Letters To The Editor

The Tampa Tribune
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/aug/25/na-letters-to-the-editor/
Published: August 25, 2007
Only One With Ethics

A Political Circus

The circus is long gone, but the clowns remain here in Hillsborough County. I'm referring to the county's wetlands division fiasco that occurred when some of our county commissioners wanted to abolish it.

Brian Blair provided more clowning by attempting to close a meeting to the public on Aug. 13 because he wanted to talk about wetlands policy. Most people would think Blair should know that doing so would be illegal. I guess he hasn't learned much as a commissioner.

Then on Thursday, after the famous four commissioners - Blair, Norman, White and Hagan - reversed themselves and voted with the others against abolishing the department after much public uproar, they did some more clowning around by stating that they didn't really want to abolish the wetlands department; they actually wanted to improve it. Jim Norman even stated that Blair made a bold move to protect the community. We voters certainly thought that was about the best clowning around we've seen in years.

Maybe come next election, instead of re-electing these guys as commissioners, the voters should retire them so they can apply at Barnum & Bailey.

TIM CURTIS
Lithia

Gang Of Four

The Gang of Four turned out to be the Three Stooges plus a Fool. Rose Ferlita seems to be the only member of the County Commission with any integrity - and courage.

The Gang - Hagan, White, Blair and Norman - made a strong case for bringing back the Puritan-era public stocks, with Ken Hagan in the lead-off spot for his cowardly personal attack on Ferlita.

But no one should lose sight of the fact that developers who control this gang got most of what they wanted: a watered-down wetlands protection program less able to protect Hillsborough's dwindling natural resources from greedy developers.

SCOTT MOCK
St. Petersburg

Fox In The Henhouse

Brian Blair continues to act as the ultimate power with regard to the EPC for Hillsborough. He orchestrated a meeting to discredit the past director and shuts down a meeting of the agricultural advisory council, clearing the public and the members from their meeting. Not his meeting, their meeting.

Was Blair afraid they weren't pushing his special-interest agenda? His job is to represent the people of Hillsborough County. He needs to explain how destroying our wetlands further helps our residents more than the developer. According to the public hearing, he can't.

WAYNE ODELL
Tampa

Build Into Oblivion

Let's say Hurricane Dean had made a direct hit on Tampa Bay. Category 5, 155 mph, wind gusts 185 mph, 20 inches of rain. Imagine for a second the additional impact on the people here and the surrounding area in taxes, insurance, etc.

Would developers and politicians feel any responsibility or guilt? Would they care one whit? That's an even scarier scenario. And nothing will change. Just build into oblivion. What a philosophy!

TOM GIEL
Palm River