Buy Tickets to Annual Kiwanis Steak Bake to Help Bayshore Families
To the Editor:
The Kiwanis Club of Holmdel is holding its annual Steak Bake on Feb. 16. It will be held at the Holmdel Fire House, 35 W. Main St., Holmdel. Dinner is $40 per person. Beer and wine are included along with a wide array of food besides the filet mignon toasts.
The Holmdel Kiwanis serves families in the Bayshore area supporting a wide variety of charities in the community. Come out and have a good time while helping children and families in need.
Kiwanis International is a global organization of member-volunteers working to change the world one child and one community at a time – locally and globally through Kiwanis Club-sponsored activities and programs. Kiwanis comprises more than 600,000 adult and youth members in 70 nations and geographic areas that serve children and communities worldwide.
Kiwanis members are service-minded men and women united in their commitment to and compassion for others. They dedicate more than 6 million volunteer hours and invest more than $100 million annually in projects that strengthen communities and serve children.
Kiwanians, through guidance and example, work to prepare today’s children to be tomorrow’s citizens.
Sharon M. Schultz
President
Holmdel Kiwanis Foundation, Inc.
Congress’ Latest Actions Hurt Working People, ‘Real’ Middle Class
To the Editor:
When the Congress goes back to the table soon, deciding on program spending cuts to deal with the national deficit/debt – after passing the so-called fiscal cliff legislation – they ought to undo the damage they just imposed on the working people and “real” middle class.
They effectively provided a 2 percent tax increase in people’s paychecks by allowing the Social Security payroll reduction, which had been in place for two years, to expire. This will further reduce working people and true middle class’ paychecks at a time when they need every single penny.
The whole focus in newspaper accounts and electronic media has been the Bush tax cuts that were not extended for those taxpayers making incomes over $450,000. The real “tax” increase was the one on the average working person and true middle class individuals/families who will lose 2 percent of their salary and wages because Congress failed to compensate and extend this past Social Security payroll reduction going forward.
Congress ought to come up with the national spending cuts necessary to provide Americans with a tax cut equal to what they had under the Social Security payroll reduction. If not, they have been exposed once again that talk is cheap and that deeds are needed when it comes to their expressions about how they are friends of the “middle class.”
Stop the targeted tax cuts and special tax incentives for special interests that appeared in this enacted fiscal cliff legislation and give back to the American working people and “real” middle class who have already bailed out the banking and financial institutions that were supposed to be too big to fail!
Deborah K. Smarth
Manalapan
Armed Police in Schools Gives False Sense of Security, Waste of Money
To the Editor:
Placing armed police or security guards in schools is foolhardy and leaves the Board of Education and town open to huge lawsuits if a shooting does occur. Also, police give students and parents a false sense of security.
No one could have prevented or stopped the Sandy Hook incident, except Mrs. Lanza, who unfortunately was the “enabler.” And I wonder where was the father?
A mentally sick person with a gun will only find armed police even more of a challenge. Police are not a deterrent to a sick person!
As a substitute teacher, I’ve walked the long halls of Marlboro High School many times. There are a least six outside doors and hundreds of ground floor classrooms. One or even two police cannot be at every entrance every minute of the day.
The layout of every school, with multiple doors and hundreds of ground floor windows, presents too many “entry” points. Multiple entry points would have to be manned by multiple police – if the supposed theory of security is listened to.
However, having armed guards in schools:
Can lead to huge lawsuits if a killer kills or injures anyone either inside the school or on the grounds. After all, the Board of Education and town officials have promised that the schools are fully secure. This is nonsense as no building is completely secure.
Gives students and parents a false sense of security. Actually, the first to be killed would be the guard.
Will increase taxes for already strapped homeowners without fulfilling total security.
Part of the solution is to change gun laws and ban assault rifles and multiple-clip bullet holders. Also to have a check and waiting period for all gun sales, including those at shows and by private individuals.
Everyone should be writing and calling their congressmen and senators to stop politicking and protect their people.
The other part is to increase mental health services so families can get appropriate help. And families should feel able to contact authorities, whether in the school or township.
Carol Abaya
Marlboro
Beck Applauds Christie’s Leadership on Sandy; Calls on Congress to Approve Aid
To the Editor:
Governor Christie has been a rock for all New Jerseyans affected by Hurricane Sandy; demonstrating strong leadership, compassion, and competence as our state rebuilds. As evidenced by his 2013 State of the State speech, the governor understands that helping those impacted is the single most important challenge we face this year.
I know I speak for the thousands of residents who lost so much in the storm when I applaud the governor for his focus and dedication.
We cannot, however, do this alone, and I reiterate my call for Congress to fully fund disaster relief for New Jersey when it convenes on Jan. 15. There is nothing fiscally responsible about allowing the taxpayers of the 11th largest state in America to twist in the wind while their homes and businesses remain in shambles.
To every United States Representative, I say pull your heads out of the sand and help us.
Communities along the New Jersey shoreline, a huge economic engine for our state, remain ghost towns as residents wait for the assistance they need to rebuild.
The heart of the New Jersey shoreline is full of year-round, middle-class residents who do nothing but work hard and pay taxes. They deserve the same help from the federal government that residents of states like Florida and Louisiana and Mississippi received when catastrophic storms crashed down upon their shores.
State Sen. Jennifer Beck
R-Monmouth
Two River Moment
The historic Allen House was built around 1710 at 400 Sycamore Ave., at the corner of Broad Street. This vintage photo was taken during the 1890s. The building was purchased in 1968 by the Monmouth County Historical Society and was restored to the mid- to late-18th century when it was known as the Blue Ball Tavern.
