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Bill Jones: Let’s work together to boost Wyoming Valley’s high school graduation rates

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New proposal would save Meyers auditorium, Memorial Stadium

<p>In a <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/opinion/editorials/595387/our-opinion-lets-revise-negative-attitudes-on-aging-giving-older-residents-more-respect" target="_blank">recent editorial</a>, the Times Leader asked, &#8220;What can be done in the Greater Wyoming Valley to discourage ageism and amplify respect for residents who are rich in years, experience and wisdom?&#8221;</p><p>The first thing &#8211; to remove the fear of losing your assets through nursing home care &#8211; is to pass a bill that school taxes be cut in half for those over age 65 who don&#8217;t qualify for rebates. Many of us born in the 1930s, &#8217;40s, &#8217;50s and &#8217;60s worked in factories, starting out by earning 63 cents to $1 an hour. The government knows you come into the world naked, and it wants you to go out naked.</p><p>Aging is a beautiful adventure, and the burden of those worries is heavy on the minds of senior citizens. My wife &#8211; a beautiful person, great mother &#8211; had Alzheimer&#8217;s disease for four years. Celtic Hospice came to help, and its staffers taught me the proper hygiene lessons to assist her, until she passed away at home. Her Social Security benefits ended, and taxes remain the same.</p><p>Many thousands of senior citizens&#8217; homes end up in sheriff sales. The government can take my Social Security and pension for care. Leave our assets alone. That would be total respect for senior citizens.</p><p>Even in the debate of both presidential candidates, senior citizens are a forgotten people.</p><p><strong>George J. Kochis</strong></p><p>Kingston</p><style>
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Letter to the Editor: Senior citizens are ‘forgotten people’ in presidential debates