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Hernando Today

More Civil Public Discussion Welcomed

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 3, 2008

Updated: 01/02/2008 06:22 pm

I don't want this to sound like a personal attack because I didn't know Robert Nolte personally, but I just now deleted his e-mail address from my address book and it made me feel ... well ... hopeful. I wish him a wonderful retirement.

Why hopeful? Because your editorial today, if you adhere to your pledge, suggests there will be a much-needed change to the negative and at times personal and clearly emotional disgust Mr. Nolte displayed toward our county government and its employees through his editorials. This with the apparent blessing of Hernando Today's publisher, Duane Chichester. Dislike it as we may, county government is not going to be reduced to ashes in the flames of a misguided tax revolt like Mr. Nolte clearly thought should be the case.

It is refreshing, therefore, to read that our new editor at Hernando Today will be taking a much wanted and needed new tact that, on the one hand, proposes to keep a sharp and unrelenting eye on the workings of local government while, on the other, promising to do it in a manner that reflects the civility and manners of an intelligent society.

Over the past year, Hernando Today has mislead us into thinking that by restructuring its fleet management system, by cutting salaries, by firing staff, by reducing services and by accomplishing some other "efficiencies" the county will be able to achieve all the tax relief some of us desperately need. While these actions might arguably be desirable for other reasons, sadly, all of them together are not going to bring about the structural changes to the state's property tax system required to accomplish the relief needed. Only changes to our state Constitution and related laws are going to do this. And, unfortunately, the Legislature and our governor have yet to offer a plan that will achieve it either, although Speaker Rubio may be getting close.

Mr. Nolte, as well intended as he may have been, never seemed to get this. The unfortunate result is that there are a lot of folks thinking that the county is dysfunctional and that by making it nonfunctional all will be well. Nothing could be more damaging for our future.

So, welcome to our county, Mr. Wessel. I truly wish you success in bringing about a kinder, gentler and more civil public discussion of matters important to us. It is much needed. Hopefully, you'll also be able to convince Mr. Chichester that Hernando Today's sometimes venomously negative manner by which it has sought to bring about change to county government, in the long run, is not in our community's overall best interest.

What we need is informed, insightful and fearless editorializing, along with relentlessly accurate and unbiased reporting by Hernando Today's reporters. Then, and only then, will we have the informed community we will most certainly need to successfully solve the complex problems along the difficult road ahead. Best of luck.

Sonny Vergara

Brooksville

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