Since I don’t twitter, does that make me less of a twit? Not necessarily. Since I don’t use a cell phone while driving, does that make me less of a danger to others on the road? You can bet everyone’s life on it.
When people talk of traffic, most often it’s about tailgaters, speeders and drivers whose sense of maintaining a constant speed is elusive, including those traveling too far below the posted limit.
Since my radio antennae is out of commission, cds are played on repeat or, as backup, the tape player is primed to waft some illegally copied tunes to provide a preferred variety of favorites. There’s over two hours of listening pleasure that keep me entertained as I sing out of harmony with talented artists.
To some, just listening to music while driving might be considered a distraction of sorts but, believe me, contemplating my next column would pose more of a hazard. I know my priorities behind the wheel.
A group of roadies that deserve extra caution from operators of a machine that poses a death threat to anyone meandering residential streets are pedestrians and bike riders.
Many residential areas are void of sidewalks so when I see an adult pushing a baby stroller, or walking with children tagging alongside and taking up a full lane of the road, it’s extremely disturbing. I don’t just slow down, I come to a complete stop until I feel assured a little tyke won’t jut out from the side of the road. There must be no regrets.
My next-door neighbor’s 16-year old son, Randy, with a future career in engineering, frequently skateboards with his friends with a makeshift ramp. In my opinion, they’re not very good but at least they keep a watchful eye out for traffic and immediately moves to the side. Not all kids are as respectful as some do a stare-dare out of insolence to the driver. An alternate route is safest.
The neighbor on the other side has three young children, the oldest of which is 7 years old, who also play in street. I was really impressed when little David demonstrated the creative maneuvers he can make with his skateboard that swivels in the middle, called The Wave. He’s pretty cool squatting down on it as he shows off, but I make sure to mention the precautions he must take to keep him and his siblings from getting hurt. Fortunately, I’ve seen him looking out for cars, always moving out of danger.
Recently, I remained motionless at a stop sign. The erratic behavior of a Jeep with emergency lights flashing was a concern, but the bike rider going around it was altogether too scary. The rider looked me straight in the eyes, for what was an assumed precaution to make sure I wouldn’t send him sprawling on the pavement.
Later, I realized the look was of recognition from when the young man had stopped at the house to sell enhanced educational services for kids. He probably thought me rude for not waving as he had requested since he’d be pedal-pushing his wares in Spring Hill the summer to assist mom with college tuition.
Imagine the determination of this young man to pump those pedals all day long, for what must have been days on end with the sun beating down on him in this land of heat and humidity?
Although a truly needed service, with high unemployment in Hernando County the rationale of sending someone to this deprived area fails my understanding. I doubt he achieved his goals. If only he had taken the initiative to offer a greeting of some nature, it may have led to an exchange of words between us that would have told me tales of his travels.
Alas, being from Estonia, a unique opportunity was missed for a conversation that would surely have provided myself, thus the reader, a unique perspective of a foreigner in this land of strange Americans. Hopefully, he had no ‘incidents’.
Still, an experienced bike rider such as he is no less subject to the failings of a driver. When I see anyone on a bike, of which there appear to be few, I fear for their safety. Untrusting of all drivers, I haven’t ridden a bike on a road in decades.
I’m also oblivious to recognize or even acknowledge a friend who later wonders why I didn’t wave as we traveled along the same street. Keeping my eyes on traffic doesn’t allow for socializing while driving.
Two happy-go-lucky amputees who traverse neighborhood streets brighten the road with a hearty wave and an exchange of smiles. Having had conversations with each while exercise-walking, their joy of having motorized mobility enhances their lives immeasurably. I worry for their safety, too.
Cautious me, when I turn off Mariner onto the street where I live, on more than one occasion there may have been a fender bender because the corner house is ‘right there’ and the poor souls who have lived there (it’s changed owners at least three times in the past three years) have no choice but brave backing out of the driveway
My scariest road encounter was when, after using the turn signal, I rounded the curb off Mariner onto the street where I live at 10 mph, an action that kept two young girls walking on the side of the road from being sent to an emergency room with broken bones, or worse. At fault or not, guilt would have been at my side. For life.
Vehicle-to-vehicle fender benders are less apt to cause serious injury. Vehicle-to-person encounters can be killers.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Where's The Ditropan?
My hands are shakin’ and my knees are weak. I’m so upset my words are much too black and the mood too bleak. And I’m so pissed off there’s not enough Ditropan in Spring Hill to stem the flow of steamy grief.
Three headlines on the front page of Tuesday’s Tampa Tribune announced ‘GM NOW IN BIG 4’… ‘Vast Atlantic deters search for lost jet’… and the one that momentarily got my interest was ‘Water bill mistakes not drops in bucket’ with the story continued on Page 6. But I never got there because on Page 5, the Metro section, the antithesis of responsibility headlined right before my eyes ‘Crist OKs bill to manage growth”.
It was no consolation whatsoever that just below the big black letters read ‘Critics say measure backed by business will only encourage urban sprawl’. Say what they may, it won’t change the result of the idiotocracy in Tallahassee.
