Re: Ask where supporters of sales tax hike live, July 24 letter
-- Editor: The letter regarding supporters of the penny tax for Pasco and where they live mentioned that I don't live in Pasco and asks why would a non-resident care about the county? Allow me to answer.
I live on the border of Hillsborough and Pasco counties. The deadend street that I live on can only be accessed from Pasco. I do most of my shopping in Pasco County. I go to church in Pasco. I go to school in Pasco. I go to restaurants in Pasco and get gas in Pasco (though not necessarily in that order).
I am a volunteer with the Central Pasco Habitat for Humanity affiliate. I served as a president of what is now the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. I participate in special events at the Baldomero Lopez Veterans Nursing Home in Pasco. I am president of Leadership Tampa Bay, an organization that serves all bay area counties, including Pasco. To not care about the county is to not care about my neighbors, my friends, my classmates, my favorite stores and restaurants or Pasco's environment, infrastructure, people and future.
Forty years ago, leaders in Birmingham, Ala., criticized "outsiders coming in" to their city to work on efforts to improve conditions there. One of those outsiders was arrested and thrown in jail. From his jail cell, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote to his critics that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
Though the penny tax issue in Pasco County is not the same as the issues faced by residents in 1963 Alabama, the same spirit of "the interrelatedness of all communities and states" that Dr. King wrote of lives on in my heart. It is a genuine spirit of caring for a county I love and enjoy giving back to. A line on a map will not limit this spirit. The writer questions the motivation of the "so-called community supporters" of the tax. My motivation is to support a community I care about so that it does not suffer a decline in quality of life or educational needs while its growth significantly increases.
An estimated 20 percent of sales tax revenue comes from people outside of the county, but 100 percent of ad valorem taxes come from residents within the county. One way or the other, Pasco County will need to pay for its upkeep. They can have help, or they can do it on their own. I'm in the mix because I'd like to help, and no technicality will keep me from crossing the line between my home and the needs of my neighbors.
-- Charlie Reese, Lutz
Lacoochee resident wants new community leaders
Editor: The Lacoochee forum showed some potential for Lacoochee and Trilby to be changed in the future. I think right now the young blacks must know that they can trust the Sheriff's Office to govern their town with integrity. We, the blacks of this county, forgive ourselves and ask the governing body to forgive us for our lack of integrity and lack of responsibility. The governing body and blacks must find common ground. Black voices must be heard. Governing bodies must not be so quick to judge if real change is going to happen.
The Rev. Fred Hinson and Isa Blanford's presence as leaders was a slap in the face. I feel like the Rev. Hinson was hand picked and cannot truly feel nor know the pain of Lacoochee. There have been too many verbal complaints against Blanford from blacks in the community. I feel she is an enemy of young blacks.
Lacoochee has many educated, willing and dedicated black leaders who will step to the front if given the chance. We would like to see Hinson and Blanford continue with us, but not in front. The Rev. Donald Smith and his congregation, a powerhouse in the community, will join hands with the Rev. Tim and Aretha Conley, the Barker family, John Steward, etc. New Bethel AME of Lacoochee, it is time to come to the front also. You and your congregation have been the nucleus of Lacoochee.
I personally would like to see the Rev. David West and Claudia Madani continue to support all efforts to better the Trilby/Lacoochee community.
My voice cries in the streets for Lacoochee. My heart expects change, and my hope is to fight until victory is won.
-- Deryl R. Williams, Dade City
New development doesn't lead to lower taxes
Editor: There have been a plethora of recent articles in the Pasco Times promoting the value of growth in increasing the tax base and decreasing property tax rates. The most recent article stated "homeowners outside the cities could see their property taxes drop for the third year in a row." The county says that about half the tax base increase comes from new development, and the idea is that new development decreases taxes for each property taxpayer.
This is simply not true! In his book Better Not Bigger, Eben Fodor quotes Harvard economists Alan Altshuler and Jose Gomez-Ibanez: "The available evidence shows that development does not cover new public cost; that is it brings in less revenue for local governments than the price of servicing it."
