Washington County Crime Issues

When one reads the weekly dispatches from police in the local bird cage liner of a newspaper, one has to wonder what is going on in Salem, Indiana these days in regards to crime. Now maybe its not violent crime like what would be happening in most larger US cities and communities of 50,000 or more. Yet, its still quite a significant phenomena for a small town with only a few thousand residents and a county with less than 30,000 residents at last count.

The Salem that existed 25 or 30 years ago was a much quieter and calmer place still with the good old boy political hacks their network of crooked lawyers and crooked small town politicos. Yet we also still had problems with drugs back at that point but more small time drug usage such as marijuana instead of heroin needles on West Market Street at the bridge over Brock Creek. In 1980s Salem and even well into the main problem in Salem was the drug issues caused by marijuana and maybe some fool dropping LSD or some other foreign substance.

Today Salem, has a much larger problem than those times, in that the town is being overrun with meth users and the ever present problem of heroin addiction because of the opioid crisis which is gripping the nation. Yet for years, Salem City officials as well as the county prosecutors and good old boy police department, both city and county, turned their heads away from the problem while someone in high places allowed this problem to fester.

This didn't just happen because some small time drug dealer from Salem decided to get into the action and started importing meth from Mexico or starting up a pill mill locally and then making drugs. Its been well known by people locally for years that there were people in connection with the drug industry including ties with a couple of prominent people who just happened to get busted in Florida.

As usual though, nothing was ever done about their Washington County, Indiana operations and smuggling that was brought back to Salem. Of which was known all the way up in Indianapolis at the Indiana State House by some legislators but it was brushed aside as most things in small towns are especially if you have the money and the connections. If you're the poor criminal schmuck from Washington County that doesn't have the money or the criminal defense because you didn't have the money to pay to the syndicate to keep you out of jail, then tough luck you're going to the slammer.

Washington County has a major drug problem but its not just the everyday citizen that this problem exists under but rather its the culture that exists where there's nothing to do and there is no accountability in public office and public places. More than a few people in public positions more than likely are habitual drug users including all walks of life including at least one former school official that had a drug problem. Many people know this and of course like most things in a small town it was pushed under the rug.

How can you hold people in the community accountable when you have public officials and people in the community in higher places who are doing the very same thing they are condemning. Same goes for having a crooked pastor or preacher that is saying one thing but then acting as a hypocrite in another way. The same standard to hold for public officials, judges, school administrators, law enforcement, and all of those in the community at large. Drug and alcohol abuse is bad for you and it not only affects yourself but also your family and all those around you. Just my two cents on that issue.

That being said, why is it that Washington County officials, judges, cops, and prosecution spent years hiding the fact that the county has a major issue with abuse of illicit substances including all forms of drugs as well as prescription drugs. Yet nothing was done about it for years until it became a full blown epidemic with needles in our public places, in parks, along roadsides, at Lake Salinda and various apartment complex areas and even in local restaurants.

Was it because there was too much money changing hands between powerful people that no one wanted to step on any toes? Were people being paid off to look the other or know that if they did crack down on the drug trade they would have lost their jobs or been sent packing out of the community? Was it because of inter-family relations and because so many people involved were related and no one would say a thing about it? Interesting questions that need to be posed and answered and people held accountable. Not the usual attempt of brushing it under the rug or trying to frame someone with planted evidence.

As if they'll tell you that doesn't happen in Washington County, Indiana where someone was once buried in concrete while their murderers walked free.

Or where if you're a young black male shot to death alongside a local roadway nothing more is heard about it in the local birdcage liners or local media. Wonder why all that gets covered up and hushed up? Because someone is trying to cover something up or maybe the person shot was the wrong color? As if Washington County doesn't have some element of a racial animosity issue that isn't discussed openly.

Strangely enough, things aren't always what they seem especially when there has been such a concerted attempt over the years at hiding dirty little secrets you're not supposed to know.

Washington County: A Culture of Corruption

The leaders and community elites have failed the people of Washington County, Indiana and the people of the general community. They have done this through their arrogance, greed, and corrupt practices. For a little background information, perhaps see how many ethics violations have occurred in county government over the past few years. That is just the reported ethics violations that have been pursued.

