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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 8, 2008

Not A Good Day

Regarding "Bowl Game Is Approved For St. Petersburg" (Sports, May 1):

"It's a great day in St. Petersburg," as Mayor Rick Baker always says. Unfortunately, it wasn't. It was a sad day in St. Petersburg, especially when a police officer was seriously wounded and Baker's only concern of the day is to hold a press conference in reference to a football game.

Yet just across the bay in Tampa, Mayor Pam Iorio takes the time to hold a press conference to speak about the death of a Tampa officer killed off duty on his motorcycle. It's apparent that Baker needs to take some lessons from her because there's a big difference between being a mayor and being a leader.

STEVE HARRIS

St. Petersburg

Death Will Leave A Void

Regarding "Off-Duty Officer Killed In Motorcycle Accident" (Metro, May 2):

My community is in mourning today.

Officer Victor Guerrero was a familiar sight in our neighborhood. We knew his car and car number. Even the children in the neighborhood knew who he was and respected him.

He responded late one night when I had to call the Tampa police and I felt at ease immediately with him. I have met other officers from our neighborhood, but none seem to remember us like Guerrero did. He even scared me one evening as I was shopping when he approached my mother-in-law and I at a store and asked if I was "Tammy." He remembered us and my children from our first encounter.

He was a hero and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. When an officer is lost to an accident or by the hands of a criminal, the entire city loses a vital part of itself. Thank you to all patrolmen and women for all you do for us. May God bless you all.

T.A. KERR

Tampa

An Unnecessary Perk

Regarding "Drive-Home Cars Cost County" (Metro, May 4):

Thanks for your article on drive-home cars. It is relatively small change in overall budgetary impact, but it's something that's wide open to abuse and is a huge, and maybe unnecessary, perk.

From your chart, it's clear the county needs to look at a couple of things. First, some of the miles seem mind-boggling, with three of the people in your chart driving over 20,000 miles.

Secondly, although the cars are for those whocould be called out at night or on weekends, are they? I can understand first-responders if they genuinely are, but animal services, code enforcement and parks and recreation?

And if that's why they're provided, why not have the employees pay for all other use, including commuting?

Are these reported on the W-2 as a fringe benefit?

ERNEST LANE

Trinity

The Dome Is Just Fine

As a yearround resident of South Pasadena and long-time Rays fan, I have enjoyed evenings at Tropicana Field on hot summer nights. Parking is convenient so the exposure to heat is minimal. I am not sure I would be willing to struggle in traffic to locate a parking place then walk in 90-degree heat to an outdoor stadium.

There are two reasons the Rays' fan base is the lowest in baseball: the team is not a winner, and a substantial part of the county's population moves north in the summer. An outdoor stadium will not prevent migration north nor produce a winning team.

In the long run, a winning team would draw more fans in the dome than an outdoor stadium because we Floridians like air conditioning. Outdoor movies, once so prevalent in Florida, were eliminated by air-conditioned theaters.

Are the citizens of St. Petersburg prepared to donate tax money and one of the most valuable tracts of waterfront land in the state to the Rays solely to enable them to increase the value of their franchise?

CHARLES BRYAN

South Pasadena

Waterfront Will Suffer

Why are the Rays so intent on building a baseball stadium on the waterfront? Does that enhance the environment or the appearance of the waterfront? Each time I open the paper and read an article about how wonderful this will be and how the people of St. Pete should be willing to open their wallets and help them build this stadium, I get a bit sick.

There are better places for a baseball stadium. It currently takes the people in downtown Tampa about a half hour to get to the ballpark. If you live further north, add another half hour, depending on traffic. If you live in the Brandon area, it's about an hour.

Why not build a stadium out near the Ford Amphitheatre and the Seminole Hard Rock? That area would be easily accessible to many more people and there would be room to add a parking lot. What a concept!

The Rays already have a problem with attendance. Move it out to the waterfront and my guess is that it will get worse. Move it to where people can easily access it and they might improve the attendance, especially if they can draw people from the areas east of Tampa.

GEORGE VANDER VEER

Valrico

A Day To Remember

Sixty-three years ago today was V-E Day - Victory in Europe. Thousands of veterans who proudly served in the European theater of operations will remember that glorious day forever. Half of World War II finally came to an end. It took five years, eight months and seven days for the Allies to crush Germany. Adolph Hitler took his own life in a bunker in Berlin on April 30, 1945.

V-E Day brought celebrations and jubilations all over Europe. It was truly a day for rejoicing for all the people, as well as all of the Allied troops who fought so hard to conquer Germany. In England, where I was based with the 8th Air Force, we witnessed the English people literally dancing in the streets, having endured the wrath of incessant bombings by German V2 rockets and Luftwaffe bombers. Peace at last.

America paid a very high price for that victory; those of us who survived that terrible war shall never forget it.

JACK KELLER SR.

Belleair Bluffs

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