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Quit bankrolling wasteful officials

Penny for Pinellas

Enough is enough. I will not support the Penny for Pinellas because elected officials for St. Petersburg and Pinellas County have failed to realistically apprise the public of the future maintenance and operating costs of every new capital improvement project funded by the Penny.

Furthermore, the county commissioners have failed miserably to preserve what little potential preservation lands we have here in Pinellas. Rather than remove more exotic species, they have approved of building more concrete buildings, boardwalks and parking lot monuments to themselves.

The appalling lack of responsiveness by most county commissioners and the continued smoke-and-mirror games by County Administrator Steve Spratt indicate to me that they are not worthy of overseeing the use of the Penny monies. Incredibly, we have never seen the millage rate reduced to anything near the rollback rate for our property taxes by either the city or county despite an unprecedented increase in taxable value.

These elected officials are addicted to the taxpayers' money. It is time for them to go cold turkey. Vote "no" for the Penny for Pinellas on March 13.

Kathleen Ford, former St. Petersburg City Council member, former MPO member, St. Petersburg

Look at tax windfall

I have always been civic- and community-minded, have supported the Penny for Pinellas enthusiastically, and have enjoyed its projects. However, before I will vote in favor of it again, someone needs to show me just how Pinellas County has spent its tremendous property tax windfall over the past several years.

For instance, my husband and I bought our current home three years ago, and we are paying more than double in property taxes what the previous owner paid, even with the homestead exemption.

I think the county would have more than enough to fund all of the Penny projects, as well as normal budget requirements, especially if they did their work efficiently.

Jean Stock, Crystal Beach

Broken promises

I am extremely reluctant to vote for the Penny for Pinellas extension March 13 because I no longer trust county government to tell me the truth.

The definitions of "preserve" and "passive recreation" and "endangered land acquisition" seem to be malleable, changing to accommodate whatever current political and financial pressures are being exerted on the County Commission and administrator.

I was at the County Commission meeting in December where it was said that a public workshop on Brooker Creek Preserve issues would happen in February, and now that promise is being broken.

I also find it appalling that our own tax money is being spent to lobby us to tax ourselves. "Your Penny at Work" signs have been popping up everywhere in the past two months, like wildflowers after a spring rain, many of them in places with only the most tenuous connection to Penny appropriations. How much did they cost?

Jan Allyn, Largo

A conflict of interest

I recently received the Pinellas County "County Connection Update." Most of the publication promotes the Penny for Pinellas tax.

I also have noticed that other county facilities are displaying signs for the tax. I question why my tax dollars are being used to promote this tax. This smacks of a conflict of interest. With the county and cities receiving a boondoggle of property tax dollars in the past few years, I see no reason to vote for such additional taxes.

Projects under the Penny program could be more appropriately funded from the excess property dollars that are being received. I can't believe that anyone in Pinellas County who is paying property taxes would vote for the extension of the Penny tax.

Robert K. Reader, Clearwater

Doubts about preserves

The Penny for Pinellas vote will be coming up in March. I used to think this was a great way to come up with additional funds to procure and protect preserves and open space that Pinellas County has very little of. Lately, Pinellas County officials seem to be busy trying to dismantle the preserves and open spaces we have and turn them into something else. They don't want to disclose their plans for Brooker Creek and whether they will leave it as a preserve or pick away at it for other uses until after the Penny vote.

As much as I like the idea of the Penny for Pinellas, I need to be assured that the county will be stewards of our preserves forever without compromising them. Unless the County Commission answers questions about Brooker Creek and its future before the vote, I doubt that I will support the Penny for Pinellas.

Barbara Howard, Gulfport

Those pennies add up

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 increase in assessed property valuations, then what 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

Neighborhood Times letters Feb. 11

Confusion on spending

It took a few moments to sink in, but once I realized what you did, I had a good laugh: One taxpayer ranting because he can't tell where his tax dollars are being spent and another ranting at the signs showing residents where their tax dollars are spent. Very funny.

By the way, a third of the Penny for Pinellas signs and projects are paid for by tourists.

Bob Lasher, Clearwater

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[Last modified February 21, 2007, 07:26:12]