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It is quite amazing and somewhat telling to see the headline "LNG Tax Deal Still Rankles" is still news. Those who think Saint John was "ripped off" need to move on with their lives and focus their efforts on things that will bring about positive outcomes.

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A different negotiating team might have come away with more tax revenue for the city but one really needs to put the $500,000 value in perspective. It is the equivalent of more than 100 homes valued at $250,000 each - that's a lot of new construction. I don't recall a glut of contractors eager to develop this remote piece of landscape in east Saint John so when one did come along, it was reasonable to jump at the chance to reap at least some reward.

Harping about this "bad deal" only produces negative energy but it is clear that some people thrive on this. I expect these same people have benefited from the new businesses that have sprung up as a result of this billion-dollar development.

Unfortunately, these individuals see life as a type of pie. If they get a big piece, they're happy. If others get a big piece, they feel something has been taken away from them. Those who operate in this manner have a difficult time feeling good about the successes of others and are unable to create an environment of teamwork and co-operation. Instead, they produce conflict, competition, anger and bitterness.

I hope the majority avoid these antagonistic voices on voting day.

MICHAEL GEORGE

Saint John

Time to fix road in Red Head area

In my travels in Ward 4 as a candidate in the upcoming civic election I see an immediate, almost emergency, situation in Red Head.

The section of the road near Harbourview Subdivision by the store is splitting for about 100 yards toward the Canaport project. It's just a matter of time until a whole community will be completely stranded. Work needs to be done immediately or that part of Red Head homes will fall into the bay.

You hear about this type of situation in other parts of the world, it's happening right now in Saint John to your neighbours and friends.

Common council needs to get on board quickly. Mr. Irving, you got the bargain of the century with LNG. Time has come for your organization to put something into the immediate community; you definitely have the resources to do that.

Many of the residents are employees of your businesses. Also some new lighting on the new road would be a good idea

JOE MOTT

Candidate for council, Saint John

Mayor must bring respect to table

Our upcoming municipal election is presenting the citizens of Saint John with a very unique situation. According to the polls, the four top mayoralty candidates are running very close within the votes of the decided voters. As our system allows for the winner to be the candidate with the most votes versus a true majority, we will be electing a mayor who has had a large majority of the population, potentially 70 per cent, vote against him or her.

I am concerned with the release of "platforms" by the candidates. I hope that each candidate realizes that these platforms are actually just visions, and now, more than ever, the mayor and council will need to be open and transparent. The mayor has no authority to direct the wishes of council, only one vote. I hope that our next mayor realizes the first task of the job should be to chair effective, weekly meetings, and try to bring respect back to the table. Respect for each other and for the citizens.

DAVE RYAN

Saint John

Tear down housing that's substandard

The fact Brian Blanchard was given a three-day jail sentence for not following a court order to bring one of his buildings up to standards should be a cautionary tale for other landlords.

I hope the judge's decision has an unexpected and unintended outcome: more landlords decide to stop renting to the public rather than be fined or incarcerated.

I wonder how many apartment buildings in the old urban core of Saint John meet national building standards.

The very idea that so many dilapidated buildings house so many human beings any place in North America is appalling but it is a fact of life in Saint John. Rather than waste precious dollars fixing up worn out buildings for continued tenancies, those that can be saved should be sold and converted into single family dwellings or small businesses.

Dumping these "assets" at reduced prices and converting building use would deprive the province and city of unearned tax dollars. It would also deprive insurance sellers of windfall profits. Government tax policy and insurance pricing have combined to make being a landlord less than profitable.

Add to that mix rising utility rates and landlords have justifiable cause to abandon property management.

The best option for our least desirable housing units would be for them to be abandoned and torn down. Landlords will just have to claim their losses on their income tax returns and accept the punitive lesson. The sooner our older housing units are destroyed, the sooner the city will revitalize itself.

BILL BRIENZA

Saint John

Let's not blame early French immersion

I was recently in my friend's kitchen in northern Sweden discussing the education systems in our countries. My friend knows something about the subject, even beyond her experiences with her four children. She is the vice dean of the faculty of education at Umea University. We discussed how her 15-year-old son was getting assigned marks for the first time in his academic career and the stresses associated with this, in contrast to my children in N.B. who have been "marked" on their academic achievement since they started school at five years old. The conversation roamed through assessments and homework and ended up where these things always do, comparing our systems to the Finnish system.

Why does Finland do education so well? Our Dr. Willms would tell us it is because there is no "segregation," but my friend says there is no "segregation" at all in Sweden; all students are together through Grade 9.

In her opinion it comes down to two things: 1) teaching is the most respected profession in Finland, with 40 applicants for each position in education programs and 2) the culture in Finland supports and encourages education completely.

It is time that the government of New Brunswick stopped blaming EFI for the failures of our education system and started addressing the very real problems that exist. Until all of the people of our province understand the value of education, we will struggle and remain Canada's poorest educational performers.

AMANDA COCKSHUTT

Sackville

Catholics oppose water privatization

Members of the Saint John Diocesan Council of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace would like to add their voices opposing the proposed public-private partnership for the upgrade to Saint John's water system.

We believe access to clean drinking water is a basic human right and that water infrastructure should remain in the hands of the public sector. As other writers have emphasized, public-private partnerships always benefit for-profit corporations at public expense.

Public water systems represent a long-term investment and should not be traded for short-term savings.

Corporate takeover of water services in many countries has been bad news for universal access, public health and the environment.

Because of public-private partnerships millions of the world's poor have been denied access to clean water due to increased costs.

The proposal for Saint John is not in the best interests of its citizens. An editorial (April 25) advises community leaders to look to Moncton as an example of how well a public-partnership can work.

What you neglected to tell your readers is that after the construction of the new filtration plant in Moncton, plans were in works behind closed doors for a complete privatization of the city's water delivery system. It was only through the diligent work of the citizens of Moncton that control over their water system remained in public hands. We call on all Catholics to ensure water services in Saint John remain under public control. We believe water is a public trust and a collective responsibility.

ANN FLYNN, chair

Fredericton

ANDREA CREAGH

Woodstock

CATHY HOLTMANN

Harvey Station

TIM DEVLIN

St. Stephen

ELEANOR BLACKIER

St. George