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Hernando Today

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 12, 2008

Updated: 02/11/2008 07:12 pm

Using Tax Dollars

To Fund Re-election

Today, I received for the second time in the past 30 days a full color 11-by-17-inch mailer from District 5 U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite. It has been my observation that Ginny prefers to save her "franking" for election years, having received perhaps one or two throughout all of 2007. Ah... but 2008 is an election year, is it not?

The Congresswoman, most notable recently for being named the most prolific "user/abuser" of this federally financed mode of communication with constituents, was cited for spending in excess of $130,000 dollars of the taxpayers' dime in the run-up to the 2006 elections on franking. This expenditure placed her alone among her peers in Congress engaging in the practice of franking. Absolutely shameless, Ginny once has once again embarked on reinforcing her name recognition for her 2008 re-election campaign and using our taxpayer dime to pay for it!

The aforementioned mailers entitled sequentially, Legislative Update and Guide to Constituent Services received by District 5 voters over the past 30 days, demonstrate clearly the unmitigated gall of this Congresswoman (following this report), on top of a demonstrated disdain for conservative fiscal principle when it comes to using our tax dollars to finance her re-election campaign.

John Russell

Dade City
Insurance Industry Abuse

I am sure I express the sentiments of homeowners in Florida concerning the rise in home insurance in the last three years. According to my insurance carrier, my dwelling has increased in value from $169,000 to $213,000 from March 2006 to March 2008. The premium has increased from $644 to $1,345.

As of January 2008, my identical home, but 12 years newer, is listed for $157,900. If my present home was completely destroyed, site clearing would be about $12,000. The new home would cost $169,900. There is no justification making me have $43,100 in extra coverage for my dwelling.

I realize that home prices increased until 2006 and hurricane coverage increased the cost of a policy. Since 2006, home prices, both old and new, have declined. Insurance companies mention inflation, fuel, prices, materials and the cost of labor to justify increases. Apparently, this has not been true since 2006. You should be getting a decrease in your policy, not an increase. The insurance company, by inflating the price of your dwelling, also increases your deductible for a hurricane. Your deductible increases with the dwelling price increase. With minimal damage from a hurricane, you will collect very little compensation.

State senators want to know why Hartford, Allstate and Farm Bureau are asking for increases while Nationwide and Strategic have lowered their rates. If you were concerned about taxes and property, you should care about the abuses in the insurance industry. Please write or call Kevin McCarty, the insurance commissioner, who needs your support in fighting the insurance companies. His number is 850-413-3140.

Bob Noble

Spring Hill

Think Positively

In reference to Mr. Mike Grab's feedback in Feb. 1 edition, "Despite What Columnist Says, U.S. In A Depression," I would like to give him some food for thought.

Dear Mr. Grab, my spouse and I were born during the 1929-1941 Depression. I only heard my elders talk about it. My dear father always claimed that we should never mention the word "depression." He said, "We should refer to it as the "Dirty D."

Yes, you are probably right. We are probably in a depression, but let's not look at our world in a negative view. Let's look at every day as going to be great!

If we all think depression, that's what we are going to be in. Let us look at today as extremely hard times, especially for those who are making minimum wage and have children to support and the elderly who only have a Social Security check to look forward to.

My father claimed that people can be scared into depression. He claimed that our banking system failed because of mass hysteria! Most people who had money in the bank ran to withdraw their funds. He claimed that when the banks closed their doors, our thinking caused the shaky stock market to crash, and the start of the "Great Depression."

I have always been a firm believer in thinking positive. Those of you who have lost faith in our great country, please remember a gallon of gas costs the same for me as it does for you. We are all in the same boat. I would rather be in a boat with happy people who think positive.

Sir, in no way am I being critical of your opinion, but have happy thoughts and don't use the "Dirty D."

Kathy Adams

Ridge Manor

Care About Taxpayers

I am writing this letter in response to an article on the front page of the newspaper Tuesday, Jan. 29.

I wonder if other residents of the county are wondering about Mr. Tolbert saying he just laid off 10 employees. He also states that he laid off some in July and September of 2007. If there were only 776 permits issued in 2007 compared to 2,694 in 2006 and he didn't lay anyone off until July and September, what did those people do for the first six months - toss coins to see who worked that day?

I think he should have thought long and hard about people sitting around the office when there were no construction projects to inspect. Obviously, he doesn't care much about saving the county and the taxpayers any money.

He needs to go live on a fixed income for awhile and see how fast he would be looking for ways to save a few dollars. This county government is sad. Maybe the new administrator can fix some problems, that is if the board of commissioners don't scare him off, too. We can only hope that tomorrow will bring someone that has brains and really cares about the goings-on in this county.

I am a taxpaying senior on a fixed income bearing the injustices from incompetent department heads in Hernando County.

L. and P. Tatro

Weeki Wachee

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