Isn't nepotism a case of corruption and ethics violations? Isn't it a patronage system where the good old boy mantra of ripping off the public to get a few backs scratched a ethics violation?

How about the fact that for years the public officials in concert with local low wage businesses have conspired to keep wages low, employment opportunities scarce, and the REAL prospect of ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT away for the average taxpayer and citizen. All to protect their small business buddies sitting in their smoke filled rooms not unlike the political bosses of yesteryear. Think it doesn't happen? Then why does Washington County, Indiana have some of the highest rates of POVERTY and CHILD POVERTY in the whole state of Indiana? Gee, does one think that all of the employers and their low wage service jobs are a part of the issue. Or the lack of business that actually pays its workers a wage on which they can truly live.

Do the commissioners, council, and political prostitutes ever visit their constituency or do they instead live in their Life of Riley world where everything is fine and all is good just for them and their cronies.

Why is it that the average family income in Salem, Indiana in Washington County at least 14,000 dollars below the state level of income across the entire state of Indiana. Because of a lousy local job market where there are few paying jobs because the local small business often finds ways to screw their employees.

To top this all off, the state grants tax incentives to these low wage corporations for worker training. Which is a job of the corporation, not the STATE. Why is it that our elected officials haven't caught onto this scam? One manufacturer if not more in Salem receives grants from the State of Indiana so they can pay their low wage slaves something on the order of 7 to 8 dollars an hour. Now why does a multi million dollar corporation need a tax incentive to create low wage jobs. If they are going to create them anyway, then why should this parts manufacturer get one cent from the public treasury.

To hear these factory managers around Salem, many of whom are ill-educated fools despite their alleged schooling, its totally preposterous that the AMERICAN PEOPLE. should allow their PUBLIC TREASURY to be robbed all for multinational corporations and their ilk. These are the same people that are using SLAVE LABOR in Communist China at a quarter an hour while they mark up the prices here in America.

One local outfit has the audacity to tell the women in their plant of how good they are being treated and how good their employer is despite the average wage being 8 dollars an hour. Meanwhile, these morally corrupt and debased corporate clowns are trying to tell these women, oh how great it is while the owner of the company not only owns two local manufacturing plants but also involved in a accounting firm in the Louisville Metro area.

These local business leaders and their cronies will not stop their systematic destruction of the American workforce until We THE People step up and by force of law make these people do right. They won't do right because they want to be nice or considerate. They won't do right because they are Christians who actually live as they are supposed to. They won't do right because they believe in liberty, human rights, and basic decency. The only time they will do right is when WE THE PEOPLE force these corrupt purveyors of corporate corruption to abide by our laws and our standards.

Which brings us back to the fact that OUR local government and officials are largely bought off and in bed with those that do what they want whenever they want. Exactly where do these small town bosses think that they get their tax monies from, and from whom? Well, it appears to me that WE THE PEOPLE give them a job in order to enforce the laws and perform public service.

We do not and should not allow these political cronies and their business establishment to continue to bring our country down to THIRD WORLD status just to kowtow to the wishes of the corporate masters. If American and Multinational Corporations have their way, then all Americans will face a lowering of their standard of living and the destruction of our REPUBLIC.

Our nation is a Constitutional Republic with the democratic right to vote for our elected representatives. It is not a pure democracy or in any way shape or form affiliated with the Democratic party or any other political party. Our leaders are elected by WE THE PEOPLE and for them to do the jobs we elect them to do. Not only are the beholden to uphold the United States Constitution but also what laws we have as Americans to maintain domestic order and tranquility. Not to be the political puppets of some corporate entity.

Thanks for your reading and more comments coming soon.

Clueless Local Government

When our local officials and managers talk, it sounds as if one is passing gas and in fact that is what they are doing. Have these people ever had the intelligence to give a candid and honest assessment of what this community and its local organizations have going for it. Have these people ever spent time outside of this community and wondered what assets can be used for community wide improvement?

Or is it a case of small minds leading everyone else down the wrong path? So instead of perpetuating the economic vibrancy of a community it is better to create low wage jobs and lack economic improvement? Why is it that 20 percent of the youth in Washington County, Indiana live under the poverty level? Why is it that for a family of four the poverty level is slightly below 20,000 dollars per year when that is a very low figure? Why hasn't the city produced more in the way of tangible economic and educational opportunities for its citizens. Is this all that we can do as a community to impove the lives and well-being of the citizenry?

