Letters to the editor: July 29, 2010

Letter of the Day: Four years and beyond

Editor, Daily News:

Today I announce some of my platform for my presidential run for 2012.

1. Reduce total federal employees by 10 percent each year for four years.

2. Reduce all congressional pay and pensions by 10 percent each year for four years.

3. Reduce all personal and business federal taxes by 10 percent each year for four years.

4. Reduce our overseas land-based armed forces by 10 percent each year for four years.

5. Look to eliminate all overseas land-based armed forces worldwide. Allow each foreign nation to provide its own security at its cost.

The United States of America need not be the world’s policeman any longer. We will protect our own citizens only from now on.

— Frank Englund

Naples and Frankenmuth, Mich.

Less could mean more

Editor, Daily News:

Split the deal, share the risk.

Those who stand to profit the most from Jackson Lab — the landowners — need to share in the cost and the risk. Taxpayers cannot be the bearer of financial burden and inherent risk alone. By mitigating Collier County’s cost and risk, other economic diversity opportunities and pursuits can be made in other industries and/or other opportunities.

The county needs to change its attitude in how it does business. Our county commissioners need to be more selective of requests on taxpayer financing and imposition of taxes. They need to recognize the impacts of taxes on family budgets, especially as tight as many family budgets are today.

A systematic change in the county’s approach in creating business is also necessary — to reduce red tape, fees and the cost of doing business — to create an inviting, business-friendly environment.

Given the massive campaign being put forth for the Jackson Lab cluster, a commensurate effort is warranted to promote and grow existing successful businesses.

Failures in the county’s economy are attributable to the lack of measurable job creation in the county’s Growth Management Plan. Planning for commercial space is not job creation.

I suggest that measurable job creation objectives be incorporated into the plans and action taken.

I support economic diversification. I support the mission of Jackson Lab as an institution, and the cluster concept vision. But at least share in the cost and the risk. I suggest taxpayers may be more supportive of the project with a split of cost and risk.

— W. James Flanagan III

Naples

Money to burn?

Editor, Daily News:

Re: Ed FitzGerald’s July 12 letter regarding the expiration of the 2001 and 2003 tax relief bills.

FitzGerald, commissioner for the Bonita Springs Fire and Rescue District, states that every Congress person who sits by and allows the tax relief bills to expire should be ousted from government during the next election, and that silence will be taken as approval for the largest tax hike in history.

FitzGerald himself has been silent on the proposed millage rate increase in Lee County and Bonita Springs. Lee recently approved a millage rate increase from 3.6506 to 4.2835 percent. The Bonita Fire and Rescue District receives a portion of the taxes as revenue, and as taxable property values fall in Southwest Florida, the fire district’s revenue decreases.

Does FitzGerald support a millage rate increase for the fire district? If so, doesn’t he deserve to be ousted during the next election as well?

Decreasing the millage rate attributable to the fire district translates into direct savings for our local constituents. Every dollar is important in these tough economic times, especially in Southwest Florida, where many of the taxpayers are on fixed incomes.

— Jean Larson

Bonita Springs

We will breathe easier

Editor, Daily News:

It is refreshing to see a businessman running for Collier County School Board who hasn’t been clouded with a mind-set that occurs when too much time is spent active in the middle of a school-system bureaucracy.

It is nice to see a candidate who has demonstrated an ability to get along with others to allow a dialogue with differences of opinion, without belittling gestures in the background or rolling of eyes.

Right out of the shoot, we saw Reg Buxton take a stand to solving the class-size amendment and went straight to a simple solution versus working within the bureaucracy of a problem. Reg will be a needed new set of glasses to sit on the Collier County School Board.

We need a board member who can play nice with others who hasn’t been a part of growing the problems.

We need Buxton so that he can provide alternative solutions that fix problems in a direct, businesslike fashion and can see past the bureaucratic method of solving problems — direct and to the point.

Buxton will help set goals for the superintendent that the whole board can agree on. He will hold the superintendent accountable so that the superintendent can succeed in his efforts. Communication will improve, and we can have a school system of which the whole community will be proud.

Buxton represents a breath of fresh air we all need.

— Russell Tuff

Naples

More on immigration

Editor, Daily News:

I fail to see why passing bills in the Legislature involves so much cackling with few, if any, eggs worthy of note.

I am referring to the ineffective racial profiling and spot-checking, also the waste of time mentioned by Sister Maureen Kelleher in the July 13 Daily News. This method is no more effective than the sorry “wet foot-dry foot” bill that must have been masterminded by some legislator’s 10-year-old kid.

