The Coshocton County Beacon April 3, 2019 - Page 4
| OPINION
Y
es, spring is actually
ally opposed the move, and
here - just look at
worked to have it repealed.
the calendar if you
Th e United States started
need proof. And, the
observing DST in 1919.
grass is showing glimmers of
Speaking of the Ohio
more green each and every
Legislature, your opinions
day. Sure, we may vault into
on their proposed gas tax
summer after a week of
Not enough. It’s
MARK’S MUSINGS increase?
spring just like last year but a
that simple. I, like everyone
vault into summer is certain-
else, prefer not to pay more
ly better than a fl op back into winter. I’ll
taxes. But in this case, it is like putting
certainly take it as it comes. We can’t do
your fi nger in a dike. You know the story
anything about it anyway but if memory
- you plug one hole and another pops up.
serves - and I admit I lose a tad more each Either put in an increase that actually
year - you better get that mower ready.
does some good or don’t do it at all. Th is
Something tells me the grass is going to
also works at the local level. Either way,
grow. But just to throw this in - I do recall
the gas tax debate will continue into this
mowing some yards as a kid in March.
week as lawmakers missed the deadline.
Th e Ohio Senate is looking at a bill to
Our current gas tax in Ohio is 28 cents per
make daylight savings time permanent as gallon, enacted in 2005.
you may have heard by now. Two senators
And here’s a tidbit for you - which state
proposed the bill - Senate Bill 119 - which has the highest gas tax? Our neighbor
would allow Ohio to join Hawaii and
to the east - no, not West Virginia but
Arizona as the only two states that do not
Pennsylvania - at 58.7 cents per gallon.
observe daylight savings time. (Th e Na-
And you guessed it; California is next at
vajo tribe does observe it on their lands)
55.22 cents per gallon. Th e federal excise
I think you have to look at the origins of
tax on gasoline (yes, we pay that too!) is
daylight savings time to know if this is a
18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4
good idea or not. And I wonder - why is
cents per gallon on diesel fuel. It has not
this not a federal issue? It seems like ev-
been increased since 1993 and is not tied
erything else is. Believe it or not (you can
to infl ation or we would be paying a lot
Google this) the idea was fi rst proposed
more for gasoline and diesel fuel. And in
by Benjamin Franklin - who actually pro- my opinion, the tax is not helping Penn-
posed moving two hours of time -but not sylvania roads. Have you been on any of
the actual clock - just a sleep schedule. He their roads lately? I speak from experi-
got this idea from the French.
ence in this case.
And Germany was the fi rst nation to
It’s pretty simple really. Th e cost of road
enact DST - during World War I - and they construction, replacing aging bridges and
got the idea from an Englishman. Th e
other infrastructure, let alone keeping up
premise was simple - to save electricity.
with the increase in the number of vehi-
Now Germany is working to get rid of
cles on the highways and miles driven
DST as is much of Europe. Th e European
does not allow for enough funds to keep
Union is proposing to stop the twice year- pace with infl ation. Th ere’s that ugly word
ly change of clocks in case you wanted to
raising its head. Despite what some of the
know. Russia, Iceland, Turkey and several pundits might tell us, infl ation does exist.
other nations no longer observe DST.
Talk to anyone that buys food lately?
And contrary to popular belief, the
Okay, enough of the history lesson - it’s
move was not made to benefi t farmers. It
time for baseball and the fi nal four!
was to save electricity and famers actu-
|
Smith and Williams honored by media
COLUMBUS – Th e Division III and IV boys’
basketball All-Ohio teams were an-
nounced by a statewide media panel. Th e
teams were selected by members of the
Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.
Receiving honorable mention for Divi-
sion III were Koleten Smith from Ridge-
wood High School and Gavin Williams
from Coshocton High School.
Contributed | Beacon
Kent State Tuscarawas holding
scholarship golf outing
NEW PHILADELPHIA - Kent State University
at Tuscarawas is sponsoring the 18th an-
nual Scholarship Golf Outing on Friday,
April 26 at Oak Shadows Golf Club. Th e
four-player, 18-hole scramble registration
begins at 10:30 a.m. with a shotgun start
at noon. Greens fees include light lunch
and steak dinner.
Registration deadline is Friday, April
19. All proceeds benefi t Alumni Legacy
Scholarships for deserving students at
Kent State Tuscarawas. Th e event is open
to all.
To enter a team or become an event
sponsor, contact Chad Conrad at 330-
308-7445 or cconra1@kent.edu.
Contributed | Beacon
Malone Alumni Choir to perform
CANTON - On Sunday, April 7, the Malone
University Alumni Choir will be in con-
cert at 3 p.m. in the Stewart Room of the
Randall Campus Center (Th e Barn) on
the MU campus at 2600 Cleveland Ave.
NW, Canton.
Members of the group include those
that graduated in the late 1960s through
the present. Darius McBride and Les
Widder are co-directors. Th e public is
cordially invited to this concert. More
information can be obtained by calling
330-284-8284 or 740-622-1138.
On Sunday, April 14, the MU Alumni
Choir will be in concert at the Abundant
Life Church, 7489 Township Road 103,
Millersburg, three miles south next to
Black Diamond Golf Course. Th at event
will start at 6 p.m. in the sanctuary. Infor-
mation about that concert can be given
by calling 330-413-4044 or by checking
their Facebook page at “abundantlifemi-
llersburg.”
Although the concerts are free, there
will be a love off ering taken to support
the Malone University music scholarship
program.
Contributed | Beacon
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APRIL 3, 2019