Private political e-mail was taken out of context
Letters to the EditorPublished November 10, 2004
Re: E-mail goof leaves party red-faced, Oct. 31 C.T. Bowen column.
Editor: I read with dismay your piece regarding Pasco County Republican Party Chairman Bill Bunting.
To be clear, Bill Bunting has been a strong and loyal leader of the Pasco County Republican Party. As a direct result of his tireless efforts, the Pasco County GOP has experienced tremendous success. The private e-mail between Alan Levine and myself was misconstrued and taken out of context. The e-mail was reflective only of the fact that things often become "nutty" during the heat of campaign battle. Anyone who has ever been involved in the thick of a contentious campaign understands this.
Perhaps what disappointed me most about your piece was that you conveniently glossed over the point that the Kerry supporters who sponsored the anti-Bush Web site (georgewbush.org) essentially committed identity theft - a very serious and frightening crime. Putting aside the fact that this group created false e-mail addresses to trap, steal, and then publish private e-mails from fellow citizens who merely wanted to participate in the political process, something we should encourage rather than dissuade, all Americans should be concerned about the safety and security of their e-mail correspondence given the filthy and shameful tactics now being employed by some in the Democratic Party.
-- Karen Unger, Tallahassee
Newspaper's coverage was one-sided
Editor: I strongly believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion. Everyone should exercise their right to vote. However, I was always raised to believe that reporters, newspapers and the media were to be impartial. They were to give the facts and let us form our own opinion. Obviously that opinion is not shared by your paper.
I am 61 years old and I don't think I have ever seen a paper so one-sided. You even brought Jan Glidewell out of retirement to try and sway your readers. Why is your opinion so much better than mine? I don't feel the paper should try and sway their readers. I didn't mind that you endorsed the candidate of your choice, but then you filled the paper with articles everyday trying to change people's mind. I was on the fence but your paper made me look at Bush and his views because I was so upset by your favoritism.
And to make matters worse, now that the election is over, and Bush has been declared the winner, you have continued with this article to enflame emotional issues and promote a division among people. This is a time to put things behind us, not to promote unrest.
I don't feel that my family should pay to read such biased reporting on a daily basis even when the election is over. Please submit our subscription cancellation request and send a refund for the remaining amount owed to us.
-- Janice and Jack Hickey, New Port Richey
Sewage system could clean up beaches
Editor: I read many times about beach closings, or warnings about pollution in the waters of our beaches, mainly from fecal contamination. I never read anything about what's to be done to prevent this. I am sure that our visitors to our area are disappointed that they cannot go in the water.
It's obvious that cesspools fill and run over and drain into the canals along the coast. The solution is to install a sewage system along the beach areas to carry this waste to a treatment plant.
I know that this will be quite an expensive task, but isn't it worth it to keep our beaches clean and safe for our families and tourists?
-- Lane Nelson, Port Richey
Dumping on roads shows lack of pride
Editor: I don't know what has happened to the pride in Pasco County. There has been so much junk (not storm related) just dropped on our roads.
A couple of weeks ago, some slob dropped bed springs and a bunch of branches on the road to the Post Office in Hudson. Next, drive south on U.S. 19 and see a rug someone spilled out of their vehicle. Then drive down Scenic Drive to see a lovely mattress and box spring.
What is wrong with people? I'm sure there are a lot more areas that have been trashed that I haven't seen.
People take care of our area because no one else will. Be thoughtful of others and the environment. Take the time to go to the dump. I have to!
Keep Florida beautiful!
-- Fran Cianfarani, Hudson
Council fiasco could cost taxpayers
Editor: The Pasco Times has been conspicuously quiet these past few weeks except for the election coverage, both national and local. As a result, the people of Port Richey have been shortchanged when an issue was decided that will, if it is litigated, cost them unnecessary tax dollars. Yet we all know that regardless how much print space had to be devoted to the election, had the prior Council been in office, there would have been an editorial or two to criticize. And so, for those Port Richey residents who are wondering what all the fuss is about the Rocky Creek subdivision, let me try to bring you up to date, because sometime in the near future you will learn what the legal costs will amount to, and how you will have to dig into your pockets to pay them.
And yes, this comes from the lone minority member of Council who watched in disgust how a well-staged performance played out at the expense of the taxpayers.
At the marathon meeting of Oct. 26-27, which lasted from 7:30 p.m. to 4 a.m., the longest in the city's history, the issue of this proposed development, which could add about a million dollars to the tax base, came before Council.
It could have been over in a half hour, because the mayor and her like-minded colleagues were in no way about to approve the development. But struggle they did with what they wanted everyone to believe was an Earth-shaking dilemma, sighing and twitching to show how much they were agonizing, trying desperately to convince everyone that it indeed was a huge decision and needed testimony from everyone, hoping, I would assume, that sooner or later someone would change their opinion. But no one did. And so, during those eight hours of nonsense, they impeached the city's building official, engineer, newly hired planner, and even our attorney.
Evidently they didn't feel it necessary to accept expert opinions, choosing rather to be influenced by information provided by friends and neighbors. Yes, three of the five council members live in the very area that is outside the gate of Rocky Creek, (this is called NIMBY, not in my back yard). So just how much of a struggle was this?
Joel Tew, the attorney for the petitioner, observed correctly when he accused the mayor of knowing exactly how she was going to vote before she even entered council chambers. And, of course, her cohorts knew better not to fall out of line. Of course the Times had to avoid this issue, which comes as no surprise, since it strongly supports this mayor and applauds her claim to restore professionalism in City Hall.
In fact, three council members, all endorsed by the Times, were voted into office this past April on that very pledge. Perhaps they need to review their promise to the people, remembering that not only do they have a fiduciary responsibility but must vote for the good of the entire city, putting personal agendas aside. Their very unprofessional behavior has put the city in financial jeopardy, not to mention how other potentially interested developers may be reluctant to invest in a city that doesn't even accept the expertise of its own staff. How our attorney will defend their actions remains to be seen. The law protects property owners wishing to develop their property if they meet all the demands and criteria of regulatory agencies, and courts have overturned many wrong decisions made by biased, partisan councils.
Our attorney said over and over that council should be guided by the expert opinions provided by its staff. May I remind the mayor that back in the early 1990s when she was the city attorney, she quit because that sitting council would not heed her advice. Obviously she feels that our attorney must not be worthy, nor our other staff members, because it seems she will only take advice from those who will say what she wants to hear.
Is it safe to state therefore, that perhaps she feels our attorney should step down, as she did? Her total disregard for the city will cause us to pay and pay until we are no longer financially able. Is that really what the charade was all about, bankrupt the city until we are a city no more?
-- Phyllis Grae, Port Richey City Council
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