Letters to the Editors

One way or another, residents must pay for improvements

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 22, 2001

Re: Don't insult us, March 18 letter.

Editor: I find it very troubling that Ann Bunting is preparing to fight the proposed Penny for Pasco sales tax because she feels that the county commissioners "have some nerve to try and put more taxes on us." When George Bush campaigned to abolish the estate tax, he discovered that people would respond more favorably to his proposal if the tax was referred to as "the death tax." The grammar that is used to promote or fight a proposal is a marketing effort to win favorable treatment for the issue at hand. As the Republican Spirit of '76 diva, Mrs. Bunting is well aware of this tactic.

Instead of preparing to fight a suggested tax that would benefit everyone, why don't Mrs. Bunting and her colleagues take their energy and use it to offer an alternative to the tax? Perhaps they would prefer to see their property taxes raised in order to fund our expanding population. I hardly think that this is an option that they would embrace. But yet, they continue to demand improved roads, infrastructure, additional schools, police and fire protection, etc. In our youth, we may have thought that we could have something for nothing, but maturity has taught us that you only get what you pay for.

Would Mrs. Bunting appreciate having a deputy respond to a distress call she placed and then discover that he or she was unable to communicate with their dispatcher because the radio was broken and the county couldn't afford to replace it or provide cell phones for them?

Let's get behind our commissioners and support them in their efforts to obtain additional revenue or offer alternatives to their efforts, rather than wasting their time and our tax dollars telling them that we want it all but they can't expect us to pay for it.
-- David P. Meglay, Trinity

New construction should bear tax burden

Re: Perspective needed on tax issue, C.T. Bowen column, March 18.

Editor: I enjoyed reading the history lesson about property appraiser Mike Wells, and I do agree he is a visionary in the world of politics. As a county commissioner from 1984 to '92, he supported some taxes as well as limited bond issues to build the infrastructure of a rural Pasco.

I would hope we all can agree Pasco 17 years ago and Pasco now are two entirely different places. Growth has occurred. Now it is to the point that we can no longer afford it. History is nice, but current realities dictate the actions of the day. Our national economy is greatly weakened as seen in the stock market losses and interest rate reductions. Mike Wells saw that trend and worked smarter, thus coming in under budget. He is a man of honor, thus instead of spending the surplus, as some politicians would do, he returned the extra to help the county.

I, too, disagree with the sales tax increase, as it would hurt the economically challenged and the elderly on fixed incomes. When the penny for education was defeated, I made a written proposal to Dr. John Long in 1995 for an impact fee for education. Thankfully, after all these years of work, it was passed by the County Commission. Yes, I do believe in impact fees for capital needs that new construction places on this county. After the defeat of the penny increase for law enforcement, I made a similar written proposal to then-Sheriff Lee Cannon. We must make new construction pay for the burden they place on county services.

Allow me to take exception to you referring to Mrs. Bunting as a "Republican diva." I feel this is a personal attack and outside the rules of engagement in a good debate of the issues.

I oppose the penny sales tax and applaud the budget control of property appraiser Mike Wells.
-- Hugh Townsend, New Port Richey

It's time for better ideas, not more taxes

Editor: I have a great many problems trying to figure out whom our elected folks are really trying to please. It doesn't appear that we the people really matter that much as long as they get the votes to keep them in office. Maybe it is time to change that?

My concerns: We are running out of water. Our county folks want to increase building. We are running out of school space. Let's put a hold on development until we find other sources of water if there is one available.

Regarding schools: The penny sales tax will generate $22-million a year. That in itself is great. But, as always, once a tax is imposed, it never is rescinded. It just escalates until the next time they dream up something to take more money from us.

Superintendent John Long stated, "Figure out how we can create a new school without actually building one?" Why not make better use of what we already have? What is the normal length of the school day? Why not increase the length of the day, shorten the months, have school all year long? One group goes from January to June, the other from July to December. The schools are there! Let's use them. The teachers are there and they scramble for part-time jobs during the summer. Oh right, we are going to screw up the families' vacation plans. What is more important?

Wouldn't it be nice if our elected officials found a way to live with the money now collected from our taxes? I realize that will never happen. It is like a disease. It runs out of control, and the more you get, the more you want. It never ends. Sad.
-- H.R. Neill, New Port Richey

State water rules must be implemented

Editor: The Pasco Times has a big article about the big unneeded and unwanted Lake Lisa low-income, high water-use complex. When is our leader, Gov. Jeb Bush, going to issue emergency water-saving edicts?

The welcome center on Interstate 95 near Jacksonville says don't drink tap water, it's unsafe. The Everglades is burning. Crews Lake and others are bone dry.

It's not only the drought, it's overpumping in the '90s. Doesn't the governor see thousands of homes being built while the county commissioners of Pasco issue all these permits while calling existing residents water wasters?

The ancient Romans built elaborate water transport systems. Not only are they still in use, but they are tourist attractions. What about a piping system in Florida? Desalination plants? Dams? Rain-catching devices? Does Lake Lisa have a provision to catch and reuse rainwater?

Schools are just as important as water. Without water in our homes, we won't need schools. But both are far ahead of the bullet train.

When is our governor going to take charge?
-- J. Gordon Rosser, Hudson

More precise voting system is possible

Editor: You walk out of the voting booth and think to yourself, "I think I voted for so and so, and I'm pretty sure I pushed the right button."

Why must you wonder with today's machines?

With today's technology, you should be able to leave the voting booth with a printout showing the candidate's name you voted for and the office he ran for.

Perhaps, also with a precinct number so if you made a mistake, you can try again as they do now. Please tell me why this will not work?
-- Frank Chris Dohrmann, Lutz

Economic development plans have failed

Re: Attract higher-paying jobs to build economy, Feb. 23 editorial.

Editor: In essence the idea is correct, but the way to go is wrong. The Committee of 100 and now the EDC has been a thorn in Pasco County since its beginning in mid 1980s. We have invested an average of $200,000 per year since that time with no true value.

They started telling us to paint everything green and pink to convey Florida and then continue the idea of joining Tampa Bay's Committee of 100, pay dues and convince their companies to move to Pasco, and have award dinners.

The Committee of 100 had nothing to do with infrastructure improvements. Now we have a study delivered by William Fruth, an economist retained by the EDC, saying the county should invest $500,000 per year instead of $250,000. Large companies don't relocate because of recruitment; they enter an area because of their own surveys.

A report by you could be of more service to the community to get our value out of our investment to the EDC. How many jobs have they produced since the mid 1980s? How many tax dollars have been generated? Has the worth covered our investment?
-- June Rose, Bayonet Point

Thurman uses liberal ideas to ignite fear

Re: Supporting Thurman's ideas will help to stave off debt, March 16 letter.

Editor: The writer sure is putting a spin on things. U.S. Rep. Karen Thurman does not want to cut taxes so there will be more money in Washington to spend. The writer stated that the first victims of the tax cut would be Social Security, Medicare, help for the elderly, etc. It's just like a true liberal to scare the elderly.

Thurman said last week that President Bush is putting the cart before the horse. All I can say is President Bush has already got the horse harness, and if Mrs. Thurman and her liberal friends aren't aboard the cart when he gets the horse hooked up, they will be left behind.

It will take more than a vote of confidence. By the way, how can you cut taxes for someone who does not pay taxes? If you and I were sitting at a table with Uncle Sam, and he took $10 from you and $1 from me and then he handed me the $10 and you the $1, how would you feel? That is basically what the liberals want to do.
-- Kenneth Toeppe, Spring Hill

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