If those of us in the newspaper business had a dollar for every time a reader wanted to drop a dime on us to say our two cents weren’t worth a plug nickel, then …

… wait, we were told there would be no math.

What we can’t put a price on, however, is the interchange of ideas in a free press — as invaluable today as when John Dickinson’s “Letters From A Farmer In Pennsylvania” were published across the Thirteen Colonies the years prior to the American Revolution.

Now that the Rogue Valley Tribune is up and running, it’s time for us to open our eyes and ears to what our readers have to say.

Letters to the editor are a time-honored tradition and, in the spirit of true community journalism, the voices we present should go beyond our own — even when, and especially when, those opinions run counter to those expressed in the Tribune’s Opinion section.

So, consider this an invitation, a figurative offer of a penny for your thoughts.

The Tribune is accepting letters in two ways — through email at letters@rvtrib.com, or through our handy form available at our website at rvtrib.com/site/forms/letter_to_the_editor. The online form also can be accessed by scrolling to the bottom of our homepage and clicking on “Submit a letter to the editor” under the Quick Links header.

Wow, that’s great, you’re probably saying to yourself. We can say what we want … without any rules!

Ah … no.

If you don’t like the idea of following “rules,” then consider these guidelines that we will follow … even on those (rare) occasions our letter writers don’t.

Contributed Letters to the Editor should be limited to a single issue, contain no more than 250 words, and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification.

Longer pieces, which we will consider for publication as Guest Columns, can be submitted and can run between 550 and 650 words.

Published submissions will be edited for length, grammar, taste and legal reasons. Poetry, personal attacks, form letters and letters submitted elsewhere will not be published.

Finally, writers will be limited to one printed submission every 30 days.

Now, that’s not so bad, was it? Basically, just let us know what’s on your mind, play nice, and don’t write in iambic pentameter.

We’re happy to hear from you and, more importantly, hearing what you have to say.

— Robert Galvin, Opinion Editor, rgalvin@rvtrib.com