As I stomped along the tile flooring toward the Dell, there was one dude who was surely in a Blaze of Glory. Mr. Politico of the Hernando County GOP had his wildest of dreams come true.
As the Trib’s Metro article read, “Critics said the exemption [from transportation concurrency] will force county commissioners to approve development in areas where roads are clogged”. You can bet your dwindling dollars that a certain number of the Hernando County Board of Commissioners is just as ecstatic as is everyone in the construction industry.
The commissioners might want to begin dialogue on meeting the future roadwork needs of the community. Never mind you people on lime rock roads, give up your cause to eliminate the dusty mucus clogging their nasal passages and the grit that lines the inside of your lungs. Wish you may, wish all you might, nothing good will come from the blight to follow the passage of Senate Bill 360 – a 360-degree circle of ineptitude.
Tweedledee and tweedledum and any other dumb-dumb in support of uncontrolled residential growth are probably rejoicing along with every contractor, subcontractor, real estate broker and real estate agent within the 37 miles east to west and 18 miles north to south that make up the 506 square miles (323,700 acres of land) within the confines of Hernando County.
“More than 300,000 residential units sit empty across Florida, 64,588 properties were in foreclosure last month, second only to Nevada, and real estate prices are still plummeting. State figures show that since 2007, permits have been granted for more than 630,000 new residential units and 480 million square feet of nonresidential space. In most cases the projects are still not built.” That was part of ‘All the News That’s Fit to Print’ in The New York Times on May 20.
In Hernando County, Hickory Hill, Sunrise and Like Hideaway subdivisions were given approval of over 10,000 housing units in 2007.
So now it’ll be up to taxpayers to foot the bill for the building of new and upgraded roads. You can be assured that come January 2011, just after the 2010 General Election, the three-penny Local Option Fuel Tax that was just voted down by the HCBOCC will be approved post haste. The estimated revenue of $1.8M will be desperately needed. Hopefully, the era of a paid county commission will soon come to an end and the savings of over $60,000 (plus benefits) per county commissioner can be redirected toward fulfilling the funding needs of the infrastructure. Any volunteers?
Where does that leave Florida Hometown Democracy, or has it already left the building of responsible, voter-approved growth all dried up in the empty water reservoirs throughout the state? In January I visited the official website just to see what’s up with the cause and found the initiative has a deadpan issue. Their efforts were, and are, needed but what are the chances of voter approval with fat-pocketed lobbyists ready to rehash the mistruths the first time around.
I can foam and froth and exhaust my fumes all day and all night but it’ll be for naught. The death of Florida’s natural wetlands, and the endangered species therein, is a forgone conclusion. The Southwest Florida Water Management District may as well hang up its soggy towel – it’ll dry up as quick as the water table of the Florida Aquifer.
Governor Crist’s bid for the U.S. Senate? Good luck with his efforts, but his signing of SB 360 creates a just cause for Marco Rubio to gain support to thwart Charlie’s seemingly assured nomination for the Republican Party.
The article on Ralph and Diana Salgado’s $21,600 bill for the 3.5 million gallons of water? I have not, and foresee no need to, flip to Page 6 to read more on the situation. It’s not important and the vision of my future in Florida is much too hazy.
Three headlines on the front page of Tuesday’s Tampa Tribune announced ‘GM NOW IN BIG 4’… ‘Vast Atlantic deters search for lost jet’… and the one that momentarily got my interest was ‘Water bill mistakes not drops in bucket’ with the story continued on Page 6. But I never got there because on Page 5, the Metro section, the antithesis of responsibility headlined right before my eyes ‘Crist OKs bill to manage growth”.
It was no consolation whatsoever that just below the big black letters read ‘Critics say measure backed by business will only encourage urban sprawl’. Say what they may, it won’t change the result of the idiotocracy in Tallahassee.
As I stomped along the tile flooring toward the Dell, there was one dude who was surely in a Blaze of Glory. Mr. Politico of the Hernando County GOP had his wildest of dreams come true.
As the Trib’s Metro article read, “Critics said the exemption [from transportation concurrency] will force county commissioners to approve development in areas where roads are clogged”. You can bet your dwindling dollars that a certain number of the Hernando County Board of Commissioners is just as ecstatic as is everyone in the construction industry.
The commissioners might want to begin dialogue on meeting the future roadwork needs of the community. Never mind you people on lime rock roads, give up your cause to eliminate the dusty mucus clogging their nasal passages and the grit that lines the inside of your lungs. Wish you may, wish all you might, nothing good will come from the blight to follow the passage of Senate Bill 360 – a 360-degree circle of ineptitude.
Tweedledee and tweedledum and any other dumb-dumb in support of uncontrolled residential growth are probably rejoicing along with every contractor, subcontractor, real estate broker and real estate agent within the 37 miles east to west and 18 miles north to south that make up the 506 square miles (323,700 acres of land) within the confines of Hernando County.
