Letters on military spending, Baker’s decision, investing in library

U.S. should not cut military spending

I disagreed with “Military costly” (April 10 Letters to the Editor). The one thing we don’t want to do is cut our military with Russia’s aggression and all the terrorists just waiting for us to cut back.

If we cut all the military-related spending the writer mentioned, our veterans could be tossed under the bus with no retirement benefits and no health aid. The writer also mentioned homeland security, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Energy. Let’s not stop there. Let’s cut local police, firefighters, sheriffs, etc. Can you imagine what our wonderful country would become?

I do agree that we, as a country, try to be the police of the world. We need to curtail that and all the millions of monetary aid we give to other countries that would cut our throat in a heartbeat.

Wise to stay

Many throughout the national basketball family wondered whether Wichita State University basketball player Ron Baker would go pro. He made the right decision in deciding to stay at WSU, and several factors were exhibited, in my opinion:

▪ Parenting. Not even knowing them, I can tell that Baker has great parents. No doubt had Baker wanted to go to the moon, they would have supported him and offered every encouraging word.

▪ Coaching. I’m sure WSU head coach Gregg Marshall would have hated to lose Baker. But as a trusted adviser, no doubt he was with Baker all the way, explaining the fortunes along with the missed opportunities.

▪ Staying will allow Baker to add more to his already impressive resume. He will go to the NBA as a greater player, not just a great player.

Ditto for teammate Fred VanVleet.

Invest in library

When I started a new business more than a decade ago, I knew I needed to be well-informed to handle all aspects of entrepreneurship. Fortunately, in my wallet was my ticket for just that: my library card.

I made librarians do a lot of heavy lifting with all the materials I requested about tax law, business contracts and the hiring of contractors. I’m still requesting materials today.

The library is a small-business owner’s best friend. And also for anyone wanting accurate knowledge for just the effort it takes to find it. By the look of our libraries on any given day, a lot of Wichitans already know this.

Currently our library lacks sufficient computers, outlets, parking at the downtown location and meeting space. Providing these things is not an expense; it’s an investment. A study of Florida libraries showed a return of more than $6 added to the economy per dollar spent. In South Carolina it was a more modest but still respectable $2.86 per dollar invested. Any wise businessman would invest with such good returns.

Supporting our library to grow with the times and technology is doing a service for business owners and to our community overall.

This story was originally published April 15, 2015 at 7:06 PM with the headline "Letters on military spending, Baker’s decision, investing in library."