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Effort to protect preserve laudable

The League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area and the League of Women Voters of North Pinellas County support measures to preserve and protect land, air and water in Pinellas County.

We commend Pinellas County for arranging the purchase of preserved lands within the county. These preserves help make this county a special place.

Brooker Creek Preserve is about 8,500 acres of county land that has been set aside over the years in order to preserve its natural resources. The land provides benefits so valuable that a price cannot be placed upon them. The land serves as a water recharge area and since Pinellas County is nearly built out, this recharge area becomes increasingly important.

The preserve protects many endangered plants and animals, some that can be found only within its boundaries. This biodiversity is fragile and needs protection. Brooker Creek Preserve is not a collection of parcels, to be used for whatever the wants and desires of the moment tend to be. It is first and foremost a preserve.

The Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve wish to ensure preservation of this land. They propose to change the land use, zoning and boundaries, removing from this area all parcels that have already been developed. The remainder will be preserved in perpetuity. The LWVSPA and the LWVNPC strongly support the proposal by the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve.

Norma Rienhardt and Evelyn Wright, co-presidents, League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area; and Susan Guise, president, League of Women Voters of North Pinellas County, St. Petersburg

City must avoid Web provider monopoly

The St. Petersburg city government is to be lauded for its endeavor to develop a wireless Internet capability throughout the city. Nevertheless, it is essential to the public interest that the completed network be leased to multiple service providers, to ensure at least some level of competition.

To learn from the past, one need only look at the monopolistic outcome in cable produced by local politicos throughout the country in the 1970s and '80s. With the burgeoning expansion of cable, most municipalities handed over exclusive rights to a single provider of their choice.

The result: annual rate increases for the consumer of two to three times the rate of inflation and no practical alternatives whatsoever. A handful of companies came to control one-half of the national market. For those among us who feel a similar outcome here to be unlikely, they have company in that hope.

Robert D. Reynolds, St. Petersburg

It's time for campaign signs to go

When are all the zealous campaigners going to start taking down their signs? Is it Florida law that candidates are allowed to stick political signs wherever at will? Some businesses seemed to be advocating certain candidates because of the location of lawn signs. Could campaigns be held financially accountable for leaving up postcampaign litter?

Jill Rommel, Oldsmar

[Last modified September 19, 2006, 23:03:16]