“More than 300,000 residential units sit empty across Florida, 64,588 properties were in foreclosure last month, second only to Nevada, and real estate prices are still plummeting. State figures show that since 2007, permits have been granted for more than 630,000 new residential units and 480 million square feet of nonresidential space. In most cases the projects are still not built.” That was part of ‘All the News That’s Fit to Print’ in The New York Times on May 20.
In Hernando County, Hickory Hill, Sunrise and Like Hideaway subdivisions were given approval of over 10,000 housing units in 2007.
So now it’ll be up to taxpayers to foot the bill for the building of new and upgraded roads. You can be assured that come January 2011, just after the 2010 General Election, the three-penny Local Option Fuel Tax that was just voted down by the HCBOCC will be approved post haste. The estimated revenue of $1.8M will be desperately needed. Hopefully, the era of a paid county commission will soon come to an end and the savings of over $60,000 (plus benefits) per county commissioner can be redirected toward fulfilling the funding needs of the infrastructure. Any volunteers?
Where does that leave Florida Hometown Democracy, or has it already left the building of responsible, voter-approved growth all dried up in the empty water reservoirs throughout the state? In January I visited the official website just to see what’s up with the cause and found the initiative has a deadpan issue. Their efforts were, and are, needed but what are the chances of voter approval with fat-pocketed lobbyists ready to rehash the mistruths the first time around.
I can foam and froth and exhaust my fumes all day and all night but it’ll be for naught. The death of Florida’s natural wetlands, and the endangered species therein, is a forgone conclusion. The Southwest Florida Water Management District may as well hang up its soggy towel – it’ll dry up as quick as the water table of the Florida Aquifer.
Governor Crist’s bid for the U.S. Senate? Good luck with his efforts, but his signing of SB 360 creates a just cause for Marco Rubio to gain support to thwart Charlie’s seemingly assured nomination for the Republican Party.
The article on Ralph and Diana Salgado’s $21,600 bill for the 3.5 million gallons of water? I have not, and foresee no need to, flip to Page 6 to read more on the situation. It’s not important and the vision of my future in Florida is much too hazy.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Now You See It - Now You Don't
Now you see it. Now you don’t. It’s not part of a magician’s act even though a slight of hands play the major role in making things disappear right before un-attending eyes.
What were once brand-spanking new houses with neat and moderately decorated lawns with two-car garages that were occupied with one or two late-model vehicles have become poorly maintained brick housing shells with blighted lawns, homeowners given up on even the simplest of trimming around the edges and the cramming of all kinds of crap in great big heaps leave aging cars and SUVs in oil-stained driveways.
What may have been a good investment for the new property owner in the 80s ended up taking a huge toll on the futures of many kids now in their twenties. Retail, lawn maintenance and construction jobs up the kazoo but the best paying jobs for the subordinate worker were/are in government services with few other employment opportunities.
Back twenty to twenty-five years ago, when the housing boom in Spring Hill was in its early stages of becoming the poorest played-out planning development scheme in Hernando County, kids grew up without community services intact to keep them from wandering dusty roads, so they sought entertainment thrills within the confines of their homes with little supervision. Both parents were out there working hard for the money necessary to enhance the family’s standard of living but when the kids were left alone, good habits never developed and bad ones were only to get worse – drugs and sex made them into addle-brained purveyors of wasted futures.
Twenty-somethings may still live at home today, perhaps having moved in and out at various other times as warranted by un- or under-employment conditions, doing what comes easiest: mooching. Others might live on their own, unmarried boyfriend and girlfriend with kids and/pr children from previous relationships, barely making ends meet and getting snippets of assistance from mom and dad who are more than just a little fearful that, otherwise, their home will be invaded upon with a certain permanence about it.
Maybe lawful justice has taken away their driving privileges but they remain defiant in their right to play a risky game of getting behind the wheel, disregarding the court decision, being ever so careful to abide by every traffic sign and signal. And maybe they continue to feed their mindless habits, finding less money to pay for family staples like food, diapers and toilet paper! So they shoplift, taking a positive position on the acts of robbery because they’ve gotten away with it before.
Some of us may have done a bit of it early in life but it was more likely a rested development by age 18. It was wrong then as it is now but back in the late sixties store detectives lacked the assistance of cameras to nab an offender. Security enhancements have made the activity much riskier. Apparently not enough so economic situations create the temptation exalt the bravado of thievery.
The perpetrators of these crimes relate with pride the spoils of their dishonesty. They’re not only brave in their activities; they’re down right proud of their successes. By whatever means they steal their hand-picked selections of apparel, footwear, bath items and a variety of other human wants, including food, it works very well. There are days when some go on a free-for-me shopping spree. Afterwards, it’s glow and tell time about the latest accomplishment.
Perhaps they’re not aware of the repercussions. A first time offender will most likely be given a citation similar to a traffic offense. A Notice to Appear letter sets a court date with community service to follow. There might not be any jail time but a $200 civic fine is imposed. If unpaid, the place of business reserves the right to proceed with a lawsuit and a trespass warning is issued, prohibiting the person from legally entering the place of business forever more.
