Today's Letters: Florida will benefit from tax amendment

Thank you for the editorial on Thursday against the property tax amendment. Until I read it, I was unsure how I would vote, but now I am positive that I will vote for the amendment. I found your arguments to be weak and biased, and they showed me that it was in my best interest and the best interests of Floridians for this amendment to pass.

Your main argument was that it was unfair to new residents of the state and to people who had recently moved here. Well, many of us who have lived here for generations are on limited incomes and we need any break the government can give us. New people can choose to live anywhere they can afford, but most of us have limited options.

If anything, this amendment might slow down the growth of Florida, which will soon run out of water and other resources. I can see why developers and newspaper sellers want more people to move here, but the rest of us are happy with Florida the way it is.

The only point you made that deserves some study is how to provide relief to the business and rental community, but that shouldn't be used as an excuse to defer the aid to the rest of us. The Legislature can act on that after this amendment passes.

Roger W. Gambert, Palm Harbor  

'Advantage' disqualifies amputee from Olympics Jan. 15, story

Oscar Pistorius has the right kind of gold

Having also been born physically challenged, I can relate to the uphill battles and struggles (physically, mentally and socially) that Oscar Pistorius had to wage in order to compete. The need of physically challenged athletes to feel included and treated as equals is far more important than the misguided ruling of track and field's governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Pistorius' achievement-oriented character of facing obstacles and challenges shows he already is a gold winner. If his competition is troublesome to the Olympic committee or other competing runners, perhaps they are lacking some of that gold in their hearts. The Olympics should be all about triumph and perseverance against great odds.

Douglas Kopitzke, St. Petersburg

Sentence goes over the line Jan. 15, editorial

Our distorted sports values

Marion Jones is simply a victim of a sports system we Americans have stood by and done nothing about, while money destroyed the idea of sports.

The sports mantra (now the corporate mantra as well) is "Winning is the only thing." To the winner goes everything. To No. 2 and 3, a medal and a ticket home. And for Jones and other gold medal winners, winning meant a million dollars, or more. Being No. 2 meant no dollars.

We don't value or honor outstanding performance nearly as much as we honor, if not swoon over, being No. 1. Athletes are not just skilled at their sport, they are gladiators who will bring crowds paying top price for tickets. Sports is not so much about performance as it is about money.

Jones and others knew that. Her only hope to live the "American Dream" was to win. To come in second was to mean all those years of training and practice would produce nothing. Can any of us say we would have done anything different from Jones? She knew, and we know, others who came before her also took the drugs.

It is not Jones who is to blame. It is we, the public, who let sports get away from us.

We should insist that Marion Jones be given back her medals and have her conviction set aside. After all, if she goes go to jail, we, the American people, should all go to jail with her.

Erik Thoreson, St. Petersburg

Big Brothers and Big Sisters

A questionable match

I felt terrible for the family and friends of the pilot who lost his life along with his parents the other day.

First, let me say, I am not homophobic. Really I am not. Second let me say that I am a fan and supporter of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization. Two of my children went through the program. My daughter is nearly 21 and she is still in close contact with her Big. BBBS needs more people willing to give of their time. This is a most worthy cause.

I doubt the article about Joseph Bellamy was written with the intention of starting a controversy. In my mind it has. While I take my hat off to Bellamy's decision to help a child in need, I wonder if matching our young, impressionable sons with homosexual males is the right thing to do. I know that being homosexual does not make you a pedophile, but matches are done typically when boys and girls are quite young. They look up to their Big for advice on everything from how to play a sport to how to ask someone on a date. They typically feel they can open up to a big brother or sister more so than to a parent.

I just feel it is inappropriate for BBBS to match gays with our children. In this particular case it may be that the organization was not aware. If not, why not? If so, is this a good idea?

D. Nolan, Tampa

Pilot killed in crash followed dream Jan. 15, story

Life partners need rights

After reading the disturbing story of the young pilot and his family who lost their lives in the local plane crash, I think it's time we acknowledge the rights of life partners in times of tragedy. Due to "company policy," Eric Breidenbaugh, the domestic partner of Joe Bellamy, was painfully denied information about the crash, and had to learn of his companion's passing via the Internet. How cold and callous can we be, even in times of life and death?

Gov. Charlie Crist has stated that he supports civil unions between two people who are in a committed, long-term relationship - and not to just gay and lesbian couples. It's time that Florida joins the ranks of other states who have granted equal rights to these individuals: basic rights that include hospital visitation, health care, retirement benefits and, yes, inclusion in matters of life and death.

Ray Dabkowski, Dunedin

Foster links Darwin, Hitler Jan. 12, story

Keep minds open

If education is anything, it is the ability to think. Do we really want to eliminate thinking from the classrooms of Florida? Do we want our students to accept every statement at face value?

The St. Petersburg Times says "the vast majority of scientists consider it (Darwin's theory) sound." Is this a verifiable statement? Can we teach our students to find out what the vast majority of scientists really think? If they want to know, they will have to do their own research. Isn't this what we want?

Bill Foster wants our current students to have the same options he had when he was in high school. Do we want our public school teachers to say, "I am sorry, son, Darwin's theory is the sole fundamental fact underlying all of biology and I cannot allow you to explore other options"?

Steve Curtiss, Seminole

Offer alternatives

I read Bill Foster's letter to the Pinellas School Board. I also read the "stunned" and otherwise negative responses. I have no idea about the Darwin/Hitler theory, but I do support Foster's idea that alternatives also be also presented in school.

I qualify as a "silent majority" person who seldom responds to these extremist views such as Foster encountered in the paper, but believe they are in the minority. Perhaps these people should move to a country without In God We Trust on the currency.

