The recent article about the Osborn Aquatic Center provided some mind-boggling statistics and information about the center.

Corvallis doesn't own it; the Corvallis School District owns it. Yet Corvallis will provide about $500,000 to subsidize the center's annual $1.3 million budget.

A few weeks ago, the Gazette-Times reported that Corvallis was projecting a $400,000 deficit in its 2008-09 budget. City officials threatened cuts in basic city services because of the projected deficit.

There is an obvious solution to the city's coming projected deficit: Raise the very low admission/event fees for the Osborn Aquatic Center so that it will support itself - or even make a profit.

Corvallis has a bowling alley, the sports park and several health clubs. None of these sport facilities receives any city subsidies. Corvallis residents obviously support recreational sports they want. The Osborn Aquatic Center has nothing to fear from charging fees that pay for all of its operations. Nationwide there are many such parks. It is time for Osborn to join them.

Last year, Corvallis residents trounced the city's proposed cell phone franchise tax in part because of misrepresentations about the need and purpose for the tax. If city officials want a new tax to close future deficits, let's hope for honesty next time. A new tax won't be necessary to pay for police or fire services.

It would be necessary to pay the unnecessary subsidy for the Osborn Aquatic Center.

Voters probably won't like the truth any more than they liked the misrepresentations.

David Grappo

Corvallis

Leniency not given all first-time felons

I would like to applaud our district attorney (John Haroldson) for giving his all in regard to the Josh Grimes case.

In my opinion, the crime should also have been prosecuted as premeditated, based on what I was hearing in the courtroom.

The fact that Grimes lied to police officers, hid the weapon and tried to get others to cover for him wasn't even given consideration at all. Mr. Grimes got a slap on the wrist, showing once again that money talks.

The scales of justice (or the judge) were truly out of balance that day, between the ones sheltered and unsheltered. Mr. Grimes was given leniency as a first-time offender. The nature of the crime should have been taken into consideration before leniency was granted.

I have a son who was a first-time offender. He had a promising future as well. He made an error in judgment one night and, facing charges under Measure 11, I chose to enter a plea bargain to a Burglary I charge.

The fact that he was a first-time offender wasn't even brought up in court. As a result, he was sent to prison for three years, nine months; no eligibility for early release, alternative programs or anything.

Judge (Janet) Holcomb threw the book at him and he was sent so far away, I haven't seen him but once. So you see, there is no justice for those less fortunate in this town.

Maria Marlene Seals

Corvallis

'B.C.' an oldie, but still a good comic

I vowed I would never write to the editor again. But when, once again, someone suggests deleting "B.C." from the comics, I have to have my say.

My favorite, "Peanuts," has already been banished to the classified ads section. Maybe, as Irving E. Dayton noted in his April 19 letter, "B.C." could be moved to the religion page. So be it!

Some comics, I skip over. Others I clip out to send to family, such as the recent "Zits" strip about the many and various remote controls. (My son has so many remote controls, I don't dare touch one for fear of fouling everything up!)

And who would not love "Crankshaft"?

Blanche Wilson

Corvallis

Feds are spreading scary climate lies

Re: The April 11 letter titled "Scientists get paid for scary theories" from Joseph West:

Scientists get paid to solve problems; they do not get paid for scary theories. It is not uncommon for a science-based consensus to emerge that is contrary to public policy. The scary part occurs when policy makers spin or attack the science for political gain.

There has been a consensus among scientists for more than a decade that carbon dioxide emissions cause global warming. It would be helpful if the U.S. government would stop attacking the consensus and take action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

John R. Potter

Corvallis

Union waged war on South's civilians

April is Confederate History Month. In recognition of this, I am reading two books: "Merchant of Terror: General Sherman and Total War" by John Bennett Walters, and "History of the Fifty-Eighth Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry: Its Organization, Campaigns and Battles from 1861 to 1865" by Chaplain John J. Hight. Chaplain Hight was with Sherman's army as it burned and plundered its way through Georgia, South Carolina and part of North Carolina in 1864-1865.

Walters states that Sherman "gradually evolved his own personal philosophy of war along lines which were clearly at variance with official pronouncements, and in his practical application of that philosophy became one of the first of the modern generals to revert to the idea of the use of military force against the civilian population of the enemy."

In 1862, Sherman burned the entire town of Randolph, Tenn. to the ground. In 1863, he burned Jackson, Meridian and other towns in Mississippi.

The April 14 Gazette-Times article "'Shoot refugees' letter was known, undisclosed" by the Associated Press, p. A8, stated: "Deliberately attacking noncombatants is a war crime."

After 56 years, the truth about the U.S. attacking noncombatants during the Korean War is finally being disclosed. It has been 145 years since Gen. Sherman, with the approval of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and President Abraham Lincoln, began his attacks on noncombatants of the South. This also needs full disclosure.

David R. Prichard

Corvallis