Letters to the Eagle Editor: June 21, 2006

Robbing Peter, paying Paul

When taxpayer money is taken from one fund and placed in another fund, I call it a misappropriation of money. Marco Island has a home rule form of government and it appears that our city council feels that it is OK to circumvent funds to other funds. As Councilman Mike Minozzi said at the last council meeting, it's like robbing Peter to pay Paul. This practice may be common, however, when millions of dollars are borrowed from funds in advance of a loan or approved bond, it does not seem appropriate or ethical. The city refuses to show written invoices to the people that show which funds they are getting the money from to pay for two multi-million dollar projects.

Presently, millions of dollars are being spent to sewer Barfield/Tigertail and the taxpayers have a right to know which funds the city is borrowing from to pay for these projects. If anyone has been able to get any written documentation of where this money is coming from, please let me know.

— Frances Enman / Marco Island

Jumping the sewer gun?

Sewer construction building material was delivered June 14 to a vacant lot near my home. I can only assume, at the moment, that Michael L. Rose authorized his land for such use and the money to pay for the material is coming from somewhere other than the bonds in the resolution. In addition, I am amazed that city council feels so confident in winning the pending lawsuits.

It is sad to say but, this all could have been avoided if City Manager Bill Moss wasn't so determined to carrying out this septic tank replacement program in such a heavy-handed fashion. We had to file a lawsuit just to get a meeting with him. It's a very sad day on Marco Island.

— Doug Enman / Marco Island

Raising Winterberry bridge too costly

Where and why does the Coast Guard have a say in the height of this bridge?

This is a dead-end waterway. The bridge has been there for many years, and the residents chose to live north of this bridge with their small boats.

We have to come up with a lot more money and destroy four residents' properties to raise the bridge six inches. This is extremely ridiculous.

I believe that relatives of some Coast Guardsmen live north of this bridge.

Outrageous.

— Harrison A. Gay / Marco Island

Lely H.S. more than a grade

I am writing in response to John Holleran's letter to the editor Local high school spells educational quality in the June 14 Eagle. I am a junior at Lely High School and I felt insulted by his letter.

Lely may be rated a D school, but you have to look past that. Ever hear the saying, don't judge a book by its cover? There is a great percentage of Lely's population that can't read, speak, or understand English, which has a great impact on our school's rating. These students have to balance six other courses while learning the English language. However, there also is a great portion of students who are in the gifted program, including myself. These students work extremely hard. Our advanced placement tests, especially Spanish and biology have exceptionally high passing rates because the teachers responsible are amazing educators. With this said, the rating is flawed.

If Marco had a high school, the students who attended it would not experience much of anything. The great thing about Lely is its diversity — that's what makes Lely, Lely. If a new high school were built here, Marco's students would be living in a bubble until they graduate, because there is no diversity on this little island of ours. When college comes around, those students will be in for a culture shock. The island's students need to see, meet and be around these people of different races. They need a taste of the real world. Marco kids are sheltered in this little world of middle/upper-class citizens. They need to get past that.

Please understand that Lely is an amazing school filled with so much school spirit it would blow your mind. Go to one of our football games during the fall and you'll understand my side of the argument once you encounter the sea of orange and black in the bleachers. So, we're a D school. We're also a great group of kids who don't let anyone put us down.

— Tani Washak / Marco Island

Repair bridge as it is

As you are aware, the Coast Guard is holding up approval of a new bridge at east Winterberry by requiring an increase in height. Estimates from our public works department jumps the cost of this bridge to $20 million. Looking at other bridges where the Coast Guard could make the same requirement, our costs for bridge replacement could run well over $100 million over the next 10 years. Therefore we must stop this now and not set a precedent.

They have two reasons for doing this. The first is that they conducted an informal survey of the people with indirect access on the north side of the bridge. Of course these people would like to see a higher bridge because this would increase the value of their property. It would add only to the tax load of the rest of the citizens of Marco Island. The second is Coast Guard boats cannot go under the present bridge. If this is a big enough problem that it requires correction then let it come out of the Coast Guard's pockets.

The solution to this is for our newly elected council to reverse direction relative to the need for a new bridge. The need for a new bridge has been questionable all along, and its being declared an emergency with a charade. The proper solution is to go ahead with the repair of the bridge, which should not require any approvals other than those that can be obtained with little difficulty. Since we are into hurricane season and the east side of the bridge has had no repair, this work could properly be called an emergency.

— George E. (Ted) Willis / Marco Island

Issues need closer looks

Our home is being threatened and Islanders need to pay attention to what is happening in our city.

Because the City Council refused to call a halt to the unnecessary and unfair septic tank replacement program, it is being fought in the courts. In spite of City Manager Bill Moss and his public relations campaign to discredit the suit and citizens involved, it will be decided there. In the meantime, the City Council continues to push on. Even though it may lose, Council has contractors bringing in large and costly amounts of materials now. Who will pay for this? Not the contractors for sure. Taxpayers be prepared to dig deep into your pockets!

There has been much discussion regarding the need to replace the east Winterberry bridge. The City Council apparently decided to replace it and now some people are wanting it raised, not just rebuilt. The cost for that would be much greater and benefit only a few boaters, but we all would pay for it. This council needs to say no to this unnecessary expenditure.

The next issue is the Radisson Suite Beach Resort. It is for sale and the Marco Island Marriott Resort says they are buying it and will redevelop it. We need the hotel rooms it now has, not more condos and/or time shares. We do not want higher buildings with bigger units. Nor do we need to negotiate for more beach access between buildings as we have no place for beachgoers to park.

We already have height restrictions and reduced density is a stated goal, yet the developers all want exceptions. Is our quality of life not important? Do we not have to stand in long lines at the stores and fight for parking spaces now during season? Enough is enough. This council should just say no.

— Karen S. Glaub / Marco Island

Teddy's words worth hearing

Regarding your recent article Plight of the migrants in the May 24 Eagle, legal or illegal — it makes a big difference to our country. Several countries are more harsh than the U.S. in the treatment of illegal immigrants and their employers.

The law library of Congress study of immigration laws in six countries found that all but Brazil have criminal penalties for illegal entry and presence within their borders.

In four of the countries — Japan, Switzerland, Sweden and Egypt — employers can be jailed from three months up to three years for hiring illegal immigrants.

"With all the blustery rhetoric coming from opponents about a 'harsh' House bill ... I note that five out of the six countries studied — including Mexico — make illegal entry and unlawful presence a criminal offense," said Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.

The House bill would make being in the country illegally a felony.

Let's remember the words written in 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt. "In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for one flag, the American flag ... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language ... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

— Nancy A. Main / Marco Island