Oct 1983 - On-Line Newspaper Archives of Ocean City

editorials / comment
See politics,
campaigns
in right light
We all like to refer to those Golden Dap of postlabor
Day whin the late summer and early fall
are so glorious and the warm days and cool nights
seem to have been made just for us. Later, as the
weather cools down further, a crispness develops
- as a prelude to genuine cold and the wintertime to
follow. Foliage becomes the attraction; pumpkins,
apples, cider and preparations for
HaUowten come to the tore.
And something else; another occurrence that
traditionally occupies the autumn calendar: the
general election campaign.
With fond memories of summer still in mind, it
may be difficult to focus on the fact that in about
one month it will be election day 1983. One usually
doesn't associate the campaigning leading up to
the election as a typical autumn event. It is, of
course, and perhaps we should all try to visualize
the annual campaigning as an important part of
fall, if not a pleasurable aspect of the season.
Too many of us have become cynical concerning
campaigning and politics and politicians
in general. We let phrases like "politics is a
necessary evU" roll off our tongues. All too often
we quickly agree with friends, fellow workers,
even strangers we talk to in passing that "you
can't fight city hall," that so and so is a "no good
politician," or that "you cant believe that
because it's Just campaign rhetoric."
On and on it goes, and as we embrace such
attitudes, we help entrench reactions which may
very well be unfounded.
In a democracy and a republic, politics is of
utmost importance and those individuals who run
tor and are elected to political offiee are performing
a vital and crucial service. Sadly,
probably because of the aforementioned attitudes,
holding political office all too often is a
"thankless task. T '
Certainly there are all kinds of politicians, just
as there are differences in the people who seek
public office. But it is the individual who is good
or not, not the office or the institution. We must
keep that in mind, especially during election
campaigns.
At the same time we should be diligent in our
decision-making process leading up to that
moment when we pull the lever at the polls. We
should closely examine the candidates, study the
issues; make up our minds who to vote for on the
bails of who we believe has the best grasp of the
issues and who we perceive is best able to implement
sound ideas.
We determine democracy.
Help make itof
government spending U
a safe week
Next week is Fire Prevention Week, a good
time for you to survey your home or workplace
surroundings to make sure they are as free as
possible from the hazards of Ore and that you and
others around you/know ejcactly what steps to
take in case of fire\
Fire officials recommend you use next week —
if you haven't already done so — to: eliminate
potential fire hazards, install and maintain smoke
detectors, and develop and practice a family
escape plan.
Do you know what the first thing is you should
do in case of fire; the second, third? Do you know
what number to call to summon fire fighters? Do
you know how to maximize your chances of
survival if you are ever inside a burning building?
Think of us
Next Sunday through Saturday Is National
Newspaper Week, an annual observance designed
to give pause to the Importance of a free press in a
democracy.
It !• difficult to editorialize on the subject
without it Bounding like we're tooting our own
horn or coming offtounang as if thelnstltution
known as the news media U of greater import
than MOM other Institutions which taken together
help shape our society and nation.
Let it suffice for tbjg corner of the fourth estate
to ask our readers tokeepin mind, especially next
week, that we need your concern. It helps us do
our part in reporting on the unportant events of
the community and in providing a proper soun-
dng board of opinions — yours ind ours — on
Important Issues which help shape our town.
Please, help us to serve you better. Make us
aware of your concerns for our communities.
The Sentinel-Ledger
letters / readers react
Page Two, Section Two Thursday, October ft 1983
Issues for action
The lid still isn't on
By ROBERT F. DEE
Board Chairman
SmlthKllneBecknunCorp.
Government overspending
affects all of us...
Taxes In one guise or
another continue to rise. For
some taxpayers, the 10 per.
oent reduction In Income tax
rates that became effective on
July 1 will be totally offset by
the recent Social Security tax
increase...
A great many people
believe that federal government
ipendlng and taxes have
both been drastically cut.
That Isn't the case. The
truth is that while the rate of
growth of federal spending
has slowed, the total amount
still going up.
As for taxes, in 10 yean the
federal tax bin for the typical
UJ. family hai risen faster
than • family's before-tax
Income. With Inflation, the
typical American family has
less disposable annual Income
now Aan 10 years ago.
The Irony Is that Americans
elected a new administration
in 1980 dedicated to the
proposition that less government
Li better government
Butdesplte the efforts of the
administration to curtail big
government, the lid still isn't
on federal spending.
According to government
data, between 1980 and IMS
total federal outlays In constant
im dollars (adjusted
for inflation) roue from $317
billion to $357 billion, up 13
percent. In the same period,
nondefense spending grew
from $244 billion to $288
billion, up 10 percent. Defense
spending went from $73 bflllon
to $89 billion, up 22 percent
Payments for individuals,
which Includes Social
Security 1114 other transfer
payment programs, rot* from
$151 billion to $180 bUUon, an
Increase of 18 percent.
The verdict Is In: Tiie US.
government budget Is stM
rising it a rate exceeding
Inflation.
Yet America It confronted
win • staggering federal
cWtcit, the Urgeitln history.
And this deficit can arty be
reduced U Congress U wining
to make cuts In spending.
Some members of CongreM
claim that tbe deficit can be
offset by Increasing taxes.
But recent bMory doesn't
support that contention. In
fact hUfcer taxa«. strangely
mtoieadto In-
'The verdict is irv The US government budget
is still rising at a rate exceeding inflation'
creased government spending
and larger deficits.
For example. In 1975-79,
when tax receipts were 11
percent of GNP, government
spent nearly 22 percent of
GNP-wlth a deficit of over 3
percent of GNP. In 1NU2,
when tax revenues went up to
20 percent of GNP, the Increased taxation ob-
situation was worse. viously Un't the answer.
