Today's letters: Will fervor for tax cuts slowly ebb?

The proposition being placed on the ballot for January with regard to property taxes would give homesteaded residents an either/or choice. They must choose between a deep one-time tax reduction on their homesteaded property, or little change in their tax bill in favor of the protection the permanent Save our Homes 3 percent cap gives them from future hefty tax increases.

Don't people see where this leaves those who take the large homestead exemption? It leaves them extremely vulnerable to hefty increases in their property tax bills in the future, since they have elected to have no Save Our Homes cap on their property value.

This is only one aspect of this proposition that clearly shows its flawed thinking. Floridians should not have to vote on a proposition that does not address every possible inequity.

I hate to say it, but we need to scrap this poor legislation and go back to the drawing board.

James A. Nannen, St. Petersburg

Educate us

It seems that the local media are currently focusing on the confusion that taxpayers face in the Jan. 29 vote on the super homestead exemption issue.

So instead of hyping the "confusion," thereby discouraging the average citizen from even trying to understand what is going on, (resulting in even greater voter apathy) the media need to educate the people.

An informed public will make intelligent decisions. I challenge the local media to fulfill their purpose of informing the public regarding this important issue.

Marilyn Renner, Dunedin

If you do beat city hall, collecting can be tough July 20, story

Paying for pettiness

If you ever need an example of government waste and bureaucratic pettiness, look no further than this story about St. Petersburg resident Dennis Esposito's dispute with the Pinellas County Circuit Court clerk over a $50 file-reopening fee that two Florida courts have ordered the clerk to refund to Esposito.

Pinellas County Circuit Court Clerk Ken Burke has refused and, instead, has filed a second appeal to a higher court, much to the chagrin no doubt of Esposito and to countless thousands of Pinellas County citizens who are paying taxes to support the county's legal staff to fight this ludicrous case.

After reading about Esposito's plight, my initial thought was, how did this mishap occur in the first place? Why didn't county officials catch the bankruptcy before the house was auctioned off to Esposito? If county officials did drop the ball, then shouldn't they be obligated to waive the $50 file-reopening fee charged to Esposito when he requested his refund for the full purchase price of the house?

Regardless, Burke has refused to refund the fee because "every lawyer in the state is going to look at this case as a reason to waive the fee." Is he serious? Is every lawyer in the state really going to go through all the trouble of preparing and filing a lawsuit to get back a meager $50? Certainly not! That is, of course, unless the lawyer gets paid with county taxpayers' hard earned money, like Burke and his legal staff!

Henry J. Weese, Palm Harbor

If you do beat city hall, collecting can be tough July 20, story

A shameful waste

Is Ken Burke kidding? The Pinellas County Circuit Court clerk has now filed his second appeal against a $50 fee that should never have been assessed to St. Petersburg resident Dennis Esposito.

I would like to see a breakdown of how much taxpayer money has now been wasted by Burke's office over this case. What a ridiculous waste of money. Ken Burke should be ashamed.

Kim Nelson, Dunedin

A tax break that needs to be broken July 20, commentary

Tax fairness is lacking

How refreshing to read that someone (mega-billionaire Warren Buffett) who has greatly benefited from the Bush administrations tax cut giveaways to the wealthy, has the morals to complain about fairness in the tax system.

While this article related to one item of tax inequity, the Bush administration tax cuts were heavily weighted with items that basically are nothing more than subsidies for the ultrawealthy.

One example was lowering the upper tax bracket rates while not making a few simple adjustments to the alternative minimum tax. The result is that many in the middle class are beginning to pay this tax, in effect a clear tax cut for the wealthy being paid for by the middle class.

Another example is the tax cuts on capital gains and dividend income. These cuts overwhelmingly benefit the ultrawealthy. My question is why should someone sitting around deciding whether they should sell 10,000 shares of ExxonMobil pay a lower tax rate on their income than nurses or police officers or teachers pay on their wages?

The Bush administration claims the reason is that investing in stocks is good for the economy. Personally, I think someone working and receiving a paycheck is pretty darn good for the economy, too.

Dan Favero, St. Petersburg

Democrats shrink from tax equity July 16, editorial

Tax cut reality

The St. Petersburg Times editors have never seen a tax they didn't like or a tax cut they didn't find unfair. This was demonstrated again in this editorial endorsing Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel's proposal to replace the revenue lost with a modification of the alternative minimum tax with a 4 percentage point increase in the top marginal rate. His concern over lost revenue is unfounded based upon the record.

Throughout the history of the income tax, increases in marginal tax rates have always been followed by reductions in federal revenues. Just the opposite occurs when marginal rates are reduced. John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and now George W. Bush have all demonstrated that lowering marginal rates for people who pay taxes stimulates the economy and increases tax revenues while providing increased opportunities for all working people.

The Times is correct to support overhaul or better yet, repeal of the AMT, but if this occurs, the revenue side will take care of itself as lower taxes for any demographic - working poor, middle class or wealthy - will always stimulate the economy and increase tax revenues. This is not Republican "tax nonsense," but in fact a realistic projection based upon the verifiable history.

Timothy S. "Mac" McDonnell, St. Petersburg

Riverwalk

An obvious place to cut

It's ironic that Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio will sacrifice the things enjoyed in our neighborhoods, like tennis courts and swimming pools, but presents the Riverwalk as a means to improve our sense of community.

There's been no public cry for a Riverwalk. If private interests feel it is viable, let private money build it. It should have been the first thing on the chopping block when budget cuts were made. Our mayor might not use the tennis courts at Hillsborough Community College, but 15,000 others used them last year. She probably doesn't frequent our public pools, either, so shutting a couple down isn't going to affect her arthritic joints or her kid's after-school activities.

Former Mayor Dick Greco understood that a person's sense of community begins at their front door. Like him or not, he was a champion for the quality of life in our neighborhoods. As a sixth-generation Tampa native, my pride and priorities are probably different than those of many of Tampa's residents, but I believe we were a great city before Mayor Iorio called Tampa home, and we'll be great when she's gone, Riverwalk or not.

Andrea Licata, Tampa

Regional transit system outlined July 14

Give us better buses first

Thanks for the article by Mike Brassfield about the plans and hopes for an expanded transit system in the St. Petersburg-Tampa area.

I hope they do not try to do rail, ferry and improved bus service all at once. Take one thing at a time. I would favor more frequent bus service first.

Hunt Roberts, Pinellas Park

[Last modified July 23, 2007, 21:56:25]