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Letters To The Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 28, 2008

Savings Are Minimal

I received my "Proposed Tax Notice," and I now realize that it did not change the tax environment much, as we were told it would do last year. My 13 years of paying $3,500 taxes for my home is probably average for Tampa. However, my tax statement states that with no budget changes my taxes will be $10.20 less than last year.

Last year our state Legislature, in their grandstand display, said that they were doubling the homestead exemption and greatly saving taxes for the Florida homeowners. Then the city and county governments, while crying in their beer, predicted that they were losing so much tax revenue that they would need to lay off many of their employees. Of course, they tried to scare us by threatening to lay off police and firemen. However, the reality is that nothing changed. My $10 savings won't fill up my car's gas tank; I can't dine at an average restaurant; it won't pay my electric, water, sewer or telephone bills; and it certainly won't pay for one hour of a policeman or fireman's salary.

So, what did the Florida taxpayers learn from this experience? Answer: The only time you can believe a politician is when the tax notice is delivered!

JIM REUL

Tampa

Too Much Dependency

Regarding "Repercussions Of Amendment 1" (Letters, Aug. 24):

Lisa Levisons's letter brought a tear to my eye. What with all her sad stories about her Brownie troop, inconvenient library hours, not wasting copy paper, and the real clincher, the chess tournament. How does she cope?

I'm 63 years old and never had children, but again this year I'll be paying for those who do. The TRIM notice I got last week shows that I will pay over $1,500 just in school taxes! For what?

Somewhere along the way we have strayed from the basics of building schools and hiring teachers to basically rearing children in the public school system. Free breakfasts, free or discounted lunches, transportation all over the county and now, chess tournaments.

The financial obligation of having children should be like any other. If you can't afford it, don't do it. If you do, don't expect more money from me - or sympathy.

I just hope Amendment 5 makes it to the ballot. Yes, I have researched it and will certainly support it.

M. HOMA

Palm Harbor

Make The Adjustments

As I understand it from Lisa Levison, I should not have voted for a tax reduction so that I could help subsidize her children's Brownie troop and chess club? Was she really serious? And to avoid the late fee at the library, I would suggest returning the books on time.

BILL MURMAN

Tampa

Individual Responsibility

If I understood correctly, the state of Florida just gave Lisa Levison $175 that she and other Brownie scout supporters could use to rent a meeting room for their girls, or that she could use to rent a place for her son's chess club tournament.

Taxation doesn't magically create money - it simply redistributes money from one person's pocket to another's. The real issue is that Florida - and the country as a whole - needs to decide what society should pay for and what should be paid by each individual person using a service or amenity.

In this case, Levison is being asked to foot the bill for her own children's extracurricular activities. And I am headed off to the store to buy tissues, tape and hand sanitizer for my son's school classroom.

TODD BECK

Riverview

Would Support Repeal

Would someone please start a petition to repeal Amendment 1? I would be the first to sign.

DONALD DUNNUCK

Valrico

GOP Made Right Choice

Regarding Hillsborough Voters Due Better Choice" (Our Opinion, Aug. 21) and Daniel Ruth's column "Is President Burgin So Far-Fetched?" (Metro, Aug. 21):

"Hillsborough's legislative delegation has a reputation for being weak and easy to ignore" is all the more reason to send new blood to Tallahassee. In a political arena that does not want business as usual, Rachel Burgin is the right choice for House District 56. The Tribune has lambasted a young lady who is honest, bright and who will offer a new outlook in Tallahassee.

The Republican Party could not have chosen another person who will work as hard.

It is not a wonder why more outstanding young men and women do not enter the political arena when they are subjected to editorials and columns such as these. I am a Republican and know that our party leaders in Hillsborough County would only make choices that are best for Hillsborough County voters.

While I am sure all the applicants brought many qualities, I believe Burgin has the youth, ideals and values that best represent the constituents of District 56. Your editorial will only make me and others in District 56 work harder to make sure she is elected and assure she will represent my district in Tallahassee. Shame on you.

DEBORAH COX-ROUSH

Lithia

Manipulated Outcome

After reading articles about Rep. Trey Traviesa announcing he would not seek re-election, and purposely waiting until it was too late for anyone to file for candidacy, I wondered if there was any point that was too low for the Republicans to stoop.

Now the voters cannot decide who will be the Republican candidate. Instead the Republican Party was allowed to choose, and they picked Traviesa's 26-year-old aide, Rachel Burgin, whose Bible-thumping attributes is more an asset for a pastor, not a state representative. We already have enough people in the Legislature in an unholy allegiance with the religious right. What we need is a state representative who will tackle the important issues of the constituents, like taxes and insurance, and not have some personal agenda that would be better served in church.

Burgin will most certainly not have the taxpayers' interests in mind, and the Republican Party most certainly knew that when they chose her.

MIKE ANGEL

Valrico

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