Re: City pushes up ceiling on tax rate hike, story, July 16.
Well, folks, the other shoe has dropped. Thanks to the free rides and cash given to commercial annexations in the city of Largo, your taxes are going up, up, up!
Notice that not one person (at the Tuesday meeting) mentioned how they could save you money. Even the Finance Advisory Board, made up of your fellow citizens, resigned itself to taking more of your money. Not one mention of scaling back or consolidating with other entities to save you money.
Remember, according to Largo Mayor Bob Jackson, the annexations aren't costing any more money for services and are bringing in money. Last time I checked, a property which received thousands of taxpayers dollars and isn't paying taxes isn't bringing the coffers of Largo any money.
Citizens of Largo, please write, call or attend a City Commission meeting and let the mayor and commissioners know that you need your money. While we all support our police and firefighters, we need money for our rising health care costs and retirement.
-- Benjamin West, Largo
Largo needs to change pension funding
Re: City proposes 22 percent tax increase, story, July 3.
There is an issue on the horizon that affects us all. It has affected many already. It has to do with the method of funding pensions.
In its simplest terms, there are two types of pensions: the defined benefit that specifies how much of a benefit is guaranteed to be paid the employee at some future date, or the defined contribution that specifies the amount of money that will be contributed yearly to an employee pension fund.
The distinction is that in the defined contribution, the city, other government agency or private employer budgets what will be provided per collective bargaining agreement and that is the end of it. Market fluctuations don't mean that at some later date the employer has to pony up more money to cover events over which they had no control.
A question for those who have seen their 401(k) or other retirement plan tank in value due to the market decline: Did your employer pony up to cover your loss?
While I have the greatest respect for our police and firefighters and feel they are certainly deserving of a pension, I don't think they or any other government employees are so special that they should be guaranteed immunity from the market fluctuations that plague those paying those pensions.
If the city of Largo had a defined benefit plan, then the police and firefighters whose pension fund was okay a year or so ago would still be considered okay and we would not be looking to pony up $1.2-million in this year's budget. Remember, the way it is currently set up, if the market does worse this year, we will be coming up with millions more to cover pensions earned in prior years.
To change this plan would also be fair to the police and firefighters. If the long-term economics of slowing growth in housing values, limited annexation to increase the tax base, growing government services and costs continue, the day could possibly come when the city of Largo will be forced to renege on its defined benefit because the money isn't there. It's happening in California now with the tax on home value taxation. At least with the defined contribution, the money is the employees' now - with their name on it.
-- George Mouzakis, Largo
July 4th celebration thoroughly fun
Re: No cameras, no fun at Fourth celebration, letter by Doug Monty, July 10.
Did Mr. Monty attend a different celebration of our nation's birthday than I did? He said he would have to "painfully sit through the Mostly Pops Orchestra before the main event, the fireworks." He added, "Believe me, 90 percent of the people who showed up were only there for the fireworks display." He chose not to stay for the wonderful patriotic concert with the orchestra and the Wilson family, complete with big screen TV.
The experience certainly was not painful and the enthusiasm of the large crowd attested to the quality of the concert. The fireworks were well-received also, but those of us fortunate enough to be there came for the total celebration and enjoyed every minute.
I am one of many who come year after year to this community event. Next year, Mr. Monty might want to come, too.
-- Joan Kindy, Palm Harbor
Lighten up on fireworks criticism
Re: Crackdown on fireworks is needed, letter, July 11.
May I remind the letter writer that her freedom is, essentially, in the same place as mine; i.e., these United States of America. Was she actually a prisoner in her own house on the evening of July 4th? Was she under heavy mortar attack?
Smoke usually accompanies fire. May one assume that she is a combat veteran? As to terrorizing war veterans, admittedly, the sounds, explosions, air bursts, etc., are similar to the real thing, and these may dredge up brief memories long surpressed, but sheer terror is usually not among them.
Also, those with acute hearing, like cats and dogs, briefly go "bonkers," but they do readjust rather quickly.
Admittedly, with some adults, not to mention their offspring, giving even the power to set off explosives is, in my opinion, like giving dynamite to idiots.
-- Joseph P. Corell, Safety Harbor
Traveler to Cuba breaking the law
Re: Discovering Cuba's underwater treasures, story, July 10.
It is appalling to read an article that not only endorses but almost encourages U.S. citizens to break the laws of their beloved nation for the sake of an underwater experience that can be had in so many other locations legally. You and the author proudly state how she has managed to circumvent laws repeatedly without reprisals for the ultimate purpose of earning a profit. It is disheartening to read this in an age of increased patriotism.
In addition, she states that she chose Cuba as her subject because, "It's really neat. It's exactly like what you see on TV ... " Did she think of asking the Cubans how neat it is to drive 50-year-old cars, or how neat it is to have no toilet paper, or how neat it is to have food rations or, best, how neat it is to speak up against the government and to be persecuted for it? She has the freedom to flagrantly break her nation's laws with no recourse and then chooses to write about a poor country whose citizens don't even dare to THINK about breaking a law.
Well, it's not a movie. It's reality TV upfront and personal for the citizens of Cuba. They live it on a daily basis with no end in sight.
Your newspaper and the author have managed to offend not only many Cuban-Americans, but also many patriotic Americans who would never break the laws of their country. The book should have never been published. Is she willing to send funds from profits to the Cuban people to raise their quality of life?
-- Maria Chambers, Palm Harbor
Parallel parking alternative needed
Re: City, builder seek parking compromise, story, July 12.
As it is for many Pinellas County residents who live west of Largo, West Bay Drive through downtown Largo is my main route for getting to and from work each day. Parallel parking is something that almost everyone detests, but trying to parallel park on West Bay Drive during the busy part of the day is suicidal. If I have to parallel park to get to a business in downtown Largo, then I probably won't frequent that business very often.
I can understand the reluctance of a business to invest in an unproven area which requires patrons to parallel park on a busy thoroughfare. A parking compromise seems warranted.
Also, there needs to be an alternative route for the commuters who just want to get through or around downtown each day.
-- J. Larry McElveen, Belleair Bluffs
[Last modified July 18, 2003, 02:08:21]
