? This should be a requirement, with reporting at 30, 60 or 90-day increments on the success of the estimates.

I wonder, though, how allocations, such as for birth control (aka family planning), creates jobs. I listened to the drivel from Nancy Pelosi and find it laughable.

It seems to me that the transparency Obama promised is eminently satisfied if job estimates are made and tracked. Are our 536 (to include the president) elected leaders up to this challenge?

CREIGHTON BRICKER
Grand Junction

Palestinians chose war over peace with Hamas

In a recent letter to the editor, Richard Stover stated that the feud between Hamas/PLO and Israel will go on until one side stops shooting back. He says that Hamas/PLO should not be expected to stop shooting their rockets into Israel because they are too disorganized and uncontrollable.

The Jews, he says, are more civilized, more forward-looking and more humane. It is the Jews, he says, who should stop retaliating. They should just sit back, relax and let the rockets rain on them.

What Mr. Stover does not appear to understand is that Hamas is a terrorist organization whose principal stated objective is the destruction of the state of Israel and the Jews who live there. Hamas will not stop in its efforts to meet its objective by having the Jews absorb their punishment without retaliation.

The Palestinian people elected Hamas to represent them. By doing so they chose war over peace. Mr. Stover should realize that the days when the Jews were marched to the gas chambers without the ability to defend themselves are over. Israel has the ability to defend itself and its citizens deserve to be protected.

If the Palestinians want peace and their own independent state they can have it. But they will not have it if their intent is to destroy Israel first.  

GEORGE GERSON
Grand Junction

Let Sheriff Joe take care of Gitmo detainees

Why not give Sheriff Joe (Arpaio, of Maricopa County, Ariz.) money to build another tent city for these prisoners from Gitmo? He has cut Arizona’s cost for keeping criminals.

These prisoners could grow their own food and eat bologna sandwiches and care for discarded pets. This could also save our government money in the long run.

SU DODGE
Olathe

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 29th, 2009 at 6:31 am and is filed under Printed letters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.