The book Costs of Sprawl published by the Transportation Research Board and the National Research Council, and authored in part by nationally renowned growth expert Robert W. Burchell of Rutgers University, states on page 281, "During the period 2000 to 2025, under normal or uncontrolled-growth, the nation will expend $143.2-billion annually for public services and will collect revenues in the amount of only $99.4-billion annually, for an annual fiscal deficit of $43.8-billion by 2025. This is the reality of providing services mainly to residential development, which typically produces a negative fiscal impact due to the costs of schools."
I talked to someone from the School Board and she said Pasco County is behind in school construction. She said Pasco needs to build 10 schools in the next seven years. Next year's enrollment will be up 2,400 students. She said very little money comes from the state for school construction.
In an Oregon study, schools were about one third of the total infrastructure cost. Other infrastructure costs that the county must pay include water, sewer, roads, parks, fire protection facilities and libraries. Totals for all these infrastructure costs, plus power distribution, based on four studies from the 1980s and '90s add up to $20,000 to $30,000 or more per typical new single family home.
Pasco County collects impacts fees of about $7,000 for a new single family home. That leaves at least a $13,000 difference that the taxpayers must pay in infrastructure costs for each new single family home. Since studies around the country prove that residential development has a negative fiscal impact, and since the county is behind in school construction, why is the county cutting taxes for the third year in a row at the same time it is approving more fiscally draining residential development?
What is going to happen when the real estate bubble bursts, as it will some day, and the county will not find large amounts of impact fees to fall back upon, which are collected at the time that a home's electricity is connected, but will still require all those new schools and other infrastructure that they are behind on?
The article did not include taxes for schools, which makes the conclusion reached of reduced taxes incomplete and misleading. Year after year, the Times perpetuates the myth that growth is fiscally good and rarely if ever warns of its true costs. Has the Times ever run a story on how far behind the county is in school construction?
I swear the Times is a part of what Fodor calls the "urban growth machine," which is comprised of developers, builders, mortgage bankers, Realtors and sand, gravel and cement companies, etc., that work together tirelessly to perpetuate myths and to increase profits at the expense of county taxpayers, our standard of living and the environment.
-- Richard Sommerville, Hudson
Superintendent's nod to Republican is premature
Editor: I feel School Superintendent John Long's decision to endorse a Republican as his successor is appalling to say the least. For a man who claims to be a Democrat and then take a 180 degree turn to endorse Chuck Rushe is outrageous and premature. There are more than 15 months to go before the general election and more than enough time to recruit a qualified Democrat to fill the vacancy.
As superintendent, I'm sure he has witnessed, what has happened to the overall quality of education. Not just within our district but statewide as well. How he could even consider a Republican to endorse as his successor? It raises the question of party loyalty.
There are already too much politics involved in our school system statewide. All one needs to do, is take a hard look at the facts. Under the mismanagement of the Republican Party in our state, our overall school system is in shambles, regardless of what Gov. Jeb Bush wants everyone to think and believe.
Thanks to the Republican voodoo economics and smoke-and-mirrors education reforms, our overall school system now ranks 48th in the nation. In 1998, before the Republicans gained control, our state ranked 42nd nationwide! Florida's high school graduation rate has plummeted from 44th to the worst in America. SAT scores have dropped from 40th to 47th. ACT scores from 35th to 38th, all thanks to a Republican regime. You do the math and draw your own conclusions. The unfortunate truth is, in the long run, it's our children who will be the ones to suffer, not the elected officials!
Under LaVaunne Miller's direction, no one Democrat was able to attain any office in 2002 and two Democrats have left the party and turned Republican. As head of the Pasco County Democratic Executive Committee, how could she understand or possibly support John Long's decision? It is incomprehensible. I feel if the so-called elected officials can't remain loyal and true to the party and don't have the time and energy to perform their duties as required, then we need to clean house. The sooner the better.
-- Bob LaRocca, Holiday
Longtime patron will miss restaurant's atmosphere
Editor: The closing of Lola's Restaurant is indeed a sad loss for Pasco County.
The family atmosphere and the quality of food made the restaurant a great place for family dinners, birthdays, weddings, meetings and so on.
For 26 years, my husband and I had a weekly standing reservation. We watched Mitzi and Borris grow into responsible adults, made many friends and enjoyed our times there.
I wish the family continued success in what path they choose to travel. It was a family affair and it will be missed.
-- Louise D. Kienle, New Port Richey
[Last modified July 28, 2003, 04:47:36]
