Today's Letters: Pinellas County schools deserve tax renewal

Vote yes on school tax  Jan. 14, editorial   

Members of the League of Women Voters are pleased to note the Times editorial on Jan. 14 that recommended "vote yes" on the Pinellas school referendum. The two Leagues of Women Voters in Pinellas County also support the passage of the Jan. 29 referendum regarding education funding in Pinellas County, which is to be considered along with presidential preference primaries and the property tax amendment.

It is important for the voters to know that this is not a new tax but a required vote that must be taken every four years for the funding to continue. The money is dedicated to Pinellas County classrooms, and 100 percent of the money goes into the classrooms of Pinellas County, either through teacher salaries and additional training or through textbooks, technology, supplies for special reading programs, and materials for art and music classes. All decisions about how the money will be spent are made by an independent citizens' advisory committee that must produce quarterly reports about the program to the public.

While the voter must be registered in Pinellas County, belonging to a political party is not required. Independent voters not registered in a political party cannot vote in the party primaries, but are eligible to vote for the referendum and the tax amendment. Many municipalities also may have candidates and issues to vote on that do not require political party membership.

The most important thing is: Vote on Jan. 29.

Fay P. Law, president, League of Women Voters of North Pinellas County; and Pat Richardson, president, League of Women Voters of St. Petersburg Area  

Campaigns without candidates Jan. 17, story

A frustrated voter

It's now obvious that the Florida Democratic presidential primary election would have been a truly pivotal event in choosing the 2008 Democratic presidential candidate. Instead, Florida voters are going to have no effect on the selection process or the convention, thanks to the Democratic National Committee. I gave up my cherished independent status and registered as a Democrat last year solely so I could take part in the 2008 nominating process.

By what right has the DNC disenfranchised Florida Democrats and made our primary votes meaningless? I know I am going to have a very hard time convincing myself to vote in November for a candidate who refused to campaign in Florida's primary.

David Pearce, Tarpon Springs

Executive decision required, voters Jan. 17, David Broder column

A business bias

Liberals and conservatives can look at the same landscape and paint totally different pictures. David Broder's op-ed on Thursday looks over the landscape of presidential candidates with a conservative's eyes and sees what conservatives always see: A good CFO or CEO is all it takes to run a company or a country. Wrong!

We have seen far too many CEOs and CFOs during this administration's tenure walk away from failed corporations under their leadership, taking hundreds of millions of dollars with them as they go. Meanwhile, all the workers and voters are left with is that conservative mantra "survival of the fittest."

Gerald A. Cerveny, Tampa

An election priority

As a not-for-profit media watch group, we are prohibited from endorsing any political candidate. We may, however, make some observations.

Regardless of party, the presidential candidates must articulate clearly the danger of Wahhabi terrorism. Let's face it, if we don't survive, nothing else matters. We also should support our only democratic ally in the Middle East, Israel. Israel can play a major role in deterring Iran. Reward your friends, punish your enemies.

Norman N. Gross, Ph.D., president, PRIMER (Promoting Responsibility in Middle East Reporting), Palm Harbor

Answers for voters

Thank you for shining your editorial spotlight on two critical election issues, health care and Social Security (Bold medicine needed, Jan. 15, and Get serious on Social Security, Jan. 16).

AARP, the Business Roundtable (representing Fortune 500 CEOs), the Service Employees International Union (one of the nation's biggest unions), the National Federation of Independent Businesses (representing small businesses) and many other groups have joined together in an effort called Divided We Fail to demand action from our elected leaders on the issues of access to affordable, quality health care and lifetime financial security, of which Social Security is a basic pillar. Our diverse groups have found that our members may have different perspectives about how to solve these issues, but they share the commitment that these issues must be solved now, through truly bipartisan action.

In these editorials you imply that it has been hard for voters to get answers from candidates about these issues. AARP members have told us the same thing in surveys throughout this campaign.

We have two resources that can help. On the Web site www.dividedwefail.org, we have collected the statements every candidate has made in an easy-to-follow guide. If your readers don't have Internet access, they can call 1-866-595-7678 for a printed version. If you find that the candidates' answers there don't satisfy your need to know, you may have a chance to get a straight answer at two debates, tonight on CNN and Thursday night on MSNBC.

Jeff Johnson, Divided We Fail manager, AARP Florida, St. Petersburg

Music education benefits

As a music educator, I am writing to thank our community for approving the referendum in 2004 that provided important funds for music education in Pinellas County schools. I can't thank you enough for all the technology, training, supplies, music, instruments and equipment that have been purchased because of this additional funding.

I have a new laptop computer, a piano keyboard, studio-quality speakers, sound equipment, a video projector, an iPod, a set of music theory books for all of my sixth-grade students, and music software to use in my classroom.

It is exciting to see tangible, positive results every day from the referendum dollars. I'm convinced that the continued support of Pinellas County voters will allow our students to receive the best music education possible in the future.

On behalf of all the music educators in Pinellas County schools, thank you, voters, for supporting music education by voting for the referendum. You will get the opportunity, on Jan. 29, to vote once again on this issue. Music education is alive and well in Pinellas County Schools because of you!

Brenda M. Dannewitz, president, Pinellas County Music Educators, Clearwater

[Last modified January 20, 2008, 20:45:47]