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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 20, 2007

Updated: 11/19/2007 06:55 pm

County experiencing

a turnip crop failure
I am beginning to hear the distant drums beating for a state income tax. These drums need to be silenced before they become a misguided movement that will promised great tax relief only to find that the promised relief disappeared somewhere in Tallahassee.

I moved to Ohio in 1972, just after they enacted a half percent income tax. Their promise was that it would benefit the schools -- don't most taxes start out that way -- and a half percent wouldn't be a serious burden on anyone.

Well, give the politicians a tax and, of course, they will run with it. Check out Ohio's income tax rate now and you will find that the original half percent seems to have grown and is fully competitive with other states.

Once the constitutional barrier to income tax is eliminated, it will become another pot of money that the politicians can tap on a regular basis.

Yes, property taxes have reached the oppressive level, but there are ways to address that and some progress has been made.

The real answer to property taxes lies at the local level. The local government has to stop looking at property taxes as an endless pot of money. Fiscal responsibility needs to be reestablished at all levels of government but starting at the local level is a good first step.

With the current downturn in the economy, the local property owner will not be able to fund county government at the current level. Budget cuts, some painful, will need to be made. THE BUS is one example, is it needed, the answer is yes. But the need is only by a small number of people who lack other means of transportation. Does the need justify its existence? Economically? No. Eliminating it would save on the order of $500,000 or so.

The merger of Spring Hill Fire and Rescue is another example. It appears the only barrier to the merger and subsequent savings is one of personnel and power. The personnel system has been allowed to diverge from the county's. A merger would result in the realignment of the chiefs, some of whom would lose the little kingdoms of power they have built. Governments are elected to address issues like these head on. It is said that you can't get blood out of a turnip, and that is probably true, but if it isn't, Hernando County is experiencing a crop failure of turnips.

Harry Chamberlain

Spring Hill

Reprehensible display

of poor sportsmanship

Coach Lohrey and Principal McGeehan should be ashamed of themselves, their football team, and their fans! If I was a parent of a student or athlete of Central High, I would have to reassess the quality of education and morals my child was getting within the walls of that school.

The behavior of the Central students and athletes at Nature Coast Technical High School last week before, during, and after the game was reprehensible. Not only was I present at the game, but I watched the replay on HITV and I must agree with the announcers that it was truly a "class-less act" on the part of the entire football team and any administration nearby.

What was even more repulsive was that in the video, Coach Lohrey led his team to the center field Shark Logo and was reveling with his team jumping up and down and a few athletes even spit on it.

Coach Lohrey should seriously think about resigning as head coach, who could possibly take him or his team seriously after his actions and comments post-game.

As a fan of local high school sports, I thought I had become immune to the raucous behavior of Central High School fans. There is a vast difference between supporting your school and being offensive. I have seen everything from booing cheerleaders, to the "visiting" fans sitting on the home side and booing the home team when they scored.

I thought I had seen it all until last Friday.

Is this learned or inspired behavior, where does it come from? Maybe Principal McGeehan or, better yet, Coach Lohrey can explain. Either way, it was nothing less than an intolerable display of poor sportsmanship and should not be condoned by the County Administration or the FHSAA. This behavior needs to stop with this incident.

Michael Batchelder

Brooksville

Sports Editor's note: With no prodding from the FHSAA, Central High's administration has suspended every Bear football player involved in that game for one athletic event.

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