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Pasco Letters to the Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 19, 2007

'Developers' Candidate'

I do not think that outgoing Pasco County Attorney Robert Sumner needs to apologize for labeling Tim Hayes the 'developers' candidate' in the upcoming county attorney selection as mentioned in a newspaper article.

I have read the major news articles, letters to the editor and the job applications of the two local applicants, Chief Assistant County Attorney Barbara Wilhite and Hayes. After doing this research and as a concerned citizen in northeast Pasco, I agree that Hayes is the developers' candidate.

In his application, Hayes lists his academic and professional credentials. I can see that he is a good person, on the board of directors of many councils, authorities, committees and foundations, and a successful and qualified attorney. He is a paragon of civic involvement and support.

He also lists the following relevant experience: 'Some of the larger Pasco County projects I have been involved with include the following: Carpenter's Run MPUD; Willow Bend MPUD; Willow Bend Town Centre; Sable Ridge MPUD ... Swan Lake Mine; Hidden Creek Golf Course; Woods L.B. Farms; Quail Hollow Golf Course; Collier Commons; and Caliente Resort. For several years one of my largest clients was Scarborough Corporation, a division of Weyerhauser Corp., which was headquartered in Pasco County and for which I handled all of their Pasco County projects.'

Along with the builders' and developers' quotes in the St. Petersburg Times' articles, this proves to me Hayes is the developers' candidate and should not be selected to help guide growth in the county for perhaps the next 20 years. Developers have too much influence in county government already. Having the people's attorney on the side of the developers will only hurt the people of Pasco County.

In Wilhite's application, outside of working as a law clerk prior to 1993, she states she has worked entirely for Pasco County in the county attorney's office. Having over 12 years of experience in county offices, she has worked for Sumner and knows the staff, commissioners and the history and legacy of development in the county.

She is knowledgeable, thoughtful, competent and supportive of the high quality of life we presently strive for in Pasco. If selected, she would be able to ensure the continuance of a high-quality Office of the County Attorney.

I feel that Sumner has been good for our county. He has fairly ruled and advised for the betterment of residents and not necessarily for the betterment of developers. I feel Wilhite will continue this legacy.

Next week, the commissioners should vote to select her to be Sumner's replacement.

RICHARD K. RILEY

Trilby

Buy Insurance Yourself

Regarding 'Children's Health Insurance Veto Insult To Nation's Future,' Oct. 14:

I read with interest Luis Lopez's guest column. I am sure Lopez is sincere in his words, as he usually is. Unfortunately, he doesn't have his facts straight.

The bill was vetoed because the Democrats had the ceiling set at $80,000. Eighty thousand dollars is ridiculous. The Dems put the ceiling at 80 grand for one reason and one reason only: They knew it would be vetoed, then they could raise the hue and cry about Republicans not caring 'for the children.' It would be funny if so many uninformed people didn't actually believe the drivel the liberals dish out.

I hear a lot about how so many other countries have universal health care and how good it is. Balderdash! Folks come to the U.S. from all over the world to receive health care. The Germans have a good health care system, but they pay 40 percent of their income in taxes - 40 percent! The liberals don't bother to tell you that part.

The Dems didn't want that bill to pass; what they wanted was a reason to spread more untruths about Republicans.

It's nice to talk about how we should do everything for everybody. I am sure it made Lopez feel good to say all the nice politically correct things that good liberals say. But the reality is, someone has to pay for all this. And that someone is usually me.

On $80,000 a year, get your own insurance or work for a company that offers it as a benefit. But don't ask me to pay for insurance for someone who makes that much a year.

LES RAYBURN

Dade City

Zero Water Pollution

I have read with interest recent articles in the Tribune debating the relative merits of expanding the county's Shady Hills incinerator or establishing a trash composting and recycling facility near Dade City.

I would like to address a point on which I have some expertise as a retired air program administrator with the Tampa office of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. I have done a small amount of air quality consulting for Angelo's Recycled Materials, which wants to build the composting and recycling facility.

In Tom Jackson's Sept. 30 column ('Curious Case Of Incurious Commissioners'), Pasco County Administrator John Gallagher was quoted in support of expanding the incinerator, saying 'the goal was not to trade air pollution for water pollution.'

The fact is, an expansion of the incinerator will absolutely increase emissions of significant quantities of pollutants that will have negative effects on human health. These include dioxin, mercury and heavy metals that will be routinely emitted, as opposed to water pollution from the composting and recycling facility, which would essentially be zero.

JERRY KISSEL

Clearwater

Keep Debate Honest

Two recent letters to the editor submitted by Carl Roth regarding the proposed trash composting and recycling facility in east Pasco contain falsehoods that must be addressed.

The sharply lower rates offered by the proponents of the trash composting and recycling facility are a matter of contract, as is their refusal to accept trash by rail. Further, the U.S. Geological Survey has deemed the property to have an extremely low risk of sinkholes, and there is virtually no risk to water supplies. The proposed facility is the best answer for our environment and wallets.

Roth seems quite adept at questioning others' motivations. Those efforts should deal with facts and not untruths. Please keep the debate on such a crucial issue honest.

DANNY HERRERO

Land O' Lakes

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