Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be a child again and know that wherever you went you would be welcome and well taken care of? That was the way it was for me living on the northeast corner of Judson and Green streets in the fourth ward, the French Quarter, of Ogdensburg.

Because I was the youngest kid in the “gang” within a four-block radius of my home, all the kids, including my two brothers, Tom and Don, would be looking after me. We would all go to the pulp docks to swim when there were no ships moored there, instead of trudging all the way down to Sandy Beach.

The biggest thrill was when I dove in to the water, being six years old, like the other kids, trying to reach the bottom, which was probably 30 feet deep, to bring up a piece of seaweed with the kids cheering me on.

Now I realize how different and difficult it must be for children living anywhere in St. Lawrence County and perhaps anywhere in New York State or even the U.S.

I have to ask, have we lost our empathy for our fellow man –even children?

It was with a great amount of interest and dismay that I read that the “County Tax Auction Nets $1.9 Million” the Sept. 22-28 issue of North Country This Week. St. Lawrence County sold 185 properties. St. Lawrence County’s treasurer said that will exceed the $1.46 million owed on delinquent taxes on the properties.

How I wish I could take on the attitude like most people apparently do and think how wonderful! Instead, I visualize all the people who lived in the French Quarter when I was growing up, wondering who all the people owned the 185 properties were. (There were more parcels this year than any other year.)

Also, what happened that they weren’t able to pay their property taxes and were there children left without a home and what would happen to them?

I’m sure that their thoughts would include what type of person would those children, left without a home, turn into? Would this bring peace and stability to our county and state? And lastly, including everyone living on earth today – is this a means of brining peace to all people living on our earth?

I don’t think that most people today are aware of how our personal actions play a role in determining whether we have a government that will serve all the people and not just a few.

Just before the retirement of Gov. David A. Paterson, he commissioned a group to study how the people in the state could save money on their taxes. The study was thorough and cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

They found that the only way state taxpayers could save money was to do away with the county legislatures and village governments that other states don’t have. We have too many people in New York State government. As far as village governments are concerned, it is just adding to the cost of the higher taxes we have to pay.

The surrounding communities of Lisbon, Madrid and Louisville only have town governments, saving people in those areas from the extra taxes. In Waddington, we have a town supervisor, two clerks and town board, plus a mayor, two clerks and a board. Isn’t the town supervisor, clerk and board capable of doing the job?

Was the county legislature able to increase their salaries even though many people were against it?

Now, I’m begging you who are running to become a county legislator to withdraw from the election ballot. Let’s not give them any more opportunities to possibly put little kids out on the street without a home.

I’m also asking the rest of you voters not to vote for anyone for county legislator so poor people will not lose their homes.

Barbara Sequin Doe

Waddington