Editor,

Let me start by saying America is a wonderful place. You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine.

Here are the facts as I see them. St. Joseph’s exists as a special exception within a rural zone and thus must prove that their expansion will have no significant adverse effect on the neighbors when they wish to expand. Do you know the age-old adage in real estate: location, location, location? Now, picture your house with five dormitories housing 66 students each being built behind that house. Are you still thinking location, location, location?

The real estate experts I consulted stated that the Hearthside neighborhood could see reductions in value between 10-20 percent depending on, you guessed it, location! Let’s use the 10 percent figure and put that in real numbers, this means I am “donating” 10 percent of my house’s value to the St. Joseph’s expansion. Are you willing to send them a check for $35,000? Would you call a loss of 10 percent of the value of 50 to 75 homes in the area a significant adverse effect? I guess that would depend on which side you are on.

As I stated in the beginning of this letter, America is a wonderful place. You can voice your opinion and I can voice mine. I also have the opportunity to voice my displeasure with your editorial by cutting my print ad budget by the same 10 percent I am expecting to see my house drop in value. Please take this as my notice that Walker Chevrolet Inc. is withdrawing its advertising from your sister paper the “Reporter” effective immediately.

Let me also add, I am sure I will never see this letter in print.

Thank you,

Dean Walker

General Manager Walker Chevrolet