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Letter to the editor

Today's Letters: Palm Harbor town could be a blueprint

Re: Wild guesses not ideal, but they're all we have Diane Steinle column, March 2

Your column was very informative and enlightening. I am a volunteer associated with the Palm Harbor Coalition.

We are in the same boat as the county and municipalities and are attempting to determine the effects of Amendment 1 on the budget of the proposed town of Palm Harbor.

We live in unincorporated Pinellas and the place we live doesn't really exist. Our unincorporated communities have no legal rights or protections. We are referred to as the Palm Harbor and East Lake fire districts.

Because we don't have locally elected officials, our default government is the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. With the price of gas, we can't even afford to visit our current government in Clearwater.

A city or town is the form of government closest to the people and is the only form of government in Florida actually created by the people. If the voters decide to incorporate Palm Harbor, they will create a local government that is elected by and closer to the people.

We would keep both the East Lake and Palm Harbor fire districts. These districts provide a dedicated funding source, and the millage rate can't be increased above a set millage level without voter approval.

Another dedicated funding source is the Palm Harbor Community Services District, which provides library, recreation and park operations. Like the fire districts, the millage cap cannot be increased without a vote by the local community.

We have basically outsourced our library and recreation operations to a volunteer organization (the Palm Harbor Community Services Agency) since 1985. The savings that the town would accrue by having a volunteer-based organization oversee our library, recreation and park operations will allow the town to supply additional and needed funding for these programs.

The town of Palm Harbor's property tax rate would replace and be the same as the county's Unincorporated-Municipal Services Taxing Unit (U-MSTU), which is currently 2.0857 mills. Without imposing any new taxes, the town of Palm Harbor could be the town/city of the future, providing a blueprint for others to follow.

Scott Fisher, Palm Harbor

Re: Missing 86-year-old Largo woman drowned story, March 6

Then find us rides if seniors can't drive

The death of an elderly woman brings up the question of seniors giving up driving.

I take the AARP refresher driving course, don't drive at night and limit myself to local driving. The problem is how to get around without a car.

Clearwater doesn't have as much to offer as other cities.

Cabs are expensive and taking a bus means getting to the bus stop and standing in cold, hot or rainy weather. Agencies offering rides to seniors are limited to those incapacitated.

The Red Cross gave up the service and Faith in Action and similar organizations have long waiting lists. I have been waiting for over a year with no luck.

Other towns have rides available for seniors at minimal cost. If seniors are to give up driving, there needs to be more and better means of transportation.

Margaret Mayer, Clearwater

Re: District to settle in girl's death story, March 7

Settlement for girl's death is disturbing

It's not a big secret to anyone that the economy is in trouble right now, and it certainly is no secret that teachers are underpaid and important school programs often get cut due to lack of funding. So it was disturbing to read that the Pinellas County school district has to pay more than $1-million to the family of a student killed while crossing a busy highway.

While it is unfortunate that the girl was killed, and perhaps the bus stop was not at a safe location, two facts remain: Nobody told the girl to dart out into traffic to cross the road instead of crossing at the nearest intersection. Andthat money is not going to bring that girl back to her family.

Jason Ramage, Clearwater

Your voice counts

You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our Web site at www.tampabay.com/letters, or by faxing it to (727) 445-4119, or by mailing it to Letters, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

[Last modified March 10, 2008, 19:57:59]