Or is it another symptom of 30 years of failure and a lack of vision in this area? 30 years of industrial decline and increasing debt obligations. 30 years of lacking proper planning and development procedures. Lacking results and concrete plans to improve the community through education and jobs. Yet, when we hear these education advocates we never seem to hear how we are going to improve the education system and the curriculum. Instead, it is focused on generating a new building and constructing new facilitiies. Which hardly improves the school but rather puts ill-educated students in a new building. Why has the educational hierarchy failed in this where so many kids have to take remedial classes in a wide variety of subjects. Where is our local officials in producing substantial economic gains and improvement in incomes, job stability, and the like.

Creating low wage burger flipping and retail jobs is not the way to the future but a return to leaner times. Not an Army inspired saying of "Be All you can be" but rather a return to economic slavery and despondency. Instead of promoting self sufficiency and hard work, it promotes economic dependency and a lack of ambition and constructing the conditions that promote economic empowerment. Why is it that our local officials lack understand and education to see where these trends are going?

Washington County Economics (Where Math Isn't Important and 2 plus 2 equals 5 with county government)

,head>No, I didn't forget to take math class since we all should know that two plus two equals four in the vast majority of the civilized world. However, in Washington County Indiana with public officials running and mismanaging the county and what it has to offer that its obvious that some of these public officials failed math.

One instance is that vast amount of money that was spent back in 2008 to 2010 regarding the roof of the Washington County Courthouse and how they didn't bother to get guarantees and repairs in writing and make sure the repairs were done correctly before forking out hundreds of thousands of dollars on the 1888 constructed structure. Which now needs a totally new roof and various repairs due to water damage, age, stress, and other environmental issues with the building.

All the while the county spent millions on a new jail that had cracks in the floor at the time that it was opened to put in the multitudes of criminals flooding the community and mostly because of theft or drug issues. All the while they spent a couple million more on a new judicial center and judges chambers because we all know that the two judges just couldn't bother doing their job in such horrid conditions that they have where they sit in air conditioning and heating all day during the winter. All the while the good people of Washington County end up getting jobs slaving away in one of the local factories for barely enough money to just get by but not save an real amount that would provide a quality retirement.

While the county sheriff, county prosecutor, county judges all make in excess of 130,000 dollars a year and the average taxpayer makes a fraction of those salaries. Most families make in the 30k to 60k range county wide at their increasingly unstable jobs while the judges, sheriff, prosecutor, and other public hirelings are able to screw off on public time while making salaries much more than the median family income of approximately 45k a year. While these public officials in the higher reaches of county government are making 3 times that of the average family in Washington County, Indiana.

A county which has consistently over the last 30 years or so been in the bottom 10 counties in the state of Indiana regarding per capita income, job creation, family income, median family income, and various other measures of wealth and creative enterprise.

Yet, the people continue to be run into the ground by excessive taxes, government waste, too many sheriffs deputies sitting around packing on the pounds, etc. While the judges and the law enforcement community continues to get fatter and fatter both figuratively in income and literally by the spread of their rear end. The ordinary people are losing their homes and properties and sustenance by the lack of income from their jobs, no pay raises, and no real economic prospects. Unless you consider working at a mom and pop store, big box store, or fast food to be an economic future. I don't however.

All the while these fat cats sit up there and pass judgment on the community and those in the community who they are eating out their substance while putting family members in jail and creating a new criminal class. While turning their heads to the massive drug problems and problems with methamphetamines that has racked Salem in recent years. Along with the massive increase in theft, petty crimes, and other issues that end up tying up the court system.

Yet Salem has always had a criminal underclass running the town now supposedly a city for many years. Back to the 80s when well known local businessmen eagerly supplied pot and dope to the young people in Washington County. This increased in the 90s where their ill gotten gains weren't enough for them so other drugs were moved into the county while the public officials and good old boy county government electors were put in office.

