There are better ways to raise money for education
Published October 22, 2004
Thank you for your recommendation to vote NO on Amendment 4, which would allow slot machines at the dog tracks.
This will just encourage betting on the dogs, who live a sad life of being kenneled and then retired, and eventually gassed to death if not adopted by a loving family.
And if I ever see gambling and education in the same sentence again it will make me sick. Just try telling your kids you spent the day at the track to support funds for education, but you don't have enough money saved for their college. And then tell their teachers you couldn't make the parent-teacher conference because you were at the dog track to earn money for their school.
That is the message being sent with this amendment: that low-life gambling habits are "okay" if they support education.
We can find better ways to raise money for education without supporting a poorer quality of life and the inhumane treatment of animals.
-- Amy Dillon, Palm Harbor
Don't bet on the revenue
Re: Police union backs slots proposal, Oct. 13.
I was very disappointed to read that the International Union of Police Associations (IUPA) is supporting Amendment 4, the ballot initiative that would allow slot machines at Florida dog and horse tracks. Unfortunately, they seem to have bought the idea that the amendment will supply millions of dollars in revenue for Florida schools.
I think the folks at the IUPA should reread the actual text of the proposed amendment, which clearly states that "[t]he Legislature may tax slot machine revenues . . ." The key words here are "may tax." Incredibly, Amendment 4 offers no promise that slot machines at the tracks would in fact be taxed at all!
Floridians would be wise to follow the lead of two other law enforcement groups that are opposed to the passage of Amendment 4: the Florida Police Chiefs Association and the Florida Sheriffs Association. Amendment 4 is a sham.
-- Janet Skinner, Palm Harbor
A deceptive approach
I am truly amazed at the double-face that dog track owners are trying to put on Amendment 4, which would legalize thousands of slot machines at greyhound racetracks.
They call themselves Yes for Local Control and claim this is a pro-education measure. Who are they kidding? These wealthy racetrack owners are not looking out for voters. They are trying to further enrich themselves by cashing in on casino gambling. Have they no shame?
These are the same dog track owners that were given a $14-million tax break in 2000 and a $13-million tax break in 1996. Dog food for the greyhound racing industry is even exempt from state sales taxes. Because three previous attempts to legalize casino gambling have failed, the dog racing industry has resorted to political trickery to convince voters. In fact, their campaign materials hardly mention greyhound racing or slot machine gambling at all.
Florida voters should reject Amendment 4 and send a strong message that these deceptive tactics will not work in our state.
-- Gundel Bhutani, Sarasota
It's about accountability
On the subject of Amendment 6, the repeal of the 2000 high-speed rail amendment, your editorial board got it wrong, but columnist Howard Troxler got it right.
Your Oct. 17 editorial recommending a YES vote (against high-speed rail) says voters, in passing the original bullet-train mandate in 2000, bought into a pie-in-the-sky fantasy and had no idea what it would ultimately cost or whether anyone would ride it. I can't speak for everyone who voted for the amendment, but I, for one, was under no illusions. I knew it would be expensive, taxpayers would have to pick up much of the tab, and there were no guarantees the state would properly market the system to riders.
Still, I cast my vote in recognition of the fact we cannot continue to pave our way out of our transportation problems. At some point, this state must recognize the need to invest in the transportation systems of the future. Gov. Jeb Bush recently suggested we can wait up to 30 years to begin developing high-speed rail. With gas over $2 a gallon today, I don't think we can wait that long.
But Amendment 6 symbolizes more than just the issue of high-speed rail to me, and that's where Troxler, also writing Oct. 17, hit the nail on the head (Eight ballot amendments get a biased breakdown). Amendment 6 is about accountability. Will Florida voters allow the governor and the Legislature to get away again with blithely ignoring our wishes, or will we finally hold their feet to the fire and force them to pay attention to us?
Mark my words - if Amendment 6 passes, any small remaining semblance of government of the people, by the people and for the people will completely cease to exist in Tallahassee.
-- Bill Hirschi, Ocala
[Last modified October 22, 2004, 01:09:27]
