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Letter to the editor

Today's letters: Airline jetways make no sense

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published July 6, 2007

Re: Other airport gets facelift, story, June 26

Airline jetways make no sense

It is obvious that Frank Aiello, engineer at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, is out of touch with the news of massive budget cuts. Mr. Aiello and the airport staff think they need to install jetways so passengers do not sweat or get soaked when walking off the plane.

I am a frequent traveler at this airport and walking 150 feet to the door is not a problem. If they want to keep the travelers dry in a downpour, I would like to suggest the installation of some aluminum awnings to cover the walkway in and out of the terminal. It makes no sense to spend $1-million per jetway to protect me from rain, when I need to walk out the front door and a couple hundred yards to my car in the uncovered parking lot.

The extra area for seating when we have more than two flights at one time is only a dream. Yes, I have been at the airport at these times and it is a bit crowded. All they need to do is open a gate further up the way and spread people out.

As for the $110, 000 in art, I will leave my comments on this for another day.

The airport is fine the way it is. Let's wait and see if the airlines that are flying in and out of the airport survive before you spend my money on something you "want, " but do not "need."

Scott Samuels, St Petersburg

Re: Brochure overkill, letter by Lynn Vandergrift, June 29

Officials need an economics course

I hope the taxpayers read Lynn Vandergrift's letter about the gross waste regarding a Pinellas County Utilities 12-page brochure about water quality that nobody reads or understands.

I believe the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires this notification, but surprisingly, the federal government didn't specify the county has to waste money doing it. The real bad news is they have been wasting the money for years and I suspect similar waste is at all levels of government since, up to now, the money has just flowed in and "had to be spent!"

Even more disturbing is that the city of Dunedin has just done the same thing (at a cost of about $10, 000) in spite of the city commissioners knowing about such waste for some time.

It should be obvious to the taxpayers that, if the Legislature hadn't acted on tax relief, the cities and counties would have done nothing except sit on their duffs and watch Rome burn. My hat is off to the Legislature!

Where were our local officials late last year when school enrollment was down, housing values were falling, houses weren't selling and sales tax and the Penny for Pinellas were trending downward? Those trends were an indication of the revenues the counties and cities weren't going to get, regardless of any action by the Legislature. Isn't it strange they never acknowledged this rather important trend that they failed to manage and it took the Legislature to force them to do their job!

I wish the elected officials would stop wringing their hands, threatening the public and start managing the taxpayers money. How about a major restructuring to streamline the organization and eliminate top-management overheads? How about using technology to replace and reduce annual expenses? How about contracting out more functions at a lower cost? I guess I'm suggesting they do what American industry has been doing for years.

I can only guess that most of our elected officials either didn't take Economics 201, took the course and flunked it or just dropped the class. How about taking a remedial economics course and start managing my money!

Jim Harpham, Palm Harbor

Re: local government budget cuts.

Cut the fat as a company would

Stop the scare tactics! We do not need to hear about the cuts every day so that by the time January rolls around, people will be afraid to vote on the proposed super homestead exemption.

It is right and just that something be done about out-of-control property taxes and insurance. I suggest a budgeting process that is used in corporations. There are four areas that are addressed:

1. Revenue streams

2. Fixed expenses

3. Semi-variable expenses

4. Variable expenses

Because expenses are fixed, it doesn't mean they should not be reviewed for excesses and adjusted. Semivariable expenses are ones that fluctuate with a reduction in revenue or an increase in revenue and should be reviewed and adjusted.

Variable expenses is the category where a lot of fat can be cut.

Businesses that I have been involved with review the actual financial performance to budget quarterly and adjust their spending to meet revenues. Just because dollars are budgeted, they don't need to be spent. Adjust the spending to the revenue stream.

Don't take the easy way out and raise taxes. Cut the excesses. I am sure there are duplicate functions and many synergies. It takes a little effort, however it is necessary. I would like to look at all the functions from a business perspective, and I know I could find the fat.

James Clesas, Clearwater

Re: Juvenile Welfare Board to decide program cuts, story, June 28.

Jim Henson will do it for that price

Tell me the math was wrong.

Please tell me that reporter Anne Lindberg accidently added a couple of zeros in her story about budget cuts at the Juvenile Welfare Board. Surely, no sane public officials are funding antidrug puppet shows to the tune of $354, 246 a year in this county.

If so, some people in charge down there need to lose their positions and be publicly whipped in the town square (which we don't have because there's no money in the budget for it).

For that kind of money, Jim Henson could have been lured back from the dead to run the puppet show program.

Randy Hall, Largo

Lower wages before layoffs

The Largo City Commission and its world-beaters of financial matters are experiencing the same woes homeowners/taxpayers have already been through.

Each homeowner had to save, do without, select, borrow from savings if available and seek loans from sources like banks just to meet the ad valorem tax burden.

It is with no grief or pain that citizens watch this government's budget calculation mess. The leaders are quick to show success in trimming operational costs, laying off nonservice personnel and possibly cutting services. This always seems to be the first step by government. These people never consider the possibility of taking lower wages themselves to share with those they want to discharge.

I suggest this be a subject of discussion before the final decisions are made to lay off people or to eliminate job openings never filled to meet the budget.

Donald Kreis, Largo

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 July 6, 2007, 07:36:24]