"WINDFALLS"
Dear Editor,
I guess we should
be thankful we get a piece of the tax rebate action from the
US. We get US$20.4 million, but folks here do not pay income
taxes to Uncle Sam. We pay income taxes to ASG, so any tax rebate
should come from ASG (let's hold our breath). I think the tax
rebate thing is called a windfall to us.
We might get
together and buy the virgin rain forest with our tax rebates.
The price? We pay whatever the owner paid plus the prevailing
rate of interest over the years. That is similar to what the
courts forced on some of the Native Americans in getting them
compensation for their lands. The difference here is that the
Native Americans wanted the land back. Here the owners want to
strip it, develop it and sell it.
William Reardon
"HEALTH
HAZARD"
Dear Editor,
In reference
to Public Health Department and Environmental Protection Agency
and their enforcement of law here in the territory, I wrote a
letter to the Department of Health and to the Governor of American
Samoa, as well to the High Court asking for their help to demand
that property near mine be cleaned up. It looks like a dump:
an old house has turned into an animal shelter and mosquitoes
and bugs are all over, breeding.
I would like
to know if the government would do something about this as far
as a health hazard is concerned. We do have a law here and the
constitution to protect people, do we not?
Respectfully,
Chief Leafa Masaniai,
Tee Jr.
Vietnam War Veteran
Purple Heart Recipient
"VOTING"
Dear Editor,
If you are a
US national born in American Samoa and have to move to a US state
to get a job to support your family because of a business closing
or related to the wage increase or other reasons, you are denied
the right to vote absentee in elections because you are not in
the military or a religious leader.
The US Supreme
Court will hear the case along with other voting discrimination
cases being filed by the Democratic National Party (DNC). Contact
your local Democratic delegates before they leave for the convention.
Thanks,
Registered Voter
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