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Prepaid college plans are not a risk-free solution

Thank you for your editorial "An affordable option for tomorrow's tuition" (March 28), highlighting the need to begin saving early for college. As Southwestern Virginia's first certified college planning specialist, I believe that prepaid plans are indeed valuable tools for many families who struggle to fund their kids' college. However, the very guarantees that make these plans so attractive also represent an often ignored area of risk.

Virginia's prepaid plan confronts the same challenges -- tuition increases and investment performance -- that parents face when saving for college on their own. Together, these two factors caused Virginia's prepaid plan to report a June 30 deficit of $284 million. When pricing new contracts, the plan's actuaries projected 7.5 percent annual tuition inflation compared to an average of 11.2 percent over the past five years. New contract prices also assume a 7 percent annual investment return instead of the double-digit losses of the previous two years.

Deficits present the possibility that Virginia's prepaid plan cannot cover its obligations. Most families do not realize that the plan is not a direct obligation of Virginia. As such, families should not view prepaid plans as a risk-free way to combat rising tuition.

Voters have a chance to keep the republic

It was reported that outside of Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended, Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Ben Franklin; "Well doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" Franklin quickly responded: "A republic, if you can keep it."

The elections in November will tell us if we have a chance of keeping it.

School funds should have been spared

Re: "McDonnell cuts target schools, state workers" (Feb. 18 news story):

I agree with the governor that this is going to be a hard time, but I don't agree with him cutting money from the education budget. Education is the last place we should cut money.

The children are the future of our country, and we should not be taking away their opportunities to learn and grow. We need to keep expanding them and giving them opportunities that we ourselves may not have had while in school. The students need new opportunities, and the teachers are the ones who give the students those chances.

Cutting teachers positions isn't going to help the situation either. The more students to one teacher, the more difficult it is to learn in the classroom. If there was any way to cut the money without changing the education budget, that is what lawmakers should have done.

Boucher's no vote was people's will

I thank Rep. Rick Boucher for standing with the majority of his constituents and voting no on Obamacare. I know this was a political gamble to take a stand against this legislation. It is so rare, though it should not be, to do just that. I thank him for doing the right thing and listening to the people of Virginia.

This is what most politicians forget. Think for yourself and damn the party line. Rep. Tom Perriello sealed his fate in Virginia's next congressional election with his support just as surely as Boucher assured his own re-election with his no vote.

Health care reform is nothing but welfare

Re: "Thank leaders for passing the bill," April 1 letter:

Greg Yowell has been led down the garden path if he thinks the health reform law will do all he stated. This bill is nothing but welfare. You work and support those who don't. Democrats had to bribe members of their own party to pass this monstrosity. They have added so much pork that it oinks when you turn the pages.

This country was founded upon the principle that if you work hard, you can succeed and realize the American Dream. That is what brought so many immigrants to our shores -- not if you work hard, you can support those who don't want to work.

Let me point out what our representatives have done for Americans lately. They have denied cost-of-living raises for those on Social Security for the next two years, while they have voted a raise for themselves of $4,700 for 2010 and $5,300 for 2011. That's $10,000 more income that Yowell is paying them through his taxes.

He should wake up and smell the roses, because he has fallen for their lies hook, line and sinker.

What will Cuccinelli take on next?

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli portrayed himself as a defender of the people of the commonwealth. I do not believe his short track record backs that up.

Republicans decry activist judges who they say decide with their personal beliefs instead of using the law. What about Cuccinelli? It appears that the man is making decisions based on his personal beliefs instead of the law.

First he issues a mandate to universities and state entities to stop protecting people based on sexual orientation. Then Cuccinelli decides to file suit against health care reform.

But he does not stop there. Cuccinelli decides to appeal the Environmental Protection Agency's decision that greenhouse gases contribute to global warming. Now he will challenge the announced new mileage standards for vehicles because the EPA has not responded to his suit.

So what is next for Cuccinelli? What other big thing will he rail against? Will it be Girl Scout cookie sales, or shall we sue Maryland for encroachment of our sovereign borders?

Cuccinelli needs to find out what his constituents really want.

Hate speech comes from both parties

In recent letters to the editor, various writers have expressed concern over the political speech and hateful rhetoric coming out against our government after this last year of Democratic control. My question to them is this: Where was your concern when George W. Bush was being compared to Hitler? Where was the feel-good talk when a life-size effigy of him was found hanging from a tree?

He was referred to as the anti-Christ, a baby killer and a slave driver. Can you imagine the whine of the Democrats if their savior was called any of this? While neither is appropriate, it's hardly limited to one party.

Broadband is spotty in Franklin County

Rep. Rick Boucher made an excellent point in his commentary "Broadband for rural communities" on April 1. That point is that there are incentives and funding for a wide distribution of the broadband network for rural communities.

Areas in far Southwest Virginia would have need of these items, but what is the problem with the areas surrounding the Roanoke Valley? I live in Franklin County and continue to receive mailings from our carrier Century Link about the wondrous possibilities of being connected, but so far broadband is a no-show (not available in your area).

I am not alone in my frustration. Lots of areas in the county do not have broadband and they are much more populated than where I live.

There is a broadband connection four miles away. How hard would it have been to bring it the rest of the way? Why can't the phone company step up and move on this to ensure that we are being connected? Sometimes I feel like filing a lawsuit against the phone company for restraint of trade because I am missing out on all those Internet millions.