Letters December 9, 2009

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

By JH Weekly User

Hire local
   Buy local. No doubt most of you have heard this line on the radio or read it on one of the posted ads around town.  For many living in Jackson, buying local means buying at the thrift shops or not buying anything at all because many of these same businesses are hiring from elsewhere bringing J-1 visa holders in from South America and Eastern Europe. That’s not counting the 1,500 or so people working here from elsewhere with no visas at all or the ones who have overstayed their visas.

Three years ago, that wouldn’t have been that big of a problem, but now with unemployment at record levels in the county, it is unconscionable that the supermarkets and ski resorts are allowed to hire foreign workers when so many longtime locals are desperately hurting and our social services are being overwhelmed.  United States citizens do not have an advocacy group like Latino Resources that that doles out its services solely on the basis of race. No, we American citizens white, black, Asian, Hispanic and native are treated equally with the same total disregard by our elected officials.

   Where is our courageous congressional delegation on this issue? Out to lunch as usual, of course. They’re using their time to fight the good fight, making sure the uninsured 45,000 Americans who die from lack of health insurance will not get the same kind of socialistic health care they receive. Oh, I’m sure deep down in their greedy little hearts they’d like to do something for Wyoming’s unemployed workers but there’s just no money in it.  If there was, the unemployment lobby would be the biggest lobby in Washington and then you bet Enzi, Barrasso and Lummis would take notice.   
– Mike Craig, Jackson

What is rural?
I am designing a new sign to replace the “Howdy Partner” sign at the top of the pass:  “Greetings Brothers And Sisters, The Forward Vista Is Jackson Hole, The New Eclectic West, Founded 2010.”

Some of the planning commissioners do not know or understand the definition of “rural character”. The term “rural character” was deleted from the new comprehensive plan draft because – what does that mean? They are not sure. Does it mean broken down cabins, trailer houses, farm equipment sprawl, washing machines in the front yard? My washing machine would be in the front yard but the damned thing freezes in the winter.  One planning commissioner commented “leave it out; the only good it does is to satisfy the public.” Oops!  I hope that was a joke, son.

The Town and the County planning commissioners rarely agree on anything. Is it the country mouse and the city mouse scenario? I don’t think so. This is a matter of the “Mr. Right “syndrome. I am somewhat of an expert on this, since my husband has suffered from the affliction all of his life.

Not to worry.  It sounds like the elected officials are going to take care of things. They want to take the FLUP (future land use plan) and map out what they want and don’t want. Then they will hand it back to the planning commission. The planning commission will then have an unusually clear version of what the elected officials are going to approve anyway. My take is that the elected officials will be advising the advisory group.

Where does our time and money go?
– Cindy Hill Stone, South of Town


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Letters December 9, 2009 | Planet JH News Article: Letters To Editor

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