Published: November 09, 2009 12:00 am      

Letters to the Editor: November 9, 2009

Delhi doesn't need Tractor Supply Co.

Tractor Supply Co. wants to locate on the corner of Main and Kingston streets, Delhi's focal point. This will be an agricultural site with machinery prominently displayed.

Delhi has art galleries, antique and gift shops. Events such as Fair on the Square and the farmers' market bring tourists here. I believe this is what visitors want.

The county needs revenue, and I fear it will be in trouble if the zoning board does not give a variance approval for Tractor Supply. In this economy, we all have to tighten our belts. Government should be no different. Taxes from the Oneonta Tractor Supply store already come to the county, as it is located in Delaware County,

What will a new Delhi location do to the local businesses that have supported the community for years? These businesses have hired locally and have kept their money here. A business from Tennessee will benefit Tennessee.

The developer for Tractor Supply has been granted $400,000 to renovate the former Great American site. McDowell & Walker Inc., a local feed store where I work, and which has been in business since 1955, was denied financial help to demolish a building and plans on erecting a new store. In the long run, this may have helped generate more taxes, more jobs and more money spent locally.

I am saddened to see big box stores coming in and driving small stores out. We have seen stores like Wal-Mart put small retailers out of business. It has happened all over. Will we ignore what this could do to Delhi?

Folks move here to get away from the congestion of cities. They like small-town stores and quaint shops. Delhi, do you really want to alienate our visitors?

Diane Noble

East Meredith

It seems teachers don't want to teach

What ever happened to teachers teaching? They don't. When I was in school, the teacher wanted to teach us the ABCs and 123s and how to tie our shoes. Not now. They, the kids, have to know numbers, letters, colors and how to tie their shoes.

Teachers used to teach us fractions in second or third grade, multiplication in third grade and rounding up. Now they learn most of this in fifth grade.

The government wants to know why our kids are so far behind the Japanese and Chinese? It's because the teachers don't want to teach. They would rather go on field trips and give themselves a pay raise, instead of providing crayons, pencils and other supplies for the kids.

Sherry Terry

South Kortright

Big oil companies far cry from poverty

I got a good laugh from my Oct. 30 issue of The Daily Star. No, it wasn't from the funnies or the airline political joke. It was the article about the "hard times" the big oil companies are complaining about. It seems they're "only" making $3 billion to $5 billion in profits this year.

I feel thankful that my wife has a job and I get my disability check every month.

I would feel great if I made just a million dollars in profit this year, let alone a billion dollars.

I'm not sure if these big businessmen are on the same planet as I am.

I hope these oil companies are paying their fair share in taxes. That would be one way to pay for a public health option and health care reform.

What in the world are they "crying" poverty for?

Robert Caffee

Bainbridge