DATE: Friday, July 25, 1997                 TAG: 9707230128

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 2E   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:  115 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - THE CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER

Pharmacist bids farewell

I would like to thank all of the patients who shopped at Revco on Mount Pleasant Road and Centerville Turnpike for giving me their trust and allowing me to take care of their families for the last four years. As your community pharmacist, I have come to know many of you well. The decision to leave my position was not easy because of the bonds that I have with so many of you. Your community is special and all of you should be proud of it.

I am relocating my pharmacy practice and my diabetes education center to Hannaford Supercenter, at the intersection of Lynnhaven Parkway and Princess Anne Road in Virginia Beach. To all of the patients with diabetes, should you have any questions for me, do not hesitate to call.

Andy Meyers

Cumberland Court Pay wasn't just for sitter

This letter is for the benefit of the ``adult'' who provided my daughter with one of the finer points of business ethics.

I know she is ``just'' a teen-ager, one taught to trust and respect adults, one who does volunteer work, one who is a straight ``A'' student and has aspirations of being a pediatrician because she likes children. She likes to baby-sit as it earns her money and allows her to exercise increased responsibility and spend her time usefully.

She completed the American Red Cross Child Care course, trained to handle emergency situations so the parents who hire her would be able to relax while away from home. Sadly, none of her training prepared her for dealing with you.

Sure, it was just a baby-sitting job, one where she had to be at your house by 6:30 a.m., one where you would call and say you were going to be late, long after my daughter told you (and you agreed) she needed you to be home at a set time because she had other commitments. You'd rush in and never say thanks for staying late. You'd call her during the day to ask her to do little things around the house, like laundry, or show your home to prospective buyers, pick up areas she didn't mess up.

She was proud of her work, particularly with your child. Then the real-world lesson happened . . . her first payday from you. Seventy cents per hour? What happened to the agreed-upon price? You say you didn't agree to her $2 per hour, complete with cleaning and fixing meals for your child. I know my daughter and her normal fee for sitting; you had a bargain at $2 per hour.

We, adults, complain about the kids these days, how they don't respect what they have and the adults they meet. Yes, it's true, my daughter doesn't respect you now, but you caused it. I considered taking you to court but my daughter said no, as our courts are already too overburdened. She has good judgment, and her tears from standing up to you will make her a better person.

Dale Orren

Coventry Meadows Smokers have free will

I cannot understand all this ``hoopla'' about tobacco companies being ``forced'' to pay for medical care for smokers. Sure smoking may cause cancer, but smoking is on a voluntary basis, no one is holding a gun to anyone's head and forcing them to smoke.

This should be your problem, not the states' or federal.

``Not A Deal,'' the June 27 letter by Robert Ruffin, is out of line. It is past time that the state and federal government backed out of the private lives of the citizens.

Howard Mathias

Second Street

Standing by Merrill

Your recent article about attorney Stephen Merrill's plight with a bankruptcy judge moved me to send you the first letter in my life.

I've known Mr. Merrill for a time, and I had his advice on a delicate matter. He was cool and professional as an attorney should be. He came highly recommended to me by one of his clients. He is an attorney from the old school - a lawyer who cares mostly about his clients and the cause of justice, rather than maximizing the amount of money they could make.

I am very proud Mr. Merrill is my lawyer and he will always be there for me. He never has charged his fees by a stopwatch.

We wish all the best for his law firm and hope that one bad case will not keep further clients away.

W.H. Greig

Philmont Ave.

Antique cars deserve break

Regrding Mr. Whitesell's letter in the June 22 Clipper, ``Tax cut for rich,'' I feel obligated to respond on behalf of Chesapeake's antique auto enthusiasts. Mr. Whitesell obviously doesn't realize Chesapeake simply ratified Virginia HB 2177, which passed unanimously in both the House and Senate this year and was promptly signed by Gov. George Allen.

By offering special registration for antique autos, Virginia recognizes our hobby's positive value. The many antique auto shows held in Chesapeake are an example of the family fun that old cars provide. Also, through the efforts of our area Car Club Council, thousands of dollars have been raised for charity.

Antique auto enthusiasts are a cross section of society that includes many people with only moderate incomes. They choose to enjoy this hobby instead of spending their discretionary income on other things. Mr. Whitesell might also be surprised to find that many spend far more restoring their vehicles than they are worth.

Regarding the personal property tax, Chesapeake loses very little revenue as none was previously collected. The policy was to depreciate vehicles until they reach a minimum value. At the point where it cost more to collect a small amount than the city would gain, the vehicle was dropped from the rolls. This is a reflection of the difficulty in assessing the value of such vehicles. Even professional appraisers often can't agree. Using the asking prices from newspaper ads to establish value as Mr. Whitesell suggests is ridiculous! If an old Volkswagon is advertised at $25,000 and doesn't sell, is it worth the asking price? Or is it worthless because nobody else wanted it?

It is unfair to tax properly registered antique vehicles as you would a vehicle being used daily or for business purposes. Besides, why should antique auto collectors be taxed on their hobby, while gun, stamp or coin collectors are not?

I am pleased that our City Council recognizes the positive contribution made by local antique vehicle owners by ratifying what our state legislature has already done.

Terry Bond

Forest Road

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