DATE: Sunday, August 10, 1997               TAG: 9708080212

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 04   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:  145 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - PORTSMOUTH

As I keep my boat at Tidewater Yacht in Portsmouth's Olde Towne area, I'm concerned and puzzled over the plan to close Portside this coming October. In one report the spokesman for Portsmouth stated they were closing the ferry stop at Portside so High Street businesses would get a boost (from the added pedestrian traffic). So why close Portside itself? What does that have to do with the ferry stop anyway? In my judgment, nothing.

In addition to visitors to Olde Towne, and workers in the area who go there for lunch and after work unwinding, the boating communities from Tidewater Yacht and Crawford Bay certainly use the Portside facilities. In addition to boaters like myself who have their boats home ported there, there is a migration of people traveling on the Inter Coastal Waterway both north and southbound in the spring and fall. Additionally, Harborfest, the July Fourth celebration, the Cock Island Race and now, the Mile Marker Zero events certainly bring thousands to Portside. To think that all these people will go to High Street for eating and/or entertainment is ludicrous. Yes, some will go to to High Street as I often do, but those are the ones that will go in any event. From my perspective, you are telling these people to take their business to Waterside, we don't want it. But you say they will have to go to High Street to catch the ferry. No, not really. All they would have to do is catch the new water taxi service to Waterside. I know this is what I would do, and intend to do it Portside closes. I suspect so will most others.

Running the ferry from High Street is not going to magically transform High Street into a thriving downtown area. Better to move the jail, City Hall, and some parking areas to a less desirable property a block or two off the water, and develop that area into something that will draw the crowds you envision.

So, my humble recommendations to the Portsmouth City Council are:

Don't close Portside in October.

Leave the Portside ferry stop as an additional stop to High Street.

Find a few people with some common sense to work on your 2005 plan.

Kenneth G. App

Suffolk

July 17, 1997 Reforms may hurt

For all of you well employed, making good money and benefits persons, I suppose that you feel very good or happy now that President Clinton has enacted Welfare Reform. Now the undeserving (welfare recipients) can become deserving by working for what they get. Well, guess what. Since they will be forced to work for virtually nothing or in exchange for benefits who do you think just might be trained for your job and replace you.

Everyone should take the time and use insight to see, realize, and accept the fact that what this system actually does is keep a certain group of people oppressed in order to ``maximize profits from goods and services.'' As you might already know, most of the low-income households are headed by single women, many of whom are divorced having had no choice of being placed in this position. Nevertheless, there still remains the responsibilities of taking care of and positive rearing those innocent ``significant others'' (children.)

Considering the fact the ``Big Brother'' is merely a self-serving entity whose ultimate goal is to secure as cheap and docile a labor force as possible in order to maximize profits - just where does the ``working middle class'' fit? Oh well, never fret - perhaps it will make you feel better to realize that this entity is not so different from you and me in that we also like ``two-fers'' you know, two for the price of one. Consequently, it can now hire two people for the same salary that it pays you and of course they will be well trained to do your job because they will have had the very best instructors - you.

Now, do you really feel so good about putting the nails in your own coffins? Now who's possibly on the outside looking in. But then, money legitimizes just about everything doesn't it. Speaking of which - where do you suppose all of those newly acquired funds will truly go. Oh yes, and don't forget, now you have created a new class of unemployed unfortunates - eligibility workers, social workers, case workers, intake worker etc.

Hence, all of you good working, well-deserving individuals - be careful what you wish for - you just might get it.

Dorothy Auston White

Portsmouth

July 28, 1997 Let the record speak

This letter is in response to the letter to the editor from Kerry Keyes dated July 10, which was printed in the Portsmouth Currents on July 20.

I have never had a discussion with the individual who wrote the letter about my position with regard to the personal property tax. In 16 years in the General Assembly, I never voted for a general tax increase.

I support finding ways to reduce our personal property tax. I think we should find ways to reduce the BPOL (gross receipts) tax to get the government our of the pocket of small business. We should make cuts that are fair to everyone and at the same time understanding that government cannot solve all of our problems. I am committed to find ways to provide this kind of tax relief.

I do not believe in telling people what they want to hear. I believe in telling them the truth. Just like every other citizen in our community, I want tax relief!

Johnny S. Joannou

Court Street

July 30, 1997 What's in a name?

For some time I have had a bee in my bonnet. The new high school should be named the Portsmouth High School. This school will be the largest and most expensive high school ever built in the state. What an opportunity! And, understandably, a large focal point for the city.

It is a golden opportunity for the city of Portsmouth to project itself as a positive and caring city for all of its students.

In order to include both races, one color from Norcom and one from Wilson could be selected to compose the Portsmouth High School colors and alma mater to be composed by students.

I have talked with the mayor, a school board member, teachers of both races and although each has recognized this as a good or excellent idea, all except the mayor concluded with ``it will never happen.'' My reaction is, if it is a good idea, why can't it happen?

I am not into politics, but I am interested in the welfare of the city, the children and the future of the city.

After hearing President Clinton's recent address to the NAACP I thought, why not? So, I called the local NAACP office. The person to whom I spoke is also on the school board. The conversation was interesting. In fact, I was told ``you are too late'' and ``it's political.'' Before the conversation ended I was told ``if the city changed the Woodrow Wilson High School name back to Manor then we will call the new school the Portsmouth High School.'' So, there it is! A very interesting situation, to say the least.

What will the people of the city do?

If politics is eliminated in this situation we can reach that light at the end of the tunnel and get our city back to the tranquil atmosphere that it had in the past. As a child and young adult I never lived in fear and uncertainty.

Who will pick up the ball and do something for the children and the city?

Margaret Allen

Portsmouth

Aug. 10, 1997 Job well done

As citizens of Portsmouth, we would like to express our appreciation for the crew and crew leader William Hoffler and the supervisor Orlene Mitchell for a job well done on the ditch at 2003 Elmhurst Lane and 503 Delham Road.

We sometimes forget that we have people working for Portsmouth that would like for it to become a city to be proud of.

We greatly appreciate you.

The Gillikin residence

Elmhurst Lane

The Schultz residence

Delham Road

July 10, 1997

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