The worst such scenario might involve a couple with three boys 1 to 4 years old. When I think of those babies, I have concerns they could very likely become wards of the state. No more high-fives between dad and son. No more tickling and giggling with mom. How long before their smiley faces turn to grins with traces of grimace or smirks of cynicism because the baby carriage was used to stash and transport stolen property?
If mommy and daddy continue shopping to get something for nothing, they might find themselves in and out of detention cells. That’s when the kids will see ‘em now and again… and then they won’t.
What were once brand-spanking new houses with neat and moderately decorated lawns with two-car garages that were occupied with one or two late-model vehicles have become poorly maintained brick housing shells with blighted lawns, homeowners given up on even the simplest of trimming around the edges and the cramming of all kinds of crap in great big heaps leave aging cars and SUVs in oil-stained driveways.
What may have been a good investment for the new property owner in the 80s ended up taking a huge toll on the futures of many kids now in their twenties. Retail, lawn maintenance and construction jobs up the kazoo but the best paying jobs for the subordinate worker were/are in government services with few other employment opportunities.
Back twenty to twenty-five years ago, when the housing boom in Spring Hill was in its early stages of becoming the poorest played-out planning development scheme in Hernando County, kids grew up without community services intact to keep them from wandering dusty roads, so they sought entertainment thrills within the confines of their homes with little supervision. Both parents were out there working hard for the money necessary to enhance the family’s standard of living but when the kids were left alone, good habits never developed and bad ones were only to get worse – drugs and sex made them into addle-brained purveyors of wasted futures.
Twenty-somethings may still live at home today, perhaps having moved in and out at various other times as warranted by un- or under-employment conditions, doing what comes easiest: mooching. Others might live on their own, unmarried boyfriend and girlfriend with kids and/pr children from previous relationships, barely making ends meet and getting snippets of assistance from mom and dad who are more than just a little fearful that, otherwise, their home will be invaded upon with a certain permanence about it.
Maybe lawful justice has taken away their driving privileges but they remain defiant in their right to play a risky game of getting behind the wheel, disregarding the court decision, being ever so careful to abide by every traffic sign and signal. And maybe they continue to feed their mindless habits, finding less money to pay for family staples like food, diapers and toilet paper! So they shoplift, taking a positive position on the acts of robbery because they’ve gotten away with it before.
Some of us may have done a bit of it early in life but it was more likely a rested development by age 18. It was wrong then as it is now but back in the late sixties store detectives lacked the assistance of cameras to nab an offender. Security enhancements have made the activity much riskier. Apparently not enough so economic situations create the temptation exalt the bravado of thievery.
The perpetrators of these crimes relate with pride the spoils of their dishonesty. They’re not only brave in their activities; they’re down right proud of their successes. By whatever means they steal their hand-picked selections of apparel, footwear, bath items and a variety of other human wants, including food, it works very well. There are days when some go on a free-for-me shopping spree. Afterwards, it’s glow and tell time about the latest accomplishment.
Perhaps they’re not aware of the repercussions. A first time offender will most likely be given a citation similar to a traffic offense. A Notice to Appear letter sets a court date with community service to follow. There might not be any jail time but a $200 civic fine is imposed. If unpaid, the place of business reserves the right to proceed with a lawsuit and a trespass warning is issued, prohibiting the person from legally entering the place of business forever more.
The worst such scenario might involve a couple with three boys 1 to 4 years old. When I think of those babies, I have concerns they could very likely become wards of the state. No more high-fives between dad and son. No more tickling and giggling with mom. How long before their smiley faces turn to grins with traces of grimace or smirks of cynicism because the baby carriage was used to stash and transport stolen property?
If mommy and daddy continue shopping to get something for nothing, they might find themselves in and out of detention cells. That’s when the kids will see ‘em now and again… and then they won’t.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Iggy and Addy Impact Connection
Iggy, as in Hernando County’s ignominious mogul-maniac of home building construction interests, must be sitting on the edge of a cement block drooling on bib overalls at the prospects of the Florida Legislature circumventing the duties entrusted to the Dept of Community Affairs. Dressed in hip-high wading boots and prepared to wallow through nature’s wetlands waiting for the mud to dry from drought conditions and further depletion of water supplies from years of uncontrolled development, Iggy is ready to build.
Senator Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, has proposed Senate Bill 730, which would dismantle the DCA and shovel the agency’s intended oversight of growth management onto the shoulders of the Florida Department of State.
Going back to the days of Jeb, in 2003 there was also a push-to-shove strategy to establish a Dept of State and Community Partnerships, an attempt to roll the two departments into one. It was thwarted by public outcry. Die-hard Florida Republicans, and their “government gone wild-horses for untamed development” prose, have since undermined the office of DCA Secretary Thomas G. Pelham by eliminating key positions, including eight this past year.
Under the DCA, growth management concerns require a review of areas “containing… environmental or natural resources of regional or statewide importance, including, but not limited to, state or federal parks, forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, aquatic preserves, major rivers and estuaries, state environmentally endangered lands”.
