Letters to the Editors

Press should be watchdog, not enemy of government

Re: Attempt to bully gadfly is a sign of dangerous thinking, April 13 C.T. Bowen column.

Editor: Is the Port Richey Building Department being run professionally? How can one tell? Dolores Felske has made complaints to the city police, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and has contacted the Department of Community Affairs and likely the Department of Environmental Protection complaining about the Building Department, with no action taken by any agency. Is that proof the department is being run professionally? Maybe not, but for the first time in several decades, the Port Richey Building Department is operating according to local and state law, and it will continue to do so -- exactly as the grand jury recommended.

It would have been nice if the St. Petersburg Times had conducted an independent investigation or at least questioned the Building Department. Instead, it relied on the machinations of one citizen who has her own ax to grind when she doesn't get her way.

The St. Petersburg Times recommends keeping the Police Department (as does the Building Department), which is a major expense of the city, but recommends the disbandment of the Building Department, which collects more than half again what it spends and reduces the overall individual insurance cost to its citizens.

Tell me, do others at your paper have fiscal control, or do you make financial decisions for the Times?

Mrs. Felske, according to the column, points out that she had the dump truck since 1993 for her "family's dump truck hauling business." If Mrs. Felske is such a community watchdog, is she exempted from paying these taxes that every other business in the city has to pay? You are quite right in stating that her property is zoned C-3. However, when her property was rezoned to C-3, she had the choice of going to commercial or staying residential. It is my understanding (since she continues to get the homestead exemption, which is not allowed for commercial property) that she elected to maintain residential use in a C-3 commercial zoning district, making her property a nonconforming R-1 residential use. I am sure you realize that dump trucks would not be allowed to be parked at a residence. Mrs. Felske was twice warned about the proper parking of her RV before being cited. Doesn't the community watchdog have to comply with city codes like everyone else?

Of course, the Times didn't bother to investigate this matter either. This is just another example of your reporters and editorial writers not letting the truth get in the way of a good story or editorial.

In my opinion, Mrs. Felske is not reporting what she believes to be unacceptable government behavior to the appropriate authorities. Instead, she appears to be using a state agency to arm-twist me into not doing my job or holding her to the same standard with which everyone else needs to comply. With an unblemished professional record, I assure you I will protect my reputation and rights by whatever means are necessary to put a stop to anyone who thinks it is cute to file malicious and false claims about my official performance.

As for the Times, you can print anything you want and hide behind the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution for protection, including the kind of irresponsible editorial writing that the administration in Port Richey has experienced over the years at the hands of the newspaper. Regrettably, C.T. Bowen's recent column is just another example of biased reporting by the St. Petersburg Times that seems to be typical of this newspaper. The Times should be the watchdog of government but not its enemy.

I think the city has an obligation to protect employees against retaliatory and slanderous complaints not only for the protection of the employee, but also to preserve the reputation and esteem of the city. Unfortunately, the City Council acted otherwise; consequently, I have the choice of enduring these complaints or leaving the city's employ. Reluctantly, I have chosen to seek employment elsewhere (and will leave as soon as other employment is secured), no doubt to Mrs. Felske's joy.
-- William Sanders, building official, Port Richey

Bush's growth package will add jobs, cut taxes

Re: Brown-Waite needs to focus on real needs, not the rich, April 16 letter

Editor: The letter made several erroneous claims against me and against my staff.

Ms. Teunis, the letter writer, did contact my office three times to discuss the president's proposed tax cuts, as she mentions in her letter. She contacted my office once via an e-mail in which she used profanity and twice via telephone.

Ms. Teunis spoke on two occasions with members of my staff who each spent several minutes on the phone listening to her concerns about the president's tax cut package and explaining my positions.

Regrettably, Ms. Teunis used vulgar language in the conversations and in one instance hung up on one of my staff members. These conversations occurred days before Ms. Teunis' letter to the editor appeared in your paper.