Are they really serious? We do not wish to be unfair or cruel.

State Rep. William Snyder’s bill can be extended further, and without the help of the police. Not only do all immigrants need driver’s licenses, but also employment (it’s time we made the laws governing the employers’ role more stringent and enforce them), medical care and education for their children.

This is the right time to demand the immigrants’ papers, demanded by the staff and employees responsible for admitting or supplying the necessary documents and permits. These should be signed and stamped by a state-approved attorney, not some lawyer in a backroom somewhere.

Children should not become American citizens until their parents become citizens.

Meanwhile, be very nice to the dark-eyed little treasure in mother’s shopping cart. One day he could be your senator.

— Yvonne Koolhof

Naples

That’s entertainment?

Editor, Daily News:

As a resident of the area for over 13 years, I’ve watched Radio Road reconfigured four times.

It seems that just when the new landscaping is put in, our traffic engineers begin construction and new turn lanes are created, sometimes removing one installed in past months. We even have turn lanes with “do not turn” signs!

Now, Collier County officials have determined that some of the curbing needs to be removed, landscaping torn up and curbs of a different design installed.

Does it appear that any of our county leaders noticed the problem with our economy? I guess if it was in the budget, they have to spend it. The people responsible for this Rube Goldberg planning and design need to be re-evaluated.

The good news is that the eastbound stretch of Radio, from Livingston Road, is truly entertaining.

— Bruce Buchanan

Naples

Thanks for nothing

Editor, Daily News:

I have been a business owner in Naples for 13 years and have enjoyed boating and fishing in Naples for 18 years.

We typically launch our boat with our friends and their boats at Naples Landing downtown. Parking is always an issue, so a lot of the time we park one street over on 10th Street where there are spaces off the roadway.

On a busy day, there will be up to 10 or 12 vehicles with boat trailers parked in these spaces. It has been this way for at least 14 years without a problem.

One Sunday everyone on 10th Street had a $32 parking ticket on the windshield from the Naples police department. Keep in mind there are no signs that say “No trailer parking.” A great way to end a beautiful day.

I paid my fine Monday morning promptly, primarily because it is not worth the time or money to fight this in court.

I don’t want an apology from the Naples police department, but I think police officials should look at the economy and realize this is just another shakedown to make money for the city.

After all, I hold a grudge and will be boating in Lee County at Lovers Key where the parking is free and the police only get involved where there is a crime. What Naples loses is the money we spend on gas and food on the water, so I hope the police realize that if they keep running folks off, the local economy will suffer.

— Samuel Castleberry

Naples

Let’s settle this right here

Editor, Daily News:

I won’t vote for a Florida politician who recently called for a constitutional amendment to ban drilling within three miles of Florida beaches. Not another life should be lost or another dollar spent on foreign oil — or any oil exploration! Candidates for office nationally should be called on to report how much campaign funding they are receiving from oil companies, and those of us who care, should cross them off our ballots.

This is the Sunshine State, and this is the 21st century. It’s time — finally — to put to use the technology we’ve possessed for decades, to produce alternative energy systems: wind, solar, tidal, natural gas.

Let’s plan a weeklong conference in Naples during this off-season. Maybe ask T. Boone Pickens to be a guest host. Get some national/international publicity. We’ll ask questions the media won’t ask, and we’ll get answers.

Let’s get started. C’mon, voters. We can do it!

— Tom Haddad

Naples

For the brainwashed, 24/7

Editor, Daily News:

Big Brother is alive and well and his name is Fox News Channel.

In bars, barber shops, restaurants, banks, doctors’ offices, health clubs — there he is, spewing right-wing propaganda.

The brainwashed have it on at home 24/7, or at least before their morning cup of joe.

Watch and obey, get President Barack Obama, get Democrats, get liberals, get foreigners, get any Republican who even talks to Obama, or much worse doesn’t filibuster.

Bash every program, undermine every plan for recovery, the country be damned, is Fox’s message. Why? For power. Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes want the country goose-stepping to their right-wing beat. They already have Republican lawmakers cowering for fear of being castigated or losing their support. Big Brother has won.

Personally, I won’t patronize any establishment that has Fox on TV. I don’t want them cooking my food, cutting my hair or handling my money, and I certainly don’t want them in charge of my health.

God bless America.

— Richard Ulrich

Naples

Then something soured

Editor, Daily News:

In my opinion, Fred Coyle is among the most capable Collier County commissioners we have had in the 36 years I have been here. But in recent actions he has done the most damage to good government in Collier.