Those good old boys had the nerve to talk about making Washington County a place to be proud of and to a great place for their kids and grandkids to grow up in. Yet more empty talk from these incoherent and often imbecilic goobers that call themselves council members or commissioners.
Instead of getting good jobs in the community other than a couple of the local sweatshop factories invested in by their good friends in the local business community, they were more eager to attain the goals of a certain group of so called community busybodies whose ideology was that of big government Republicanism just as long as they were running things.

So they could continue to run the community into the ground while corrupt cops held sway, drug dealers and their financial backers flourished and made out like bandits. While certain professionals in the legal profession helped those drug dealers stay out of jail or made sure they got leniency.

While this Roman style fiddling and burning was going on that would have made Nero proud, they county continued to lose businesses and jobs that had held families here and people for generations. One of the biggest was the loss of Smith Cabinet Company aka Child Craft which finally ended up relocating south of the border in the paradise called Mexico because of low wages and lax labor standards.

While they were fiddling and burning Salem to the ground economically while covering up for the local politicians and good old boys, the community continued to lose jobs and lose ground. Maybe it wasn't 75,000 dollar unionized jobs working at Ford or GM but it was still 30k to 45k a year jobs that were going away somewhere else and nothing was really ever done to do anything about.

So henceforth a true Washington County solution along with other small towns was to become a retirement community where people could get jobs wiping rear ends and taking care of the retirement age folks who obviously need the help but not everyone wants to be a burger flipper, gas station attendant or work in low wage retail and jobs without good pay and benefits. The good old boys of Salem and their subsequent mayors and public officials touted all of the development which really consisted of a couple of small box stores and garden variety dollar stores.

Add in the local new big box store which does provide a bit more shopping convenience but isn't going to employ everyone that wants a job. Not that it wasn't needed because it was due to the good old boys local friends charging 2 or 3 times for products and merchandise that could be bought at the big box store for a fraction of the cost.

It reminds me of the whining that was incessantly heard in the community when the big box store was plotting to move to Salem. The locals some of whom should be called yokels were adamant that the town would dry up and blow away as soon as the local big box moved in. All the nondescript and crappy businesses would just fly off to never never land and never be seen again because of all the horror stories that existed from other small towns that never were and never would be in some dumpy state where the poverty level is 30 percent and half the population gets government checks on a monthly basis and we're not talking about age 65 and over seniors either. We're talking about 18 to 65 year old people who are physically and mostly mentally capable who wouldn't work. Not disabled people with real and legitimate disabilities but the usual societal deadbeat types.

Salem wasn't worried back in the 80s and 90s about factory losses that happened only in other communities in Indiana and the Rust Belt states of the North. They thought they were insulated until Smiths left down for south of the border.

The good old boys though now are getting up in their years and finally being pushed to the side and they should be because its time for the people to take charge and make these people are thrown out of office on election day and never to see the inside of a government building ever again for their workday pleasure. Instead they should end up working the fine assembly lines of one of our local factories such as a wood manufacturing company or an auto parts making in 100 degree plus heat that would make a billygoat puke. That might teach them the value of work and being productive.

Trashiness (This has nothing to do with clothing styles or personal tastes)

One would imply that the title of this commentary is regarding the cleaning of the local streets, yet it could be so much more. While Washington County has a littering problem with some people thinking that their neighborhoods are nothing more than garbage disposals, one has to wonder what type of culture thinks that this is ok. Why is it that Washington County has the cleanest cars in the area? Because all of the litter is on the side of the road. Are you too lazy to pick up after yourselves and put the waste where it needs to be which is in the county landfill, dumpster, or your local gas station trashcan. Why is it that some of you feel the need to litter the roadsides with beer bottles, coke bottles, food bags, garbage, sofas, etc. Do you not have any shame?

Furthermore, why doesn't the city and county work on roadside cleanups and instead of pot bellied pigs sitting behind a desk all day, perhaps some honest labor would help. That way you could beautify your community and work at getting healthy at the same time.

Regarding other trash, why is it that standards of personal behavior are so low? Do you not think that you might be an embarrassment to your relatives, family, or loved ones. Do you think that drunken behavior is really healthy? Or that substance abuse problem? And why aren't the churches of Washington County speaking out about the contemporary issues regarding these behaviors and offering help to those with those problems. Where is the true Christian Compassion and behavior to help those around you in need.

