Running of guns
TO THE EDITOR: As awful as it was, the Colorado murders, had they happened in Mexico, would barely have made the front page of the Mexican newspapers.
This is only one of the reasons why the U.S. government’s illegal running of guns to Mexico in the operation known as “Fast and Furious” was so horribly wrong. We’ll never know how many innocent Mexican citizens were victims of these weapons.
It would be the irony of all ironies if one of the weapons used in the Colorado killings turns out to be one of those allowed by “Fast and Furious” to go to Mexico and had come back across the border. If so, that’s something else we’ll never know.
MIKE REYNOLDS
Jay
Debt payments
TO THE EDITOR: This will only help if you just recently or haven’t yet received a letter from a collection agency for any long-unpaid bill that you still owe on a medical, financial or any other debt.
Every state has a statue of limitations on debt collection (typically three to 10 years). These statutes limit how long a creditor or collection agency can legally sue to reclaim the money.
They send you a letter with the amount you owe, a payment plan, and let you know if you don’t pay, your credit can be ruined, your wages can be garnished or that you may be brought to court.
True to a point. However, in New York, the statute is seven years. If your debt is more than seven years old, you are not legally obligated to pay it. The agency won’t tell you this because they buy the “out-of-statute” debts for pennies on a dollar from the issuer, and anything you pay is almost pure profit for them.
As soon as you make one payment on the old debt, it will restart the statute and allow the creditor to sue. So before making that first payment, please check your records and contact the issuer to find out the date of the debt.
I hope this helps someone out there before it’s too late.
LYNN GORDON LaCLAIR
Plattsburgh
