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Peoples column

Collaborating missing in homeless issue

Editor, OBSERVER: I am writing to express my concern regarding the exclusion of key organizations from recent discussions on homelessness in Chautauqua County, as reported in two recent OBSERVER articles. Specifically, Chautauqua Opportunities and members of the Homeless Coalition were not included, despite their essential role in developing the Hope Haven Women’s Shelter and providing vital rehabilitation and rehousing services. Developing solutions without input from those working daily on this issue is a significant oversight. Furthermore, situating services at the former ...

Keep weatherization program in funding

Editor, OBSERVER: Chautauqua County’s most vulnerable residents could soon feel the impact of a quiet but devastating budget decision. Across New York, including here in Chautauqua County, Weatherization Assistance Program providers are speaking out against proposed cuts. Weatherization helps low-income households reduce energy costs by improving home efficiency through insulation, air sealing, and other improvements. The governor’s budget omits 10% of the HEAP funding usually dedicated to the Weatherization Assistance Program — a reduction with far-reaching consequences for ...

New vision may bring welcome change

Editor, OBSERVER: When OBSERVER readers were asked on a recent weekend if they favored merger of the city and town of Dunkirk, village of Fredonia, and town of Pomfret, more than 62% said yes! I urge elected officials of all those entities to seize this moment and think big. No more nibbling around the edges with small steps. All are facing considerable financial challenges. Bold moves might even attract more outside funding in addition to saving money locally. What pride we could take in all the assets this new entity embodies and offers, instead of divvying them up. While the ...

Lack of fairness in federal tax

Editor, OBSERVER: Many of us are looking forward to a check for a return on overpayment on our 2025 federal income tax. Others are expecting to pay a little more on April 15. I have never minded paying my federal tax. I kind of look at it as payment of club dues for the privilege of living in this great country. What does bother me is that companies like Tesla had a profit of $5.7 billion and paid no federal income tax for 2025. A big fat zero. At the corporate tax rate of 21% they avoided $1.2 billion in federal tax. And they are not alone. The four big Tech Companies combined had ...

Area cannot keep up with ‘expenses’

Editor, OBSERVER: I read the OBSERVER article about police coverage for the town of Dunkirk. It seems everyone in our local municipalities are experiencing substantial increases to cover costs in a somewhat dwindling population. I know they will work out some arrangement. It’s a necessary resource. But isn’t the real question: “Do we need two overlapping municipalities with their duplicative expenses?” Seems to me in a more comprehensive restructuring, I’m sure we could save a good portion of these costs. Those savings could then be used to upgrade civil servant ...

More U.S. troubles start at top

Editor, OBSERVER: If we had abolished the Electoral College years ago we never would have been subjected to President Trump’s first term after he lost by 2.9 million votes. And if we had installed a recall provision for every elective office at the federal level, we could have already begun proceedings to remove Trump from office for his dangerous and erratic behavior. Instead we have to wait 8 more months before we can put an end to this nonsense ... but hey at least he’ll get a lot of mileage out of his latest Epstein distraction, an unprovoked war that has already cost American ...