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Hernando Today

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 13, 2007

Motorcyclists

Have Rights, Too

I don't understand how someone can run two motorcyclists over and not see them. This issue is out of control.

We buy a motorcycle, pay the registration fees, pay the insurance and get run over by cagers (people in cars) who claim they "didn't see us." We are fathers, husbands, brothers, sons, mothers, wives, sisters and daughters who work hard for our families and the things we have. We pay our taxes and mortgages and we do lots of charity work within our community (front page of Hernando Today, Dec. 10) and all we get is run over on U.S. 19.

When is this going to stop?

We have rights, too. It is our right to buy and ride a motorcycle, but it is not the rights of cagers to run us down because "they didn't see us." Someone is always making new products for our bikes to have brighter lights, louder pipes and anything else that makes us more visible on the road but cagers still claim "they didn't see us." People are always complaining about our loud pipes but they don't understand that our loud pipes let them know that we are near them or behind them on the road. "Loud pipes save lives" is not just a saying it's a life saver.

Motorcyclists are growing in numbers and cagers have got to start paying more attention on the road and taking responsibility for their actions. A slap on the wrist or a citation isn't going to cut it much longer. We have a right to be there just as much as they do. This issue has been ongoing for years and seems to be getting worse.

Please take that extra second and look twice; it might save someone's life.

Kathy Wilshusen

Spring Hill

Help For Injured

Pet Only A Click Away

This is in response to "Seeking Help in Hard Times" in the Saturday, Dec. 8, edition of Hernando Today. There was no contact information for Ms. Campo.

I am sorry to hear about Sadie. We have just been through some major medical problems with our pets and know how devastating it can be.

I am not in a position to help financially at this time, however, the organization, United Animal Nations, has a program called Lifeline that gives grants for lifesaving medical emergencies. Their contact information can be found on the internet at www.uan.org. I know they help in situations just like this.

Good luck.

Gladys Newton

Hudson

Required Amenities

Would Hike Housing Costs

Editor's note: The following letter was sent to Hernando County commissioners on Tuesday.

I read the recent article in Hernando Today by Michael Bates regarding your unanimous vote to pursue the idea of developers providing extensive amenities in new communities. I would like to strongly urge you to do research before making this a rule for all new communities.

I know that you are all committed to affordable housing in Hernando County, and there are many things to consider before making this drastic a step.

Please keep in mind that all of the things you want included in communities will cause an increase in price to the consumer in the purchase price of the home and in the home owner dues of the community. Many developers now are paying for the infrastructure of their development with bonds, which also get divided up amongst the home purchasers as a CDD (community development district). This fee is on top of taxes and homeowner dues.

As the developer/builder in Deerfield Estates, we are fortunate that we do have a two-acre park area, a clubhouse, tennis courts, basketball courts. All of these amenities have been in place for quite some time; long before prices for developing subdivisions became so high.

To give you an example, this past year we wanted to install playground equipment in the park. our insurance agent advised us that if we did this, our current policy would be canceled and any other insurance we would purchase would be so expensive that the homeowner dues would have to go up considerably to cover the cost of having playground equipment. The insurance agent explained that this was due to the increase in cost of commercial insurance. She suggested that we wait a couple of years to see what happens in the commercial insurance industry. We are committed to Deerfield remaining an affordable community and thus opted out on the playground.

Please keep all of these things in mind when making your decision. As far as requiring "green space" in a community, we are definitely for it. We're also for Florida friendly landscaping to conserve water and "green" features in homes to protect the environment.

Carol Reventas

Helicopter Policy

Up In The Air

It would be interesting to know what the sheriff's policy is concerning the deployment of helicopters. Recently, a woman reported what was essentially a purse snatching. She later recanted her allegation; however, I still find it interesting that a helicopter was dispatched in the case.

A few months ago, your newspaper carried a story about a helicopter being called in on a shoplifting case at Wal-Mart. I wonder if the sheriff is dispatching the helicopter unnecessarily in order to ensure that the number of runs justifies the expense of having the helicopter. No weapons were involved in either case.

Perhaps the sheriff hasn't gotten the memo from the county government regarding the need to cut expenditures. I certainly hope that I don't look up in the next few days and see Santa waving from a county helicopter.

Jim Wedeking

Brooksville

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