I support the president's Jobs and Economic Growth Package because it will bring substantial tax relief to more than 92-million Americans, 54,000 jobs to Florida in the next year, tax relief to married couples, and an additional $400 per child to working families with children.
U.S. Rep. Brown-Waite, Brooksville

Drugstore pharmacists provide crucial service

Re: Canadian prescriptions

Editor: People need to realize that there is added value by going to a drugstore run by a pharmacist. Pharmacists can find mistakes in the dosage of your prescription. If you are given a new prescription, a pharmacist will know of any adverse reactions that may occur with your existing medication. They can phone your doctor and get the dosage or medication changed. Pharmacists are also trained in patient and drug counseling.

Doctors of pharmacy (yes, they are doctors, too) go to school for a minimum of six years and are highly trained to do their jobs. When I graduate from pharmacy school, I will have had eight years of college, plus another few years of residency if I decide to specialize. Do you really want to risk your health by getting your prescriptions from someone other than a licensed pharmacist, just because it is cheaper?
Dana Groulx, Wesley Chapel

Keep the progress in progressive income tax

Re: Current tax code is burdensome, April 17 letter

Editor: The current tax code, while cumbersome for most average citizens, including myself, requires that any attempt at tax reform must be targeted at increasing the level of progress in the tax code, not decreasing it. "Progressive" means quite simply the more money you earn, the greater the percentage of your income you are required to pay in taxes.

Such elements as tax cuts favoring the most affluent among us are not progressive. The most progressive tax, contrary to Republican opinion, is the federal estate tax. There is no double taxation here, as conservatives might accuse, because the original taxpayer is deceased. The only ones paying taxes on the inherited wealth are the persons who inherited it.

The flat tax, on the other hand, is the most regressive of all due to the simple fact that the less money you earn the greater is the proportion of total income that must be used for fixed living expenses, which include food, shelter, etc., leaving little or no leftover dollars known as discretionary income.

In contrast, wealthy individuals can spend only so much on fixed living expenses, no matter how lavish their basic accommodations, and therefore as a percentage of total income the wealthy have a far greater proportion of their income which may be considered discretionary income.

Discretionary income is money which may be used for fun or even making more money through investments. The least affluent among us have no such choice.

The bottom line is no one likes to pay taxes. The object is, or should be, to make the tax code as simple, understandable and equitable as possible for all.

If you want to encourage business expansion, tax credits for specific actions by businesses are a much better tool than broad tax cuts primarily benefiting the wealthy. If you want to encourage consumption, you give money to those who have pent up demand otherwise known as increased marginal propensity to consume -- not to those who have most or all of their wants, needs and desires fulfilled.
-- John Russell, Dade City

Panhandling in traffic is out of control

Editor: My wife and I just returned home from a shopping trip. While waiting at a stoplight at the intersection of Ridge Road and U.S. 19, there were people on every corner asking for money as they walked between the cars.

I find it is getting very annoying to have to deal with this every time one goes out. I think it is time to put some codes on the books to limit and restrict the panhandlers who beg for money. That belongs in the church, not on the streets accosting drivers at street corners.
-- Larry Mills, Port Richey

Constitution protects our freedom of speech

Re: Speak up; don't let antiwar meetings continue at library, April 15 letter

Editor: I'm one of those dissenters the letter writer spoke of, although I was not in that library with those other people. The Constitution gives me the right to speak out, in any way, to voice my opinion, as the writer did with hers.

At least I have the courage to speak out against what I believe is so wrong. I was on the street waving a flag -- didn't you see me? I'm every bit a patriot and proud to be an American, and will dissent as long as I have freedom of speech, which is slowly being taken away from me. Ask yourself: Why?

Read the Constitution. We dissidents have every right to protest what George Bush is doing. We should not be punished for it or be told to shut up.
-- Connie Nowe, Port Richey

Share your views

The Pasco Times welcomes letters from readers for publication.

Because of space limitations, letters should be of reasonable length (250-300 words maximum as a rule).

Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

All letters must be signed and must contain the writer's address and telephone number. Addresses and telephone numbers will not be printed.

Send your letter to Pasco Times, 11321 U.S. 19, Port Richey, FL 34668.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright