Full-service schools should be fully funded

As a resident of St. Louis and the mother of a young child, I was extremely dismayed to learn that funding for Community Education Full Service Schools program has been reduced. These "Full-Service Schools" provide a tremendous service to our communities in offering after-school programs to young people and opportunities to adult residents to further their education. They promote positive neighborhood relations.

I have benefited from art and fitness classes offered through this program at Sigel Community Education Center, and I saw first-hand the value of after-school programs for students. The St. Louis Public Schools website states that the CEFSS program "encourages students to build on their classroom experiences, expand their horizons, contribute to their communities, and have fun." It also says the "primary focus is on the promotion of high educational achievement and positive youth development."

With awful examples of youth violence, including the recent "knockout" attacks, I am appalled that we would cut a program that gives young people a safe and healthy alternative to the streets.

Instead of cutting the CEFSS program, we actually need to fund more so that we reach the ideal situation described on the SLPS website and have "a full service school ... open to the community before, during, and after normal school hours, seven days a week, all year long."

Heather Macarthur • St. Louis

More than a fare

Regarding "Huge convention has nothing for cabbies" (Nov. 3): We have a huge convention in downtown St. Louis with 35,000 people that will bring in an estimated $35 million. We have it for three years for a total of $105 million. Taxicab drivers whine about not getting the business to which they think they are entitled.

I work these kinds of conventions. I am the guy who stands on the sidewalk outside of America's Center, the airport, a downtown hotel or a stadium, loading up conventioneers into 57-passenger motor coaches, 24-passenger mini-coaches and private sedans. I know what it takes to move large groups of people from point A to B or C or D and back again.

Guess what? Taxicabs are hardly ever in the equation.

I love cab drivers. I have spent most of my adult life funding their children's college funds. Whether it's a night out with friends or something I can throw on the expense report, I usually take a cab.

And if someone's grandmother from Memphis, Tenn., wants to tip her volunteer driver, it is not the business of Mr. Mad Cabdriver.

Andrew T. Ahr • Kirkwood

Legacies

Taxpayers considering the proposed 2012 budget for St. Louis County, which recommends closure of 23 parks, should visit Fort Bellefontaine Park. The grand staircase and stonework features built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s illustrate what a previous generation accomplished during difficult economic times. When this budget crisis is over, will our legacy be a diminished park system in St. Louis County?

Jennifer Alexander • Maplewood

Tone deaf

St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley's threat to close and sell St. Louis County parks is shortsighted and tone deaf ("County parks face sale," Nov. 2). In an economic depression, parks are a source of inexpensive recreation for residents. Their beauty is available to all regardless of their income. They are something to be proud of — except, of course, not for our own county executive.

Mr. Dooley has lowered himself to "government by blatant threat." It sounds to the public (those he is supposed to represent) like political blackmail: "Give me a tax increase or I'll hurt you by selling your parks." Someone needs to sit Mr. Dooley down and remind him that he is a public servant. He works for of us, not the other way around.

I'm not convinced he has even considered other alternatives to either selling the parks or increasing taxes. What will Mr. Dooley threaten next? Closing the police department?

We want to see Mr. Dooley and his department heads agonizing to cut the county budget elsewhere. It is not an "either-or" decision — that's government by children. We thought Mr. Dooley was better than this, but it looks as if we were wrong.

Lawrence Connor • University City

Senseless

Regarding "County parks face sale" (Nov. 2): In these difficult economic times, our parks give us relief from stress and improve the quality of our lives. It is relaxing to take my dog on a walk through a park and take in the ever-changing natural world. Our lovely historical buildings also give us relief. Seeing them and knowing their histories takes our minds to places and times we could not replace. It makes no sense to be selling our county parks and eliminating the position of preservation historian.

Jane Schaefer • University City

Bigger impact

In "Clayton's restaurant revenue grew in first year of its smoking ban" (Oct. 31), Clayton Mayor Linda Goldstein announced a $7,000 restaurant sales tax revenue increase as proof that her smoking ban has not hurt Clayton restaurants. However, that is only a 0.004 — less than half of 1 percent — increase over the same period a year ago, when part of U.S. Highway 40 was closed for construction. Clayton restaurants were hurt then by limited access. They should have had a far larger rebound.

Given the sales tax revenue increase that inflation and the reopening of Highway 40 should have produced, the smoking ban probably had a negative impact on Clayton's restaurant revenue, despite the tiny tax revenue increase Ms. Goldstein touts.

Bill Hannegan • St. Louis

Learn to live with it

Regarding "Mayor warns Occupy campers" (Nov. 5): "The right of the people peaceably to assemble for the purpose of petitioning Congress for a redress of grievances, or for anything else connected with the powers or duties of the National Government, is an attribute of national citizenship, and, as such, under protection of, and guaranteed by, the United States." There's nothing in the First Amendment about "with a valid permit."

Peaceful assembly and the presentation of grievances is not only a right, it's a responsibility of citizenship. The city of St. Louis and other cities are reasonable in their desire to return to their "comfort zone." The Occupy protesters are correct in their desire to shine a light on the degradation of our electoral system and the increasingly tilted economy by "big money."

The Constitution trumps city ordinances, even when Corporate America gets upset about it. Mayor Francis Slay should learn to live with it.

J.L. Hickman • Fairview Heights

Chained index

The recent proposal to adopt a new Consumer Price Index has more potential than most people realize. This new measure, called the Chained Consumer Price Index, would show a lower level of inflation. It would assume that as prices increase, consumers would switch to lower-cost alternatives.

For example, if the price of beef increases while the price of pork does not, then people will buy more pork. What if the price of beef and pork both go up? We could assume that people would switch to dog food. This would reduce the amount of inflation that consumers experience even more than the switch from beef to pork. The federal government would save even more money.

And, because lower-income people will be saving all this money by substituting cheaper alternatives, they could use these savings to pay for the higher taxes that they will incur under the new "Chained" Consumer Price Index.

Ray Sanders • House Springs