Or has that also been lost to the pop culture, selfishness, and laziness that has been sprouted by the seeds of the modern pop culture and what is constantly being promoted. Why aren't our churches speaking out about that?One would imply that the title of this commentary is regarding the cleaning of the local streets, yet it could be so much more. While Washington County has a littering problem with some people thinking that their neighborhoods are nothing more than garbage disposals, one has to wonder what type of culture thinks that this is ok. Why is it that Washington County has the cleanest cars in the area? Because all of the litter is on the side of the road. Are you too lazy to pick up after yourselves and put the waste where it needs to be which is in the county landfill, dumpster, or your local gas station trashcan. Why is it that some of you feel the need to litter the roadsides with beer bottles, coke bottles, food bags, garbage, sofas, etc. Do you not have any shame?

Furthermore, why doesn't the city and county work on roadside cleanups and instead of pot bellied pigs sitting behind a desk all day, perhaps some honest labor would help. That way you could beautify your community and work at getting healthy at the same time.

Regarding other trash, why is it that standards of personal behavior are so low? Do you not think that you might be an embarrassment to your relatives, family, or loved ones. Do you think that drunken behavior is really healthy? Or that substance abuse problem? And why aren't the churches of Washington County speaking out about the contemporary issues regarding these behaviors and offering help to those with those problems. Where is the true Christian Compassion and behavior to help those around you in need.

Or has that also been lost to the pop culture, selfishness, and laziness that has been sprouted by the seeds of the modern pop culture and what is constantly being promoted. Why aren't our churches speaking out about that?

Educational Mismanagement Washington County Style

Why is it that the local schools despite all of the money that is poured into those schools, not really improved. I can recall a day when one taking the SAT actually had to know something. After that time period, the powers that be turned around and watered down the SAT and also made lower scores more acceptable. Isn't the county school system failing the kids of this county, state and nation when many of them get out of school and are not able to be sufficiently employed at something above low wage employment.

Where is the focus on true education? Or is it based on the fact that the schools are more interested in getting money for new facilities and sports teams? Why isn't the school board focusing on correcting the educational issues of the day rather than socially promoting those children who have not kept up with the standards?Why is it that the local schools despite all of the money that is poured into those schools, not really improved. I can recall a day when one taking the SAT actually had to know something. After that time period, the powers that be turned around and watered down the SAT and also made lower scores more acceptable. Isn't the county school system failing the kids of this county, state and nation when many of them get out of school and are not able to be sufficiently employed at something above low wage employment.

Where is the focus on true education? Or is it based on the fact that the schools are more interested in getting money for new facilities and sports teams? Why isn't the school board focusing on correcting the educational issues of the day rather than socially promoting those children who have not kept up with the standards?

Let's ask another question? Why is it that Bradie Shrum Elementary in Salem, Indiana over the last ten years has ranked as a B or C level grade school by the State of Indiana all the while being a relatively decent funded school. Same goes for the other two Salem schools. Yet we've never seen a state ranking in the A ranking in many years out of the Bradie Shrum Elementary school.

Yet this school took federal money to build a safe room for the kids all the while not having computer systems and educational supplies up to standards. Not to mention the systemic nonsense of telling the public that they don't have proper computer equipment that works for the ISTEP tests. All the while the Salem schools continue to be well funded spending just below 10k per student.

While having a glut of administrators making quality salaries along all kinds of administrative personnel whose main job seems to be inefficient and uncaring about doing their job.

Unfortunately, incompetence seems these days to be a desired quality in America as well as right here at home in Salem, Indiana. Used to be that incompetence would get you fired from a job or employment with most companies but in the public sphere in Salem, Indiana and Washington County you end up getting promoted to being involved in administration or governmental bodies.

The performance of the Salem Community Schools according to state standards has been on the downfall for many years as the rankings that the school system achieves include a couple of D grades at Salem Middle School and Salem High School. Add in the managerial and bureaucratic incompetence of the top personnel in the school system and its no wonder why the quality of living and life in Salem, Indiana has been so low for so long and its become perfectly acceptable.

