Letters to the Editors

Candidates should be clear on desalination stance

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 19, 2000

Re: County Commission hopefuls toss around ideas for future, April 14.

Editor: This hit a hot button. Perhaps we need to remind those gentlemen running for District 5 that there is a lot of Pasco County east of U.S. 19.

I understand that they were all asked if they would go as far as an administrative hearing to keep desalination out of the county. And the resounding answer was yes! This is shortsighted and ignorant.

No new water can be brought on line west of U.S. 19 because of saltwater intrusion. There is no land in north or southwestern Pasco that can be tapped for future water sources. New Port Richey's outlying areas are already experiencing drawdown damage and soil subsidence from Starkey Well Field and private utilities.

Central Pasco County is experiencing massive environmental damage. Soil subsidence and hardwood loss are a daily occurrence, and sinkholes near the well fields are becoming common. Aquifer levels are at an all-time low. East Pasco is next in line, even though it is already damaged from overpumping, and the county has rightfully adopted a policy to stop development of further groundwater sources.

So far, only two candidates running for District 5 have bothered to inform themselves about what goes on in the rest of the county: Commissioner Clark and Jack Armstrong. Fred Miller has spent years spreading the worst kind of misinformation about desalination because he feels it will affect his fishing. Faulkner and Poulin, it would seem, play only to a select group and ignore the populace at large.

None of the candidates know much, if anything, about desalination. Are they willing to put public safety and health at risk? Is this mere posturing?

I have listened to some of those same candidates in central or eastern Pasco, and amazingly, they support desal at Anclote if that site is chosen for the second desalination plant. Are the candidates so unsure of their positions that their minds change like the weather? Or are they putting out trial balloons to see what stance is the most popular?

If we're already getting two positions from the same mouth, can we believe anything that is said?

Public office is not for fun, guys. In case you haven't noticed it, Pasco has changed. You will not be elected to run a popularity contest; you will be elected to serve all of the residents of Pasco. From here on, please get off the fence and speak decisively, or forever sit down and hold your peace.
-- Gilliam Clarke, Quail Hollow

New development will strain water resources further

Editor: I woke up this morning and realized I forgot to water my yard, my one day a week to water. Heck! Now the yard has to wait another week to get some relief, unless it rains. Had a short chat with my mom who thinks it's ridiculous that residents should do their best to mind the watering restrictions, when more and more homes are built. I had to agree with her.

I read there are at least 13,099 new homes proposed in the Wesley Chapel area, 1,599 of which are already through one of the hoops in the permit process. If they all are approved that's approximately 32,000 more residents, at 150 gallons per person per day, or 4.8-million more gallons a day of water usage. That's a lot of water! In fact, we have approximately 700 plus homes going in right next door, along with a golf course. I don't think it takes a degree in physics to realize that at this rate, we will have some very serious problems in the future.
-- K. Schwartz, Land O'Lakes

GOP leaders cry foul now that things aren't going their way

Re: GOP official challenges club's name, April 13.

Editor: It never ceases to amaze me the pretzel logic exhibited by people especially when things do not turn out as they want. The latest example of twisted logic is Zoltan Mayer's and Joan Kelley's request to the state party that "Republican" be taken out of the Second Amendment Republican Club of Pasco County name. After admitting to secret dealings and having reneged on them, Zoltan now cries foul and starts with the name calling, all in the name of democracy. Where have Mayer and Kelley been since 1998 that they have let these "radicals," as they now call the club members, infiltrate their organization?

If the leadership and concern were there all along, this might have surfaced sooner. Or is it perhaps that democracy is finally working as it should in the committee and it is now reflecting the concerns of the majority in Pasco County. After all, isn't this a government of, for and by the people? Any county Republican is eligible for membership in the executive committee. The fact that 80 of the 110 executive committee members are also club members says a lot about the concerns of the people in this county and their involvement in their government. Denying, as Mayer and Kelley are, that a majority of the people in the county and the country have these same concerns and vilifying those that do by labeling them radicals is not only immature but also counterproductive and hardly democratic. This last gasp for power leaves me but with one recommendation for Dr. Mayer, and that is "Physician, heal thyself."
-- Ed Mejias, Land O'Lakes

Throwing beads, candy during parade is dangerous activity

Re: Chasco Street Parade.

Editor: Attention president of the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce, members and in particular the Chasco Street Parade of 2000 committee.

As a proud senior citizen of New Port Richey, I recently attended the street parade and got all settled in for an enjoyable afternoon. This didn't happen; instead I found myself protecting my face from beads and candy. At one point my glasses fell off.

Beads, beads, beads. Candy, candy, candy. The crowd chanted for two hours. I could hardly see the beautiful floats going by. If they wanted beads and candy thrown at them, let them go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras or the Gasparilla parade. At one point the crowd really got way out of control, moving from the curb into the street. It was a dangerous situation, and there were no police in sight. Some of the parents were worse than the kids. I came home badly shaken and thankful that I didn't have a heart attack or a stroke.

What is the committee waiting for? Injuries, lawsuits against the city? They were all so concerned about the water balloons at the boat parade. The warning worked, and it was a beautiful boat parade. The street parade would have been beautiful without the beads and candy. A parade should be for everybody, young and old. I hope the people that count are paying attention.
-- Patricia A. Reardon, New Port Richey

Upkeep of feeder roads is county's job, not residents'

Editor: The homeowners association of Timber Oaks development needs to alert the Pasco County commissioners of their ill-thought-out plan to assess the residents of Timber Oaks a fee to repave Ponderosa Boulevard and Lamadera, Maucopna and Ranch roads.

Most of the residents are more than willing to pay the assessment if and when it is needed for our streets. The streets mentioned are used mainly by motorists taking short cuts to avoid traffic lights on State Road 52, U.S. 19, and Little Road. Check the amount of traffic in and out of the Veterans Center, Pasco Health Center and Timber Oaks Golf Course, over a thousand per day. These same roads are traveled by school buses twice a day.

I believe the county should realize these roads are feeder roads, and the upkeep and maintenance should be done by the county, not the residents. I'm aware that there are no taxes collected for us for road maintenance, but the county should levy the cost on all residents for feeder roads, not just the residents who tolerate this extra traffic daily.
-- John Myers, Port Richey

Lindrick deal smells fishy; county should let it die

Editor: I have been reading the stories of Port Richey and the Lindrick deal for quite some time. I am ready to regurgitate. The deal has the same stench as the old sewer deal and a former mayor.

I, a former businessman, have a terrible odor in my nostrils. If Joe Borda, a pretty shrewd businessman, could not make a go of it, how could the city of Port Richey make it work?

Can it possibly be there is another story hidden somewhere that Mr. and Mrs. Citizen should not know about. Yes! I am curious. It is about time that the residents of Port Richey arose and started to yell enough is enough.

It is time to tell Mr. Lupo and Mr. Marino that we do not want the smelly Lindrick deal. Let it die, let it rest in peace.
-- Michael Starr, Port Richey

Share your views

The Pasco Times welcomes letters from readers for publication.

Because of space limitations, letters should be of reasonable length (250-300 words maximum as a rule).

Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

All letters must be signed and must contain the writer's address and telephone number. Addresses and telephone numbers will not be printed. Anonymous letters or letters with initials only will not be printed.

Send your letter to Pasco Times, 11321 U.S. 19, Port Richey, FL 34668.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.