Consider these:

Coyle has been a strong supporter of spending millions of taxpayer dollars to prevent the clerk of courts from auditing the commissioners’ expenditures. He consistently voted for higher taxes prior to his recently becoming a candidate for re-election.

He supports spending $130 million of our taxpayer funds on Jackson Laboratory, but has not supported a public vote on this. He publicly states that the commissioners must make decisions, even if the voters are against them.

He is vicious to those who disagree with him, publicly calling them liars and launching unfounded accusations of unethical political actions. He wanted a proposed Collier County government charter prepared as a county ordinance, approved by the commission rather than an appointed citizens commission because he said our citizens were not capable.

It would be interesting to hear how all the Coyle supporter/letter writers explain to their friends and neighbors why they support the above, though I’m sure some of you may agree with the elitist-superiority concept of Coyle.

Hopefully the majority of voters will not.

— Harold L. Hall

Naples

Concepts big and small

Editor, Daily News:

Among many issues, Collier County Commissioner Fred Coyle has voted to save the Naples Zoo; helped preserve the Naples Depot; helped reduce government spending by $465 million; and voted against raising taxes across the board. His value to District 4 deserves our vote for re-election in the Aug. 24 Republican primary based on the importance of these “macro” issues alone.

But Coyle’s importance can also be measured by his hard work for the more local needs of the people he represents.

For example, right in the middle of one of our worst hurricanes on record, a county employee sought to enforce a nuisance-type environmental law. But Coyle found out about the inconsistency and repudiated it.

In another example, Coyle rejected a county decision to build a new road spur which, if left standing, would have denied 400 residents the right to make a critical turn from their established residential intersection.

It is obviously important to be able to recognize and vote intelligently on the big issues. Coyle combines that intelligence with the common sense to protect the little guy.

Vote Coyle for commissioner on Aug. 24.

— Al Abrahams

Naples

What the tea party leaves

Editor, Daily News:

The true message of the tea party movement is that it is against endless bailouts, too much spending and too much control over health care, the financial sector and energy.

It seeks to save America from the sovereign debt crisis and to restore the nation as the economic superpower of the world.

The attacks against the movement are shameless and are designed to intimidate and silence the American people who wish nothing more than to return the nation to the tradition of constitutional government with limited powers.

This is the way organizations, media outlets and elected officials attempt to silence legitimate dissent through its delegitimization.

We expect this from the Hugo Chavezes and Saul Alinskys of the world, not in America.

Ultimately, this is about control of Congress, and it is clear members of Congress will stop at nothing to discredit the primary threat to their keeping power, and that’s the American people.

— Suzanne Wegner

Naples

Is that really so bad?

Editor, Daily News:

We’ve been hearing rumblings, even in the mainstream media, about the Obama administration’s incompetence.

On the contrary, I believe that President Barack Obama and his fellow travelers, in their 18 short months in office, have been extremely successful.

Note their accomplishments so far. They have nationalized two major auto manufacturers, firing the CEO of one in the process. They enacted legislation that will soon nationalize our health-care system. They enacted legislation to take over the student loan program.

They passed a trillion-dollar “jobs stimulus” bill that since its passage has lost 2.6 million jobs in the private sector while creating 400,000 jobs in government. They enacted legislation to wield much more control over the entire financial industry.

They placed a moratorium on offshore drilling. They will pass cap-and-trade legislation (in the lame-duck session?) that will put further restrictions on our energy usage.

Obama’s background of mentoring under the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and of political organizing utilizing the teachings of Saul Alinsky and Bill Ayers should give us some insight into his real objective. His unscripted “bitter clingers” and “spread the wealth” remarks and his appointment of over 20 “czars” in his administration with accountability only to him strongly support the view that he wants to control as much of our society as possible.

So, if we consider that to be Obama’s real goal and ignore what his campaign falsely promised or what his teleprompter tells him to say, he has demonstrated outstanding competence toward reaching that goal.

— Lowell Wrucke

Naples

Going rogue against U.S.A.

Editor, Daily News:

Time after time Republicans go against the transition to clean energy. They’re doing it from the top of our federal government all the way down to state and county government.

A threat of GOP filibuster stopped the energy bill.

The day before, the GOP-led Florida Legislature walked away from a special session called by the governor in response to a majority of the citizens calling for a vote on a constitutional amendment forbidding oil drilling in Florida waters.

