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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 25, 2008

It's Already Saturated

Regarding "County To Weigh Stimulus Plan" (Metro, Jan. 17):

Jim Norman's proposal to cut impact and permit fees in half for six months will do nothing for the economy except give builders the incentive to build more houses to further glut the already-saturated market. Brian Blair's comment to speed up county projects to pump more money into the economy is near-sighted.

It is not the county commission's job to stimulate the economy with our tax dollars. They have already spent the anticipated Community Investment Tax funds years into the future. The commission needs to worry about what they are going to do with reduced tax revenues in 2009 and 2010 due to decreased property values instead of spending every penny they can get their hands on.

KEN MORNINGSTAR

Valrico

Not Economically Sound

Can someone please explain to me what theory of economics County Commissioner Jim Norman studied, practices and promotes?

Apparently Norman believes that giving a break to developers via a reduction of impact fees will somehow stimulate the local economy by giving them incentive to start borrowing more money from banks - which are hurting right now according to Norman - so that more housing can be built. Does Norman really believe adding more houses to an already-overstocked housing inventory is sound economics?

"There are people dying out there," said Norman, but it was not made clear who the "people" are. But I can tell you that this "people" is hurting because my house is costing more to live in because of taxes and homeowners insurance.

VERONICA KIRCHHEIMER

Tampa

Reality Check Needed

It's time for Jim Norman to get a reality check. Stimulation of new home building isn't the answer to the sagging real estate market. All he needs to do is take a ride around the county or read the ads in the paper. There are new homes everywhere that are not selling. In south County alone, you can't go a mile without seeing new developments with many new homes and only a few, if any, have been sold. Yet, Norman wants to create more of a glut of homes.

I haven't got the answer to curb the downtrend, but reducing the impact fees and building new homes is not the answer. Maybe we need a few years of self-control on spending by the county commissioners. Perhaps reducing the property taxes might give potential buyers the incentive to begin looking for homes again.

PATRICIA HOWE

Apollo Beach

Focus On Proper Growth

Because there is a glut of homes on the market and, according to Jim Norman, "people are dying out there," Hillsborough County commissioners want to halve impact fees. When the impact fees were obscenely and unjustifiably low - $196 until just over a year ago - subdivisions were popping up along two-lane country roads faster than developers could give away campaign cash.

While the county was busy padding budgets with the new tax revenue windfalls, commissioners skillfully wooed our attention away by focusing on critical issues like bikini bars, adult businesses and building sports stadiums. Now when things get tough and it becomes obvious the windfalls and opportunities of the boom years were not managed to deal with the development impact, it's no surprise our leaders want to throw a bone to the hand that feeds them.

Cry me a river and hand me a ballot; we need leaders focused on sustainable growth.

J.T. CROWDER

Tampa

Thankful For Comp Plan

Regarding "Developers Test Bounds" (front page, Jan. 16):

Living in rural Lithia and trying to preserve what is left of it, I have learned quickly just how important the Planning Commission is to citizens. It is the only independent agency whose job it is to protect our Comprehensive Plan which is this county's blueprint for growth. The problem is it's not the final word. It only makes recommendations to our Board of County Commissioners and that body gets to make the final decisions.

Many of these county commissioners are funded by the very developers and their attorneys mentioned in your article. Sound fishy? Head down to a county meeting, where you can see them in action - or just try to negotiate your way around Brandon and you can see the results of their poor decisions everywhere.

I applaud and thank Bob Hunter and his staff for protecting our Comp Plan and promoting smart growth. It is a shame that his agency does not have the final decision, as they are the only objective tool that citizens have in this county.

KELLY CORNELIUS

Lithia

Extend Knight Runway

Regarding "Runway Plan Threatens Davis Islands Residents" (Other Views, Jan. 17):

The title of the article concerning the Davis Islands runway should have read "Runway Plan Makes Davis Island Residents Safer." Like the widening of a road's lanes and expanding its shoulders make a road safer, lengthening a runway makes an airport safer.

Lengthening of a runway for a pilot provides some extra room to correct a minor judgment error and avoid an accident. Good policy keeps safety as a number one consideration on roads and runways.

Adding just 175 feet will make little or no difference in the size of aircraft using beautiful Peter O. Knight airport. Tampa is so lucky to have an airport like this.

JOHN COLMAN

Tampa

The writer flies airplanes and helicopters.

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