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Today's Letters: Rowden's choice of words vicious

Letters to the Editor
Published January 18, 2008

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Re: County HR chief suspended Jan. 12 story

The front-page headlines about the catfight going on between Commissioner Diane Rowden and Human Resources director Barbara Dupre is the perfect example of why Hernando County is in the mess it is in. And I mean mess.

Instead of hearing about how Hernando County officials are working together to make this a better place to live, I have to read about Rowden telling Dupre's husband that she "hates" his wife. In my book, "hate" is a vicious word. With unemployment so high in this county, people losing their homes and businesses, the crime rate climbing, etc., you would think, being adults, we would do all we can to improve and quit making more problems.

This is childish and an embarrassment to our county. Shame on anyone who has to use the word "hate" in their vocabulary about someone in this day and age.

Maureen Hafke, Hernando Beach

Employee files in wrong hands

This is in response to the recent articles regarding Human Resources director Barbara Dupre. Since she is an employee of the county, she should have never had any significant involvement in choosing our new county administrator or the previous administrators. Kudos to Larry Jennings for stepping up and standing up against a county department head.

Since Dupre oversaw the employees' files, how can we be sure that other negative reports were not placed in her file? Her personnel file should have never been under her direct supervision.

All county department directors' personnel files should be in the county administrator's office to absolutely assure there is no question of impropriety; the administrator's personnel file should be kept by the county commissioners.

Wake up, people. This is no longer the good old boy county. We need to get with the times if we have any chance of hiring and keeping a qualified administrator.

Phyllis Glassford, Spring Hill

Amendment 1 beats waiting Jan. 17 guest column by Greg ArmstrongThey call this tax relief? 65 cents a day is an insult Dec. 24 guest column by Tom Woods

Columns clarify Amendment 1

I thank the Times for publishing pro and con guest columns on the property tax amendment. This has helped me immensely to make up my mind to vote "no." I agree with Woods from the first to the very last line of his comments. The solution is to vote every incumbent out and keep voting them out until someone gets it right!

The savings are too small to make a difference and if you move out of Florida, as everyone I know would love to move out of Florida, that is if we could sell our homes.

We will never benefit from this amendment. Nothing will ever be accomplished for the taxpayers of Florida.

Our elected politicians need to turn their hearing aids up and hear what we are saying. Too many special-interest groups are running things and have their fingers in the pot!

Elisa Williams, Hudson

Snowbirds need tax relief, too

Why doesn't the Florida Legislature like me? I assist the economy. I help subsidize the government. I pay sales tax on almost everything I buy, including clothes, meals, gas and even newspapers. I eat in restaurants every day and help the servers with tips and with jobs. I use public facilities, including highways, only six months a year and yet the Florida Legislature is proving once again it doesn't like me.

I am a senior citizen and don't have any children to overcrowd public schools. But I am a snowbird. Is this why?

The Legislature intends to increase the already unfair homestead tax exemption from $25,000 to $50,000. This means my neighbors will not pay any tax on $50,000 of the first $75,000 worth of appraised value on their homes, but I will. What is the rationalization and justification for this penalty on residents? Shouldn't everyone be treated the same without discrimination?

Is it because the Legislature simply doesn't like snowbirds, or is it because I can't vote? That would be selfish and cowardly. I certainly don't want to accuse the Legislature of selfishness and cowardice, but what is the reason? What do you think?

Thomas D. Dolan, New Port Richey

Re: Lighten up and get some skin art Jan. 11 letter

Tattoos can't fully define anyone

I see my son created quite a stir with his letter regarding tattoos. When I first read it, I told him it was a good letter about a subject that is really of a harmless nature. I told him it was not appropriate to say Mr. MacFarlane should keep his opinions to himself. He agreed and said unfortunately he realized that after the fact.

Ms. Newlin's letter implying he isn't part of the silent majority and must be liberal couldn't be further from the truth. He can't even spell "Kucinich."

As a Vietnam War veteran, I have a tattoo of my destroyer on my arm. Never once in my almost 34 years in law enforcement (New York Police Department and in Florida) did anyone complain while I was aiding them because of a crime, giving medical aid as a first responder or carrying them out of burning buildings.

In Mr. D'is' letter, he states some tattoos are pornographic and offensive. Common sense tells us we won't ever see that on an officer.

To set the record straight, my son's tattoo is of a mermaid and it's on his shoulder. He got it 16 years ago while he was dating a beautiful young lady who performed as "the Little Mermaid" at Weeki Wachee for 10 years. They are now happily married with two "little mermaids" of their own.

And far as my son being pulled over someday by a "rough biker-looking dude" who looks like he's wearing a uniform and not really being a cop? I don't say "lighten up." I say get real.

Gene Huber, Spring Hill

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[Last modified January 17, 2008, 20:33:55]

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