Kudos to Commissioner Carlson for asking "Where's the money coming from?" and then voting "no" to voluntarily reducing county revenue. The other commissioners should have followed the rookie's lead. Instead, the majority approved measures (senior citizen tax break and combat troop stipend) which had been turned down or tabled back when the county had the money to spend. What's the logic; now that we can't afford it, we'll do it? I'm not addressing the merits of either proposal, but neither should the commission have. The county should simply not entertain requests for exemptions or expenditures from special interest groups until its revenue stream is stable; tax reductions have consequences. ...more

November 25, 2008

When the Sunday morning political pundits began talking last year about the tab for the war in Iraq hitting $1 trillion, Rob Simpson sprang from his sofa in indignation. ...more

October 27, 2008

Financial Emergency On Back Of Taxpayers I have an urgent financial emergency. Is the patient still breathing? Yes, but it's very shallow. Does the patient still have a heartbeat? Yes, but it's very weak. What about the color of the lips? They're blue. Where do you live? On Main Street, America? Please send help quick. OK, just one more question: are you a liberal or conservative? Oh God, please spare me (click). ...more

September 21, 2008

The two candidates for the District 5 seat on the Highlands County Board of Commissioners spoke at this week's meeting of the Highlands County Homeowners Association. ...more

September 11, 2008

About 500 people celebrated Interbay-Glover Family YMCA's 25th anniversary at an open house Aug. 23. The 1980s-themed party featured a cookout, family games, face painting and a costume contest. The YMCA, 4411 S. Himes Ave., serves 9,000 members, drawing from South Tampa neighborhoods with activities for adults and youngsters, a nursery, teen spinning classes, leadership clubs and senior citizen fitness groups. On Sunday mornings, it hosts Logos Dei Community Church. ...more

September 10, 2008

In a year when personal narratives are primed to trump policy positions as persuaders of the electorate, it is helpful to be reminded that biography often is not destiny. Not that you would have gathered that from either major party's (now blessedly concluded) national conventions. ...more

September 5, 2008

Joe Mangione remembers the first time he visited the Interbay-Glover Family YMCA. ...more

August 22, 2008

Joe Mangione remembers the first time he visited the Interbay-Glover Family YMCA. ...more

August 20, 2008

I am a disabled senior citizen having to rely on a service dog. It is a certified service dog prescribed by a doctor for hearing assistance as well as companionship relative to my sickness. I have all the necessary paperwork for those who have a good need to know. ...more

June 12, 2008

SEBRING — A low-income, senior citizen with a homestead house gets an extra tax break of $36.77 per year on property taxes under the low-income, senior exemption. That's based on Highlands County commissioners granting a $5,000 exemption under the "Save Our Seniors" tax break for low-income people age 65 and older. State law, though, allows counties to set this special exemption anywhere from zero to a maximum exemption of $50,0000 off taxable property value. At the $50,000 exemption level, the tax savings for the low-income, a senior homeowner with a homestead house would jump tenfold, up to $367.77 per year. ...more

February 23, 2008