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End cash cow that feeds downtown

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published June 1, 2007

One day we read that the city of Clearwater, with many crocodile tears, is going to have to close two recreation centers and the beach branch library and reduce funding to the Jolley Trolley in order to save $582, 000 in tax money. The next day, the paper reports that the Clearwater City Council has voted to subsidize a Marriott downtown to the tune of $585, 000.

And you ask yourself, "How much are our city leaders going to ask taxpayers to sacrifice on the altar of redeveloping downtown?"

Another $1-million went to subsidize the renovation of the 1100 Building downtown. That should be enough to put the police officers back in the schools and keep the fire personnel we need.

The excuse we are given is that the $585, 000 and $1-million are Community Redevelopment Agency funds, meaning they have been set aside from real estate taxes downtown to be spent only on downtown.

Fair is fair! If downtown Clearwater has a CRA (which means any increase in taxable property values must be spent on downtown), then Countryside should be able to do the same. And Clearwater Beach. Oh, my goodness, had there been a CRA on Clearwater Beach these last five years alone, there would be enough money to pay for five libraries and three recreation centers!

If the city is serious about cutting funds where it will do the least harm, it's time to sunset the CRA, which has poured tax money into downtown for more than 30 years without accomplishing anything.

I am aware that the CRA cannot be abolished until the debts it has acquired are paid, but the council needs to sunset it now and pay off the debts instead of giving incentives to more developers.

The people of Clearwater have until June 30 to let our City Council know how we feel about spending our money for the benefit of development instead of the quality of life we all cherish. I, for one, will not apologize for thinking our recreation centers, libraries, and fire and police protection are more important than another large building, which, if it's anything like what has been happening on the beach, will sit mostly empty.

Anne McKay Garris Clearwater

Re: Local government spending cuts.

Government gone awry

I have written in about free workshops at the Brooker Creek Preserve where citizens can learn about the ecosystem.

In the paper now are two more examples of local government spending taxpayer dollars for activities that are far from the "essential government services" our representatives tell us they will have to cut to accomplish property tax relief.

First, the Pinellas County Parks Department invited everyone to the Family Fun Fishing Day. It is free and they will even provide poles and bait.

Second, Pinellas County has revamped its Small Business Assistance Program and renamed it the Small Business Enterprise Program.

I suppose "Enterprise" sounds better than "Assistance." It would be interesting to know what this agency's budget is. Just changing the name alone had to cost money in printing, but hey, when it's not your money, those decisions are much easier to make.

Government was never intended to operate in these areas of our lives. It was intended to be small and restricted.

If these three instances are examples of what will be cut to allow for property tax relief, I say good riddance.

Robert Boyle, Clearwater

Re: Audit: Cars too pricey a perk story, May 22

Workers should sacrifice cars

I assume $111, 100 (the amount the county could save by eliminating take-home cars for 10 employees) is peanuts?

I believe it was just a few weeks ago that our leaders asked for suggestions from the public on cutting local government budgets.

Yet when push comes to shove, driving their own vehicles is not a sacrifice they are willing to make, even to save $111, 100. Such loyalty?

Fran Glaros-Sharp Clearwater

Re: Wal-Mart rejects new site survey story, May 24

Wal-Mart cares only about profits

Our precious ecosystem is not a concern for this bully company.

Wal-Mart needs to be forced to have another independent researcher gather information on how many wetland acres it plans to destroy at the supercenter site on U.S. 19 in Tarpon Springs.

This flagrant disregard for anything but the company's convenience and bottom line is the No. 1 reason so many of us can't stomach Wal-Mart's actions.

I refuse to support this store (or any of its subsidiaries) so that the money doesn't trickle down to projects like this: a site where citizens don't want them!

Kimberly Stinson, 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 June 1, 2007, 00:08:06]