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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 8, 2009

Protecting Our Children

As one who participated in the politics of getting permission from the state of Florida to establish local children's services councils such as the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, it was a pleasure to read Luanne Panacek's op-ed piece ("Hillsborough's Wise Investment In Children," Jan. 4). Congratulations to Dr. Panacek and her colleagues who do things so well in Hillsborough.

Unfortunately, those of us who review the status of children and families in the state are likely to arrive at a less optimistic conclusion. Just last week I had the duty to write a quite pessimistic letter to George Sheldon, secretary of the Department of Children and Families, about the failure of his department to encourage community participation.

These are tough times for public services in Florida. Over the past decade the Legislature has reduced state taxes and limited the revenues available to local jurisdictions. Meanwhile, there are more children at risk of abuse and neglect and more families in need of services that might help them in these times of great stress.

Even if the Children's Board of Hillsborough County is getting a lot of community participation in handling the local crisis, we still need to worry about the other 66 counties.

ALVIN W. WOLFE

Lutz

Clinic A Great Resource

I enjoyed your article "Therapists Say Don't Ignore Stuttering" (Jan. 4). I totally agree with this hypothesis, though I want to point out that parents should not constantly bring stuttering to a child's attention or in any way make negative comments about it. The child is doing no wrong. When I was a child in the 1950s and '60, my teachers and speech therapists made me feel like I was doing something wrong by stuttering.

I also want to point out to parents that the Web site of The Stuttering Foundation ( www.stutteringhelp.org) is a great resource because it offers streaming videos for kids, parents and teachers. It also has many downloadable brochures, in addition to a national directory of qualified speech therapists.

When I was growing up I can categorically say that I never saw a positive or compassionate article about stuttering. Your article was great. It makes me feel good that kids have a great resource like the USF Speech Clinic to help them. I hope you write a follow-up article after the Jan. 17 workshop for kids at USF.

GEORGE MCCANDLISH

Tampa

Bad Management

Buddy Johnson has a checkered history in Florida politics. He is touted as a good businessman for his restaurant, but he didn't bring the same skills, knowledge or business management to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office.

Johnson is one of the old-line politicians who does things his way and believes that rules don't apply to him. In asking the Hillsborough County Commission for $2.3 million, he didn't realize that they wouldn't fund his favorite charity and instead requested an audit. Too bad this audit wasn't proposed for his office years ago.

Newly elected Elections Supervisor Phyllis Busansky should call for a criminal investigation regarding the shortfall in funds and unpaid contracts left by Johnson. Busansky should clean house since no one blew the whistle on Johnson's practices.

All public offices, elected or appointed, should receive regular oversight and be audited to ensure the proper use of taxpayer dollars.

ROBERT WEISMAN

Tampa

Tragedy, Not Comedy

Congratulations to the Democrat Party of Minnesota. It took two months of hard work, but by fraud, trickery and chicanery they succeeded in getting the loathsome Al Franken into the U.S. Senate.

Secretary of State Ritchie, a Democrat, led the canvassing board (Democrats), county officials (Democrats) and the state Supreme Court (Democrats) through duplicate ballots, lost and uncounted ballots, absentees and messed-up ballots and decided all in Franken's favor. Supreme Court Justice Anderson acknowledged all of the above, but opined there's nothing can be done about it.

This continues a long standing tradition of Democrats stealing elections - Chrissie Gregoire in Washington state, Mary Landrieu in Louisiana, Loretta Sanchez in California and John Kennedy, whose daddy in 1960 bought the West Virginia primary for him. Need we even mention Dick Daley and the mob delivering Illinois, and "Landslide" Lyndon Johnson in 1948?

JACK LABUS

New Port Richey

A Matter Of Record

Obama's choice of Leon Panetta as CIA chief can only be explained if Sandy Berger, Clinton's national security adviser, declined the position.

Berger has much more experience dealing with classified and confidential documents than Panetta. Just ask the folks at the National Archives.

MARK DREW

Wesley Chapel

Preserving Florida

Regarding "Conservation Effort Sweetens Florida Living" (Our Opinion, Jan. 5):

I'm sure some people will complain about the cost, but we should all be thankful that Florida's water management districts are managing many acres of land for our future. If they weren't bought by the state, they surely would be developed and lost to the public forever.

Keep up the good work.

KEN MCLAUGHLIN

Zephyrhills

JOIN DISCUSSION

The Tribune welcomes letters and e-mails from readers. The text should be original and no longer than 150 words. By making a submission, you agree the Tribune may edit the letter for length and clarity, and publish it in any medium.

Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Mail to: P.O. Box 191, Tampa, FL 33601-0191. Or e-mail without attachments: tribletters@tampatrib.com.

Also, read and participate in the Tribune editorial board's blog, "Thinking Out Loud," at www.tboblogs.com/index.php/thinkoutloud/categories....

The writer is chairman of the Florida Health and Human Services Board.

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