Letters to the editor

Parkville High crowding not demographics
In reference to the March 23 article, “Crown steamed over school issues,” apparently Vince Gardina commented on “demographic changes” causing overcrowding at Perry Hall, Parkville, and Essex high schools.

I really do not believe that to be the case at Parkville High School.

If Vince and the folks at Greenwood were to take a closer look at the demographics for the Parkville High School district and then student population at Parkville High, I trust they will find the student body is not representative of the designated district.
Perhaps one major reason for overcrowding is due to the failure of the administration to verify the residence of their student body. Just because an aunt or a grandmother lives in the district does not justify the admission of a relative to the school within that district.

Another problem at Parkville High which the administration, Board of Education, and Vince Gardina have not addressed is the influx of Baltimore City residents into this Baltimore County school.

For years residents of Parkville have witnessed the large numbers of Parkville High School students arrive and depart on the #19 MTA bus at Harford Road and Putty Hill Avenue. Why in the world would these students chose to walk a quarter of a mile to and from the MTA Bus Stop, wait in the wind, rain and cold for a MTA bus and have to pay a fare when Baltimore County provides free transportation, nearly door-to-door for its students? Maybe because these students should not be attending Parkville High to begin with.

And just maybe - if only the legitimate students within the designated Parkville High School District were to attend Parkville High - perhaps overcrowding would not be an issue there.

I believe Vince is right about the demographics. He is in the right church, but the wrong pew.

Art Beasman
Parkville

Marylanders in for it again
Our newly elected officials are off and running. One is raising taxes, while another is raising utility rates.

(Don’t forget our 50 percent BGE increase due to come into effect this summer. You know, just when it gets hot and we will depend on our air conditioners.)

Summer is around the corner, and what do you see going up already? That’s right, gas.

Last year we saw gas prices exceed $3 per gallon. I predict gas prices this summer will be touching the $4 per gallon mark.

Ever wonder why politicians and big oil companies are not pushing for Ethanol or other alternatives? Because it’s no money in their pockets.

Needless to say, they have no problem digging deeper into our pockets.

I also hear government officials are giving themselves a pay raise (now that the elections are over, of course).

When will you get your raise? You say you don’t need a raise to offset all of these increases our officials have imposed on us - then you don’t live in the state of Maryland!

Marlin Van Ells
Rosedale

Why Rosedale for a bus depot?
I read with complete disbelief the letter from Michael A. Trush, President of Greater Kingsville Civic Association (March 9 - “Not the place for buses”).

Mr. Trush thinks his neighborhood is too beautiful for a bus depot and that Rosedale would be a good place for it.

Mr. Trush sites roads being busy in the morning and evening with people going to and from work. Has he ever been to Rosedale during morning and afternoon traffic? Radio traffic reports site daily traffic congestion and accidents in Rosedale.

His second reason is not to mar the beauty of Kingsville. Does he think it is O.K. to make Rosedale look like a dump? His third reason is dirty carcinogenic diesel emissions that are hazardous to his health. As a professor of environmental health science, is he saying the emissions won’t be a hazard to the people of Rosedale?

The arrogance of Mr. Trush’s letter is beyond belief– don’t put it on our neighborhood, dump it on someone else.

We in Rosedale already have one bus depot with buses that transport other people’s children all over the county — I have been told as far as Woodlawn.

Buses to transport children should be put in the area they serve. Imagine how much money that would save us taxpayers for the gasoline that would save.

If the parents of children in Perry Hall and Kingsville don’t want buses stored in their area, maybe it is time for them to transport their children to and from school.

I trust (as Mr. Trush does) “that the county won’t impose something on our Rosedale community that is not a good thing and something our community doesn’t want.”

Catherine Wiegmann
Rosedale

‘Criminal Admiration’ in Annapolis
In the dark of night Monday, the Maryland General Assembly once again did a job on the people, passing three pro-criminal bills. I felt it was important to speak out on the floor of the House against this obvious attack on the law-abiding citizens of the State of Maryland.

The first bill was to give in-state tuition to illegal aliens. This is a $12,000 benefit, at a cost to Maryland taxpayers of $3 million with no cap. So, if this measure has the same effect as granting driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, even more illegal aliens will be attracted to the state, at greater cost to taxpayers.

The second bill gives early release from jail to hard-core drug dealers on their second offense. I certainly never had a single constituent ask me to join the Criminal Admiration Society.

Normally, not supporting a piece of legislation like this would not really have much effect of the outcome of your next election. But, as you will see by the next bill the House passed, we gave voting rights to murderers, rapists, arsonists – people convicted of the most horrendous felonies. So I am sure that these freed felons will not be voting for someone like me, who has taken a tough position on crime.

And on an unrelated subject, the General Assembly also passed a resolution to apologize for slavery. I, along with five other delegates – four of whom are from Baltimore County – voted against this unnecessary and pandering resolution.

The 26th of March will undoubtedly go down as a major victory for those who prey upon our society and a dark day for the law-abiding taxpayers of Maryland.

Delegate Rick Impallaria
(R-Dist. 7)

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