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Today's Letters: Plant fiasco shows poor planning

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published March 5, 2007

Re: Cost may sink water plant Feb. 28 story

The county commissioners did it again. Spent tax dollars (more than $12-million) before they had a clear picture of what they wanted and what it would cost. The cost of the water blending plant came in 40 percent over utilities director Pick Talley's estimated cost. Another great job by Pick.

What do we have now besides a $12-million hole in the Brooker Creek Preserve?

1. A project that Commissioner Karen Seel did not want built and for which Commissioner Ronnie Duncan said the construction price would be a crapshoot.

2. An old pumping plant that will now need millions more to rebuild.

3. Future higher water rates because of this fiasco.

4. Commissioner Bob Stewart asking this about the blending plant: "Do we have to build it? Do we need it?"

Heads need to roll!

This is a perfect example of how we can expect our Penny for Pinellas to be spent! Vote no for Penny for Pinellas.

Attilio Corbo, Palm Harbor

County doesn't need more money

The county politicians are still calling it a Penny for Pinellas, leading you to believe it is only a penny tax, which it definitely is not. It is a 1 percent sales tax. BIG difference. Figure out how much this "penny" tax is costing you per year and you will be surprised.

The fact is that Pinellas County doesn't need this unnecessary and unneeded tax. The county is tax-rich now from the windfall taxes collected from the huge increases in property values over the past few years.

Send the message to the politicians that what we really need is a substantial cut in both property taxes and bloated budgets, not more tax "pennies."

After all, do you believe your pennies should be used to pump water from the Brooker Creek Preserve to water the greens of a private golf course? Or maybe we need to spend our tax pennies on a few more soccer fields when many of our senior citizens who live on tight, fixed incomes are being forced to leave the area because there is no way they can continue to pay the high taxes and insurance premiums now being forced on them.

Vote "no" on the extension of the Penny for Pinellas sales tax March 13.

John Pringle, Tarpon Springs

Penny will lead to even more waste

I've spent considerable time trying to decide whether the local and county governments are worthy of a renewal of the 1 percent sales tax in Pinellas (Penny for Pinellas) for an additional 10 years. These are my answers.

1. Have the governments shown spending restraint over the last 10 years? No.

2. Do I trust the local and county governments to wisely spend this additional revenue source? No.

3. Did the county add another penny to the gasoline tax in 2006 despite the Pinellas motorist experiencing the highest gas prices ever? Yes.

4. Has the traffic situation improved over the last 10 years with all of that tax revenue? No.

5. Has the population of Pinellas increased over the last 10 years enough to justify the county hiring increases? No.

6. Have the county and cities reduced the property taxes enough to reflect the massive influx of property tax revenue? No.

7. Did the county spend thousands of our tax dollars to advertise for the next Penny for Pinellas? Yes.

8. Do I trust that this new revenue will be spent wisely and not for special interests? No.

9. Do I want to see Pinellas County and local governments have another 10 years of 1 percent revenue to waste? No.

Summing up, do I feel this additional 10 years of tax is necessary or justified? Oh, heck no!

Robert Ihrie, Clearwater

Better place could be found for buses

I am writing in response to your Feb. 17 story, Bus compound talks don't assuage the neighbors, regarding the proposed school bus compound directly south and adjacent to Briar Creek Mobile Home Park 1 and 2.

Pinellas school superintendent Clayton Wilcox stated that we Briar Creekers need to realize we live in a densely populated county. We understand fully that we live in a densely populated area. Every time we try to leave Briar Creek we exit onto McMullen-Booth Road. We wait a long time for access to the road, and will do it even when our traffic light is installed, because of the heavy traffic.

There are 575 homes here in Briar Creek 1 and 2 and our only exit is onto McMullen-Booth Road. Many people still work and it isn't like we can wait until the traffic is less congested.

We appreciate all the people who have made the effort to come and view our problem firsthand. This includes many of the School Board members, the Clearwater commissioners and Safety Harbor Mayor Andy Steingold.

It would seem to us that another area in north Pinellas County could be found that wouldn't affect almost 2,000 people.

Almost everyone in Briar Creek is a grandparent and we have great concern for children and the schools they attend. We also have great pride in our homes and want to protect them.

Jeanne Rich, Safety Harbor

Re: Penny for Pinellas vote March 13

Timing of Penny vote is suspect

How sneaky for the local pols to put this on the March voting agenda. Given the choice between the Penny for Pinellas and a 2- or 3-penny statewide sales tax that would eliminate or reduce bloated property taxes, I'll take the latter any day.

Extending the Penny tax timeline reduces the chances that the voters will support the sales tax. Don't be duped. Vote down the Penny, and get the local pols off the dole.

John Schwartz, Clearwater

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 March 5, 2007, 07:52:47]