Today's Letters: Health board has bigger issues

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published July 20, 2007

Bakery may get the boot July 16, story

Bake Me a Cake is a delicious community treasure! It's the kind of mom-and-pop business people say they want, and Hernando County claims to be trying to help.

Imagine my surprise to read that the Health Department may shut it down. That's par for the course here, I guess.

We may have water conservation issues and restrictions, but county government has no problem approving thousands of new homes in subdivisions with water-hungry new golf courses that will put plenty of fertilizer runoff into the aquifer. We may have traffic problems, but the county has no problem approving the demands of national chain stores for more commercial development on "F"-rated roads.

But when the Health Department finds a little 500-square-foot bakery owned and run by a single woman, let's shut her down! Rather than projecting small-scale, future problems, I wish the Health Department would focus its efforts on existing, large-scale problems that affect the public health. Park restrooms and fecal matter levels that close local beaches would be a good place to start. Upon inspection, restaurants with bathroom smells in the eating area might also warrant attention.

Work with Ms. Cavaliere and her landlord. Cut the little baker a break.

Nina Vaznelis, Spring Hill

Sanity needs to be restored

I read with great interest how, for one reason or another, the local gasoline tax will not be increased by 3 cents. The reason given by the county administrator was highly dubious, at best, but it was welcomed.

Now perhaps some of the total fiascoes that are taking place won't be repeated in the future due to a lack of funding. I refer to the total mess at Spring Hill Drive and Mariner Boulevard, and the sad disaster that is about to take place on Elgin Boulevard.

I can't, for the life of me, fathom how the bureaucrats can justify confiscating the homes of 34 tax-paying citizens to widen a road. The lives of these folks will be affected for the rest of their stay on this Earth.

If it was up to me I would let the cars back up to Chicago before I would take away someone's home. If the motorists don't like traffic, don't go there; go some other way. Sometimes politicians and bureaucrats are heartless.

But the money was there and it had to be spent. This is typical of some so-called leaders.

Let's hope the state-mandated rollback requirements can restore some sanity. If not, 2008 is coming and the ensuing election may just do that.

William Kingeter, Spring Hill

Consumer Price Index deceptive 

Corn feeds sticker shock July 15, story

Nice article about the rise in prices of grocery items related to the cost of growing corn for making a fuel additive (ethanol). In addition, we have the cost of electricity due to the tacking on of a large fuel charge.

However, your readers should know the Consumer Price Index, or the cost-of-living amount used to adjust your Social Security check, does not include the cost of energy or household expenses. This change was made in 1978, so in addition to taking monies from Social Security and putting it into the general fund and submitting an IOU, the government uses a phony CPI.

Congress member Ginny Brown-Waite was going to introduce a bill to help senior citizens combat inflation years ago, but I have seen nothing, and when I called and wrote, I received no answers.

Art Croci, Spring Hill

Deputy made his own bad decision

I have read the articles and letters concerning the tragic death of Hernando County sheriff's Deputy Michael Stegner. I cannot keep quiet any longer.

I went to high school with Michael and I think it is unfortunate he made a very bad decision that ended up costing him his life. But, it was just that, his decision.

The other deputies did not pour the alcohol down his throat and they did not put the keys in his hand and force him to drive. People are making it sound as if the other deputies with him that night, and the rest of the Sheriff's Office, are involved in some huge cover-up or conspiracy.

The highway patrol officer who spoke with him minutes before the crash did not see evidence of intoxication either. I suppose he was "in on it," too?

Medical fact is that someone can have a highly elevated blood alcohol level and have no evidence of intoxication. If you do not want to take my word for it, go to the following Web site from the National Institute of Health: pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa03.htm. In The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science there is an article by Lowell Bradford titled "Drinking Driver Enforcement Problems," in which he states that someone who drinks regularly can have a blood alcohol level as high as 0.23, show no evidence of intoxication, but have impaired driving abilities.

Some people are calling on the sheriff to end the careers of deputies when there is no evidence they did anything wrong. Innocent until proven guilty applies not only to civilians, but deputies as well. Sheriff Nugent took a tragic situation and turned it into an educational opportunity for the rest of his staff.

Several of the letters and comments that condemn the deputies end by saying that the sheriff has lost votes over this event. This makes me question the true motivation of those writing the letters. Are they really concerned about the facts of this case, or are they more concerned that an election is approaching?

Rather than trying to ruin the reputation and careers of deputies, how about using your voice for something beneficial? If anything, this is an ideal opportunity to raise awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving. Driving under the influence can result in paying the ultimate price, no matter who you are.

Melissa Langone, PhD, MSHN, ARNP, Spring Hill

Airport limo service cost rising

Okay, all you fat-cat travelers using airport limousine services to get to and from Tampa International: The cost for that travel is getting ready to climb, thanks in part to the Tampa taxi cab lobby, which already is responsible for much of the regulatory costs that drive up car service prices.

TIA, in looking at luxury transportation as a cash cow for additional revenues, is getting ready to impose limousine fees on top of the other Hillsborough County fees for transportation services. When the airport requirements added, the total individual licensing and vehicle permitting - just for Tampa - will be five. That's two business licenses and three permits per vehicle that Hernando County transportation services will need just to enter Tampa to provide transportation from the cruise port or TIA. Is it any wonder why Hernando residents cannot arrange round-trip transfers from Orlando?

This new set of fees comes on the heels of a $600,000 or 3 percent, whichever is greater, deal signed by National Chain Super Shuttle with TIA to be the exclusive shuttle service for the airport with the payment giving exclusive rights to Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties. Can anyone say, "protecting the revenue stream?"

Down the road, Hernando residents may be looking at a very limited transportation choice as the Hillsborough business protection regulatory fees start driving the smaller motor carriers out of business.

Hernando commissioners, as well as senators Mike Fasano and Paula Dockery, have been called upon to oppose the latest round of fees that will be passed on to the traveling consumer. But I wouldn't hold my breath for any substantial action from Hillsborough's stepchildren.

Walter Kozak, president the Florida Intrastate Transportation Alliance, Spring Hill

Your voice counts

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[Last modified July 19, 2007, 22:33:15]