Today's Letters: People are not given a choice

Get sinkhole help from ombudsman Sept. 12 letter

People are not given a choice

I don't agree with having fliers from law firms at people's doorsteps advertising that they may have sinkholes on their property and how to correct or fix them. The billboards on U.S. 19 do not help the matter either. This solicitation is not necessary and can promote possible fraud.

But it is a personal choice to see if your property does or does not have a sinkhole since Hernando and Pasco are still known as sinkhole alley. If you feel you are vulnerable and want to take action to protect and preserve your property either by the state or other means, that is your choice as a homeowner. Just like a person's choice to upgrade or sell or buy property.

As for the writer's comment, "At a time when the residents of Pasco and Hernando counties are finally given a choice whether or not to carry sinkhole insurance at a significant reduction in premiums," people are not being told the truth.

You are not given a choice for sinkhole coverage, you are automatically dropped from the coverage on your Citizens policies in Pasco and Hernando counties, effective Sept. 1 for new polices and Oct. 1 for renewal policies.

Yes, you are saving money on not having sinkhole coverage, but you are at risk because you no longer have sinkhole coverage in your policy, and you have to pay for it to get it back. This is not a free choice. This is taking away coverage, not a premium reduction.

The catastrophic coverage that is going to be on your policy will only cover you in the event of a "total loss" of your home. You must meet all four criteria, a sudden, visual collapse that deems your house not habitable and condemned. None of the sinkholes in Pasco and Hernando counties in the last 20 years would have met these new guidelines. Meaning you could be out of pocket thousands of dollars.

All other counties in the state of Florida have free choice whether or not to carry sinkhole coverage in your counties. Pasco and Hernando are being singled out. Do you want to live with this risk?

The Department of Financial Services recommends that you do not drop your sinkhole coverage. If you want to know the facts, please visit the HAC (Having Affordable Coverage) Web site at www.hacfl.org

Chris Kowalczyk, vice president Having Affordable Coverage Port Richey

Bottled water clear, not green Barbara Fredricksen column, Sept. 8

Bottled water isgood for America

Nestle Waters shares Barbara Fredricksen's concern for the environment and we are reducing our footprint. Our new eco-shape bottle has the least plastic content of any half-liter bottle currently on store shelves. Even though water bottles make up less than one third of 1 percent of the municipal solid waste that ends up in landfills, to really make a difference, we need progressive recycling programs that would keep a greater number of all plastic containers - regardless of what they contain - out of landfills.

One important point missing in the article is that bottled water is a calorie-free and easily accessible alternative refreshment to bottled sugared drinks. On average, Americans get 226 more calories a day from beverages than they did a generation ago, and the number of overweight and obese children is up an alarming 370 percent across the nation. Americans need to drink more water - whether bottled or tap. Discouraging people from drinking bottled water can therefore have negative health impacts, especially when most of what Americans drink comes in bottles or cans.

Jane Lazgin, director, corporate communications Nestle Waters North America Greenwich, CT

Give sheriff money he needs

I am absolutely shocked. The Pasco sheriff is asked to cut his proposed budget. When the Mothers Against Drunk Driving organized in 1982, the sheriff started a DUI squad of 12 officers. They held checkpoints and made DUI arrests. The death rate fell quickly.

The sheriff had 12 very active officers, including Skip Stone, who is now captain. There could not be anything as important as getting drunk drivers off the road.

Commissioners, how could anything be more important than funding the sheriff's budget? He needs to have at least 12 officers, if not more, in a DUI squad. We need to save lives, not lose innocent people on our highways.

The deputies are saving lives. Please give the sheriff the money he needs to save lives.

Rebecca Brown, New Port Richey

[Last modified September 15, 2007, 22:31:49]