Edwin Ashurst, St. Petersburg

Lawyer says school proposal equates evolution, religion Jan. 15, story

Evolving emotions

This front-page story told of lawyer David C. Gibbs III writing a memo to the state Board of Education claiming that belief in the theory of evolution amounted to religious faith and should be rejected on the principle of separation of church and state.

After Bill Foster's earlier letter to the Pinellas School Board claiming his belief that Darwin's theory is responsible for Hitler's Holocaust, Gibbs fanciful theories are too much. I was thoroughly depressed. (These guys are "leaders"?)

But your readers' responses to Foster's ridiculous position alleviated my depression. Then, reading Nora Ephron's "scientific" conclusions about chicken soup, etc. (Why I'm allergic to progress) on the opinion page suggested to me that Foster and Gibbs attended the same lecture on the "scientific method" that Ephron did. Ephron 's conclusions were more convincing.

Bernard Waryas, Dunedin

Why I'm allergic to progress Jan. 15, commentary

Relief from reality

In the midst of endless speculation about who's up and who's down in the primaries, bring us more Nora Ephron. Perhaps she can help us forget about politics, real estate taxes, the economy, the war and more ... at least for the delicious moments it takes to read her refreshing take on life.

Alison Strickland, Seminole

An unworthy effort

I support the Times' recommendation of a no vote on Amendment 1. This is an unacceptable last-minute compromise by a Legislature desperate to put something before the voters in an election year.

Let us send a message to our Legislature and governor that we demand a comprehensive, long-term solution to our property tax inequities.

Let us give the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission a chance to put a more substantive bill before the voters in November. And here is one big clue for them: Save Our Homes has to go. We need to revamp the whole system, and we need to do it now. Portability is not the answer.

Most importantly, the meager gain in the form of tax savings is not worth the greater pain of lost services across the public sector. Vote no on Amendment 1.

Doug Rhea, Tampa

It's a good start

I have been a licensed real estate broker/Realtor in Florida since March 1980. During the past 28 years I have worked through good and bad economies. Throughout former hard economic times, there was always a pent up demand for folks to move here. Florida was affordable then and average folks were able to live here.

Throughout the last decade, I have noted that we are no longer recommended as an affordable place to live and folks, instead, are relocating to Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, etc. Wake up and smell the roses. Something has to be done now before we turn into a place similar to our nation's West Coast where only 9 percent of the current homeowners would be able to afford to purchase their homes today.

Yes, Amendment 1 is not the answer to everything, but it is a start and it will benefit the majority. Amendment 1 needs to be passed.

Carol A. Kemp, Holiday

Voting with their feet

Bravo to the St. Petersburg Times for taking a firm position in opposition to Amendment 1.

Only full-time residents/voters are eligible to decide the fate of this ill-conceived amendment. However, there are voters of another kind - those who have second homes in Florida, and have served as cash-cows to the taxing authorities for too many years. They have already begun to cast their votes in the only manner open to them - with their feet.

Gov. Charlie Crist's well-intentioned desire to help people at the lowest socioeconomic levels could very well result in their having to pick up the slack with oppressively increased taxes a year or so down the road. In the meantime, the vote on Jan. 29 will determine how many seasonal residents bid Florida "adieu."

Hugh S. Hardy (for 14 years a taxpaying seasonal resident of Florida), Palm Harbor

Housing needs a boost

As a resident of Pasco County and a business owner, I urge all residents to vote yes on the property tax amendment. By doing so this will jump- start our real estate market and economy as well. There are many people like me who cannot afford to sell our current residence and purchase another property in the state because we will lose the current Save Our Homes cap and not be able to afford the taxes on the new purchase.

With the portability of Save Our Homes, the real estate market will improve, and real estate agents, mortgage companies, banks and title companies will start making money again. This in turn will help our overall economy as they spend their earned dollars on products and services.

Barry Grover, Port Richey

It's much too little

I was pleased to read that the St. Petersburg Times is against Amendment 1. Some people are of the mind-set that we should vote yes because our homestead exemption will be doubled to $50,000 (not exactly accurate) and the Save Our Homes tax cap will become "portable" for new purchases.

Do not vote yes! Those guys in Tallahassee are only offering us a Band-Aid on top of a Band-Aid. It is way too little. Now you may think it is better than nothing. Well, it isn't. If it gets approved, legislators will go and pat themselves on the back thinking they have appeased the property owners, and nothing more will be done.

If we vote it down, we are sending a clear message that it is not good enough. There have to be more drastic cuts. Voting no will force those legislators to go back to the drawing board and come up with something much better. Marco Rubio, the Republican speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, has better alternatives in line. Remember, he is the guy who wanted to eliminate property taxes completely and raise the sales tax.

Agnes Touris, Palm Harbor

The cuts could hurt

I am writing to encourage citizens to take the Times' lead and to cast their vote against Amendment 1. As a public school teacher, I would like to remind every voter that although our Legislature continues to maintain that it will "hold education harmless," substantial cuts have been made and will need to be made again this year due to the budget shortfall. To further exacerbate the problem by cutting property taxes would decimate an already hurting educational system.

Please remember that the amount of money saved per homeowner is estimated to be about $200. In exchange we are told we will have cuts of between 8 and 10 percent in services around the county. Make no mistake, library hours will be cut, there will be longer response times for police and fire, and parks and recreation will surely be hit hard. Education, which is already underfunded, will once again be asked to do more with less. Please vote against Amendment 1.

Shelley Foster, Clearwater

[Last modified January 18, 2008, 22:29:31]