As stated by Secretary Pelham, without this oversight, encroachment in the Miami-Dade area would put into jeopardy restoration efforts of the Everglades. Ecosystems statewide would be permanently disrupted.
SB 730 would allow local goverments to bypass state review on changes to growth plans.
Another piece of legislative handiwork is SB 630 which would put a three year moritorium on impact fees.
If that’s not enough to ponder, consider the millions of dollars that would become taxpayer’s responsibility under SB 580/HB 227 which would put the burden of proof on local governments to substantiate proposed impact fees. We’re talking taxpayers paying court costs. We’re talking about the loss of fees that go toward providing infrastructure funding for roads, parks, libraries and fire/EMS services.
Where in Florida, or the US for that matter, is new home construction truly warranted? Nationwide, the number of vacant homes is estimated at 19 million. They remain uninhabited, available to qualified buyers, whoever they may be in this topsy-turvy economy.
The number of vacant homes in Florida hovers around 300,000 and accounts for a good 15% of the nationwide total. And yet SB 730 would pave the way for newly constructed homes.
If SB 730 should become law, Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning would hold much of the responsibilities currently handled by the DCA. The Dept of State currently consists of the Divisions of Administrative Services, Corporations, Cultural Affairs, Elections, Historical Resources, and Library and Information Services.
What’s freaky about this whole matter is that Browning was reportedly unaware of the possible changes until Bennet made public the intentions of SB 730. No wonder the department’s response was one of delayed reaction as time is required to review the affect on the assumptive operational costs and organizational requirements.
No disrepect to Secretary Browning, but as it stands, he simply isn’t qualified to oversee such an expansion of duties. There’s little doubt that without an expressed willingness to play along with scripted, unquestioned loyalty to building interests, the alternative, as suggested by Sen. Bennett, would be to disperse DCA responsiblities to other departments willing to skip along to the cheesy tunes of the panhandling Pied Pipers of T-town.
The largest of Hernando County impact fees is for schools which, at $4266, accounts for nearly half the approximate figure of $9200 depending on the fire district in which the home is built. On a $200K 30-year mortgage it amounts to less than $30 per month. Impact fees are a minor expense to the purchase price of a home.
School impact fees are already said to be insufficient to meet future needs, without which we may as well put up a sign No Kids Allowed. No more grandfathers; better yet, no grandfather clause.
Back on the homefront, not only would Iggy be pleased if any of Senate Bills 580/630/730 were to become the law of the land of sunshine but, as though in concert with the efforts of Sen. Bennett, Hernando County homebuilders’ cue ball Addy has proposed that local impact fees be decommissioned. He wanted it rush-rush, hush-hush – no procedural discussion.
If impact fees aren’t garnered from impact fees, it will be taxpayers who must pay the bills. How would lost revenues be replaced? Higher sales taxes would bring out the crybabies of businesses. What about increased homeowner property taxes? What about a state income tax? The moneys will have to be appropriated from some source. Guess who?
Senator Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, has proposed Senate Bill 730, which would dismantle the DCA and shovel the agency’s intended oversight of growth management onto the shoulders of the Florida Department of State.
Going back to the days of Jeb, in 2003 there was also a push-to-shove strategy to establish a Dept of State and Community Partnerships, an attempt to roll the two departments into one. It was thwarted by public outcry. Die-hard Florida Republicans, and their “government gone wild-horses for untamed development” prose, have since undermined the office of DCA Secretary Thomas G. Pelham by eliminating key positions, including eight this past year.
Under the DCA, growth management concerns require a review of areas “containing… environmental or natural resources of regional or statewide importance, including, but not limited to, state or federal parks, forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, aquatic preserves, major rivers and estuaries, state environmentally endangered lands”.
As stated by Secretary Pelham, without this oversight, encroachment in the Miami-Dade area would put into jeopardy restoration efforts of the Everglades. Ecosystems statewide would be permanently disrupted.
SB 730 would allow local goverments to bypass state review on changes to growth plans.
Another piece of legislative handiwork is SB 630 which would put a three year moritorium on impact fees.
If that’s not enough to ponder, consider the millions of dollars that would become taxpayer’s responsibility under SB 580/HB 227 which would put the burden of proof on local governments to substantiate proposed impact fees. We’re talking taxpayers paying court costs. We’re talking about the loss of fees that go toward providing infrastructure funding for roads, parks, libraries and fire/EMS services.
Where in Florida, or the US for that matter, is new home construction truly warranted? Nationwide, the number of vacant homes is estimated at 19 million. They remain uninhabited, available to qualified buyers, whoever they may be in this topsy-turvy economy.
The number of vacant homes in Florida hovers around 300,000 and accounts for a good 15% of the nationwide total. And yet SB 730 would pave the way for newly constructed homes.
If SB 730 should become law, Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning would hold much of the responsibilities currently handled by the DCA. The Dept of State currently consists of the Divisions of Administrative Services, Corporations, Cultural Affairs, Elections, Historical Resources, and Library and Information Services.
