NWA Letters

Benton County tax plan off mark

Most of us in Benton County see a need for a new county courthouse. There have been several ideas on how to pay for it. The finance committee is leaning toward either a sales tax increase or a millage increase. Both of those options are bad.

With the state, city and county, we currently have one of the highest sales tax rates in the nation. A higher sales tax will have the most impact on those who can least afford it — the low-income and the fixed-income residents. The same applies to the millage. You may think renters won’t have to pay higher real estate taxes. Those higher taxes will most likely be passed on to the renter. Many of the renters are low income and can’t afford a higher rent. The retired homeowner will have to pay more real estate taxes in order to keep from losing their homes.

Please let the Quorum Court know they should find a different source of financing, such as looking at cuts in other expenses.

ROBERT HARMON

Bentonville

Lessons learned from history

If history hasn’t taught us that secular societies are bad for our health, maybe we should look back at recent times, the 20th century.

In 1915 Turkey began a systematic annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians.

The Soviet Union annihilated 10 million Ukraine (Kulak) between 1917 and 1932.

China annihilated 49 million to 78 million of its civilian population and Tibetans from 1949-1969.

Germany annihilated 21 million Jews, Christians and its own citizenry during World War II.

Should I go on? Japan, 5 million in World War II; Cambodia, 2 million; Uganda, 8 million; Rwanda, 800,000; Guatemala, 200,000 Mayan Indians, 1940 to 1964; Pakista, 1.5 million.

One hundred and seventy million murdered through torture, starvation and execution in the 20th century

The United States has a history of targeting and mistreatment segments of its citizenry: Native Americans, blacks, the unborn, political opponents, Christians, etc.

What did these countries have in common? The disarmament of a target portion of its population, then their systematic annihilation?

The United Nations Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 and the current United Nations Small Arms Treaty that was signed by the current administration but narrowly defeated in the Senate has its roots in a 1961 State Department memorandum which explains how the United Nations will oversee “complete disarmament” of the American people under the ruse of preventing war.

The perpetrators are secular, humanist, Communists, progressives, atheist — whatever they call themselves among us.

Our forefathers perceived tyrannical governments even in our own society, thus the Second Amendment of our Constitution.

HIRAM B. COOPER JR.

Bella Vista

The physics of a funnel

I can’t help thinking the people running the Highway Department either failed “Common Sense 101” or are just milking taxpayers for all they can get before fixing Interstate 49.

Why does southbound traffic always back up all the way to Bella Vista? Because miles of two-lane traffic bottle necks into one single lane in Fayetteville, where the split is to go to U.S. 71 Business or stay on 49. Even a child who understands or has used a simple funnel can tell you this.

Why was this very important problem and issue not fixed before spending wasted money to further the problem by funneling three lanes into two, then into one?

Come on! We don’t all have college degrees, but we are neither blind nor stupid.

JEFF CONDUFF

Garfield

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