Letters to the Editor, Aug. 12
STR: My two cents
The other day I received a mailing urging me to vote ‘No’ on the upcoming referendum. It listed many false reasons and was written to frighten homeowners on Marco Island.
Single family home and condo owners will not be impacted in any way by the passing of this bill on Aug. 23. It is the realtors who are fear mongers and are putting their strength and money behind them to frighten us all.
The return address on this large format postcard said it was a “Paid Political Advertisement Paid for By Realtors Issues Mobilization Committee” from Orlando. Is this who you want to be making your decisions and running your island. I do not.
I legally placed four posters on busy corners on Collier and when I went to remove them at the end of the day they were gone. Isn’t that sad? Please vote yes!
Dr. Marvin Nathanson, Marco Island
Please vote yes!
In 1986 I was invited to Marco by a friend. As with most, I instantly fell in love, brought my family the following vacation, and bought our first condo.
All along I knew this would be our retirement destination. That happened three years ago and we are now full time Marco resident/homeowners. I have always loved the island and feel protective of it.
And now there is trouble. Of 8,000 single family homes, one fourth of them are STR and horror stories abound.
I have traveled from one end of Marco to the other speaking to owners and listening to their sadness and stories of excesses (noise, garbage, disrespect, over the edge parking and traffic) and am active in trying to get the referendum passed to limit and regulate STRs.
Please vote yes!
Lynn David Nathanson, Marco Island
Marco 'Yes' campaign becomes toxic
The people running the 'Yes' campaign for the registration referendum are the most toxic, hateful people that I have ever encountered in my life.
The bullying and abuse that has run rampant online toward the people who have legitimate arguments against the referendum has spilled over into the streets.
The supporters of the Take Back Marco PAC have resorted to outright destruction of their neighbor's property in broad daylight by stealing and ripping up political signs advocating for a 'No' vote. There is video evidence of this happening and has been reported to the police.
The behavior and name calling that I've seen on Nextdoor by the 'Yes' supporters is appalling and even frightening. The elitism and the intolerance of the opinions of others is something I have never witnessed before.
We recently moved away from a very liberal/big government state of Illinois to come enjoy what we thought was one of the most conservative, small government towns in Florida with little regulation overreach. Now we are met with bullying and citizens that have brought their big government and intolerance with them to this beautiful town of Marco Island.
This city has always had the most loving and happy people. The locals and visitors, the snowbirds and annual residents, young and old, condo or residential home have all managed to coexist and enjoy this paradise together until recently. I believe that the mindset that is driving the political action committees 'Take Back Marco' and 'Citizens for a Better Marco' are a cancer that is poisoning this island. We need to take a step back and unite again and not empower this hateful campaign any further.
I am voting No!
Kathy Dennis, Marco Island
Defense of Florida Citizens Alliance
The recent letter claiming Florida Citizens Alliance is a radical group fighting against what is best for our kids is laughable. Florida Citizens Alliance now represents well over 30,000 parents and grandparents here in Collier and almost 200,000 statewide. Our principles and core values are based on the U.S. Constitution and our Judeo-Christian founding. If the U.S. Constitution makes us radical to some on “the left” then it is a mantle we wear proudly.
As for our claiming we endorsed candidates in 2016 or now, this is just not true. We are a 501c3 non-for profit and do not endorse candidates. Any candidates who align with our core constitutional values make that decision on their own.
As for challenging Collier County Public Schools on its poor performance, we certainly do in hopes that they get back to academic basics of Reading, Math and Constitutional-based Civics.
Instead 40 percent of CCPS high school students cannot read or do math at grade level (Source: 2021 US News and World Report Annual study).
Over two-thirds of CCPS 3rd graders cannot read at proficiently level 4 or 5 (Source: FL DOE).
The CCPS school board is allowing extensive sexually explicit and age-inappropriate LGBTQ materials in their schools (Source: CCPS Public Records Request – a self-admission to legal Firm of Pacific Justice Institute).
The CCPS School Board allowed Superintendent Patton in 2021 to train the entire CCPS administrative and principals staff on Critical Race Theory (CRT), purchasing and distributing 400 copies of “Unconscious Bias in Schools” ( Source: Self admission reply to Public Records Request) Collier public school students deserve better!
Keith Flaugh Collier resident and founder FLCA, Marco Island
More:Letters to the Editor, Aug. 9