Nostalgia.
Government spent close to M
percent ofGNP and the deficit
bounded to over S percent of
CMP,
All that tax Increases stem
to dot* reduce the pressure on
legislators to spend led.
There Is only one real choice.
Citizens must put much, much
more pressure on their
legislators to cut federal
2j%{
facts. Then make your veiof
beard where It counts-ln
Washington.
In the inmnter of 1923 the Prank D. Frank's bud played at the
Elwood Carpenter Dancing Studio above the Moorlyn liieatre.
Here, along with a Mend, the band member* watt far the train
back to Philadelphia at the Pennsy R.R. station. TTiey ire, from left:
Frank, pianist Cora Grimm, Jimmy Perri, Tom Hays, Bobby
Morrow Bond and Billy King.
Haya. now 78, sent in the old photo. •
TIM SMIIIWMLMQSV
Print** «nd PUMMM* M AhMMc** QrMMtf pimlly Rmrt
wmm
til Mil MfHt.OeMn Oly, N.J.S
SMaMMftMIN)
-DEADLINES-
Advertislng, Letters P S i 2 y
New»,ToolatetoclaMlfy....poooWcdnuthority
figure that these young people
need, to perform at their
peak, Capt LaHerty U what
makes the difference between
mediocrity and excellence.
Whenyouaredeallng wife We
and death, this Is Important
If Mr, Kane want In
Avalon when the OCBP won
the South Jersey Championship,
I hope he real the
account of It In The Sentinel-
Ledger, -i
Being the best consisteritly
to not an accident It. Is
fostered by a very dedicated
captain. One who does nothing
else but work toward perfecting
the lifeguards who
protect all of us. It is not a
part-time captain who might
not not know that the beached
do not dose on Labor Day Or
one who might let poHOcs
creep Into the beach patrol,
which could be disastrous to
the safety of the beaches.
If and when Capt, Lrffcrty
retires, he should be replaoed
by someone equally competent
and on a full-ttme bails
in order to maintain the leVel
of excellence we now enjoy in
Ocean CUt.
The city administrator
should find less Important
budgets to cut or maybe
contribute part of his salary,
at least until he learns Ms Job.
After all, It's the beacbea that
attract M0.Q»ptas people to
Ocean City every summer.
This in tun m f t 1 This in tun mftfrtM? *
adds to the beach tag funds.
In case Mr. Kane thinks I
am belting fee drums for
Apt Ufferty because I am
his mother, wife, or good
friend - r m not I have never
met be man and be doesn't
know I exist. I am Just fee
mother of one of Ws 107
dedicated lifeguards who
knows how hard they work to
make Ocean City and their
captain proud of then.
NJi.Seeburger
Keep the jitney even
if tax hike needed
Editor, Sentinel-Ledger: I take the loss. A city like
am writing Ala about the Ocean City should be ante to
Jitneys. I do want to see them absorb a loss for the good /of
continue through fee winter- fee public. , ;
even If fee schedule baa bean Transportation la a very
cut.
Important commodity to
Even if feey But nav every almost everyone.
2orlVi hours, It is better than Ocean aty should keep the
none. And if we have to pay 75 Interest of Hi cltliens
certs, it still is a bargain, foremost In mind. We need a
without service some people Jitney no matter what fee
could not hold Jobs, because cost.
there Is no car available to I recommend shooting for a
them. Sometimes It la reasonable figure — 1 say
necessary to get from one •100,000 Is not too much.
place In town to another, U taxes need to be raised for
without a Jitney available, this purpose, I would not be
people would not to self, against It at alL
sufficient and able to act on In the future, I intend to use
their own-at any age. fee Jitney more and mart.
Keep the Jitneys running-
LoUSchoenewald
and fee elftr should be able to
Ocean City
focus on
300th anniversary
of pacifist arrival
Editor, SetiuneOedger:
Today,Oct6,markstheJ00th
annlTersary 01 the arrival In
Philadelphia of the first
Wi new generation
fcnrive flrsNtrike
would be an eztoeflMy
dangerous step In the antti
German SetUers ta the New race. It wiU force *"
World. They ware Quakers countries to assume a
ana Mennonltes - d h on warning strategy :,
oot&snlttad o p nuclear war in Europe
—who carne frorn the city of across the country more
Krefeld, West Germany and
settled in Gsnnantown, Pa, A coalition of
President Reagan and crtlc and paaoe
President Cantens of Wast formed to express
Germany plan to come to opposition to the r
PMtadtlphla for a state of the Ettroml—~.H-r»
. it in honor of the oc- oelehfrnte the bJsWjtfd
casion on tba evening of Oct. {MCIDM Qngun of u
Bketr to us* tht 'event to to- pvbUdia tin
tanatfytheOfniuuUttKrican economic, and
military alliance and to Justices, caused
toritlmlM tba achcduM
*s o» Oroba»hd
h
features
'Flying bicycles 9 put
wings on people
".Whether you call them
.-flying blcylces or lawn chalra
•with wings, ultralight air.
planes have put wings on fee
-.hacks of many people who
More could only dream of
-Soaring In the skies.
Constructed of aluminum
tubing and colorful sailcloth,
.these back-to-basics flying
„ machines resemble
•dragonfltes In shape and
-.nmlucence. As many u
,aa,000 of them an now flying.
".;»To fly an ultralight, you
• don't need a pilot's license or
. a runway. ThU simple craft
, tttjuires as Uttte ai 50 feet to
.tike off and Ind, and U
therefore well suited for
.launch from back yards and
-pastures. Costing between
tt.&oo and 16,500, the