Crying About Impact Fees

Crying About Impact Fees

Oh my goodness! The poor developers and Hernando County Commissioner Jim Adkins are crying again about having the developers pay impact fees that help provide infrastructure to areas that are being developed.

If the developer does not charge for impact services we, the taxpayer, will have to have our property taxes raised to pay for these necessary services. The developers claim that they cannot sell their already inflated priced homes if they have to add on the cost of "impact" fees to the community they are building in. They cannot sell their homes because there are already several hundred homes empty, with very few buyers in sight.

They also make the claim that they provide jobs for the community. Are they providing jobs for the unemployed in THIS community? Or are they providing jobs to the traveling (mostly illegal) aliens? Granted, a few jobs are created for the materials and supplies industry locally, but even they have resorted to hiring illegal aliens.

I think the reduction in impact fees should be tied to the number of locally established residents who are employed in the actual work being performed in the community. This can be checked through e-verify. That way, the community benefits by having its citizens gainfully employed, and our tax dollars are not being wasted on people who live outside of our community, especially illegal immigrants.

If the developer can agree to these terms, then an adjustment could be made to the fees, but they should not be totally eliminated.

Second, I wish Dick Cheney would go hide in a bunker somewhere and keep out of the way while his mess is being cleaned up.

Third, if American International Group (AIG) wants to give these huge bonuses to retain the "talent" they have, they are worse off than we thought. The "talent" they want to retain are the people who got them into trouble in the first place. If that is the best they can do, please have them hire my daughter. She needs a job, is a lot smarter than they are and would work for a fair wage.

Fred Greenwalt

Spring Hill

Advice Plentiful

Re: "Committee Debuts To Criticism," in the March 4 edition of Hernando Today.

The county commission has established - and appointed experienced citizens to - advisory standing committees to enable it to do the job. Maybe these voluntary citizens should replace the salaried commissioners to save money.

Such committees create an additional layer of government organization. Yet recently, commissioners adopted a plan for streamlining the organization. During this financial crunch, the commission spares no expense to save money.

Commissioners and staff have alternative sources of advice available readily at little or no cost. Therefore, these committees - as well as staff to administer them - are a waste of money and other scarce resources. A steamroller is unnecessary to crack a peanut.

Alternative sources of advice include commissioners meeting periodically and informally with constituents. Staff could surf the Internet. Further, advice should be plentiful from an administrator's county-financed doctoral studies in public administration. County libraries have stacks of advice. Again, newspapers publish invaluable editorials, guest columns and readers' letters.

Long live newspapers.

James A. Willan

Brooksville

Keep Asset

Editor's note: This letter was addressed to the Hernando County Commissioners and is reprinted here at the author's request.

I don't know if any of you were here before Willy took over the concession at Pine Island park, but I remember a trailer with a limited selection that showed up occasionally. What Willy has done for the park should get him a lifetime contract. His place has been featured in national and regional magazines that have introduced this Hernando County gem to the world.

I know people from Pinellas County who always take a side trip to Willy's just to get one of his cheeseburgers whenever they travel on U.S. 19. Local people go there for the good food from a restaurant quality menu, dependable cleanliness and the cheerful friendliness of Willy and his employees. Willy lives on the island and knows everyone out there. I don't think any of them would want someone else responsible for taking care of their park.

If you feel you need to put this out for bid, consider what you could end up with. If you are familiar with this county, you remember Becky's Restaurant in Weeki Wachee Hills. Every day she had a full house for breakfast and lunch. She has retired and sold the place. Check it out now.

This happens many times when the creator of a successful business is replaced. Please don't mess with something that works this well for the county and visitors to the park. You should do everything you can to keep this asset to the county.

Joe May

Weeki Wachee