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Those pennies are adding up

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published February 19, 2007

A Penny For Pinellas? Try 1 percent and be honest. A nifty spin makes that "penny" sound so harmless. But would it have ever been voted in in the first place if the electorate had calculated how 1 percent of most of their expenses would cost them hundreds and even thousands of dollars more annually?

When you live in a county that refused to adjust downward its property tax rate after a 100 percent bonanza increase in assessed property valuations, then all you end up with is a tax-and-spend bureaucracy that has no concept of the meaning of the word "budget."

Time to vote against the 1 percent, because it's not just a penny!

Jim Collins, Largo

Re: Countryside athletes strike pay dirt story, Feb. 8

Arts programs take a back seat

As a former coach of youth sports and School Advisory Council chairman at Countryside High, I was happy to read of the scholarships received by a number of Countryside High athletes from both the football and soccer programs. There is no denying that athletics at Countryside High have taken a front seat and become more successful since Gary Schlereth became principal in the 2003-04 academic year.

Unfortunately, nonathletic extracurricular programs, especially in the arts, have not been as fortunate. The emphasis on winning at Countryside reinforces the lack of flexibility athletic coaches show when members participate in other activities, so fewer athletes, if any, participate in arts programs.

The drama department has not recently had a show on the level of those of past years, when the department was a consistent contender for state honors and, occasionally, a winner in various categories. In fact, administrators seem more concerned with limiting material performed routinely elsewhere than with showing up to support the shows.

Finally, the 25-year-old Cougarette dance team was abolished in favor of a "dance club" when team parents had the audacity to complain to the school administration of a coach's conduct, despite the fact that team members had excellent academic records and, without that coach's assistance, won more competition trophies than ever at the 2005 MDA competition.

Simply put, school is not only FCAT and athletics. Is the Countryside High administration, when it monitors the current balance between academics and athletics, also including the arts in the equation? Does it factor in the arts when it considers the high school experience it provides students?

Not everyone wants to be or is an athlete. Some would like to participate in both, and there are scholarships available to those in the arts as well. Combining support for academics, athletics and the arts is what makes a great school.

Martin Altner, Clearwater

Re: Cities, county continue feuding story, Feb. 10

Cities all ask for clearer wording

I have to wonder if you attended the same meeting that I did. You failed to mention that the cities worked together in unison. The cities of Pinellas County had open discussions and made several viable offers to the county. Pinellas County Commission Chairman Ronnie Duncan never acknowledged our offers and did not exhibit a willingness to listen.

Instead, the county stuck to its position that the inconceivable wording of the charter amendments must be enacted as is.

The wording in charter amendments 5 and 6 regarding annexation was confusing and ambiguous. The county needs to acknowledge this, since every city in the county is in agreement. They do not need to wait to hear it in the form of a judicial ruling.

Here is the wording as listed on the Supervisor of Elections Web site:

Question 5:

COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT SECTION 2.07 Amends Charter and Approves Legislative Act to Strengthen Annexation Procedures Relating to Notice and Consent.

Question Text: Shall Section 2.07 of the Pinellas County Charter be amended to restrict annexation without the owner's consent, by requiring an informative mail notice prior to all non-voluntary annexations, establishing a 7-year moratorium on repeat annexation attempts without consent, regulate aspects of obtaining consent and shall special acts of the legislature be approved to implement said restrictions?

Question 6:

COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT SECTION 2.07 Amends County Charter and Approves Implementing Legislative Act to Modify Annexation Procedures Limiting Incentive Expenditures.

Question Text: Shall Section 2.07 of the Pinellas County Charter be amended to limit the expenditure of public funds that do not provide a paramount public purpose to induce annexation and shall special acts of the legislature be approved to implement said restrictions?

The amendments were submitted at the last possible moment to avoid public or judicial review prior to the election.

The cities of Pinellas County would like to save the taxpayers' money and avoid the lawsuit, which is the right thing to do.

The county should clearly reword the amendments and either negotiate in good faith with the cities or include it in the next election.

Tom Shelly Belleair town commissioner

Desk staff, nurses do wonderful job

I needed to write a letter to let people know that the nurses, office managers and receptionists do such a fantastic job in the doctors' offices, getting all the patients in and out of the office so efficiently and without a lot of stress.

Hats off to them all.

Roberta McGrory, Dunedin

"I want to offer my personal reassurance that I would not support any attempt to expand other uses into the pine reforest, nor would I vote to allow the use of our tree preserve land for anything other than the existing environmental buffer."

Robert Stewart, Pinellas County commissioner, in a 1997 letter to residents concerning possible uses other than preservation for a pine plantation inside the Brooker Creek Preserve.

Your voice counts

You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our Web site at www.tampabay.com/letters, or by faxing it to (727) 445-4119, or by mailing it to Letters, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

[Last modified February 19, 2007, 06:47:04]