What’s freaky about this whole matter is that Browning was reportedly unaware of the possible changes until Bennet made public the intentions of SB 730. No wonder the department’s response was one of delayed reaction as time is required to review the affect on the assumptive operational costs and organizational requirements.
No disrepect to Secretary Browning, but as it stands, he simply isn’t qualified to oversee such an expansion of duties. There’s little doubt that without an expressed willingness to play along with scripted, unquestioned loyalty to building interests, the alternative, as suggested by Sen. Bennett, would be to disperse DCA responsiblities to other departments willing to skip along to the cheesy tunes of the panhandling Pied Pipers of T-town.
The largest of Hernando County impact fees is for schools which, at $4266, accounts for nearly half the approximate figure of $9200 depending on the fire district in which the home is built. On a $200K 30-year mortgage it amounts to less than $30 per month. Impact fees are a minor expense to the purchase price of a home.
School impact fees are already said to be insufficient to meet future needs, without which we may as well put up a sign No Kids Allowed. No more grandfathers; better yet, no grandfather clause.
Back on the homefront, not only would Iggy be pleased if any of Senate Bills 580/630/730 were to become the law of the land of sunshine but, as though in concert with the efforts of Sen. Bennett, Hernando County homebuilders’ cue ball Addy has proposed that local impact fees be decommissioned. He wanted it rush-rush, hush-hush – no procedural discussion.
If impact fees aren’t garnered from impact fees, it will be taxpayers who must pay the bills. How would lost revenues be replaced? Higher sales taxes would bring out the crybabies of businesses. What about increased homeowner property taxes? What about a state income tax? The moneys will have to be appropriated from some source. Guess who?
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Boomerang Man
Good or bad, but definitely not the best of circumstances for the Hernando County School District, Superintendent Wayne “Boomerang” Alexander has come and gone and come back again from Connecticut where his second wife and children live. From north to south, he assumed the characteristics of a Slinky as he step-by-step reneged on a contract by resigning prior to fulfilling the agreement, only to renege again by pulling the resignation letter from beneath the seats of School Board members. All of this within a matter of little more than a week’s time. With just cause, the board was relieved that it wouldn’t be necessary to scramble for a replacement.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Cruel School
Tough luck, kids. That goes for your parents, too. Oh, ya, let’s not forget your teachers, the ones who will still have a job. You may not understand the word “transparency” but it has no meaning in this instance anyway.
Face it, boys and girls, education is just too darned expensive – you’ll just have to make do with what’s left over from the budget cuts set forth by the Hernando County School Board. Your quality of learning will be hit hard but you’re not likely to realize it until you find yourself at a disadvantage if you should actually graduate with an honorable grade point average and try to make it on your own in the job market. It will be even more of a challenge if you venture outside the state of Florida where education is already considered one of worst in the nation.
Yep, hard economic times put hardships on everybody’s backs. Eventually, Mom and Dad might have to taxi your little bodies to school if school bus routes are reduced or eliminated. You might find yourself hoofin’ it, wearing down the tread on your sneakers.
You would have to be very careful walking to school because there aren’t always sidewalks or sufficient street lighting, so wear bright colors and reflectors (that’s cool!) and a helmet with a flashing red light. Safety first.
But don’t worry, little ones. Mom and Dad won’t put you such danger. Either they or some other adult will make sure you’re not in harm’s way because they love you so very, very much. They might moan and groan at the inconvenience or even get angry but it won’t be directed at you. Try to understand that their jobs could be in jeopardy if they should be tardy at getting to work. You know what tardy is and how it can affect your attendance record – not good. For them, it could mean losing their jobs (money) and that would affect the security of you family’s home – even worse.
But, hey, kids, with the budget cuts you’ll have the opportunity to make more friends because class sizes will increase. To heck with the teacher, he or she still has to perform their jobs as best they can with much less to work with.
You might have to accept last year’s school books with torn pages and all kinds of scribbles, some of which will have to be blacked out because they might contain nasty words or pictures.
Lads and lasses, you’re about to learn some very important lessons, ones that will help prepare you for the eventual introduction to living on your own as you enter the adult job market. A four-day school week, if mandated by the school board, could give you some insight on how those extra hours on the “job” give you an extra day off – and another stress on Mom and Dad thanks to extra daycare expenses. Just like adults, you’ll find it’s no vacation because you’ll end up spending part of the day doing household chores. Unfortunately, you’ll have the extra task of catching up on homework. I agree, that’s pretty yucky but it’ll be necessary just as your teacher will have to spend even more time than he/she’s already doing to grade papers after school hours.
All of these changes will help prepare you for adjusting to the job market, however many years before you graduate. By the way, don’t count on going to college – the cost of higher education is even more expensive and, for now, your parents might not be able to add to your college fund. I pray they aren’t forced to dip in your learning nest egg just to make ends meet.
