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Pasco Letters to Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 5, 2007

Beware The 'Rs'

The less taxes, less government and more guns chairman of the Pasco Republican Party, Bill Bunting, wants everyone to support the state's ballot initiative on Jan. 29 that would increase the homestead exemption to $50,000. Isn't it ironic that the Legislature's support for raising the constitutional amendment passage rate from 50 percent to 60 percent in support of business interests that hate this voice of the people may well come back to bite them in the backside?

For those homesteaders living in less expensive homes and on fixed incomes, this looks like a great idea. However, it offers no relief for others and just increases the huge inequities in our tax system.

It also fails miserably to take into account the short-fall in tax collections that would be caused by this amendment and the additional shortfall in real estate tax collections that will be caused by the subprime loan debacle. What homesteaders might gain from the passage of this amendment might be lost in the future because this state is heading for what I call a tax collection train wreck.

What else could one expect from a Legislature that was so dumb they couldn't anticipate the run-up on property values that left people with ad valorem tax bills they couldn't pay and the increases in homeowners' insurance bills that people couldn't pay either after several hurricanes?

But I certainly agree with Bunting when he wrote "it's my position as the Republican county chairman to follow the party line: less government and less taxes." Most would agree we have less government. In fact, I question if we have any at all.

Less government in Florida means special interests are invited in by our Republican-dominated Legislature to fill the void, allowing this state to wring out what they want from the productivity of Floridians for the support they can receive at the next election.

Bunting makes no mention of the hundreds of special interest tax breaks approved by this Republican Legislature and how much it has increased your tax bill and convoluted our tax structure. He also fails to mention the continual efforts by Democrats to eliminate all but a very few of these breaks.

The most blatant and expensive law requires taxpayers to clean lead from hundreds of gun ranges in this state. This will eventually cost taxpayers many millions of dollars.

Bunting wants Republicans to call their Pasco legislative delegation and get involved. Please note the (R) in front of these names. That's right. Guess who has been in charge of the store as one of the biggest tax and insurance messes in the history of Florida has unfolded?

And what have your Republican legislators been doing all this time besides passing out goodies to the National Rifle Association and other special interests?

I just wish more people would look more carefully at this continuing Republican mantra of less government and less taxes. What you might find may offend your nose and your pocketbook.

ART HAYHOE

Wesley Chapel

Don't Relinquish Beliefs

Thank you, Tom Jackson, for your outstanding column Sunday on the naming of the Christmas tree ("No Matter How You Try To Decorate It, It's A Christmas Tree").

For too many years, many sincere individuals have allowed a retreat from their basic beliefs in a country that recognizes responsible freedom of expression. In the interest of being "politically and sensitivity correct," many individuals have relinquished their commitments to solid, traditional personal beliefs to the fleeting and transparent opinions of whoever and whatever gets the most attention.

The spirit of Christmas focuses on peace, joy, and love in dealing with the many fallacies that have accumulated over the years since the first Christmas. Yes, Jesus Christ was born over 2,000 years ago, and He has made His mark on history. His spirit lives on through many followers through their desire, dedication and determination to live in His spirit.

May the peace, joy and love that the first Christmas brought to many followers continue to attract others today.

Thank you, Tom, for reminding us about living life to the fullest without distorting the ultimate reason for living life to the fullest.

MATTHEW T. HILLEN

Dade City

A Legal Holiday

Regarding "Spirit Of Community," letters, Nov. 30:

In reading Pastor Jeffrey Olsen's letter supporting the term "holiday tree" instead of the traditional "Christmas tree," I am further convinced there is an ongoing aggressive secular movement in the U.S.

I don't think that Pastor Olsen is a part of the movement. I just think the good pastor, like many Christians, would rather down-play any assault against Christianity and tradition for the sake of, well, turning the other cheek. That is a shame, because as long as the Pastor Olsens of the land take this position, the secularists will persist.

The secularists' agenda is simple: change the USA. Bullet points in their agenda are things like legalizing addictive drugs, unfettered abortion, no judgments of any kind, criminal coddling, gay and lesbian marriage. Basically, anything goes.

The one giant wall standing in the way is the institution of religion. As long religion is strong, the secularists have a problem. Ergo the assault against religion, particularly Christians, and the secularists will continue their agenda because the Christian clergy is so passive in the face of this assault.

President U.S. Grant signed into law in 1870 that Dec. 25 of every year be a federal holiday called Christmas Day. Let's continue to refer to it that way.

GENE PARADISO

New Port Richey

Not In My Front Yard

Pasco gave Verizon the right to bring fiber optics across homeowners' front lawns and leave behind their ugly green covers. The utility easements are located in the backyards. The majority of homeowners had no idea what was going on until crews came in and started digging up their well-cared-for lawns. Most, if not, all are aggravated about this, as the easement in front of the homes was not known to most.

This shows a lack of concern for homeowners. Improvements should have been made in the backyards, not on their front lawns.

FRANK PALAMIDIS

Port Richey

The writer is a Democratic activist and executive director of the Florida Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

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