Todays Letters: New center is too large, out of place

Re: Judicial space needs

The white elephant center stage in Brooksville is a huge mistake and I'm just hoping for a tornado (in the middle of the night, of course). Alas, it's probably built to newer/stronger building code.

More important than figuring out which way to overcharge taxpayers, current Hernando County commissioners and temporary administrator Larry Jennings should first back up to focusing on what and where it is.

If not, they should simply leave the problem to someone who wants the top job, or is electable, for the long term.

With the tanning they got in recent years, this is not the time for county officials to "tag" the county - that is, make their distinct mark and then run away.

The best government blends with the constituency it supports. Obviously, that mostly goes for its people. But it also goes for its inanimate visible features, such as its fleet of vehicles (too new-looking, but that's another letter). However, the biggest flag the county waves is in its permanent buildings.

The brashness and placement of the Brooksville government center building is horrible. It's not that I don't like modern architectural structures. I do. But what was built there just doesn't seem to fit.

At least the old courthouse had a reasonably spacious and stately space around it. To me, the existing government center looks like a full-sized, dressed-down person stuffed into a coach airline seat - uncomfortable for everyone.

I also believe the presence of the government center inhibits what Brooksville has historically been and what it should continue to evolve in. Towns in Florida that have longevity (read: before air-conditioning) grew slowly and developed a village identity. The government center spoiled that and is inhibiting a rebirth. It's almost like an invasive species of plant moved in.

I'm opposed to any super-sizing of the out-of-place "McWalGovMansion" center. At one time there was a proposal to move the courts and its hordes of files and workers to the airport or thereabouts, nearer the jail.

I think this is a great idea. I heard that costs would be lower due to not having the constant guarded transport of prisoners across the county.

As for the existing building, less is better. I think it'll take creative minds to transform its exterior back into something that architecturally blends, but I do believe there is a practical solution to be found to minimize its undesirable elements.

As far as remaining government use of the structure goes, there are certainly some smaller departments that make sense to keep - those that have little to do with the criminal courts and blend better with the small business and residential use of the vicinity.

James Mastro, Brooksville

Voters, oust all commissioners

Wake up, Hernando County voters. Every one of the current county commissioners needs to be removed from office and never elected for anything again.

The supporting facts are:

- County administrators flow through our county at a rate above the flow of the Withlacoochee River.

- Larry Jennings fills in and does a good job as the interim county administrator but refuses to take the less-than-stable job of county administrator. As a longtime dedicated employee of Hernando County who has had to deal with the commissioners, he knows better than us what makes sense, and his actions clearly say, "I'm not going to be the scapegoat for an incompetent County Commission."

Maybe next year, after we have given this group the boot, and the new administrator leaves in frustration, we can get someone as good as Jennings to take the job.

Richard Ross, Brooksville

Re: Hernando gives St. Augustine grass a slight reprieve Jan. 16 story

Thanks for great landscaping law

On behalf of the Hernando Audubon Society's Conservation Committee, we wanted to say thank you to all the residents in Hernando County who got involved in working to strengthen our county's landscape ordinance.

We also wanted to thank the County Commission and its staff for creating and passing a stronger landscape ordinance. We have a long way to go, but this is a step in the right direction.

We look forward to working with the county to revisit issues relating to water conservation, open space, habitat conservation, and drought-tolerant plants over the next six months to a year, and hopefully enact some of the stronger provisions we suggested, and ones that commissioners suggested during the meeting.

In particular, we want to thank and recognize Hernando Audubon Society volunteer Debbie McKevitt for all the time, energy, research, and effort she put into making sure we and other allied organizations were keeping track of and working on this issue.

Debbie did a great job and all of her hard work and effort helped lead to a stronger and better ordinance. She is a hero for native plants and water conservation.

Also, thanks to our allies in the Hernando Native Plant Society and the Gulf Coast Conservancy for all their effort and work, and for attending the commission meeting to speak on this issue.

We have a lot of work to do in this county and on the Nature Coast, to protect our environment and our way of life. When we work together and support each other, we can keep the nature in the Nature Coast.

Joe Murphy,

Hernando Audubon Society

Re: Amendment 1 beats waiting Jan. 17 guest column by Greg Armstrong

Amendment 1 is no magical fix

Amendment 1 is not tax relief that will help everyone as the writer contends. Once I saw the author's profession (Realtor), I became even more skeptical of the supposed advantages of this amendment. It will not be a shot in the arm to revitalize the economy, as stated, since the average savings per home, $5 per week, for those who even choose to take advantage of it will never be felt in these times of out-of-control energy costs and inflation for all other living costs.

The self-serving pro position espoused by the writer is just another way the real estate industry is more concerned about its own livelihood than that of its customers.

The housing market is a disaster and much of it can be laid at the doors of the Realtors and their partners - mortgage lenders and bankers - who abetted the problems.

When the market was bubbling up, the Realtors did not perform due diligence and pushed home ownership to individuals who could not afford a home through a traditional loan. They pushed and the lenders joined right in to make funds available by ARMs and 100 percent mortgages.

The Realtors and their partners seemed to think the bubble would never burst. Where have they been? There are always ups and downs in the housing market. With quick sales they could turn a house in a week or less and, with inflated prices, made big commissions.

They never reduced their commission percentages and lived the high life. Now they expect us to bail them out by passing an inconsequential amendment to stimulate the housing market, which it will not.

What is even worse with this whole industry is that Bank of America stepped up to bail out Countrywide Financial while the CEO is expected to walk away with a golden parachute package of $115-million. He drove the company into decay with stock values plummeting and the company on the verge of bankruptcy, and he will walk away overcompensated. He should be denied the severance package.

This whole nationwide Realtor-mortgage company fiasco is a disaster. They made the problem; they should be made to suffer the consequences.

Dale Gottchalk, Hudson

Re: They call this tax relief? 65 cents a day is an insult Dec. 24 guest column by Tom Woods

Amendment 1 is driven by greed

Hopefully most of us have read the various articles and commentaries on the pros and cons of Amendment 1. There are many points and arguments on each side. The real point is seldom, if ever, mentioned. It's mainly about greed.

Supporters of Amendment 1 - Realtors, longtime homeowners and others - want to make an already lopsided and unjust property tax system worse. Those already getting all the benefits want more at the expense of their neighbors, renters, new homeowners and others.

Portability is an extreme example of shifting taxes from one resident to another. Longtime homeowners haven't paid their fair share of taxes in years; now they want this privilege extended to the new property? I guess significant capital gains aren't enough.

You see, greed is the missing component nobody wants to talk about.

Mr. Armstrong, the richest class of U.S. citizens are our seniors. Most of the wealth, be it real estate, stocks, retirement plans, etc., are owned by seniors. Help poor seniors some other way. Don't exempt the richest class of our citizens and transfer that tax to families in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

Vote "No" on Amendment 1.

Ken Lang, Spring Hill

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[Last modified January 21, 2008, 20:18:30]