Maybe Mom and Dad might have to give you a private lesson of money management by putting a bunch of pennies in a pile and divide them into smaller groups. One for food. Clothing. Doctors. Car expenses. Cable. The biggest pile will be for housing, including electricity and water (nothing is free). Then watch closely as they take away a few pennies from each pile, because of lost wages or higher expenses, and you might understand that there’s not as many pennies to go around.
You’ll pass the lesson with a gold star if you live your life as a penny-pincher.
[I’d like to express my appreciation for Hernando Today’s website for providing me up-to-date news and information. The numbers of on-line reader comments prove that I’m not the only one. Although there are no Monday and Tuesday printed editions, Hernando Today’s reporters’ jobs are never done.]
Face it, boys and girls, education is just too darned expensive – you’ll just have to make do with what’s left over from the budget cuts set forth by the Hernando County School Board. Your quality of learning will be hit hard but you’re not likely to realize it until you find yourself at a disadvantage if you should actually graduate with an honorable grade point average and try to make it on your own in the job market. It will be even more of a challenge if you venture outside the state of Florida where education is already considered one of worst in the nation.
Yep, hard economic times put hardships on everybody’s backs. Eventually, Mom and Dad might have to taxi your little bodies to school if school bus routes are reduced or eliminated. You might find yourself hoofin’ it, wearing down the tread on your sneakers.
You would have to be very careful walking to school because there aren’t always sidewalks or sufficient street lighting, so wear bright colors and reflectors (that’s cool!) and a helmet with a flashing red light. Safety first.
But don’t worry, little ones. Mom and Dad won’t put you such danger. Either they or some other adult will make sure you’re not in harm’s way because they love you so very, very much. They might moan and groan at the inconvenience or even get angry but it won’t be directed at you. Try to understand that their jobs could be in jeopardy if they should be tardy at getting to work. You know what tardy is and how it can affect your attendance record – not good. For them, it could mean losing their jobs (money) and that would affect the security of you family’s home – even worse.
But, hey, kids, with the budget cuts you’ll have the opportunity to make more friends because class sizes will increase. To heck with the teacher, he or she still has to perform their jobs as best they can with much less to work with.
You might have to accept last year’s school books with torn pages and all kinds of scribbles, some of which will have to be blacked out because they might contain nasty words or pictures.
Lads and lasses, you’re about to learn some very important lessons, ones that will help prepare you for the eventual introduction to living on your own as you enter the adult job market. A four-day school week, if mandated by the school board, could give you some insight on how those extra hours on the “job” give you an extra day off – and another stress on Mom and Dad thanks to extra daycare expenses. Just like adults, you’ll find it’s no vacation because you’ll end up spending part of the day doing household chores. Unfortunately, you’ll have the extra task of catching up on homework. I agree, that’s pretty yucky but it’ll be necessary just as your teacher will have to spend even more time than he/she’s already doing to grade papers after school hours.
All of these changes will help prepare you for adjusting to the job market, however many years before you graduate. By the way, don’t count on going to college – the cost of higher education is even more expensive and, for now, your parents might not be able to add to your college fund. I pray they aren’t forced to dip in your learning nest egg just to make ends meet.
Maybe Mom and Dad might have to give you a private lesson of money management by putting a bunch of pennies in a pile and divide them into smaller groups. One for food. Clothing. Doctors. Car expenses. Cable. The biggest pile will be for housing, including electricity and water (nothing is free). Then watch closely as they take away a few pennies from each pile, because of lost wages or higher expenses, and you might understand that there’s not as many pennies to go around.
You’ll pass the lesson with a gold star if you live your life as a penny-pincher.
[I’d like to express my appreciation for Hernando Today’s website for providing me up-to-date news and information. The numbers of on-line reader comments prove that I’m not the only one. Although there are no Monday and Tuesday printed editions, Hernando Today’s reporters’ jobs are never done.]
Monday, February 2, 2009
It's All About The Money
On February 18, 2008, Jason Morgan Blair caused the death of Anthony Morales with a hit-and-run accident. Jason comes from a family with long-time local connections with other families who are well-off as compared to the day labor jobs that Anthony held throughout his shortened life.
I can't relate to such a loss but I can offer some comments on a dissimilar situation of another case of leaving the scene of an accident, albeit with a harmless case resulting in property damage.
Two years ago I accompanied a friend, David, through a court process that resulted from a car accident. He had experienced a “blowout” and lost control of his car. It was along Elgin Blvd east of Mariner in the wee hours of the morning where the street lighting is poor and a driver’s perception of road conditions can be impaired. He had struck construction barriers, became disoriented and came to a halt where he felt it was safe to pull over on the shoulder of the road.
John, a resident along that stretch of Elgin witnessed David’s unintended “destruction” of his mailbox and went in pursuit of the culprit, parked in front of my friend’s car and snatched the keys from the ignition while David was attempting to change the shredded tire.
Within minutes a squad car from the HCSO was on the scene. Let me correct that… there were multiple police cars. While David was being questioned and told to step away from his car, the group of policemen was leisurely chatting with John. They stood laughing, surely a bunch of “good ole boys” who had known each other for years.
