TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Letters To The Editor

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 24, 2007

Crist Did Right Thing

Regarding "Crist's Indian Gambling Pact Faces High Court Challenge" (front page, Nov. 20):

Gov. Christ did the right thing by making a deal with the Seminole Tribe and securing this money for Florida. With the expected shortfall from the decrease in property taxes, he would have been negligent not taking this opportunity to replenish the coffers.

The additional monies should not only be used for education, but also to make desperately needed improvements in the state's infrastructure. The Legislature did not deliver on hoped for cuts in taxes and property insurance. Why should we trust them not to mess this up?

DEBORAH GREEN

Sun City Center

Better Us Than Feds

Once again the House Speaker, Marco Rubio, who hails from Miami-Dade, has threatened to throw oil into the water when the state gets a guaranteed $100 million per year by the state of Florida's original inhabitants - the Seminole Tribe of Florida. His county, and the two surrounding counties of Broward and Palm Beach, have the highest number of high schools three years' running, noted as "dropout factories" by Johns Hopkins University and the U.S. Department of Education. It seems like they certainly could utilize some of that revenue.

Perhaps Rubio should start by looking in his own county and the two that surround it.

Does the Legislature not realize the consequences had the governor not signed the deal when he did? Do they not have any idea of the backlash by the public knowing the feds would have gotten the annual $100 million because the House didn't have their egos stroked?

It seems this is one set of elected officials who, once again, have failed the citizens of the state when it comes to our out-of-pocket money. Property insurance, property taxes and, most recently, PIP all had the House and Senate's opportunity to be reviewed and re-worked. Deadlines came and went, and it appears that property owners and residents come last when it is time to maintain any sense of citizenship in this state.

Now money to improve our schools, increase faculty salaries and maybe even, finally, lure people to actually move into the state, or keep them from leaving it, are going to have more public money thrown at it - in a courtroom.

And the rest of the Legislature? Take heed; voters don't forget when it comes to the amount of money taken out of their pockets because of bureaucracy and ego. It is literally becoming a matter of life and death to live in Florida.

SCOTT KJEER

Riverview

The People Want It

Marco Rubio needs counseling, not legal counsel. How can he say the people of Florida don't want upgraded gambling when all he has to do is see the attendance of our casinos? The people want it.

There will be billions for the state and thousands of jobs made available. Most of the country has it and they are all doing very well.

I also disagree that crime will rise since our top cop, Sheriff David Gee, is the best in the business.

Rubio doesn't speak for me.

FRANK PEPPACENO

Sun City Center

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT