Letters to the Editors

Voters have been clear on term limits

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 4, 2000

Re: Term limits challenge loses some support,
-- May 31.
Who does County Attorney Susan Churuti work for? Does she work for the politicians in office or does she work for the people of Pinellas County who pay her $100,000-plus salary? I am part of the 72 percent of the people in the county who voted to limit terms of elected officials. "Our county officials" have already challenged the will of the people three times and three times the voice of the people has been confirmed. It's time that the sheriff, the property appraiser, supervisor of elections and the clerk of the court bow to the wishes of the people who elected them.
I am outraged that the county is using our county attorney and our money to challenge the vote of its citizens. Attorney Churuti should be supporting the wishes of the people who pay her, not her cronies.
Dee Day, North Redington Beach

New constitutional officers needed

Re: Term limits challenge loses some support.

Because the constitutional officers of Pinellas County refuse to accept the will of the people on term limits, I have decided to vote for their opponents in the next election. They are opposing term limits for the simple reason that they want to keep their jobs. The voters want term limits, the courts have ruled the limits are constitutional, but the people in office still want to spend your tax dollars on challenging the law. If they feel so strongly about this, let them pay for the court costs out of their own pocket.

Enough of this. Let's put all new constitutional officers in place at the next election.
-- Joan Mills, Tarpon Springs

Hurricane season full of media hype

With the beginning of another hurricane season, be prepared -- not for the storms but for media overkill. Hurricanes have been hitting our coastline since the beginning of time. Your local news stations will have you running for cover like scared rabbits.

You'll be spending money that you don't have on everything from plywood to caulking at escalated prices due to shortages.

They will have you running for the hills, causing confusion on our highways and traffic jams and possible accidents and fatalities.

The storms will come and go and, unfortunately, the media stay. The good news is we all have power buttons on our remote controls. We just need to remember to use our good judgment and go from there.
-- James Stevenson, Tarpon Springs

Police slow to respond in Uptown

Re: Residents ask city for more police officers, May 19.

The headline was too short. More to the point, it should read: "Residents beg for police officers who will show up when crimes are committed!"

As a business-property owner in the Uptown area near St. Anthony's Hospital, I have had my office space repeatedly vandalized, trashed and everything that could come loose outside stolen. I have repeatedly called the cops, only to get a tape-recorded message. Twice in 15 years did I see a live police officer -- who showed up days later to tell me there was nothing he could (would?) do about it!

Meanwhile, there is no shortage of cops all along Ninth Avenue N, Tyrone Boulevard, First Avenue, etc., with nothing else to do but play with their radar guns (making revenue for the city), while catching those worse criminals of all: people going 10 miles per hour over the speed limit.

There is also no shortage of yard cops, i.e., the city code police. Two days after I reported slats torn from my fence by vandals and getting no police action, the letter from Codes came, telling me to fix the fence! (For all this, I pay close to $4,000 per year in taxes!)
-- William R. Hafling, Ph.D., St. Petersburg

Dog's rescue deserved more prominence

Re: A dog's best friends, April 16.
-- The picture and story told about two men, employees of the city of St. Petersburg, who rescued a starving, homeless dog not only from traffic but also from a miserable life and possible death.
This story did not belong on the front page of the Neighborhood Times. It should have been printed on the front page of the St. Petersburg Times or at least on the first page of Section B. It would be very generous of the St. Petersburg Times to rerun the picture and story of these compassionate gentlemen who rescued the forlorn dog. It will warm your heart.
Most often the first page of the St. Petersburg Times (and other newspapers) headline murders, shootings, child abuse and other bad things that people do to other people and animals. I know it is necessary to write about those things, but once in a while can't you balance it with a story on the front page that makes you feel good about the human race? The picture alone is worth a thousand words.
Dorothy Renfro, St. Petersburg

Youngest Jazz Band a pleasure to hear

Recently my wife, Virginia, and I attended a performance by America's Youngest Jazz Band under the direction of Sonny LaRosa at St. Petersburg's Palladium Theatre. It was 90 minutes of sheer pleasure as the 25 young musicians, ranging in age from 6 to 12, drew round after round of applause performing the great music of the big band era.

The band, all of whom are from this area, has outstanding credentials: a gold medal at the International Music Festival in New Orleans; performances at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland; and the Swing 'N' Dixie Jazz Jamboree in Sun Valley, Idaho, to name only a few.

My wife and I were very impressed by the talent of these young musicians. We also enjoyed the chemistry evident between the performers and their 74-year-old director, Sonny LaRosa, who had performed with top bands in the past. Throughout the show, the youngsters not only showed Mr. LaRosa respect but, at the same time, love. It was heartwarming to see the enthusiasm and self-confidence in their playing.

One after another, the many soloists stepped up to the front of the stage, smiling and assured. At the conclusion of each solo, the youngster exchanged high-fives with Sonny. It was a treat to see how much the band players liked working together.
-- Owen C. Gretton, Treasure Island

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