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Take action against devastating insurance rate hikes

Re: Citizens asks for huge hike, Dec. 16.

In my work with families that have children with disabilities, it is common knowledge that those families struggle financially when, as so often is the case, one parent (usually the mother) must give up her job to care for the disabled child. Many of these families are owners of modest homes and on fixed incomes, very much like the elderly. By default or necessity, they depend on Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to provide their home owner's insurance. With insurance rates through Citizens rising 45 percent to nearly 80 percent, many of the families I work with will be priced out of the market for home ownership. Those who already own their own homes will no longer be able to afford their mortgage payments. Try to imagine what it must be like to be a family, already challenged with the care of a child with disabilities, and then faced with the prospect of losing their home.

State regulators need to have these fragile families, and others like them, in mind before they approve the proposed rate hikes, and, if approval is given, provisions need to be made to provide those affected with subsidies according to the family's circumstances.

Florida and cities like St. Petersburg already have a crisis brewing with marginalized individuals and families being made homeless by low wages and overpriced housing. The proposed insurance rate hikes will only add to that problem.

It is time for action. I urge all to call their legislators, the governor's office and the state regulators to express your outrage over these devastating rate hikes.

Getting priced out of Pinellas

Re: Citizens asks for huge hike.

Thank You for the wonderful front page headline on Dec. 16. I am one of those homeowners who got stuck with Citizens when my old homeowners insurance decided not to write policies anymore. As a result at the time, my policy increased 400 percent. Now Citizens wants another 45 percent or more next year.

Looks like I just got priced our of living in Pinellas County.

Nowhere to turn for help

Re: Citizens asks for huge hike.

My windstorm-only policy with Citizens just increased 122 percent (from $415 to $922). But judging from the astronomical figures quoted in your article, I guess I should consider myself lucky! I particularly enjoyed the cheery note included with the renewal rates explaining that Florida law required them to surcharge me an additional 6.8 percent to help spread the catastrophic losses incurred by Citizens.

I think our insurance industry is running rampantly amok. Soon many people will be forced out of home ownership if they can't afford this insurance. And we, stuck with "the insurer of last resort," have nowhere to turn for help. We have to swallow these increases whether we can afford them or not.

Underhanded pay-raise tactics

Re: St. Petersburg City Council pay raises.

For City Council members to raise their own salaries by 40 percent in a late night, end of the year vote, with no public debate and no TV cameras present, is the worst possible tactic to show the public that they deserve a raise. The action smacks of underhandedness and self-interest, not public service. Public debate might have proved their case for a reasonable increase.

A public apology and a special meeting to rescind the action would show rare moral courage and might still redeem some political careers.

Put pay raises to a vote

The mayor of St. Petersburg gets a raise? Of more than $36,000! That is more than most people in St. Petersburg make in a year! Certainly more than I do! Wasn't $113,000 enough for him? Just because he was re-elected does not mean he deserves that much money. This is unconscionable!

Aren't our taxes high enough? First, he lowers taxes. Then our property values go up so our taxes went up anyway! (And so did insurance.) Where is this going to end?

I believe that all raises for public officials should be ratified by public vote. They are supposed to be public servants, not the public's masters.

We want our money's worth

Re: Pay hike arrives in wee hours, Dec. 17.

What a surprise that this was voted in at the last minute in a nearly empty City Council chamber. For those who voted this in, we as St. Petersburg taxpayers challenge you to actually do your job and not just find new ways to line your pockets. For those who voted against it, we commend you for acting with integrity that is lacking in the rest of the council.

And to the Times: We challenge you to do some reporting on the 17 city employees who previously were earning more than the mayor. Let's see some cold, hard facts about their track records. We want our money's worth.

Hispanic group portrayed unfairly

The Dec. 14 article, Ban on lobbyists' gifts raises many questions, was an unfair and biased portrayal of the work carried out by the Florida Hispanic Legislative Caucus.

The FHLC is an independent nonprofit group made up of the Hispanic state legislators in the Florida House of Representatives. Our work is focused on increasing Hispanic participation in public service and promoting the concept of giving back to your community. We focus heavily on education and in encouraging high school and college students to excel. This year alone we have raised more than $60,000 for scholarships and assistance to migrant workers affected by the hurricanes.

This is why the caucus as a whole feels offended by the article's insinuation of murky, illegal and unethical activity. The article played fast and loose with some facts especially the opening claim that a group of legislators were out soliciting support from lobbyists. As the executive director of the FHLC, it is my responsibility to solicit contributions, organize events and carry out the organization's mission. I was the one who sent out a fax soliciting support for the golf tournament to numerous individual, law firms and businesses, not the members. The article also failed to point out how we have had ongoing discussions with House counsel to ensure that this event complies with the letter and spirit of the new legislation. This review of our activities by House counsel is standard for all our events.

We feel the article was an unfair portrayal of the FHLC's activities and demeaning to our efforts on behalf of the Hispanic community. If allowed by the new legislation, we hope to have a very successful event and continue our important work.

[Last modified December 20, 2005, 10:25:02]