Today's Letters: Pasco, do the right thing for children

Are politics at play in cash crunch? Sept. 22, story

Pasco, do the right thing for children

The lack of support to provide match money for subsidized child care in Pasco County is morally wrong.

Evidently the United Way and the county administrator along with the other leaders in Pasco County don't understand what match money means. The central agency or the Early Learning Coalition, depending on the contract, must come up with a certain percentage of the money received from the state in order to prove that there is support in that county.

Pasco County has failed to show that support. George Magrill of Youth and Family Alternatives stated Pasco County Administrator John Gallagher would have given $250,000 to YFA when YFA and CDS were bidding for the contract. Since CDS won the contract, the money should have gone to CDS. It was the administrator's moral responsibility to the working poor of Pasco County to do so.

Where did the $250,000 go? I think the citizens of Pasco County need to ask that question of their leaders. Not one dime has gone toward subsidized child care since CDS has been providing services.

The $300,000 surplus mentioned by Susan Arnett, president of the Pasco County United Way, must go back to the state. Not one penny is kept by CDS other than the contract amount for administrative expenses. The citizens of Pasco County should be proud of CDS for spending more on child care and less on administrative expenses. One of the reasons that CDS won the contract was because its administrative expenses were considerably less than YFA.

I am appalled that the representation of Pasco County cares more for long-term relationships than they do about the quality of care their children are receiving. Don't forget the children because they are our future.

CDS has 40 years of experience in providing subsidized child care services in the state of Florida. They also provide classrooms and well-qualified teachers for 750 Head Start and Early Head Start children in Marion and Citrus counties. They opened the Genesis House of CDS last October for temporary shelter for foster care children and have had wonderful successes. They don't just provide a roof over these children, in the 11-17 age group, but much nurturing, education and love.

Linda Foy, the CEO of CDS, spends many hours after work and on the weekend with these children and has been instrumental in helping them in work, school, activities and the arts. One child received a scholarship in a private school and another had a role in High School Musical play in Ocala. These are two of the many successes CDS can tell you about.

Why didn't any of you leaders try to find out about CDS' reputation before passing judgment? You can still do that if you really care about your county and the welfare of its citizens.

I don't understand how you can choose not to support the subsidized child care program. Sixty-six other counties in the state do their share because they know that it is their moral responsibility to do so. Will you please put the buddy system to bed and do what is morally right for Pasco County?

Sandy Roth,Silver Springs

Good work for vets, keep it up

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis and his staff should be congratulated for making the expansion of the VA clinic on Little Road a priority. I'm sure the 15,000 veterans who use the fine services of the clinic each year will appreciate any improvements including additional parking spaces. I know I will.

In view of the increasing number of veterans returning from Iraq, wouldn't it also make sense for the VA to utilize the facilities that will become available with the reported scheduled closing of Community Hospital? If this could be accomplished, it would eliminate the need for local veterans to travel to the parent facility, James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa for all but routine medical visits. Such a move would also relieve pressure on the Tampa facility which has parking problems of its own. Rep. Bilirakis your help is needed and appreciated.

Gene Ferguson, New Port Richey

In the shadow of doubt Sept. 27 John C. Cotey column

Call was right on player suspension

I thought the column just proved the old adage that it must be a slow day in the newsroom as they continue to trot out the latest pablum, which, on further inspection, is nothing new at all.

Principal Thomas Imerson should be commended for holding the line, and it simply raises my blood pressure to suggest Gulf High School should handle this in any other manner. John Cotey may say it's a "overused line," but in case something's changed since he went to school it still is a privilege to put on your high school uniform and represent the best of what your school can send out as student athletes.

It's never, I hope, going to be the other way around.

Steven Feldman, Gulf High School teacher and basketball coach New Port Richey

Bus system is a great service

I ride Pasco County Public Transportation, PCPT, buses a lot and it's amazing how many people use this transportation. You see them going to work, grocery stores, the mall and home. I don't drive because of a disability, so being able to get around on a bus is helpful. Most of the drivers are helpful in explaining how to read the schedule.

It is nice to have a bus stop shelter so that when it rains, you don't get wet. More people wouldn't mind waiting for the bus if they were sheltered from the weather.

Cecilia La Grutta, New Port Richey

[Last modified September 27, 2007, 20:37:25]