In the interests of humanity

To the editor:

The Pike County Humane Society (PCHS), which serves all 13 townships and municipalities in Pike County, is in dire need of financial assistance to continue its fine work. In 2007, combined municipal and county support was woefully inadequate-amounting to less than three cents per resident. When the population swelled from 56,000 to 325,000 people in the summer last year, the county's 2007 contribution amounted to just 1.2 cents per resident.

While in recent years the shelter has increased the number of animals it handles by a whopping 3,000 percent, the county has increased its funding by 33 percent.

The only equitable way to gauge the value of each municipal allocation is amount contributed per resident. Some municipalities pay their fair share. For example, Porter Township contributed only $250, but their township has only 385 residents. Its contribution equates to 64.9 cents per resident. The only municipality with a higher contribution per resident is Milford Borough. Based upon 1,104 residents, its $1,000 contribution equals 90.5 cents per resident. I applaud the leadership of Porter Township and Milford Borough for their support.

Thankfully, a few municipalities have stepped up their 2008 contributions—Matamoras Borough, Lackawaxen Township, Shohola Township, and Blooming Grove Township. Lehman Township and Dingman Township have consistently been the shelter's biggest municipal supporters. I thank all these municipalities for their generosity.

In addition to operating a wonderful shelter for homeless, unwanted and abused animals—and doing a great job of finding so many of them good homes—PCHS is the only agency to investigate and prosecute cases of animal cruelty. It brings animal abusers to face justice in the court system, helps to uphold the law, making the county a better place to live as a result.

PCHS provides rabies testing, humane education programs, and dog licensing. It even cares for pets left behind when our soldiers deploy to fight in the war in Iraq. In many ways, PCHS serves the public health and safety of all residents.

I encourage you to call the Pike County Commissioners today and ask them to pay their fair share. The county should increase funding to PCHS not only because the public health and safety demand it, but the outpouring of public sympathy for the shelter is so great.

Commissioners Harry Forbes, Richard A. Caridi, and Karl A. Wagner, Jr. can be reached at 570/296-7613 or 506 Broad Street, Milford, PA 18337.

You can’t buy health

To the editor:

As a part time resident of many years, I have read with great interest the saga of the gas drilling and leases. Everyone wants to maximize their income but at what cost? Remember good health cannot be bought or leased.

Out of the frying pan into the fire

To the editor:

From the viewpoint of climate change, converting coal to a liquid fuel is absolutely the wrong way to go. Mining the coal, pulverizing and liquefying takes a tremendous amount of energy. In fact, liquid fuels derived from coal have twice the carbon footprint of conventional fuels. In other words, if you use fuel derived from coal in a vehicle that gets 30 mpg, it is the carbon equivalent of using conventional fuel in a vehicle that gets 15 mpg. This would be a giant step backwards.

Yet in 2007, two senators introduced The Coal-to-Liquid Fuel Promotion Act. The act is a big gift to big coal. The two senators are Jim Bunning, Republican of Kentucky and Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois. Both states are big coal states. How can converting coal to liquid fuels be part of the solution to climate change?

Martin Springhetti

Why I support Obama

To the editor:

Obama, more than any other Presidential candidate, is suited to take the reins from day one. He has incredible intellect, integrity and compassion. His knowledge of government and our constitution is unsurpassed. And although he can articulate very well, he is not just words; he has consistently walked the walk of his beliefs and caring.

Time after time he chooses to serve people instead of corporations, chooses to educate rather than triangulate, and like rich cream he rose to the top, from the state legislature to the federal. He has strength and depth of character that is apparent in everything he does and says.

If you seek morality in your leader; if you seek wisdom in your president; if you seek a statesman and a unifier rather than politics as usual, Obama is your only choice.

Obama is not a fair-weather friend; he will fight for you every inch of the way. He will build his foundation before the roof, and it will be strong. As a commander in chief, you know that sound judgment will prevail, because he knows that we are his constituents—not ExxonMobil. He will never think that war and death are “romantic.” Most importantly Obama is the only viable candidate not beholden to corporate lobbyists, not owned by PACs.

In comparison, Clinton and McCain vie for top corporate funding—and if you think that doesn’t affect their decisions, I have a bridge to sell you.

“Our” politicians are not ours if they are beholden to corporate lobbyists. Do the research yourself. Then vote for integrity and a future for all of us. Vote for an America by and for the people—not the corporations. We can do it if we vote for Obama.

Yes we can.