St. Pete explores fire fee if property tax cut is approved | Aug. 8
Total property tax revenue in Pinellas County has increased 77% in the last 10 years, mostly due to increasing home values. Yet, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve, the county’s population over that same period has dropped 0.5%. That means we are paying 78% more per resident than we did 10 years ago.
Council member Copley Gerdes said, “It’s just outlandish to say that we have been irresponsible with our dollars when they have been going specifically to the protection of our community.” I’m all for tax dollars going for that purpose, but just because they are doesn’t mean they’re being spent wisely. Given the huge increase in revenue over the last decade, shouldn’t both the county and the city provide a more detailed account of how this money is spent?
Scott Stolz, St. Petersburg
St. Pete explores fire fee if property tax cut is approved | Aug. 8
A recent report in the Tampa Bay Times details some of the drastic steps local governments could enact to counter the defunding of local fire departments if Florida voters approve a ballot measure in November that would significantly cut property taxes. But it doesn’t stop with local fire departments. Local police departments, public parks and recreational programs will also be forced to hunt for alternative funding just to keep basic services running. If this sounds like an unusually reckless move by state lawmakers, you’re right.
Saving money always sounds good but digging into the numbers on my property tax statement, I find my personal property tax savings would amount to roughly $100 to $125 a month. Yours will vary depending on your property details. Saving a small amount on my property tax bill means very little if it severely undermines local police, fire protection and park maintenance. As the article rightly notes, cities will have to implement special fees and utility assessments to cover the deficit, completely wiping out any individual tax savings.
The proposed property tax referendum is a total boondoggle. Cutting essential municipal services while shifting the cost onto other fees is an egregious legislative shell game, and Florida voters should reject it in November.
Jon Crawfurd, Gulfport
Welch not a shoo-in | Aug. 9
Local elections
The election for St. Petersburg mayor is a relief from the politics in Washington. It is true to some extent that local politics breeds more interest. It is refreshing to see so many candidates in the local campaign and the series of programs offering them the chance to spell out positions on a variety of issues. The local election is closer to my idea of democracy and perhaps more important to residents’ well-being than the constant focus on Washington politicians who put self-interest first.
James Gillespie, St. Petersburg
Rep. Castor cautions TIA on privatized security plan | August 8
I was saddened to see that our beloved Tampa International Airport is going to privatize security. As a former weekly business traveler, I deeply appreciate the job the Transportation Security Administration has done. The airport’s chief operating officer was quoted as saying, “We cannot be at the whim of what the federal government might or might not do from a funding perspective.” Personally, I do not want to be at the whim of a private business that claims a “fiduciary responsibility” to prioritize profits over my security. While one political party views privatization as the answer to everything, I see it as a tool to reward cronies, with Alligator Alcatraz being our most recent example.
Terrence S. Callahan, Tarpon Springs
Senate passes severe Russia sanctions bill | Aug. 8
I have to ask: Why, after over four years of fighting, are there any sanctions left to pass? We should have slammed the doors on Russian President Vladimir Putin years ago, and then, just maybe, we wouldn’t still be counting the dead. Tell me, are there any more unpassed sanctions awaiting the next election cycle?
John S.V. Weiss, Spring Hill
Is this historic Dunedin chapel haunted and Florida is pulling back on teaching sociology | Aug. 5
A chill went down my spine as I read two stories on the front page of last Wednesday’s paper.
The first was about “paranormal investigators” carrying dowsing rods and electronic equipment into a Dunedin chapel to bust some ghosts. My concern wasn’t that they might disturb the spirit realm but that this appeared on your front page — months before Halloween and without a hint of irony. I couldn’t decide which scared me more: That you decided this was newsworthy, or that you thought your readership would.
The other story was about Florida’s Board of Education ruling that sociology isn’t a science but a tool of the woke used to indoctrinate impressionable youths. What’s the point of teaching how family, religion and economies function around the world? We all know the American way is objectively the best. What else does anyone need to know? Best not to encourage thinking too hard about why things are the way they are. People might start getting ideas, and we know what dangerous things ideas are!
Both stories are symptoms of something actually terrifying: the retreat from critical thinking, here in the US and abroad. Is life after death possible? I don’t know, but perhaps a more useful question is why, despite the lack of physical evidence, humans have believed the spirits of those we love live on after their bodies have died. That’s exactly the kind of inquiry we risk losing when we dismiss the study of human societies.
Jason Freeman, Palm Harbor
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