Vox Pop

Vox Pop, voice of the people, publishes Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Submissions are limited to 100 words. To call in a comment, dial 829-2900 or 1-800-547-2909 then enter code 8008. To e-mail a comment, write to voxpop@brainerddispatch.com. Comments, which must meet the newspaper's standards of fairness and good taste, may be edited for clarity, length and libel.

Question for Brainerd School Board

How can they justify free medical insurance for them and yet, on some of these part-time cooks, cooks' helpers and dishwashers that are making only $7.50 an hour, they are talking about cutting back their hours to save money? Seems like something's kind of wrong here.

Cooks, cooks' helpers and dishwashers make $6.95 to $11.82 an hour. A Brainerd school official said the district is looking into ways to help reduce the 2003-04 budget in all areas, including tightening the hours for food service.

Dial-A-Ride

I understand that Dial-A-Ride will now be charging double fare for ordering a bus on the same day that we need it. I have never heard of a city bus service that demands that the customer call the day before to order the bus. Every time I have called to order a bus on the same day, I have always asked the dispatcher if they have a bus already going in the same direction that I needed to go. ... Why didn't someone tell me that they were against it when I called?

A suggested solution

To balance the state budget as the Republicans suggest on the backs of the state and county workers is really unfair ... Maybe a better idea is that if every citizen turned in the names of five people who are avoiding taxes in this state. ... I suggest that the entire state budget would be solved just by pursuing that potential tax revenue.