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Today's Letters: Please spend our tax money well

Taxes are the new five-letter cuss word. Citizens of Pinellas County looked past the current fire storm of being hit with taxation from every possible angle and voted to continue the Penny for Pinellas. They did the right thing.

The voters are smart and realize that to have quality services and benefits, we do have to foot the bill. Some people are saying government should only be in the business of providing the essentials and stay out of the private sector. We can certainly argue both positions with logic and conviction.

There is no right or wrong, no clear-cut path to follow. We are taking a chance and putting our money where the politicians' mouths are. Now, that's a scary thought.

We can do this right with oversight and accountability. Our elected officials are putting their noses to the wind. The scent is in the air. You are the stewards of our future. Take this money and use it as promised. We will be watching you.

Bill Coleman, Dunedin

Let the dogs stay on the boardwalk 

Re: Dog ban on Pinellas boardwalks afoot March 13 story

If you take the dogs off of the county park boardwalks, that is a pet lovers' devastation. If the pets have to go, then take the bicycles off the boardwalks.

How do you know what that small dog felt when he bit the jogger at John Chestnut Sr. Park? Someone strange, running toward you, making unfamiliar sounds, startled the dog. What would you do? Maybe the dog thought he/she was being threatened or his owner was. Maybe the dog was trained to protect and to serve.

Why do joggers have to jog on walkways? Why can't the parks put in jogging tracks for those joggers? Why is it always the animals' fault and the animal and its owner gets punished?

Our little dogs love to walk the boardwalks because it is stable, plus they are not burning their feet on the asphalt. The grass has broken glass in it and the traffic is hazardous to the people and the animals.

Please think about what I have said and give our pets a safe place to walk our loved ones.

C.A. Fisher, Clearwater

City officials not against tax reform 

Re: On tax debate's front lines March 8 story, and City to lobby against tax relief March 14 letter

I wanted to correct the misconception that either the Tarpon Springs City Commission or City Manager Ellen Posivach are opposing property or sales tax reform.

Everyone is supportive of reform. The issue is how significant reform can take place while doing the least harm to your local direct services. There are ways to accomplish this and that is what we have asked the city manager to explore with the Florida Legislature.

I might add that, of course, the city manager is personally paying the one-time pet fee of $25 to have her dog with her in Tallahassee, vs. the $12 a day fee of having her dog in a kennel.

Beverley Billiris, Tarpon Springs mayor

[Last modified March 15, 2007, 23:17:39]