letters-to-the-editor-20141009

Another no vote for penny sales tax

I continue to be amazed at how little respect our representatives (local, state, and federal) have for the intelligence of the long-suffering tax payers.

A number of years ago we were asked to enact a .5 cent sales tax to support the school board’s management of our schools.

We did. When it was enacted, it had a beginning and an end. The end is here, but the school board, instead of asking for a renewal, has joined with Brooksville and Hernando County folks and is asking for a 1 cent sales tax increase to be divided between the schools and the infrastructure projects.

The need to fund infrastructure projects has largely been created by doing away with the “impact fee” formerly levied against developers (whose projects tend to create the need for the infrastructure improvements we are now being asked to pay for). Does this smell like both the school board and Brooksville/Hernando County are unwilling to let each request stand on it’s own?

This whole effort at misdirection sounds a whole lot like the “log rolling” we so often decry in the Legislature ( e.g. I’ll support your proposal — that I don’t really care for — if you will support my proposal — that you don’t care for). Most of us don’t like when it happens in the Legislature, but it apparently has worked so well there for so many politicians that they are now trying it out on the long-suffering taxpayers. Sounds like a good reason to vote no on this item.

J L Bispo

Spring Hill

Red-light camera protesters should just stop

A few weeks ago I wrote a letter to the Hernando Today encouraging people to drive a reasonable speed, and stop for the red lights. My thoughts were that it would stop accidents and injuries, and another effect would be to end the need for red-light cameras. I knew when I wrote the letter, that someone would certainly object to what I said. And, someone did. Mr. Pat Miketinac, the author of the red light camera lawsuit, wrote in to object. What a surprise there, huh?

Mr. Miketinac wrote in with what he thought were impressive statistics about the FDOT yellow light timing formula, and some Florida state statutes. In my letter, I asked people not to use the lame excuse of being afraid of getting rear-ended as their reason for not stopping for the yellow and/or red light. But, that was one of Mr. Miketinac’s defenses for going through the red light.

I was also a little surprised as to why he had an objection to what I wrote. I’m not against his lawsuit to bring the matter to a ballot vote. If the people of Hernando county want to vote against the cameras, so be it. I just think the logical thing for everyone to do, is to drive that reasonable speed so you are able to stop for the red lights.

I wish Mr. Miketinac good luck in getting the item on the ballot, and having the people decide the issue. But, maybe it’s the cynical, suspicious, ex-New Yorker, ex-cop coming out in me, that still thinks it’s people just don’t like getting caught violating the law, that is behind a lot of the red light protests. Didn’t Shakespeare have a quote that said something like, “me thinks thou doth protest too much?”

Russ Colombo

Spring Hill

VA Making Progress (Not in Hernando County)

Recently I received a copy of the Veterans Health Benefits Handbook and had several questions to ask concerning some of the chapters. Living in Hernando County I decided to call our Veterans Service Officer and was told I could not get an appointment for approximately three weeks. That was very discouraging. I believe a veteran or his spouse should not have to wait three weeks to ask a question or file a claim. I know Mikal and Debbie are doing what they can to assist but does everyone know about them. Our elected officials say they are for veterans, so lets see who steps up to the plate for us. We did it for you.

Julius Ricks

Spring Hill

Bravo to Scott for stance on health issues

Another election season is upon us and we are treated to various nauseating ads, most notably of which are the collection of bimbos boohooing Governor Scott for “interfering” with their “healthcare” by restricting who pays for their birth control. There are a vast majority of electors who believe it is you who should bare the responsibility of financing your lifestyle.

We do not care with whom or how often you have sex just that we do not wish to fund it and furthermore do not believe any group insurance policy should be mandated to supply it. A private policy, as long as it’s your money, we don’t care but no employer, regardless of religious beliefs, should be forced to supply it.

Now as far as Gov. Scott signing a bill making it much more difficult to have an abortion, I say bravo. Every pregnancy is the gestation of a new and most valuable life and anyone contemplating the destruction of that life should be made to look long and hard at the consequences. If we must take 20 years to finally execute the most heinous of criminals, why then is it an imposition for a woman to view a sonogram of the child inside her, who after all has never done anything to deserve a death penalty. Or is it simply that pro choice means it is they and they alone who gets to choose who lives and who dies?

George Stansbury

Brooksville