Our regular Friday look at reader comment on eTruth.com. All quotes are verbatim:



Story: “It’s a merry Christmas for one Elkhart woman, finally living in her $526 home” (Dec. 26).

Read it here:http://is.gd/DhYowA

citizenjane: I think this story is wonderful and that she took the initiative and undertook the sweat equity of such a huge project. Many times there isn’t as much damage to a property, but buyer beware. The American dream isn’t free, or without sweat. However, sometimes sweat equity and the tenacity to see it through puts a roof over you’re head and home ownership within you’re means. Something the banks didn’t seem to understand about that concept, and our elected officials didn’t either. Mortgage brokers and predatory lenders took advantage of that debacle so we see many homes without families, foreclosures and abandoned properties, property values go down. It’s refreshing to see someone willing to do the hard work, that want to live in these homes and restore them for their families. Good for her!

Sana Powers

tlgsopinion: Congratulations to you Petronila Corrales!

What a great gift you have given yourself!

Thank you for sharing your story about hard work, sweat and tears (good and bad) that you have put forward to changing your own life.

Be proud of yourself! Not many people have fortitude to work hard these days and many of them never realize how hard you have struggled to get to America to even begin to make things happen for yourself!

Keep going, and don’t stop!



Story: “RV hall deal in Elkhart irks city councilman” (Dec. 24).

Read it here:http://is.gd/rGP7Ib

JackN: “Again, like sign waivers and several ordinances, the mayor interprets in his own way and does not abide by law. This is not in the best interest of our community nor does it represent the process as depicted by Indiana Constitution.” Henke

Sounds just like another politician I know of.

DHenke: Another way to look at it is when ever the mayor provides free service to some or a discount to another the rest of the taxpayers must make up the difference as the cost to operate the City does not go down. So remember that the next time he pushes for a trash fee.

Goofy2012: And now I’m all for the trash fee since I lose city trash service on Jan. 1 because I live in a mobile home park.

LyEnda: While we do not agree with a lot of Mr. Henke’s tactics and his never-ending attacks on the Mayor/administration, we do whole-heartedly agree with his latest efforts to find out more about this water/sewer billing situation with the RV Hall of Fame. In reading this article, and seeing in past articles, we have seen that this organization is claiming a “not-for-profit” status, thereby allowing them to get by with smaller water bills it made us wonder about the tax exempt status of churches.

Is there a difference between ‘tax exempt’ and ‘not-for-profit’ as far as an organization being able to avoid or get lower sewer/water bills? Are churches, in their tax exempt status, getting by with a similar situation?

That would be interesting to know ...