12
Oct
2004
I hear in this campaign that Senator Kerry has a plan that will penalize companies for moving their manufacturing to foreign countries. He indicated that the current administration has rewarded companies for this loss of jobs.
Let me set the record straight.
First, Senators Kerry and Kennedy voted for NAFTA and GATT. This provided a climate for moving jobs overseas. They both moved the United States into the World Trade Organization (WTO) that will cause some loss of U.S. sovereignty. This is especially true where Americans will have to follow European regulations on what vitamins will be available for them to purchase as early as 2007. The World Trade Organization will circumvent the way we currently do business in supplements. WTO regulations will take precedence over U.S. laws and regulations.
Second, in 1986 Senators Kerry and Kennedy were both provided copies of my article "The Industrial Base Under Siege," which they must have not read or chose to ignore. In that article I told everyone that we had tax laws that rewarded companies to produce overseas. The tax break for producing overseas allowed companies to deduct taxes paid to foreign countries from the tax they owed the United States of America. If they produced in Iowa, they could only expense the tax they paid Iowa from their income. This is before they reached the taxes they owed. There was a tax advantage to produce in foreign countries. I recommended that Congress end this advantage.
Why has Senator Kerry waited until now to be concerned about tax benefits for U.S. firms producing in foreign countries? He has had nearly 20 years and has done nothing.
I also provided additional copies of this article in 2000 to senators while I attended the National League of Cities. Still nothing has been done. Why?
George Nickolas
Davenport
Guard Will Balance Revenues with Priorities
Jamie Van Fossen has represented eastern Davenport and portions of Bettendorf in the Iowa House of Representatives for several terms. During that time, has he truly represented the interests of his constituents and their communities? His main interest seems to be cutting taxes. He did not step up to support the Iowa Values Fund; Davenport's grant of $20 million, and the continued transformation of the downtown, occurred despite rather than because of Representative Van Fossen's influence.
In contrast, Alan Guard has a wealth of budget experience gained from working for the City of Davenport and other governments, and he cares deeply about education, as evidenced by his service on the Davenport School Board. He's an intelligent man who balances available revenues with maintaining important programs.
I'm supporting Alan Guard in the race for representative of Iowa House District 81.
Len Adams
Bettendorf
Boland Hasn't Created Jobs
Recently we saw a major employer close its doors and move to Nebraska. How could Illinois lose such a longtime good employer to Nebraska?
I believe it is because our state has become employer-unfriendly. Our government taxes too much, regulates too heavily, and just plain pesters the heck out of anyone who has the "audacity" to hire us. Our workman's comp rates are some of the highest in the nation, and our insurance rates are higher because we do not limit awards to trial lawyers that use our laws as get-rich-quick schemes and we, the residents and taxpayers, pay the bill.
Our present representative seems too wishy-washy and simply does not understand what it takes to make an economy grow. I cannot think of anything that he has done legislatively in his many years in Springfield. Especially nothing that would create jobs. In fact, he has supported tax increases, fees, and burdensome regulations to our employers. That cannot be good for creating good jobs.
I have talked with Steve Haring. He is running against Mike Boland for the state legislature. He told me of his experience in economic development, and how his employer-friendly plan will stimulate growth in Illinois. Steve Haring has a positive vision for us all, and I know he has the right ideas. I will vote for him on November 2 for State Representative, 71st District.
Congratulations, Nebraska. You have landed a very big employer, one that pays well, brings millions of dollars to your economy and your people. You can send your thanks to Mike Boland; the rest of us don't want to hear it.
Tori Lynn N. Schneider
Port Byron, Illinois
Let me set the record straight.
First, Senators Kerry and Kennedy voted for NAFTA and GATT. This provided a climate for moving jobs overseas. They both moved the United States into the World Trade Organization (WTO) that will cause some loss of U.S. sovereignty. This is especially true where Americans will have to follow European regulations on what vitamins will be available for them to purchase as early as 2007. The World Trade Organization will circumvent the way we currently do business in supplements. WTO regulations will take precedence over U.S. laws and regulations.
Second, in 1986 Senators Kerry and Kennedy were both provided copies of my article "The Industrial Base Under Siege," which they must have not read or chose to ignore. In that article I told everyone that we had tax laws that rewarded companies to produce overseas. The tax break for producing overseas allowed companies to deduct taxes paid to foreign countries from the tax they owed the United States of America. If they produced in Iowa, they could only expense the tax they paid Iowa from their income. This is before they reached the taxes they owed. There was a tax advantage to produce in foreign countries. I recommended that Congress end this advantage.
Why has Senator Kerry waited until now to be concerned about tax benefits for U.S. firms producing in foreign countries? He has had nearly 20 years and has done nothing.
I also provided additional copies of this article in 2000 to senators while I attended the National League of Cities. Still nothing has been done. Why?
George Nickolas
Davenport
Guard Will Balance Revenues with Priorities
Jamie Van Fossen has represented eastern Davenport and portions of Bettendorf in the Iowa House of Representatives for several terms. During that time, has he truly represented the interests of his constituents and their communities? His main interest seems to be cutting taxes. He did not step up to support the Iowa Values Fund; Davenport's grant of $20 million, and the continued transformation of the downtown, occurred despite rather than because of Representative Van Fossen's influence.
In contrast, Alan Guard has a wealth of budget experience gained from working for the City of Davenport and other governments, and he cares deeply about education, as evidenced by his service on the Davenport School Board. He's an intelligent man who balances available revenues with maintaining important programs.
I'm supporting Alan Guard in the race for representative of Iowa House District 81.
Len Adams
Bettendorf
Boland Hasn't Created Jobs
Recently we saw a major employer close its doors and move to Nebraska. How could Illinois lose such a longtime good employer to Nebraska?
I believe it is because our state has become employer-unfriendly. Our government taxes too much, regulates too heavily, and just plain pesters the heck out of anyone who has the "audacity" to hire us. Our workman's comp rates are some of the highest in the nation, and our insurance rates are higher because we do not limit awards to trial lawyers that use our laws as get-rich-quick schemes and we, the residents and taxpayers, pay the bill.
Our present representative seems too wishy-washy and simply does not understand what it takes to make an economy grow. I cannot think of anything that he has done legislatively in his many years in Springfield. Especially nothing that would create jobs. In fact, he has supported tax increases, fees, and burdensome regulations to our employers. That cannot be good for creating good jobs.
I have talked with Steve Haring. He is running against Mike Boland for the state legislature. He told me of his experience in economic development, and how his employer-friendly plan will stimulate growth in Illinois. Steve Haring has a positive vision for us all, and I know he has the right ideas. I will vote for him on November 2 for State Representative, 71st District.
Congratulations, Nebraska. You have landed a very big employer, one that pays well, brings millions of dollars to your economy and your people. You can send your thanks to Mike Boland; the rest of us don't want to hear it.
Tori Lynn N. Schneider
Port Byron, Illinois
