County recycling deprives church of needed funds

Editor: As a parishioner of St. Joan of Arc in Spring Hill, I wish to advise you that the recycling of cans and newspapers at our church pays for the much-needed supplies and equipment for our volunteer groundskeepers.

Now county government tells us we must place our recyclables in the containers provided and leave them at the curb.

I know where the money from my recylables goes in regard to my church; where does it go from my county government? Dog parks? Jogging tracks? Someone's pocket?

I do not need someone babysitting my recyclables, and I don't need anyone telling me what I must do with them.

Will the county government provide our volunteers with what they need to maintain our grounds, which add beauty to the community?

Why don't they butt out on decisions about how we maintain our lives?

Recycling opponents should consider program's positives

Editor: I appreciate that recycling has come to our part of town. There are several things to like.

It saves on taxes; it is very good for the environment; it saves exploitation of natural resources; and I need to make fewer trips to the recycling place.

In my opinion, many of the people complaining about paying $1.60 per month never recycled in the first place. Are there really that many folks who are irresponsible or indolent concerning citizenship?

Plan to separate garbage is too complicated and costly

Editor: We encourage everyone to recycle, but it seems like Waste Management is discouraging this by charging us for regular garbage collection twice a week, then expects us to separate recyclable articles into green and blue bins.

Newspapers must be kept dry (impossible), glass put into regular garbage that does not disintegrate in the landfill or anyplace, no plastic-coated cardboard like orange juice and milk cartons, no plastic bags, magazines, junk mail. These things we have to take to the recycle bins ourselves. Then we are to pay them extra to take the green and blue bins' items.

I am not the sharpest tack in the box, but why not just put everything into regular garbage pickup? I think the people who came up with this idea may have IQs in the single digits.

How much will the county collect for this double-pay idea?

Charge for recycling not provided illustrates commission's mistakes

Editor: I received a notice on July 7 stating that we would soon be provided with new bins as part of the curbside recycling program. I waited, but no bins arrived.

On Aug. 22, I received a bill from Waste Management of Pasco that included an extra charge of $4.80. I telephoned the office and was told the fee was for the recycling service. I said I had not received the bins or service yet, so could I be credited? She said it was mandatory so I could not be credited.

I told her no one around my area had received the bins. She asked my address and asked if I wanted the service. When I said I really was not interested, she told me I had to have the service because it was mandatory.

So, about five days later I received the bins with a form saying my collection day is - guess what? That part was blank!

How many people are paying $4.80 on their bill for this service they have not received yet? The commissioners who voted for this will not get my vote next time. I'm disgusted.

Officials who supported recycling shouldn't count on re-election

Editor: Re: Letters to the editor from Lynn Jackson and Fred Montgomery, and the Sept. 9 Times editorial Recycling deserves steadfast support:

If you are so hot on this recycling, you pay for it. I am not paying for it or participating in it.

If the county has so many problems with garbage, water and schools, stop building.

I will be working very hard to have the four women on the County Commission defeated in any try for re-election.

Citizens stand pat as government fails to address major problems

Re: Sept. 7 column by Jeff Webb, Spend-happy politicians, pay attention: There are limits:

Though calling attention to many of the stupid things local pols are doing, Webb failed to address the really serious problem all over the United States.

Born in the United States, and a World War II Navy veteran, I have lived with a lot of government stupidity in my life. The current is the worst.

Voters in the United States have allowed the economic parasites to gain control over most of our institutions: government, banking, health care (a joke), insurance, etc. Just a glance at our "leaders" (also a joke) who will put our children in harm's way, but they and theirs never hear a shot fired in anger. We have let them gain control and they perpetuate one another.

Granted, the Brooksville City Council and Hernando County Commission probably lead in stupidity, but the problem is nationwide.

Schools are a disaster area, but we throw money away in car allowances and top-heavy administration.

Why buy a water system that needs major upgrading, but had the lowest rates in the area? They want to raise the rates and they don't even own it yet.

Why doesn't the Times check to see who makes the money on these bond deals?

There are so many things wrong locally. But the worst problems are national. The biggest problem? The stupidity of U.S. citizens.

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