Published in July 21 edition

Philomath police not earing their salaries

I’m a mom of three, and I work full time. I earn my pay. But I am having trouble seeing that the Philomath Police really earns its pay. For the last two and a half months, my apartment complex has been plagued by a peeping tom. He first was seen by my daughter peeping in her bedroom window at 6 a.m. Now he has been seen by many of the rest of the complex’s residents.

We have called many many times to report this, but nothing seems to be working. Sometimes the police don’t even come and talk to us about it. Remind me again; what do we pay them for? I guess it will be up to the complex renters to save our kids from this peeping tom. He only peeps now, but what next — breaking in or trying to rape our kids?

Maybe we will have to form a vigilance committee to take care of this problem. Again, what do we pay them for? Stopping old ladies to yell at them for turning into the wrong lane? Or maybe they are just there to stop speeders to make money for Philomath to (oh, yeah) pay their wages.

Other than that, they are useless. I will probably start getting ticket after ticket for writing this, but it needs to be brought to light. I’m worried about the safety of my kids.

Debbie Stagner

Philomath

Editor’s note: The Philomath Police Department responded that they have answered each call as quickly as possible, and that their investigation into the reported incidents of peeping continues.

Tall truck missed Marys River bridge

South Corvallis residents, the northbound Marys River bridge and downtown businesses escaped great economic harm the other evening (Photo caption: “Truck takes out sign,” July 15). Mercifully, the truck carrying the tower that was too tall for I-5 was not routed under the Marys River bridge and instead took out signage and traffic signals at Harrison Boulevard and North Third Street. Yet that incident is a few blocks too close for comfort. None of us in south Corvallis or downtown can afford another lengthy bridge closure for avoidable repairs. Truck dispatchers and road authorities, are you watching and listening?

Martha Anderson

Corvallis

Ex-cop’s behavior long was tolerated

The Gazette Time’s recent coverage of (former Corvallis police officer) Dave Cox has created a buzz around town that I find rather frustrating.

Comments concerning Mr. Cox’s lack of morals often are heard. Lack of morals because he’s doing what he knows so he can pay the rent? What would you do if your boss gave you award after award after award and then used you as a fall guy? Who’s lacking in morals?

A good chief of police wouldn’t have condoned such aggressive tactics. A good municipal judge wouldn’t have facilitated flagrantly unjust policies.

Jim Ballard

Corvallis

DeFazio’s ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ to Big Oil OK

After reading several letters from Republicans criticizing Rep. Peter DeFazio’s June 29 opinion piece on “use-it-or-lose-it” (regarding drilling leases) I had to wonder if these critics could read and comprehend the written word.

Some claimed that the current leases were not worth exploring or exploiting, although at current and likely future prices, unless they are dry, what stands in the way? And, if they are not worth retaining, all Rep. DeFazio says is that they need to return that lease before they acquire others.

The reason for those ignorant of how corporate assets are counted is that the oil companies get to count the projected yield of their leases as assets for their stock value. They are holding supplies back to maximize profits, so the drilling argument goes up in emissions. The finitude of oil does make controlling its supply very profitable indeed, but these Petrasous can get us all the fuel we can buy at their prices.

As always, Peter DeFazio gives us wisdom about issues. It is how he wins across this very diverse district.

Don Caughey

Corvallis

Speak up to decry erosion of our rights

I guess you folks all really like the high price of gas.

It seems you also like paying double taxes for corporations, the high costs of war, and even torture. You also seem to like having your phone calls and e-mails become public.

Only reason I figure you like these things is that you aren’t on the phone or e-mail to your congressperson demanding they stop the price breaks for oil companies and that they use the drilling permits they already have to produce oil here, and stop selling our oil overseas.

I would have thought you would be complaining to Congress about corporations who open phony offices offshore to avoid paying millions in taxes here while taking money from you also by getting no-bid contracts from the military —

taxing you twice for them.

And where are those calls complaining of the billions in debt being passed to your kids and theirs of an illegal war and the torture of other human beings by this government?

Could it be you fear the listening in on your phone calls and reading of your emails by our current regime?

Buck up folks, a spine shouldn’t be too hard to find.

Marilyn Maurais

Corvallis