All the while a school principal looks at a group of parents and says that its more important that kids get along and relate with their world than getting quality grades and learning experiences. What? What kind of principal says that sort of thing when the state sits there and grades schools on an A-F basis and he's not worried about the kids lacking the proper educational tools for success. Rather being socially promoted or having everyone getting along having toga parties and singing Kumbaya?

Is that the type of educational environment that is being promoted at the Salem Community Schools? Where we're more worried that kids all get along and its a social experiment rather than teaching them to be intelligent and productive future citizens in a grown up world with a myriad of challenges and problems that will need to be solved in the future.

What kind of community and school system tells parents at a ceremony that the principal is more worried about social issues or socialization issues rather than pure knowledge and grades that need to be achieved as well as skills that need to be mastered for future success.

What kind of school system devalues education and skill learning to the children to the point that they will be automatically at a disadvantage when they enter the workforce, post secondary education/training or any 4 year college? Instead of spending time on making sure everyone gets along rather than skills and development the Salem schools are failing at doing their primary job which is education and the development of the next generation.

Local Employment and the County Officials that refuse to do their job to promote job growth

I would love to ask our county commissioners and county council members in addition to city officials why this area cannot attract and keep good jobs that pay truly living wages and can support a family, basic retirement, and the local economy?

Why is it that around 40 percent of the people from the county have to drive to the surrounding counties and the Louisville area every day for employment? Doesn't Salem have enough to offer regarding employment and employees?

Why is it that our county has an Economic Development Zone and tax credits for citizens and the locals, yet little economic development takes place. If one listens to the public maestro of the economic development game, you would believe that he is getting ready to get things booming in Washington County. Or is he? Exactly who does this well placed individual represent? Is he working for the citizens of Washington County? Or is he working for the few proud small businesses that pay substandard wages and offer no benefits? Yet these are often the same people with quite good lifestyles compared to most citizens of Washington County, Indiana.

Exactly what have these economic development officials in Salem done for the past 30 years? Other than a couple of factories expanding, not much? Where is our representatives in the Indiana House and Senate on economic development in the rural areas of Southern Indiana? Why is it that Central Indiana and the metro areas are getting the jobs?

To hear our local economic planning maestro, one would think that he is doing a bang up job regarding economic development. I guess that would be in his case since he hasn't done much of anything. I would assume that if he gets his proposed motel, then he can pat himself on the back meanwhile the workers will continue finding those seven and eight dollar an hour jobs that might get you a small trailer.

Why is it that Washington County continues to fail at bringing growth jobs and economic empowerment to its citizenry? Does it depend on NEPOTISM? Where have all of the people who have held the mayors office been all these years? How about all of these advocacy organizations that get public funds, yet deliver little. Why aren't our county commissioners standing up about these issues with the economy, government spending, and little being done to improve the livelihoods of citizens? Or are they more interested at smiling at cameras and looking pretty?

One has to wonder how people so incompetent can continue to run a community straight into the ground with its crumbling streets, crumbling downtown area, poorly maintained areas, and yet be elected to office time and time again. How come every town outside of Salem has been growing and adding new businesses and shopping, restaurants, and paying employers yet Salem does not? Is it more important about looking pretty for the cameras so you can get your mug shot in the paper? Or is it more important that your kids have a excellent quality of life, good schools, good employment opportunities.

Instead, we get sold down the road by the local officials who are pretty much only competent at scratching the backs of those they are friends with.I would love to ask our county commissioners and county council members in addition to city officials why this area cannot attract and keep good jobs that pay truly living wages and can support a family, basic retirement, and the local economy?

Why is it that around 40 percent of the people from the county have to drive to the surrounding counties and the Louisville area every day for employment? Doesn't Salem have enough to offer regarding employment and employees?

Why is it that our county has an Economic Development Zone and tax credits for citizens and the locals, yet little economic development takes place. If one listens to the public maestro of the economic development game, you would believe that he is getting ready to get things booming in Washington County. Or is he? Exactly who does this well placed individual represent? Is he working for the citizens of Washington County? Or is he working for the few proud small businesses that pay substandard wages and offer no benefits? Yet these are often the same people with quite good lifestyles compared to most citizens of Washington County, Indiana.

