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Hernando Today

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 20, 2008

Updated:

THE Bus Costs Each

Property Owner $6

There has been a lot of discussion about THE Bus, but one item arguably overlooked is the cost to each taxpayer.

The 2008 budget shows THE Bus costing taxpayers just over $622,000 to operate the current schedule. The appraiser's office shows just over 109,000 residential tax parcels. That works out to about $6 per taxpayer per year if we forget about the commercial contribution.

I do not use the bus. I did in my previous home because the route was convenient and timed to allow travel to and from work. I am sure the riders who do use this county service really need it.

I am happy to contribute the $6 for this transportation. There are services that I use that others pay for and, in the end, it all averages out. I would be happy to contribute even more if the county would decide as such. This is a needed service for some in the county, and the routes and times should be expanded, not decreased - especially now with the high gas prices.

Let's help workers get to work.

Bob Widmar

Weeki Wachee

Spitting In The Wind

Since the county commission wanted some information and time to do research concerning reducing impact fees, I thought I would help.

As Jim Croce said "Don't pull on Superman's cape, don't spit in the wind." Instead of continuing to try to help the home building industry, it is time to say I'm sorry. If you were in the typewriter industry in 1982, you would be retraining for a new profession.

Even Fishkind says the building industry will recover to a normal level in 2009. Follow this link and try to find any reason to hurt every other citizen of this county to help a few.

Regardless of what anyone says, a decrease in impact fees means that someone in some way will have to pay. Roads, schools, law enforcement, fire protection and government support will not be free, and even the county commission winning the new Mega Money lottery game will not be enough.

Here is a link to a respected national organization, not someone paid for directly or indirectly by the builders: www.nahb.org/reference_list.aspx?sectionID=134

Richard Ross

Brooksville

Weapon Of Monetary Destruction?

As a senior retiree, I'm increasingly concerned regarding the finances of more than 150 million average working Americans; those obligated to fund the monthly Social Security checks of more than 40 million current retirees, and the 78 million baby boomers.

To give some credence to this concern, one only needs examine the last 25 years of Social Security tax history. To illustrate, a 1980 retiree contributed an average of 5.15 percent of their gross annual wages to the Social Security trust fund over their working lifetime; a 1990 retiree contributed an average of 7.29 percent; a 2000 retiree contributed an average of 9.47 percent; a 2008 retiree contributed an average of 10.78 percent, and today's workers contribute 12.4 percent of their annual paychecks, up to a maximum of $12,648 annually. Ever increasing Social Security taxes are the direct result of 1983 Social Security reform legislation. Legislation touted as both a short-term fix, and a long-term solution to Social Security funding issues.

Over the past 25 years, workers have been overtaxed billions of dollars annually, believing their surplus Social Security tax contributions were being saved and invested to offset the funding needs of the now retiring 78 million baby boomers. Not so. Since 1983 every Social Security tax dollar not needed for funding current obligations, has been borrowed and spent on something other than intended. Special obligation bonds are the instrument of choice that facilitates the transfer of Social Security trust fund excess cash to the general revenue fund.

These bonds are commonly referred to as Social Security IOUs, and now total over $2.3 trillion, growing at the rate of more than $9,000 a second. In fiscal year 2007 alone, Social Security IOUs grew by more than $186 billion. Regarding this matter, here is an excerpt from a current congressperson's e-mail concerning management of the Social Security trust fund's excess cash. "For too long, Congress has gambled with Social Security and its surpluses. Lawmakers have engaged in an accounting shell game to pay other debts with taxpayers' hard-earned retirement dollars. This practice is irresponsible and should be stopped immediately."

Given that set of statements, some would say our government has one generation financially waterboarding another. Others would say Social Security has become a weapon of monetary destruction. Irrespective of what you call it, Social Security tax overpayments have eroded the ability of average working Americans to save and invest. Continuation of this insanity will only leave millions of future retirees making food or medicine choices.

While we still have time, it's time for those who are entitled to engage in civil discourse with those who are obligated and formulate a solution that is fair and equitable to all. If interested in participating in this dialogue, you can contact the author at jg@americaretoday.com.

Jim Gries

Weeki Wachee

Sad And Vile

For months now I have made it a habit to not read the columnists that appear (usually) on Thursdays. Unfortunately, today I scanned over the column written by Ted Rall. Folks, that is so far off the edge. Yes, I know I did not thoroughly read the article, but I really wonder why someone so hateful is allowed to be paid for such garbage, and why he is in this paper.

Get someone else and let this sad, vile person go away.

Darrell Edgar

Brooksville

Ted Rall's Misplaced

Historical Perspective

In the past I have enjoyed reading Ted Rall, mainly because I thought he was good at getting a reader's attention. His contrbution to your July 17 editorial page was, however, ill conceived.

I was 42 when when U.S. troops fled Saigon. Ted Rall says he was 12. Just before the Vietnam conflct ended, I was assigned to the Canadian office of a U.S. life insurance company. One of my duties was to deny life insurance coverage to Rall's "heroes" who fled to Canada because they did not have the decency to serve in the armed forces of their country.

It's sad that Mr. Rall missed World War II and Korea. I encourage him to become better informed about all of our conflicts. In that way he may come to understand that any soldier who volunteers to put his/her life on the line for our country is truly a hero.

Joe Green

Brooksville

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