DTCC clarification on state funding

Thank you for the Aug. 12 article in The Herald-Sun regarding the state budget and its impact on Durham Technical Community College. Neil Offen did an excellent job writing this story after interviewing me by telephone.

With this message I want to correct my misstatements regarding the actual amounts of money Durham Tech is required to revert and will be holding in reserve in the event of possible reversions later in the fiscal year. The total amount of money Durham Tech must revert immediately as a result of the "management flexibility" provision in the state budget will be approximately $620,000. This amount includes about $320,000 in funds we will return as part of the dual enrollment reversion and an additional $300,000.

In other words, the $620,000 figure is not an amount in addition to the dual enrollment cut. In addition, the amount we intend to hold in reserve for possible later cuts will be about $1.2 million, and not $1.5 million as indicated in your story.

Again, your reporter did an excellent job accurately capturing the important points in this story. I take responsibility for not accurately conveying the amounts of money we will be reverting now and holding back for possible later reversions.

BILL INGRAM

Durham

The writer is president of Durham Technical Community College.

The problem within

The debate on health care has reached a circus-like roar that makes no sense. Most of the noise is coming from the extreme right, which makes ridiculous claims and holds falsities as truths. They claim that they care about unborn children and abortions.

What about your dying neighbor next door? Your neighbor has health insurance, but the bloodsuckers won't pay for his treatment. He has to sell his house and car in order to find a way to live. They don't care about the people dying because they cannot afford the skyrocketing costs of health care.

To these dying people, the right wing maniacs say "I got mine and you can go to hell." Where is the great American humanity now? I am seeing Americans of the greatest generation behaving like animals.

I heard one woman scream, "I want my America back!" Where has your America gone? It is still here.

The problem lies not in America but in you. You are a racist and you discriminate against both minorities and the sick. You don't care about those who die every day because of our inhuman health care system. You also can't stand the fact that we have a black president. You cannot understand the pain and suffering faced by those who are sick and can't pay their medical bills because no one in your family has faced this problem.

Thank God we have a president who does.

JANOO NAQVI

Durham