Exactly what have these economic development officials in Salem done for the past 30 years? Other than a couple of factories expanding, not much? Where is our representatives in the Indiana House and Senate on economic development in the rural areas of Southern Indiana? Why is it that Central Indiana and the metro areas are getting the jobs?

To hear our local economic planning maestro, one would think that he is doing a bang up job regarding economic development. I guess that would be in his case since he hasn't done much of anything. I would assume that if he gets his proposed motel, then he can pat himself on the back meanwhile the workers will continue finding those seven and eight dollar an hour jobs that might get you a small trailer.

Why is it that Washington County continues to fail at bringing growth jobs and economic empowerment to its citizenry? Does it depend on NEPOTISM? Where have all of the people who have held the mayors office been all these years? How about all of these advocacy organizations that get public funds, yet deliver little. Why aren't our county commissioners standing up about these issues with the economy, government spending, and little being done to improve the livelihoods of citizens? Or are they more interested at smiling at cameras and looking pretty?

One has to wonder how people so incompetent can continue to run a community straight into the ground with its crumbling streets, crumbling downtown area, poorly maintained areas, and yet be elected to office time and time again. How come every town outside of Salem has been growing and adding new businesses and shopping, restaurants, and paying employers yet Salem does not? Is it more important about looking pretty for the cameras so you can get your mug shot in the paper? Or is it more important that your kids have a excellent quality of life, good schools, good employment opportunities.

Instead, we get sold down the road by the local officials who are pretty much only competent at scratching the backs of those they are friends with.

30 Years of Cheap Talk When it Comes to Economic Development

Why isn't the community focusing on economic development on a much larger scale than focusing on small businesses that pay less than standard wages? If one wants to start a small business, there is always the SBA programs offered by the government. However, it seems that local officials are more interested in figuring out how to get a 200,000 training grant that will be wasted,mismanaged, and in someones pocket. Meanwhile, there won't be nothing to show for this effort. Just more low wage jobs, more training for perpetually employed burger flippers, and fewer living wage jobs.

Real economic development means creating and enticing real companies providing real living wage jobs and not some low wage service outfit that pays 8 dollars an hour. Why doesn't our public servants go work for 8 bucks an hour and see how it feels? Why don't all the community do gooders that brag about their measly accomplishments such as planting flowers go work for 8 an hour. I would suspect that due to their being placed near some of the good ole boys that you can expect they won't.

It's always amazing to hear these people proclaiming their love for leadership but providing little leadership to speak of. Referring to your local population as nothing more than slaves and outcasts of the caste system isn't leadership. Leadership is setting the example for others to follow, not hollow promises, planting a couple of trees, and patting yourself on your back. However, in their liberal feel good society, I'm sure that it is something for those so called leaders to feel proud of.

At least if you have the arrogance to look down on the local citizenry as nothing but a bunch of rabble, at least make sure that you accomplished something first other than living off of the old mans money.

Higher Standards Anyone?

It's time for Salem to engage in higher standards of conduct and the willpower to hold these people accountable for their lack of direction, motivation, and desire to improving the lives on the local citizenry. Poor schools, lack of education, lack of economic empowerment, development problems, and the desire for public servants to sit on their rears shouldn't be where this community is going and where it should be. It's time for these people to be held accountable for their lack of action and effort other than showing up and drawing a paycheck.

Why is it that the city has not progressed much in years despite being 20 miles from the nearest interstate highway and only 35 miles from Louisville? Why don't the city leaders start moving to get things done? Why is it that our taxes constantly increase despite the fact that we have little industrial base and business base here to offset the pillaging of the local taxpayer through property taxes?It's time for Salem to engage in higher standards of conduct and the willpower to hold these people accountable for their lack of direction, motivation, and desire to improving the lives on the local citizenry. Poor schools, lack of education, lack of economic empowerment, development problems, and the desire for public servants to sit on their rears shouldn't be where this community is going and where it should be. It's time for these people to be held accountable for their lack of action and effort other than showing up and drawing a paycheck.

Why is it that the city has not progressed much in years despite being 20 miles from the nearest interstate highway and only 35 miles from Louisville? Why don't the city leaders start moving to get things done? Why is it that our taxes constantly increase despite the fact that we have little industrial base and business base here to offset the pillaging of the local taxpayer through property taxes?