In recent years, the GOP-dominated body repeatedly refused to fund the Florida Renewable Energy Technologies and Energy Efficiency Act providing rebates for installing a variety of clean-energy technologies, leaving citizens holding the bag in spite of legislation signed into law. These so-called “conservative” Republicans have gone rogue, ignoring their mandated responsibility at best, abusing their authority at worst.

It’s not just Tallahassee. We’re also seeing GOP dirty tricks denying promised property tax exemptions for the added value of solar panels. Republicans defy the legislation. They even allow utilities to penalize consumers who reduce demand via clean technology.

The reason for such dirty tricks is no surprise. Roughly 80 percent of gas and oil campaign contributions go to Republican candidates.

Will you remember this when considering voting for Republicans in the fall? I can’t bring myself to consider voting GOP anymore knowing the nation spends over $1 trillion annually to keep gasoline looking like a good deal.

GOP energy shenanigans are bankrupting America.

— Michael Bartley

Fort Myers

Big difference

Editor, Daily News:

President Barack Obama and the present House’s and Senate’s actions have awakened American voters, who in the past have not paid too much attention to government.

I have often wondered why few have noticed that the Democratic Party has been in control, at least since former President Lyndon Johnson’s war on poverty. Still, poverty exists in amounts that are unacceptable.

Conservatives are concerned about the poor and desire that all Americans climb the economic ladder to success, but they have never been in a position to accomplish this.

When Democrats were not in power, neither were the conservatives. Conservative Republicans were never in power. We came close with Ronald Reagan and close with Newt Gingrich, but no cigar.

We will have a choice in August and November to stop this mad rush toward a European socialism. Voters must decide between two philosophies.

We owe China, Canada and others trillions of dollars. Where will this money come from? You could take every penny from every American billionaire and you would not come close. You can raise taxes on the middle class 75 percent and you would not come close.

The government can print money until it destroys the dollar’s buying power. So, what’s he answer?

Elect Republican conservatives, elect Democrat conservatives, if you can find one. The private sector and evil Wall Street businesses are the only things that will create the money to pay off ours and our children’s debt.

Socialists will give you an unemployment check. Conservatives will give you a job.

— Tom Macchia

Naples

That does not fly

Editor, Daily News:

In the July 12 letters to editor, Rob Breaker reported “from what I have been told, the American flag cannot be displayed in Massachusetts schools.”

I checked with the state House in Boston and no one could find a law or regulation to back his report.

— Dan McCarthy

Naples and Boston

Fits right in

Editor, Daily News:

I have known Collier County Commission candidate Joe Foster for approximately seven years. He has demonstrated a very high level of ethics and morals in all of his dealings.

I have known Joe to be only honest and forthright in his dealings, and I know with certainty that his integrity is concrete and a cornerstone of his persona and his professional practice.

He is trustworthy, consistent and solid — the perfect character for an improving County Commission.

— Howard Isaacson

Naples

Drill better

Editor, Daily News:

We have, at least, 15 years for using “our oil,” because the so-called green technologies are not yet able to replace oil in everyday use.

We have depended too much on foreign oil for years, having big inside and offshore reserves. We must absolutely drill with new rules of prevention, safety and security in order to avoid another big problem: the actual bureaucratic rules of prevention, et al, are obsolete. People working on drilling must be constantly taught strong prevention on the drilling site.

Too much leniency on safety and security is the root of the problem from the top to the bottom.

We launch into space the most sophisticated shuttles with men on board; they get out to repair spacecraft; we have the most remarkable satellites reaching far-away new planets, and we are not able to take safe and secure advantage of our resource, oil?

Drill, baby, drill, but with our brilliant and secure technology!

— Anne Marie Gressani

Naples

Mike and Lee can do better

Editor, Daily News:

There are four Republican candidates for Lee County Commission, District 1.

I know all four and my choice is Mike Jackson. Mike is not a career politician. This is his first campaign, yet he has broad government and business experience. He earned an master’s of business administration degree from Northwestern University and owned his own business. He has what it takes to control spending.

Mike won national awards as Cape Coral economic development director. He generated an annual return on investment of $100 for every dollar spent. Today he’s helping to grow our economy and increase jobs with his work on the Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board and the Southwest Florida Regional Technology Partnership.

In his first career, Mike was an award-winning network TV newscaster. He knows how to listen and believes in government accountability.

More than that, Mike has heart. He has a long history of leadership in helping people with substance abuse, adult literacy and mental health.

He believes Lee County can do better, and he wants our government to be something we can all be proud of.

This will be a close race where every vote counts. Please join me in voting for Mike Jackson. He’s a proven leader we can trust.

— Marilyn Stout

Cape Coral

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