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Lincoln Daily News
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Lincoln, IL 62656
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To the editor:
Citizens for Justice Inc. responds to
the recent story regarding Logan County getting an ethanol plant. Is
it really good for us?
Citizens for Justice is sounding an
alarm and asking all area investors (farmers) and the county board
to be slow to respond regarding directing any county moneys to this
project.
Why would any viable business in
today's financial and business marketplace need to offer 18-20
percent return on an investment unless it is a very high-risk
investment? In our opinion, if this is such a great deal, investors
should be running to them instead of the company running to the
farmers. Banks are paying only around 1.5 percent on money market
funds and no higher than around 3 percent for long-term CDs.
Any investment that sounds too good
to be true usually isn't a good investment. Because this offer is
restricted to area farmers, we are concerned even for their
financial health and perhaps their vulnerability because of their
recent hard times from farming.
As for our county board, we are not
so desperate that we need to hurry into this venture. That sounds
far too risky to invest county tax moneys. I am sure this company,
too, will be asking for tax abatements as well as other cash
incentives.
[to top of second
column in this letter]
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 Because of the need for coal for
this plant, I'm sure they will ask the county to build an expensive
road costing several million dollars to handle the heavy weight. God
only knows what else they are going to be asking for.
No stable bank, in our opinion,
would loan money to most businesses in light of these facts. The
county is broke, has no money in reserve and would need to borrow
money to finance this project.
The county board is the Logan County
taxpayers' bank. Please use our funds wisely. We realize the county
board is made up of several farm owners and farmers. We also realize
this is a very delicate issue among farmers. However, board members
are still charged with the responsibility of representing all of
Logan County residents.
Lester Van Bibber
Citizens For Justice Inc.
(Posted Feb. 5, 2005) |
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To the editor:
With the Wal-Mart Supercenter in the
works, I felt the need to write a letter against it. I have been
talking about this for years, to the point of preaching about
Lincoln NOT needing this store.
If Wal-Mart would just hire a few
more workers or, better yet, give them more than just 28 hours a
week (since that is considered full time at Wal-Mart) and open up
more than just three lanes at a time, then the store they are at
would be fine.
The Supercenter will be a detriment
to Lincoln by way of closing businesses. I have talked to several
Kroger employees, and they know they will close if the Supercenter
comes to town. Not to mention that it will affect every single
retailer in our town.
It makes me wonder where our city
officials' priorities are. Are they taking into consideration the
possibilities of the closures of stores that are otherwise
better-paying jobs than Wal-Mart?
[to top of second
column in this letter]
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 Wal-Mart has gotten the best of
Lincoln since coming to town. They have received tax breaks with
each building, and now we will have yet another empty building,
compliments of none other than Wal-Mart. They say they will help
find a business to fill the space, but let's face facts and remember
how long it took to find a business to fill their original building.
This Supercenter will not better the
lives of Lincoln citizens. It will only make those who have made
their livelihoods here strain to make it in an already strained
economy.
Soon I will be getting petitions
together to start the process of keeping this Supercenter out of
Lincoln. Please help me to stop them!
Josh Bruns
Lincoln
(Posted Feb. 5, 2005) |
