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Pasco Letters to the Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 1, 2008

'Wasteful' Spending

Two of the last three months' billing statements I received from Pasco County Utilities Services were for a zero reading; the billed amount was $19.25. The December bill was $100 - thanks for the Christmas present - essentially a two-month bill!

I called their office and was told they did not have enough employees to take all the meter readings. What a lame excuse. Why doesn't the county look into this labor shortage and fix it? Where's the leadership? It's definitely missing, sort of like our sorry so-called leader of a sheriff named Bob White.

I e-mailed Commissioner Pat Mulieri and requested she ask Utilities Services why they couldn't send me an average usage bill, which would be around 6,000 gallons of water used on the monthly bill. I've yet to receive a response to my inquiry.

This is another example of government not responding to taxpayers who pay their salaries. It's no wonder more people don't want to get involved; government could care less about the "little people."

Further, now that the property tax amendment has passed, watch our county (much like Leon County) threaten to raise this fee and that surcharge and attempt to scare people by saying it's going to take longer for police and ambulances to respond, etc.

Local governments are going to find a way to put the screws to us taxpayers and get more money out of our pockets! Even with the market values of our homes declining, our elected officials still see fit to charge us unfair property taxes.

Local and state government cannot control spending. Nothing changes. They keep spending on wasteful pork projects.

BILL SALTER

Land O' Lakes

Company's A Gem

This letter is to inform the public of a company that goes the extra mile.

When the Zephyrhills Fire Department and City Hall were flooded, so were we. We live in a modest home off Fifth Avenue. We woke up on Jan. 23 to find 4 to 6 inches of water in our living room, kitchen, dining room, garage, Florida room and my husband's shop.

I called the insurance company (we have flood insurance) and was told someone would get back to me in 24 to 72 hours.

My air conditioning man came immediately to check our unit, which was wet. He called Serv-Star, and they were here in 30 minutes or less. The man called my insurance company back and got a claim number, and the other one went to get his equipment.

The fellow who was with me all day was named Jose, and he was excellent. He had my wall-to-wall carpet ripped out and huge fans and dehumidifiers going in no time flat. He is the most compassionate man I've ever met. When I started to cry, he'd pat my shoulder and say, "Don't worry, we'll take good care of you and get everything cleaned up."

Thanks to their quick response and dedication, we had minimal loss, and they saved our walls and furniture.

Thank God for flood insurance - everyone should have it, and we're not in a flood zone - Serv-Star and Jose.

DARLENE COLANDRIA

Zephyrhills

Social Lessons

I see the whiners are at it again. We get a deserving tax break, but some folks whine that we will lose services. All we have to do is drive carefully and slowly so we won't cause automobile crashes. That should take care of the police and ambulance problem.

Then, as it is against the law to feed alligators because they hang around more and will bite your toe off if you get in the water, the same goes for the so-called "homeless," which 20 years ago were called bums or hoboes.

If you don't feed them and let them camp in and soil our cities, they won't die; they'll just leave to go to liberal big cities that will humor them.

And as for the so-called school problem, we just have to hold parents and students accountable for their actions and quit letting the tail wag the dog.

JOHN LALLEMAND

Dade City

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