Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2009 10:03:00 -0400 (GMT-04:00)
From: Regular shmo
Subject: Thank you for remembering the little person
“Date: Sun, 7 Jun 2009 15:27:38 -0400
From: “ruby”
Subject: response to Mark
Mark……..in your heart of hearts, you have the answer to your own wonderings. The ones who are struggling to keep it together these days wake up to see what else we are going to have to give up to “fix” the economic crisis of the state. The ones in Raleigh with the power created this fiasco, but John Q. Public is going to be responsible to fix it. People are losing unemployment benefits and still no jobs to be found. It cuts to the core to see a grown man cry on television because he has a family to support, his benefits are gone and he has no job to replace the one where he was laid off. The Sanford Herald said yesterday the next consideration for cuts is home health care and Hospice care. Add this group of people to the school personnel that is being cut…how many will that total?? In other words, if you can’t care for a loved one, it’s off to the nursing home so the federal government can print some more money to care for them. Lottery money- who knows? I have been in the public school system for over thirty years and have never heard of anything that was bought with lottery money. If it was dispersed to the different systems, it would probably be at the discretion of the Supts./Boards as to how it would be spent. The overall problem is that for so long, they have given away too much and now the State is playing “Indian Giver”! to those who can least afford it. I wake up everyday and thank my God for another day and thanking Him for the blessings He has given me, but I’ve added more to it lately – God please grant some wisdom and guidance to those who are in control of our lives and finances.”
I want you thank you for remembering the little person. I have no job, no unemployment, have put in resumes and filled out applications and the only responses I have gotten are Spam. My family is living on one small paycheck a week that my husband brings in. And when I say it is small, it is SMALL. Before all this happened we were on our way to buying a house and taking foster parenting classes so we could bring kids into our home. We were on our way to finally being able to think about adoption so we could have some kids. But then the damn broke and it seemed that everything that could go bad did. From the car breaking down and costing over $1,000 to fix. And though it happened the SAME month we paid the loan off, our “wonderful” bank that we have been loyal to for years would not give us a loan. AND then when we filed our taxes found out we had to shell out another $1000.00 to the federal government. So there went all our savings. Then we hear of all these government places to get help… and that is all we want. A hand up not a hand out. And we get the doors SLAMMED into our faces. They say “you are young and with no kids, we can’t help you” so we feel as if we are discriminated for doing the right thing. For wanting to wait until we are in a stable environment to have kids. We are looked down upon because we are fairly young? (though I don’t feel young) And we want to adopt? That is not right. I have already been planning on what to do if we have to move out of where we rent before we can find another place to move to. I have been homeless before in Raleigh and worked my way out of it. It sometimes feels like those that have a lot of children knowing they can not take care of them without help get rewarded with the government aid. I have been working for 15 years. I have paid my taxes, I have NEVER been arrested. Got my first speeding ticket this year on the way to a job interview, and yet my government cares so little for me. I watch the news and I feel that nothing is being done for people like my husband and I. And there a LOT out there. I love the town of Pittsboro. I have been here for 10 years. My husband and I want to stay here, we want to raise children here. But in the last 10 years Pittsboro has grown. At times I feel like Pittsboro is a little snobby. Pittsboro wants its own money, wants it own card. I have shopped, lived and played in Pittsboro for 10 years. I have picked up trash to help keep it beautiful, but when we look around to buy a place…. suddenly the prices have gone up up up. People in Pittsboro say we should help the locals…. but we raise the price of houses and land so that NON locals can afford them and the locals have to move away to find a piece of land that is not outragiously priced! What happened Pittsboro? What happened? Everyplace I look at is at least $20,000 and up above the tax value. Houses that need to be TORN down and replaced are costing way more than any regular shmo can afford. What happened to my town, my government, my country? We are considering moving out of country. It is that bad for us. We don’t understand where are tax money is going? Who is representing us? We are getting taxed and I thought that it was taxation with representation. Well my representative needs to let people know we are weeks away from being on the street. That we are GOOD people. HARD working…. and just want to be given a break. And that I am not alone. I want to ask Pittsboro what happened? I know I was not born here, but I made it my home 10 years ago, fell in love with it, talk about it all the time, but am going to have to move away to a place that is more affordable. The gas here is more than it is in Apex! The land and homes cost more than they do in Holly Springs. But those places are not Pittsboro. And here is where my heart is and may always be. Though Pittsboro may not love me…. I do love thee.
Thank you Ruby for remembering the regular schmo’s we have had to swallow our pride and ask for help. Though some of us will never get the help we need. Though some of us get looked down upon for not having children and only having pets. Though some of us have never gotten in trouble before, have worked hard for years, and have come across some bad luck, I feel people forget just how bad it is for some of us. Thank you for remembering.
these are just opinions and thoughts. Not meant to make anyone mad or angry with me. Not to start an argument. This is how my family is seeing things. I know you may see them in a different light. Thank you for reading how my light is shining.