The ensuing legal process found David in front of the Honorable Judge Scaglione, who I address in earnest. Although he had a clean driving record, David was chastised as none before him even though other offenders with long lists of traffic infractions were kindly moved along in the court process.
Leaving the scene of an accident was valid but the charge of property damage of an estimated thousand dollars was bogus. As I did too much of the legwork for David’s attorney, I found the only “destruction” was that the mailbox had been dislodged from the post, still securely planted in the ground. The thing was that that same mailbox had been reattached to the post, albeit a little dented but it fit well with already rusted condition.
The Discovery Report had other bogus information, such as David having traveled up and down Elgin, out to Cortez and back again. True, his disorientation created the situation whereby he left the scene of the accident but that was about it. In the end of the drawn out process and a fairly inept lawyer, David was put on a six-month probation instead of a year, but the biggest blow was that the $250 fine and doubled, to which the lawyer conceded was “the best he could do”.
With his eventual discussion with a probation officer, he explained that it was “all about the money”. This may not be the specific case with the hit-and-run death of Anthony Morales by Jason Blair but when you talk about the difference between his well-to-do family as compared the status of Mr. Morales, a day laborer, it’s pretty much along the same line of reasoning.
For the Morales, though, it’s not about the money; it’s about the death of a loved one. No amount of money can bring the 35-year old man back in the loving arms of his family. Their concern that Jason Blair will get special consideration due to the differences in the clash of society classes is justified, especially when Jason’s father is a former FHP trooper and has long time influential local contacts.
Multiple crashes and prior suspensions and the revocation of his license should prohibit his driving a motorized vehicle for a very long time. His sentence deserves no leniency. The court ruling should honor the words that the elder Blair used in an interview. The court should resolve "to do what the Lord" judges to be just.
May I suggest to the Morales family to remember the case of the death of Ron Goldman and the eventual acquittal of O.J. Simpson. Nothing will compensate for the loss of Anthony, but a civil lawsuit against Jason Blair might be the only means to come to terms with the reality that ultimately “it’s all about the money.”
I can't relate to such a loss but I can offer some comments on a dissimilar situation of another case of leaving the scene of an accident, albeit with a harmless case resulting in property damage.
Two years ago I accompanied a friend, David, through a court process that resulted from a car accident. He had experienced a “blowout” and lost control of his car. It was along Elgin Blvd east of Mariner in the wee hours of the morning where the street lighting is poor and a driver’s perception of road conditions can be impaired. He had struck construction barriers, became disoriented and came to a halt where he felt it was safe to pull over on the shoulder of the road.
John, a resident along that stretch of Elgin witnessed David’s unintended “destruction” of his mailbox and went in pursuit of the culprit, parked in front of my friend’s car and snatched the keys from the ignition while David was attempting to change the shredded tire.
Within minutes a squad car from the HCSO was on the scene. Let me correct that… there were multiple police cars. While David was being questioned and told to step away from his car, the group of policemen was leisurely chatting with John. They stood laughing, surely a bunch of “good ole boys” who had known each other for years.
The ensuing legal process found David in front of the Honorable Judge Scaglione, who I address in earnest. Although he had a clean driving record, David was chastised as none before him even though other offenders with long lists of traffic infractions were kindly moved along in the court process.
Leaving the scene of an accident was valid but the charge of property damage of an estimated thousand dollars was bogus. As I did too much of the legwork for David’s attorney, I found the only “destruction” was that the mailbox had been dislodged from the post, still securely planted in the ground. The thing was that that same mailbox had been reattached to the post, albeit a little dented but it fit well with already rusted condition.
The Discovery Report had other bogus information, such as David having traveled up and down Elgin, out to Cortez and back again. True, his disorientation created the situation whereby he left the scene of the accident but that was about it. In the end of the drawn out process and a fairly inept lawyer, David was put on a six-month probation instead of a year, but the biggest blow was that the $250 fine and doubled, to which the lawyer conceded was “the best he could do”.
With his eventual discussion with a probation officer, he explained that it was “all about the money”. This may not be the specific case with the hit-and-run death of Anthony Morales by Jason Blair but when you talk about the difference between his well-to-do family as compared the status of Mr. Morales, a day laborer, it’s pretty much along the same line of reasoning.
For the Morales, though, it’s not about the money; it’s about the death of a loved one. No amount of money can bring the 35-year old man back in the loving arms of his family. Their concern that Jason Blair will get special consideration due to the differences in the clash of society classes is justified, especially when Jason’s father is a former FHP trooper and has long time influential local contacts.
Multiple crashes and prior suspensions and the revocation of his license should prohibit his driving a motorized vehicle for a very long time. His sentence deserves no leniency. The court ruling should honor the words that the elder Blair used in an interview. The court should resolve "to do what the Lord" judges to be just.
May I suggest to the Morales family to remember the case of the death of Ron Goldman and the eventual acquittal of O.J. Simpson. Nothing will compensate for the loss of Anthony, but a civil lawsuit against Jason Blair might be the only means to come to terms with the reality that ultimately “it’s all about the money.”
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