<strong><span class="subhead">City nitpicks on parking downtown</span></strong></p><p>A friend of mine was working at the Music Hall last weekend. After work and returning to his car, he found a parking ticket.</p><p>To his surprise it wasn&rsquo;t for parking illegally, but for parking 12 inches from the curb.</p><p>I understand that Kansas City is in debt and needs money, but are we going to have to start taking rulers and measuring before we leave our cars?</p><p>A while back, my father got a ticket for parking in a handicap spot, even though he has a handicap sticker. He has now stopped working downtown because if he works more than four hours, there is no place for him to park.</p><p>I think handing out these tickets is bad. The tickets cost more than they were paid to work.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Janet Juliff</strong></p></p><p><p align="right"><em>Independence</em></p></p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Kids tackle obesity</span></strong></p><p>Did you know that nearly one in three children and teens in the United States is overweight or obese?</p><p>Experts say my generation could be the first in history to live shorter lives than our parents. We cannot solve the childhood obesity epidemic without motivating each other and our community to make healthy lifestyle choices.</p><p>That is why I am planning a Youth Hosted Forum on Nov. 14, along with other youths ages 9 to 17 in the Kansas City area. We are looking for participants ages 9 to 17 who are passionate about fighting childhood obesity and becoming leaders who will make an impact in their communities.</p><p>We&rsquo;ll discuss the challenges today&rsquo;s youth face to stay healthy and active and the next steps we can take to make an impact. Register for the Youth Hosted Forum at 913-652-1972 and help us empower other kids to make sure our generation will live longer, healthier lives.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Trevor Eiken</strong></p> <p align="right"><em>Kansas City</em></p></p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Fair and balanced?</span></strong></p><p>I am sorry, but I had to laugh at Tim Bower&rsquo;s letter (10/29) about Fox News&rsquo; high ratings. He mentioned CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, MSNBC and The Star.</p><p>Mainstream followers watch Fox. The misguided viewers split their viewing among the five stations. So if you add up the five, it overshadows Fox.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Jim Bikson</strong></p></p><p><p align="right"><em>Overland Park</em></p> <strong><span class="subhead">Better use for salary of Larry Johnson</span></strong></p><p>At a salary of $330,000 a week, how much has it cost the Chiefs thus far for each yard gained by Larry Johnson this year?</p><p>Taxpayers provide an indirect subsidy of his salary even though many taxpayers in their lifetime will not earn enough salary to afford a ticket to even one game. They must wonder why the Chiefs didn&rsquo;t use the money they pay Larry Johnson instead of tax funds to help upgrade Arrowhead stadium.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Kal Makela</strong></p> <p align="right"><em>Lenexa</em></p></p><p><strong><span class="subhead">IRS blues ahead</span></strong></p><p>On a recent Sunday morning news show that includes George Will, he made a statement ahead of the recent elections saying we need to choose whether we want the government to protect us, or rather do we need protection from the government. </p><p>One thought comes to mind: There is nothing that strikes more fear in the American citizen than a letter from the Internal Revenue Service. You automatically know it is going to cost you. It is the only legal system in the country where you are required to prove your innocence.</p><p>With the proposed health care reform bill, with all the penalties and different taxes that might be implemented, it could greatly expand the IRS&rsquo; responsibility. And we all know how concerned about the individual this bureaucracy is. </p><p>How about an IRS bureaucrat deciding if you need a CAT scan?</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Jerry Jackson</strong></p></p><p><p align="right"><em>Liberty</em></p></p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Consumers foot health care bill</span></strong></p><p>Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have risen 131 percent since 1999, a figure consistently split about 75/25 between employer and employee.