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Re: For Clearwater, some West Palm dreaming, story, May 26.
Please, Clearwater Commissioner Whitney Gray, spare preaching "the good word of downtown" to the majority of Clearwater residents. City officials know how most residents feel about the Scientologists' overwhelming presence in downtown Clearwater.
The bulk of property they have procured within our city is disturbing to many. The concept of spending up to $41-million to provide residents with a Barnes & Noble, Ann Taylor, Armani Exchange, Kenneth Cole and FAO Schwartz is absurd. Do they think these stores would draw most of us downtown? Call me stupid, but come on. The elephant is in the living room.
I was a bit surprised to read on the list of officials who made the trip to West Palm Beach a community relations representative from Scientology. Why? Did you invite a priest, a minister, a deacon or the rabbi from other religious organizations?
This issue has exhausted most taxpayers in this community. Most of us have had uptown "dreams" of downtown, but that's all they are, dreams.
Re: Scientology sells downtown to retailers, story, May 29.
Reality check, Clearwater Commissioner Whitney Gray. You say that it is "odd that an independent entity would do this." Are these citizens not a large part of the local government of the people, by the people, for the people?
"You don't see other businesses, or churches certainly, marketing downtown to this degree." What a pity.
And, Clearwater Commissioner Frank Hibbard, I do believe that such effort to promote redevelopment investments by local citizens would be recognized as a plus anywhere else.
Re: A new rescue plan for downtown, story, May 11.
When I was in Florida last year, I dropped by the Lisa McPherson Trust not too long before its demise. I thought it would be interesting to meet some people with whom I had corresponded on the Internet.
One of the staff members took me on a walking tour to see the various Scientology buildings, pointing out the many "security" cameras and motion sensors. We were constantly shadowed by operatives yapping on walkie-talkies and cell phones.
When approaching Scientologists on the sidewalks, my guide simply stopped in his tracks, explaining that they couldn't come within 10 feet, so he preferred to let them figure out how to deal with that prohibition.
Get a clue. The atmosphere in downtown Clearwater is downright intimidating. The heart of the city is an occupied territory, under constant surveillance by a "religion" based on sci-fi scriptures about alien forces that overwhelmed Battlefield Earth 75 million years ago.
History repeats itself.
Re: Phillies seek distinction in new name, story, May 26.
Despite what Jason Adams says, changing the name of the Clearwater Phillies will not create an identity for the team - it will destroy any identity the team has.
It is easy to connect the Clearwater Phillies with baseball and the Philadelphia Phillies. Beach Dogs sounds like the name of a volleyball team, not a baseball team. I didn't realize the beach had been moved to Old Coachman and Drew Street.
The worst part of this name change idea is that the team has done everything possible to counteract and ignore the objections of the season ticket holders and other fans who attend the games regularly. Staff was so eager to pass out ballots on nights that included special entertainment and therefore brought out the casual fan, but on nights where basically only the core group of fans attended, no one was passing out ballots.
On the Web site, "Phillies" wasn't even listed as a choice to vote on. The team has said that it will have the final say on the name change because it has no intention of keeping the name as it is, no matter how many people don't want a name change.
The name change has nothing to do with creating an identity for the team. It is about making money from merchandising the new name and logo. The team will probably change names again in a few years when apparel sales begin to decrease.
I wonder if Mr. Adams changed his name after he turned 19 years old?
I would like to try to correct a misunderstanding that transferring legal title (specifically, to a baseball stadium and a football stadium) from a public agency to county government somehow saves tax dollars.
I think you will find that such a transfer of title merely increases the size of the exempt tax roll (and equally decreases the taxable, nonexempt roll), thereby increasing the millage rate necessary to fund local government budgets. However, there is no difference in the amount of tax paid.
Each year, all agencies of local government provide the property appraiser with the amount of money needed from property taxes to fund their budgets. The property appraiser then divides that amount by the nonexempt tax roll, and the millage rate is derived. Taking a parcel "off the tax roll" simply increases the millage rate, and thus increases the burden on those who pay property taxes, just as if a private building is converted to religious use.
I think the question boils down to which group of taxpayers pays, which is no different than when a public body invoices another public body.
An apposite analogy occurs when a public road becomes a toll road. The cost of the road is the same either way. The essential difference is whether the cost of the road is paid for by general taxes or by the tolls generated by the users of that road.
If a Bucs or Devil Rays ticket price is cheaper because the stadium authority pays no property tax, our millage rate, and consequently, our tax bill, by law increases to make up the difference. It's like squeezing a balloon - the amount of air inside doesn't change, just the pressure.
Re: Is reunion at the White House a social or political affair? letter, May 30.
The letter writer suggests President Bush will use the $150 per person cost for political reasons.
In the past administration that might have been true, but now we have a man of integrity at the helm.
Also, the classmates should pay for a reunion, not the taxpayers.