I see lots of complaints about different things but few solutions are offered. Here are a few answers that I think would help. First and foremost, the country must have a value-added tax. This would stop a lot of jobs from leaving the country and may even bring some back. Next, cut out all foreign aid. My guess is that 90 percent of it goes into foreign leaders pockets and doesn't do any good. ...more

January 14, 2009

Priorities Upside Down During my 12-year tenure as a state legislator in New Hampshire, I had the responsibility at one point to serve as chairman of the House Committee on State Institutions in order to oversee the operation and standards of our Youth Development Center (YDC) along with other state facilities. Governmental overview of state institutions is always needed, although experience shows that it is seldom productive. ...more

January 7, 2009

Diane Borino of New Port Richey says Congress shouldn't get automatic pay raises while ordinary people are in bad financial shape. ...more

December 27, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The moment was "kind of bittersweet" for Lynne Webb, president of United School Employees of Pasco. ...more

December 20, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The Pasco County School District and the employees union reached a tentative contract agreement Tuesday that would keep salaries the same as they were in 2007-08. There would be no raises or step increases, although employees would still be given a year of credit for their service. ...more

December 17, 2008

The Pasco County School District and the employees union reached a tentative contract agreement this evening that would keep salaries the same as they were in 2007-2008. There would be no raises or step increases although employees would still be given a year of credit for their service. The contract for teachers and other school workers must be ratified by employees and approved by the school board. That process is expected to take place in January. ...more

December 16, 2008

The money is better off in the hands of teachers rather than sitting at a bank. ...more

December 11, 2008

Five years ago, schools needed to keep teachers like Lourene Weiss. Families poured into Florida and overwhelmed public schools at a time when voters demanded limits on how big class sizes could get. This left the state in need of tens of thousands of teachers, and Weiss was planning to retire. ...more

December 7, 2008

Let's start off by confronting all the lies! ...more

December 3, 2008

"We get what we pay for when using outdated or unfair pay scales" – your headline for this column. Are you suggesting that all the people that were hired knowing what the pay scales were are inferior employees? Our administrators, sheriff, public works administrators are all inferior because they accepted the pay scales offered to them? When someone applies for a position, the pay scales are presented to them. If they feel it is not enough, then they should seek employment elsewhere. ...more

November 25, 2008