This letter is in reference to the article “Coffee County seeks to purchase Brundidge landfill” published on Tuesday, October 16, 2012. It is unfortunate that the company to previously own the landfill went bankrupt. On that note, the $6 million dollar offer being made by Coffee County is an absurd way to spend taxpayer’s money when Coffee County has 40 more years of use in their own landfill. In the article Coffee County administrator Ron Morgan is quoted on how this is the smart economical choice for Coffee County which sounds good but does not seem true considering they have their own spacious landfill. It seems the administrator may be getting greedy with his purchases to promote power. This purchase could help or hinder the city of Brundidge and until Coffee County proves it will be one or the other, this will be an important matter to the people in the Wiregrass area. As a concerned citizen I believe Coffee County will provide the optimum support and resources for those who will be using the landfill. But this is where the main question arises. What Coffee County will do with the land is not certain at this time. As long as it remains a working landfill for the people who have always used it and for the new customers it may bring, the purchase should in fact be a positive one. If for some reason the potential new landfill owners would change the priorities of the land, trouble could be found in the town of Brundidge. This raises another concern. If Coffee County owns the landfill Brundidge could be hurt by them doing business with private sectors. Also, It seems people are concerned because Coffee County hires jail workers to help with recycling. Other companies cannot compete with the inexpensive costs to hire jail workers, nor can employees wanting reasonable pay. Therefore jobs offered by the Brundidge landfill may be in question. All of these concerns are why I am troubled about the future of the Brundidge landfill. Coffee County employers that are handling the matter need to be more up-front and open with their plans for the landfill or more unease will surface in the Pike County area.

Ashley Robertson

Troy University student

 

 

Government’s Common Core standards must be stopped

Liberals have tried since the 1960s to get government control over what children learn, from kindergarten through 12th grade. Every time liberals have tried to get control of local education, Congress has voted no because Americans do not want the federal government to dictate what our children are taught. Liberals did manage to change the teaching of early history, American and English literature.

After President Obama’s 2009 election, liberals learned to go around Congress and got their education plan called “Common Core” and/or “college and career readiness” using regulations without passing laws.

President Obama’s 2009 economic stimulus bill (to stop the recession) had $800 billion for jobs, with $4.35 billion for “Race to the Top” funds for education.

When states refuse to accept “Common Core,” government stops paying Title 1 money for low-income students. This is blackmail!

Alabama’s education standards are now 95 percent of the new “Common Core.” Why change? Alabama can improve standards by simply adopting the highest-ranked standards of other states, like Massachusetts (English Language Arts) and California (Mathematics).

Alabama must recall “Common Core” standards. The federal government only pays a state for 10 years, then stops. After 10 years, according to education expert Emmett McGroarty of California, Alabama will have to pick up all costs to keep our schools operating. “Common Core” must be stopped!

Betty Webster Hardin

Northport