Letters to the Editor

Helms family says

thanks for the support

To the Editor:

Thank you from the family of Timothy Jay Helms to all friends, neighbors, and relatives who offered their condolences during our time of grief. We appreciate all the prayers, cards, flowers, and expressions of sympathy at the funeral home.

We would also like to send a special thank you to the Rev. Bill Blackelheimer, Jenkins Funeral Home, Lyons Health & Living Center staff, the residents friendship, and the First Baptist Church for the meal they provided after the funeral. May God bless you all.

Wife, Lisa Helms

Switz City

Sons, Jason, Justin Helms

Switz City

Son, Ryan Miller

Switz City

Parents, Bobby and Janet Helms

Switz City

Sister, Angie Mowery

Indianapolis

Brother, Brad Helms

Plainfield

Brother, Barry Helms

Switz City

The GCEDC has

lost its way

To the Editor:

Our elected county officials have contracted the Greene County Economic Development Corporation for the last 19 years or more to advance the county's economic development interests. The GCEDC, under contract with the county, has received $120,000 this year from the county and now is also requesting funding from each city based on per capita population.

It was formed in 1989 and up until recently was properly and actively involved with the economic development issues which it was created to address, but recently, it has become focused on implementing planning and land use controls in the county. It's currently completing a planning study, which will serve as the basis for ordinances that will deprive citizens of their property rights and freedoms forever. It's clear the GCEDC has lost its way and its agenda now endangers the freedom and rights of all citizens. It needs both a new direction and a new director.

I urge officials to insist the GCEDC voluntarily return to its original purpose and urge all voters to contact their elected officials and demand this be stopped or put an end to this group's contract.

Planning, Land Use Management, Zoning, Tax Incremental Financing Districts, Conservancy Districts are all implements from the same toolbox of social activists and used to take away individual freedoms and property rights of all citizens and create even more centralized control by the government of private property. This effort is being conducted under the guise of creating economic progress and jobs for the good of all citizens. When you listen to the advocates of planning and controls, you will hear vague generalities and meaningless, empty platitudes in their words. Great, but unspecified economic benefits will come, they say.

This is patently untrue as evidenced by surrounding rural counties, which have fallen for this ruse and are just as they were except for less individual freedom and their zoning boards interfering with property owners and business alike; or as in our neighboring industrialized, zoned and highly regulated counties who have been losing, not gaining jobs, at a record rate.

In the 1960s, half the people drove out of the county to work and never gave it a thought. But now, most of those jobs they drove for no longer exist. This story of Greene County is repeated in over 3,100 other counties and 50 states in the U.S. In a time of national, indeed, worldwide economic stress as the last 30 years have been, it is easy to sway people with false promises. Do we choose to believe things because we want them to be true even when we can see objectively they're not?

Greene County's situation is not unique; rather it's better than some counties in the country and worse than others. The GCEDC has no magic bullet even through they claim they can bring jobs to the county. This is nonsense. Economic development, if it happens, won't be because of government, but in spite of it. It will be for economic reasons, not because of regulations, commissions, boards, or because the people surrender their land or freedoms to the government.

We badly need new elected county officials who have a perspective of the past and present that prevents them from being deceived by such obvious falsehoods as those offered by the GCEDC and have a respect for the rights and freedoms of the citizens. I urge that we elect people with better judgment to replace all County Council members that vote to fund the GCEDC and Commissioners who vote to contract with it.

Otis J. Russell

Switz City