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Town center plan deserves warmer reception

I am writing in support of the Floral City Heritage Council's Town Center plan.

I was disappointed to see the lukewarm reception that the citizens of Floral City received at the most recent County Commission meeting. As a commissioner from 2000 to 2004, I had the privilege of working with Floral City Heritage Council members as they put together and brought forward their vision for their community. Their plan has merit, and it will work.

Those of us who fought to save the old Hernando School remember the same lukewarm reception to that plan as well. Now, under the leadership of the Hernando Heritage Council, the facility is being used by the Family Resource Center, Friends of the Library, Community Learning Center, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and Head Start. Soon the historic school's main building will be a community center and auditorium for all of Citrus County's residents to enjoy.

Do any of the commissioners deny that the public/private partnership in Hernando was a good investment? If not, then why not fund the plan in Floral City?

The reality is, as Commissioners Jim Fowler and Dennis Damato pointed out, by preserving our heritage and creating a town center, it not only brings a sense of community, it also raises the value of surrounding properties. That means additional property tax revenue and private investment. This is a concept that has worked all over the state and nation.

The argument that what we do for one community must be done for another does not hold water and is, quite frankly, divisive. Different communities have different wants and needs. Those who create a vision and are willing to spend their time, effort, (sweat equity) and money deserve more than a pat on the back from our commission. They deserve action.

The proposed town center is owned by the county and further delay only lets the buildings and property deteriorate, and the costs will continue to rise. I am hopeful that as the county budget progresses, at least one other commissioner will join with Damato and Fowler to help Floral City realize their dream. I know the current Board of County Commissioners has a full plate, but where there is a will there is a way.

County should look to property tax windfall not gas tax hike

I see that four of our five commissioners have decided to end their political lives by voting to double the gas tax without waiting to see the new budget figures.

Apparently they haven't seen all of the $300,000 to $500,000-plus houses being built in Citrus Hills, Pine Ridge, Beverly Hills and Sugarmill Woods. The property appraiser is as happy as a pig in a mud slew with all the money she will be getting in new taxes for the county to spend.

Remember all the infrastructure for these homes was built and paid for by the developers many years ago. They say they want to make the roads safer. Any one tried to travel County Road 491 lately? How safe is that now? I did see two workers there once last week.

Accountability necessary in road improvement spending

Re: Citrus to max out gas tax, Wednesday, St. Petersburg Times.

Well, well, no surprise, we are now taxed to the max for a gallon of gas. The real surprise is the cost per mile for road improvement. I feel as the taxpayers footing the bill, we deserve accountability, i.e. a published, audited breakdown of the costs to justify this outrageous amount.

It seems that we pay $3.6-million per lane mile of highway and it looks likely to go as high as $5-million.

I have read many times in the last few days that 12 cents is the maximum tax per gallon allowed by law. This I assume is to soften us all up for the next tax increase, 7 percent sales tax perhaps? This would presumably be enacted when the cost of road improvement over the next five years goes over budget.

I am unable to comprehend how one mile of highway could possibly cost any more than it does. I am very grateful that we live on sand; can you imagine the costs if we were on rock?

It is a bit late in the day to start financing the growth of Citrus County. Why is local government so inept that our sudden growth is a surprise. To help, I suggest that if our worthy leaders want to get a picture of this county a few years from now they drive down to Spring Hill on U.S. 19. It would be a visual of all they need to know.

A plan for the future growth of Citrus Country should have been in effect for many years. Now taxpayers are asked to finance growth through taxes because of the local government's lack of foresight. I look forward to seeing in print where the gas tax money is going so fast and in such vast amounts.

By the way, today, the newly laid road at the entrance to Pine Ridge is being dug up in grand style, (County Road 491). It is a very large hole. Why? Is this good planning or indeed good workmanship?

Now, County Road 486 is quite an education. It seems men are employed to push sand around for months on end and also to dig up the junction of Forest Ridge as often as possible. The concrete posts for the traffic signals were obviously put in the wrong place on the first try so they were taken out of the ground and they had another go at it. What professionalism!

[Last modified May 31, 2005, 00:44:11]