Letters to the Editor

Childlike tactics

SIOUX CITY -- You just have to love the daytime drama in Des Moines.

Here's the script: Culver gets miffed because no one wants to talk about his pet bottle bill incentive. Culver throws a tantrum about the collective bargaining rights expansion to get even. The legislative leaders say, OK, OK, and all of a sudden the bottle bill is back being talked about. Go figure. You give me mine, I'll give you yours. I've seen children use this tactic.

Are they thinking that nobody is going to catch on to their childish little ruse? You can bet we are going to end up with both of these being passed, and we will pay dearly for them. I hope I'm wrong. I can't afford any more "it's for your own good" legislation. -- Gary Kitzmann

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/04/02/news_opinion/letters/0cbe82dc02adfae68625741e00763b0c.txt

Iowans should support bottle bill expansion

SIOUX CITY -- Gov. Culver's first effort at modernizing the bottle redemption law in Iowa may have had some flaws, but the present shape of the bill matches the public's desire to keep Iowa beautiful.

Yes, Iowans are getting tired of seeing glass and plastic juice, tea and water bottles littering our streets. Tired of seeing large corporations spend fortunes on advertising and then having citizens watch as their homes, their landfills and their neighborhoods fill up with this clutter.

Iowans have overwhelmingly supported the bottle redemption process since the 1980s when our state was a leader in trying to control waste. Please ask your representative to support HF 2537.

A recent Journal editorial claimed that this was an attack on consumers and would increase their grocery costs. Consumers already return containers and will receive the full refund on any new containers covered. Beverage distributors will have to support redemption centers to the tune of two cents instead of one. That is just a small cost distributors should be required to pay compared to advertising. -- Bob Fritzmeier

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/04/02/news_opinion/letters/f801c8b4e102228e8625741e00763b62.txt

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