Letters to the Editor

+ Pension editorial off on one point
Dear Editor:
I thought your March 31 editorial, “Pay hikes doomed the pensions,” was excellent. However, you have one misleading statement regarding the cost of benefit enhancements. You quote the Segal (Group’s) report, “The employee contributions rate was increased by 4% to offset a portion of the cost, but the town is responsible for the balance.” Your editorial goes on to state, “That means taxpayers picked up 96% of the increased enhancements.”

That is not what that means at all. There is nothing in the report that states what the additional cost was as a percentage of employee compensation. For example, if the total cost of the benefit enhancements was 4% of employee compensation that would mean the employees were picking up all of the cost and the taxpayers none.
Arnold M. Malasky
Longboat Key

+ Sarasota Bay Watch thanks Garden Club
Dear Editor:
The board of Sarasota Bay Watch would like to thank the Longboat Key Garden Club for its generous grant of $1,000. The Garden Club has always been a great asset to Longboat Key and has been of enormous assistance to the work of Sarasota Bay Watch. We would not be able to work toward our mission of a healthy bay without the encouragement and support of organizations such as the Garden Club.

With the support of the Garden Club we are able to conduct community-based environmental conservation, outreach events and environmental education. With its continued help we can spread the message that “A healthy bay is everybody’s business.”
Rusty Chinnis
President of Sarasota
Bay Watch
Longboat Key

+ Tax bad stuff ...like meat and dairy
Dear Editor:
With the annual tax-filing date just around the corner, pundits are searching for ways to make our tax code fairer and more reflective of our social incentives and burdens. In this regard, there is a growing interest in a tax on meat, eggs and dairy products designed to curb the self-destructive health impacts of their consumption and to effectively compensate society for the associated devastating environmental impacts.

The concept is hardly radical. We already pay similar taxes on tobacco and alcohol products. A number of states have or are considering imposing taxes on soft drinks and other junk foods.

The revenue would reimburse the Medicare and Medicaid programs for treating victims of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and other chronic killer diseases that have been linked conclusively with consumption of animal products. It would pay for restoration of waterways and wildlife habitats that have been devastated by production of these items.

Mark Twain said that nothing is certain except death and taxes. Yet, the first can be deferred and the other reduced selectively by a tax on meat and dairy products that reflects the associated social costs.
Lou Larson
Longboat Key

+ Mobile-home parks have weathered many storms
Editor’s note: This letter was originally sent to Mayor Jim Brown and the Longboat Observer.
Dear Mayor Jim Brown:

In expressing your concerns to the residents of the mobile-home parks following the storm last Thursday, you stated, “The storm should serve as a wake-up call for the residents.” You went on to say, “These mobile homes are old and not well built. They are dangerous and people can get hurt from pieces of metal flying around the key like that.” Further, you hoped the residents would think more about redeveloping these properties instead of leaving the status quo grandfathered mobile homes as they are. How would you propose to accomplish this?

To my knowledge, Mayor, you have never visited either of the mobile-home communities. We do have a former mayor by the name of Jim Brown who now lives in the Twin Shores Mobile Home Park and appears to be very happy doing so. In fact, he wrote in his weekly column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that it is a jewel on the island.

My parents lived in Twin Shores for 20 years, and my husband and I are now in our 16th year of residency. We have weathered many a hurricane and did not experience damage as we did last week during the wind shear or tornado, depending on who describes the storm. One year, a hurricane did take out our tall sign in front of the park as well as wash out Gulf of Mexico Drive, making it imperative that a long-needed sea wall was built. We note from the article in The Observer that in addition to damage at the mobile-home parks, you at Longboat Key Estates as well as the Seahorse condos did not escape some destruction with trees and roofs.

I would further point out that we are not second-class citizens living in run-down “trailers,” and many of us participate in this town by voting, supporting our churches and various charities, as well as volunteering in many capacities. We are, for the most part, educated and have retired from professional careers. We choose to live in these communities because the people in these parks are warm, caring and friendly, which is just like having a family here.

I would invite you to visit our park, meet some of our residents and see our homes. I would be happy to be your guide, and I’d even serve you a cup of coffee! You might be surprised!
Patricia F. Kelley
Longboat Key