Today's Letters: Stop spending Floridians into bankruptcy
By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published October 3, 2007
For GOP, fixing property tax could kill it Sept. 30, story
We have seen and heard the combined crowing from our leaders in Tallahassee about successfully reducing the real estate tax burdens of Floridians. Now that TRIM notices are in the hands of taxpayers/voters, the truth is in black and white. Most tax bills will be about $200 less than last year's bills, which were outrageously excessive.
Their phase two, the "super homestead exemption" amendment, has now been struck from the ballot.
In my view, our leaders, along with all those in the Florida House and Senate, have again failed the citizens and voters of Florida as they did with the insurance crisis.
Once again I will suggest a very simple remedy for the real estate tax and homestead exemption issues, which still haven't been fixed. My proposal is to roll back property assessments and tax millage rates to 2003 levels. Restrict all governmental spending increases to 3 percent annually. Limit assessment increases to 3 percent annually. Only allow highest-and-best-use reassessments after property changes hands.
The final and most important element of my suggestion to our elected representatives is to stop spending the citizens of Florida into bankruptcy.
John E. Ardolino, Belleair
PIP
Focus on fraud
At the core of the discontent with PIP is fraud. So it puzzles me that the current legislative proposals to extend the requirement for personal injury protection in auto insurance fail to address this key issue. If PIP is to be extended for a year during the special session, I strongly recommend funding additional prosecutors dedicated to putting the bad actors where they belong: in jail and out of business.
When Miami-Dade added a single attorney dedicated to prosecuting fraud, the county saw a 20 percent increase in the prosecution of fraudulent claims and an 85 percent increase in jail time for offenders. California has more than 40 special prosecutors to combat insurance fraud, New Jersey 39, Pennsylvania 23, Massachusetts 11.
Prosecutors make the difference. Understanding the importance of the problem, California has just quadrupled insurance company assessments to add investigators and prosecutors as recommended by their Insurance Fraud Assessment Authority.
Whether or not PIP is the correct standard for responsible insurance coverage is an issue that needs to be addressed. Currently, negotiations are being held behind closed doors, and guess who is not included: consumer groups.
I recommend that the state's chief financial officer, insurance commissioner and consumer advocate host comprehensive, intensive workshops that include not only the big-money players but consumer, senior citizen and minority organizations. After all, consumers are ultimately where the buck comes from.
Walter Dartland, executive director, Consumer Federation of the Southeast, Tallahassee
Defend schools budget
With the coming of the special legislative session, the Gifted Advocacy Council of Hillsborough Inc. (GACH) urges our legislators to support Gov. Charlie Crist's efforts to keep Florida's K-12 public education budget intact.
Hillsborough County boasts approximately 16,000 public school students who are gifted, which means they have scored at least 130 on a formally administered IQ test. There are many more who haven't yet been identified. Because no federal mandate exists for gifted educational programs, our local gifted students and educators rely heavily on state funds to meet their needs.
If legislators choose to cut the public education budget, the resultant loss of funds would likely have a negative impact on the quality and availability of programs and resources for the gifted. Although Hillsborough County is making an effort to meet the needs of these exceptional students, the school system could do a great deal more to serve them. More well-trained, certified teachers who have earned the gifted endorsement and a rigorous and stimulating K-12 gifted curriculum are vital to ensuring that our brightest students are sufficiently challenged.
GACH recognizes that achieving these goals throughout the county is an ongoing process, but it is imperative that we continue to move forward. We cannot sacrifice our children's education, especially if we continue to look to future generations to help Florida and the United States remain competitive in an increasingly global economy.
Stephanie Georgiades, M.A., president, Gifted Advocacy Council of Hillsborough, Inc., Tampa
Crist disappoints
We thought that Charlie Crist would be a good choice for Florida governor. We are very unhappy with his lack of leadership.
We have numerous serious problems in our state. The legislative branch cannot get anything passed and Gov. Crist should be pressuring them. Instead he seems more interested in trying to get publicity for the mythical idea of global warming - plus his upcoming trip to Brazil!
He should stay in Florida and work on real problems in his state.
Ralph Beck, Pinellas Park
Tragic end for series of missesSept. 27, story
Vehicles as weapons
Once again the criminal justice system has failed to protect the people of Florida. A known criminal with a violent history and a "long criminal record" has killed an innocent law-abiding citizen by fleeing from police officers.
We supposedly live in a progressive state with some good ideas coming from the Legislature. One of those ideas, 10-20-Life, applies to the use of firearms. It is time to apply similar rules to police chases.
Vehicles are wielded like deadly weapons by criminals in police chases. Criminals should not be rewarded for attempting to evade capture. Simply put, if a police car has its lights and siren on, you have 15 seconds to pull over or you risk a mandatory 10 years in prison without parole, no matter what other charges may be pending against you. If you injure anybody at all during a police pursuit, mandatory 20 years in prison without parole. If you kill anyone during a police chase, you get mandatory life in prison without any possibility of parole.
In the decade since 10-20-Life, violent gun crime is down 30 percent in Florida. Isn't it time for the Legislature to act? If you agree, call your local state senator and the governor.
Al Kaspar, Gulfport
Private roads are dead end for Florida Sept. 30, editorial
Private advantage
The Times' objection to private roads in Florida is that "motorists would get stuck with the bills." But who gets stuck with the bills for state-owned roads? Answer: everybody!
Has the Times forgotten so soon the collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis? It was only two months ago! That state-owned bridge on that state-owned highway collapsed because of poor maintenance. I wonder what kind of maintenance a private owner would have done on that bridge given the choice of "revenue if it stays up" and "lawsuits if it comes down"? Of course, the state doesn't have to worry about lawsuits because of its sovereign immunity. That's why it can afford to skimp on maintenance.
So which would you prefer: higher bridge tolls or higher death tolls?
Frank Clarke, Oldsmar
Private roads are dead end for Florida Sept. 30, editorial
Money rules
Here we go again with Republicans thinking that privatization is the answer to any problem. Why don't we then privatize government itself?
Oops, it has already been done as it is obvious that the opportunity to be elected in America only goes to the highest bidder.
Carlos Milan, St. Petersburg
Unsought loan deals pour in for students Sept. 27, story
Widespread tactics
The University of Miami is certainly not the only school in Florida that authorizes unsolicited loans. For the past several months my daughter has been contacted by Sallie Mae in order to sign a promissory note for a loan she never requested. After speaking with a representative from Sallie Mae, we discovered that her university has been requesting loans on her behalf. However, my daughter never asked for these loans to begin with!
We contacted the financial aid department at the university, and instructed them not to request any loans for her. Our request has fallen on deaf ears, as we continue to receive requests to sign promissory notes for loans that have been solicited by the university. It seems quite apparent there must be a great kickback for these colleges to do this. Seems to me the Florida attorney general has some investigating to do.
Marianne Wilson, Clearwater