Today's Letters: Make charitable fundraisers legal

There's something very wrong and contradictory when we have a Florida Lottery, where thousands, if not millions, of people engage in gambling every day, and an Indian reservation that takes in millions of dollars every month that now has the blessing of our governor to bring in more types of gambling tables, yet charitable fundraisers are illegal.

I would hope enough caring people contact their state representatives to change this law and allow popular fundraising activities such as 50/50 at charitable functions. People who attend these various events are there to support the organization and not specifically to gamble.

I also wish more effort would be channeled into the enforcement of illegal fireworks rather than the time, manpower, and cost to taxpayers expended in blocking charitable fundraisers.

Noreen Loupis,New Port Richey

Homes lottery nota lure for teachers

If I understand the spin correctly, the homes-for-teachers project is to lure new teachers to Pasco, but the homes are available to any teacher or police officer or EMT or firefighter with low enough income.

So how is this an incentive to new teachers to locate here if they must be hired first, then join the lottery for apartments?

It isn't.

Why not sell the surplus land and give the new teachers the cash? And why does the School Board have surplus land?

The other thing that sticks in my craw is: There are legions of public employees who earn a lot less than teachers. They have degrees, work for less pay and benefits, toil 50 plus weeks, and their burdens are often greater than what teachers cope with.

James B. Johnson, Port Richey

Bad guy's wheels can do some good Nov. 16, column

Drug dealer's car gives wrong image

The Pasco Sheriff's Office should be discouraged, not encouraged, to put a convicted drug dealer's show-off '67 Chevy Impala on the streets or brought to schools.

Some kids will look at it as a symbol of "What I can have" if I deal in drugs rather than "What will be taken from me?"

Years ago the Sheriff's Office tried to do this with a Corvette taken in a drug raid. Taking it on tour gave the same impression to kids and it was quickly taken off the street. Let's not go through that again with the Impala.

Donald Andriuzzo,Bayonet Point

Kids are neglectedpart of drug raids

I am a concerned citizen of the Green Key development in New Port Richey, which is an overlooked part of Pasco County. It has been evident that the capturing of criminals has left our children a secondary issue to our evident and overwhelming prescription and drug fiasco.

This has been allowed to flourish under our unconcerned noses. I have neighbors who have been arrested for selling crack cocaine and prescription drugs. They have been allowed to keep their many children despite arrests and obvious child neglect.

Many complaints were made which described the neglect the children were facing as well as the drug problem. However, the only concern of the officers was the bust, not the well being of the children. Who is w atching?

They continue to sell and allow their young children to roam the street unsupervised. The police respond but are unable to do anything because there does not seem to be an agency to respond quickly enough to save these innocent children. The Pasco County Sheriff's Office does not seem to have the adequate training to even assist people trying to help these children.

They gave me the wrong number to an abuse hotline. They said it was 1-800-Abuse. However, the number is 1-800-96-ABUSE. I have called 911, and it took longer than an hour for any official response.

It is obvious to me they are looking for the big fish while the children are raised with no supervision in a dangerous environment.

These children should be our first concern.

Michael Perkins,New Port Richey

[Last modified November 19, 2007, 19:09:34]