Today's Letters: State tax system needsto be rebuilt from scratch
Letters to the EditorPublished November 28, 2007
Fixing a broken tax system Nov. 25, editorial
Your editorial is right on the mark. This Humpty Dumpty system is beyond repair, and our legislators need to scrap it and start all over. Having lived in my house for 25 years, I enjoy the tax cap of Save Our Homes, but that doesn't make me feel good when I know some of my neighbors are paying two or three times what I pay for the same size home. They don't get any more state or county services than I do, so where's the fairness in that?
As for the hundreds of exemptions in the current system, when one group gets a break from paying taxes, that only means some other group has to make up the shortfall. I hate to sound cynical, but it appears these exemptions are nothing but a way to buy votes using taxpayers' money. Legislators, correct me if you think I'm wrong.
Jack Peel, Tampa
Fixing a broken tax system Nov. 25, editorial
Protect the poor
My highest regards to the St. Petersburg Times and that fine public servant John McKay for advancing the commonsense proposal to repeal billions of dollars in special interest sales tax breaks to pay for a property tax cut of 40 percent.
While I personally support ideas such as a "super homestead exemption," I do not trust our ideologically driven Legislature to enact such a mammoth tax cut and, accordingly, have always stood ready to vote against any initiative to cut property taxes. As always, our ultraconservative friends in the Legislature will target services for the young, old, disabled and poor in order to pay for another tax cut, albeit one that Floridians and our state economy badly need. Leaving special interest tax exemptions untouched, while asking the developmentally disabled, families without adequate energy or health security and seniors to give more, is not only unethical, but also bad economics.
Excessive property taxes are now a significant burden on our economy, hampering the job growth that traditionally arises from our real estate market. Thus, a mammoth tax cut is in order.
However, there is an economically and morally sound way to fund this tax cut: through sensible tax reforms that ask the special interests, and not the least of these, to give up tax cuts with no sound public policy purpose. Without this sound compromise, I believe that Florida voters will not pass any significant property tax cut.
Luis Viera, Esq., Tampa
Homeless protest moves to legal site Nov. 27, story
No more taxpayer abuse
The front page of the Local & State section Tuesday has this taxpayer beyond angry! First you have the homeless protesting because the city and county want to give them a place to live at no charge at the expense of the taxpayers. What right do they have to expect us to pay for their housing? Nobody is paying for mine except me - by working as hard as I can to keep up with all the increases in insurance and property taxes. Along with rights comes responsibility, and until they take responsibility for themselves, don't ask for any of my tax money to support them.
Right next to that is Howard Troxler's positively great column (A lie of omission? More like just a lie). I am with him 100 percent on this administration in St. Petersburg. They tried to tell us there was no money for a runoff election, a mere $248,000, and there is no money for additional police or fire protection, but there is enough money for sports stadium? This leadership (and I use the term loosely) needs to get out of office now!
The taxpayers are getting hosed again and again. Let's put a stop to it. City Council needs to remember the great promises that were made when they wanted to build the Trop. Now we're more than $100-million in debt and they want to repeat this mistake again? You are right, Mr. Troxler: No, no, no, no, no, no ad infinitum.
Sylvia Fies, St. Petersburg
Homeless protest moves to legal site Nov. 27
Blind to the needy
This headline should have been on Page 1A because this is a direct reflection on St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker's administration. It is amazing how our government can get by with almost anything by merely determining that it is due to "security."
It is also a direct reflection of the Republican Party. They believe that if you cannot see something, it doesn't exist.
We are reminded of the statement on the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free ..."
It is a sad commentary about our times when we choose to turn our backs on the ones who need our help.
Margaret Hyde, Clearwater
Not a bright move
I am a volunteer with the city of St. Petersburg and enjoy watching Bright House Channel 15, featuring local events and issues. It appalls me that Bright House is going to take this channel out of general viewing and put it into its "On Demand" system so it can charge people extra to watch the very informative programs featured on Channel 15.
If management wants to move channels to their "On Demand" system, why don't they take a bunch of the "talking heads" programs? Most are a waste of time.
To me, satellite TV or Knology cable is looking better and better.
Jim W. Wood, St. Petersburg