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Hernando Today

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 30, 2008

County Commission

Annual Performance Review

Each category totals 20 points with each commissioner getting 4 points for a positive record per category.

Consistency: For the last few years the current Hernando County Commission has been extremely consistent. Everyone of the existing group has made sure that they got their picture in the paper giving some group a citation. Three have flopped around like a fish out of water on every challenged issue before the BOCC. One has implied or flat stated that he/she is smarter than the other four and the entire county, "because of my experience."

Lifestyle: A close look at the record shows that most of the current BOCC are in favor of putting county crews to work removing the "Nature Coast" signs.

Economic outlook: Again a review of the record shows that for the most part, the majority of the BOCC is in favor of supporting non-resident developers and property owners instead of trying to make changes that will draw new industry outside of home building.

Special interest groups: You do not have to look far to see how the majority of this BOCC rolls over to get their tummies scratched by special interest groups. The best possible example came in July 2008. On July 15, the BOCC held a public hearing on reducing impact fees. The special interest groups requested that the hearing be postponed first until July 29, a non-meeting day, because their "expert witness" could not be there before then. The BOCC agreed to a postponement to an agreed upon date of Aug. 5. Then after legitimate questions were asked in several public forums about the impartiality of this expert, the agreed-upon date of Aug. 8 was changed with little or no public notification to July 22.

Score: 16 out of a possible 100 only because negative scores are not allowed.

Summary: No thinking person can believe that the majority of the current BOCC cares about the citizens of this county. The reality is that on July 15, the BOCC hit bottom and started digging.

Richard Ross

Brooksville

Teaching Children To Beg

For the second time in two days, I was confronted by a group of children begging for money.

You have all seen them at the entrance of the local stores. They are from sports groups, dance groups, gymnastics groups etc. They want help to pay their way to events or buy uniforms or other things not provided by the organizations.

I'm glad these children are involved in activities but, it is not teaching them to earn their way by having them beg for money to participate in these events.

There is no difference between them and anyone else begging for money. None of them are doing anything to earn it. This may be contributing to the attitude in today's society, "I want it so therefore I should have it."

What happened to working for it? Teaching children that getting things for nothing makes them feel it is owed to them and does nothing to prepare them for life.

Suzanne Dilts

Spring Hill

Fair And Balanced

I would like to thank you for your balanced representation of all viewpoints on your editorial page. You print opinions from just about every side of the political and philosophical spectrum. They are well-written and I enjoy reading all of them (even when I don't agree with them). I never fail to learn something from hearing other people's points of view and I believe it makes me a more informed and better citizen.

We are facing a crucial election this year, both locally and nationally, and we voters have to be very careful about who we elect because we'll be stuck with them for the next several years. By reading various opinions of candidates and issues, without "spin" and the usual candidate rhetoric, hopefully we will elect good leaders.

Your reporters are also very good and write articles that show in-depth research and excellent investigative skills.

Keep up the good work.

Sarah Nachin

Spring Hill

Editor's note: Thanks!

A Few Questions

How much is the salary for the Hernando County and Spring Hill firefighters when they are at major intersections in Hernando County from 4 to 7 p.m. collecting for the Muscular Dystrophy Association?

How much is the gasoline the Hernando County and Spring Hill firefighters use when driving their fire, fire and rescue trucks to the corners of S.R. 50, Mondon Hill Road, Cobb Road and Mariner Boulevard?

This costs us, the taxpayers, for three days from 4 to 7 p.m.

How much is it costing the Hernando taxpayers for the Hernando County and Spring Hill firefighters to collect for MDA and Jerry's Kids? Why should we, the taxpayers, pay these costs?

Joan Lynch

Spring Hill

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