The Great White Horse

Commissioner Stabins,

As you sit in you highchair in front of your constituents this fine morning (with a 30% chance of afternoon showers) please keep in mind that regardless the intentions of homebuilders requesting a break by eliminating impact fees to spur their troubled businesses, there are a good number of existing new homes that have yet to be occupied which means no property tax revenues. There are even more homes that remain empty due to foreclosures with back-taxes mounting and little chance to be paid anytime soon, if ever.

If builders can’t find work locally, there are regions outside Florida that have an up-beat economy. Besides, I don’t like the idea of anything that will hinder my plans to leave the state for where there are “42,145 square miles of scenic beauty” in the Smoky Mountains. Think of me as a future right-wing, gun-totin’ Second Amendment Patriot of The Volunteer State. Seriously.

Please, don’t give away the “store” of $12.5-million in “rainy day” reserves to benefit the Teamster Unions’ newly acquired card-carrying members. What a buffoon was the business agent for the Local to suggest these funds be used because “… it’s pouring outside” and that employees are living paycheck to paycheck. My retort would be, even more people are not able to live with no paycheck after no paycheck and that the government employees should look at themselves as being very fortunate to have a paycheck at all on top of all kinds of health benefits that the unfortunate unemployed must do without.

(I ain’t touchin’ anything to do with the sheriff office’s budget for fear I’d find myself handcuffed behind bars that don’t serve beer and pretzels!)

Take note that the Teamsters rep has said, as reported in Hernando Today (September 13), that the county staffers have “their management rights to layoff if that’s what they (feel) they need to do”. May I suggest to take that very suggestion and in fact make efforts to do so. You should make demands that department heads dig deeper and cut more jobs (money, money and more money) from their ranks. Government workers and residents must feel the dire straits that the county will continue to endure until the economy can right-side itself from this belly-up position. Reality sucks, don’t it?

But we must face head-on the challenges that are before us. (This is not a quote from what might sound as though it came from an Obama speech.)

On the matter of the Florida Association Counties: as you must know, the county needs to tighten its belt in any way it can. Unless the Association can specify the monetary benefits of rejoining its ranks, and guarantee a positive cash intake, it’s my opinion that taking a further dip into the rainy day finds should be avoided.

Keep in mind that generally speaking I don’t know what the heck I’m talking about!

Well, Commissioner, you have a great day. Sincerity intended.

Be the white stallion, rear up on your hind legs, and give a resounding “Nay!” to what may become too great a cost to the county.

Be assured that anything that sounds derogatory to you personally is meant in jest. Chuckles!

Your constituent and steadfast follower (please don’t lead me astray).

Ron Rae