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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 24, 2007

Updated: 12/23/2007 08:22 pm

Update Our Old Song

Regarding "State Song Finalists Vie For Your Vote" (front page, Dec. 12):

Oh lordy, how my heart grows weary. I had hoped the insulting and ill-advised "American Idol"-type contest to find a song to replace "Old Folks At Home" would have died a natural death by now. No such luck.

I urge Floridians to "just say no" to all three of the songs that were selected as finalists in the contest. Instead, let's let our legislators and governor know that our current state song is just fine. All that's needed is that a couple of words need to be officially updated and that will be that.

GLORIA HOLLOWAY

Tampa

Return Of The Tents

Regarding "That Time Of Year - Again" (Letters, Dec. 17):

I couldn't agree more with Ross Ferraro. It's ridiculous that we have to put up with the barrage of fireworks in our neighborhoods during the week leading up to New Year's in addition to the week leading up to Independence Day.

From what I understand, the Legislature is looking into closing some of the loopholes in the fireworks law. Let's hope this will be the last December that we will see those tents pop up on every corner.

ROY GARCIA

Brandon

Leave It To The Pros

Trouble is brewing in Tallahassee, and it could be exploding in your backyard next year.

A "Consumer Fireworks Task Force" was created to study and make recommendations regarding the sale and use of consumer fireworks in Florida. Under current Florida law - State Statute 791 - consumer fireworks are illegal unless used for commercial agricultural of fish hatchery operations to scare away birds or for railroad and mining operations as signaling devices.

The language to create this task force was added to an unrelated agricultural bill and it guaranteed the fireworks industry would have three representatives on the eight-member task force. Talk about conflict of interest.

The National Fire Protection Association estimates there are approximately 10,000 injuries each year by fireworks that require treatment in a medical facility and over 40 percent of the injuries are to children under the age of 15. In addition, fireworks cause over 20,000 fires each year and do untold damage to our animals.

For the safety of your family and your neighbors, celebrate the holidays by attending a professional fireworks display.

WOFFORD JOHNSON

Tampa

Amendment Is No Fix

I have just finished reading the proposed constitutional amendmentwas an appraiser in an assessor's office for 28 years, and after reading this proposed amendment I am thoroughly confused.

What I do fully understand is that the Legislature has fixed nothing. On the tax bill that a citizen receives it states "ad valorem" which means "according to value." But, in the state of Florida, the amount of taxes a citizen pays is determined not according to value, but rather when you purchased the property. How unfair and discriminatory is that?

The Legislature must fix the problem and make taxes fair and equitable to all property owners. Portability of the Save Our Homes benefit only magnifies the tax inequity.

I urge all citizens to vote "no" on the amendment and demand that the Legislature fix the tax problem for good.

DAVID J BRAMUCHI

Dade City

Lower Age Of Consent

Regarding "Lafave's Attorney Wants Hearing" (Metro, Dec. 19):

That 17-year-old girl who Debra Lafave spoke with is not a minor, is not a juvenile, is not a child, is not a kid and neither are all other 17 - and younger - teenagers today. The sexual revolution that started in the 1950s brought to light that the age of consent at 18 is ridiculous; in this case, a joke. Lafave violated her contract with the school board, she weakened trust in the education system, yes, but she cannot help talking about sex when almost every young girl around her is talking about it. I have joked, with tongue in cheek, about school boards talking about giving out free condoms to students over 11 years old. Why then does anyone wonder about this?

Lafave should not be punished for a violation of probation. Instead, the age of consent should be lowered, in some cases, to a more "up-to-date" age.

BOB WOLFE

Sun City Center

A Bad Comparison

Regarding "Straight Time's Never Easy, Even For Lafave" (Metro, Dec. 8):

How can Daniel Ruth compare Debra Lafave, who is a child molester, to Mrs. Robinson of "The Graduate," who had sex with an adult male? Boys at 14 years old are sexual, but they are not mature enough to make adult decisions. How many of us made poor decisions when we were between the ages of 13 and 18? We weren't bad; we just weren't mature enough to think things through.

Lafave was in a position of respect and authority. It was easy for her to use her position to sway this victim. She betrayed everyone who trusted her to respect the boundaries!

And Lafave obviously does not know when to stop!

PENNY ANN PETRINI

Hudson

The New 'Normal'?

Water restrictions are imposed because of drought. What if the reduced rainfall is now the normal? Lake Okeechobee's water level is 5 feet below normal. The aquifer in Hillsborough County is way below normal. What has to happen to wake up the decision makers?

We keep waiting for more signs and all of a sudden we'll be facing Atlanta's problem. I don't understand the mentality of sticking your head in the sand and waiting like Atlanta did. Keep building huge developments, destroying wetlands, but we will never have Atlanta's problem. Oh yeah?

LOUIS BENTLEY

Tampa

Correction

The last line of the Dec. 23 Commentary column "Patient Beware" by Rosemary Goudreau was accidentally left off the page. The last paragraph reads, in full: "Perhaps now he'll discover the surgery wasn't a success."

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