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Friday's letters: Mourning a man who stood up for common people

 
Published June 29, 2018

Jack Shreve, 85, stood up to utilities on behalf of Florida consumers | June 20

Mourning a man for the people

It was with a heavy heart that I read of the recent passing of Mr. Jack Shreve, an individual who positively impacted millions of Floridians in ways that the average person may never know. As Florida's first and longest-serving public counsel, he stood as the "people's attorney" advocating on behalf of consumers in front of the Florida Public Service Commission. In many, if not most cases, he and his staff were the only legal representation that utility customers had. While giant utilities had a team of legal minds working to push rate hikes and fight regulation of their respective industries, Mr. Shreve quietly but successfully fought back on behalf of the customer, the one person who truly counted.

During my tenure in the Florida Legislature my staff and I worked closely with Mr. Shreve and his staff to keep rate increases as low as possible, to improve water quality and service, and to turn over troubled utilities to entities that could run them better and with greater efficiency.

While Mr. Shreve's professional passion was being a consumer advocate, he was truly a family man who worked hard to make sure that his family came first in all things. His daughter, a gifted singer and harpist, was obviously the joy of his life. Her music, which appealed to the faith community, was a reflection of her father's beliefs as well — to live by the Golden Rule

He never cared about a person's political beliefs, party affiliation or any of the multitude of divisive issues that Tallahassee is known for. Rather, he cared only about what he could do to help make the life of a utility customer a little better. The impact of his work lives on in the millions of people whose lives he made better.

Mike Fasano

The writer is Pasco County tax collector.

Swing shift: Kennedy retires | June 28

Elections do matter

That elections have consequences played out in spades Wednesday. The larger story was Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement and its implications for the reversal of decades of progressive Supreme Court decisions. Because of this announcement, many will overlook the decision that all but demolished public sector unions. In the Janus case the court ruled that public sector unions may not collect dues from reluctant members even though the union/association must provide these non-members with services such as legal representation and collective bargaining agreements benefits. Conservatives have had their sights set on defeating these unions/associations for decades.

But here is the irony: Many teachers, police, fire and other municipal workers have voted for conservatives on a consistent basis. Florida ranks 43rd nationally in teacher salaries. Because of their lack of support for the union/association, they can expect that low ranking to continue ad infinitum. In Pennsylvania, where teachers can earn more than $100,000 year, they can — but should not — rest on the laurels of success achieved by their teacher association.

The Janus decision is one of an historic nature. Did those public service workers have any realization of the repercussions of what a vote for Donald Trump meant for them in their professional life?

David Mulholland, Wimauma

Travel ban earns victory | June 27

Following the Constitution

The Supreme Court's ruling on the travel ban is a victory for the Constitution and the office of the president. The court looked at the law and the Constitution and determined that the ban was legal while Justice Sonia Sotomayor wanted to base the decision on words rather than action.

President Donald Trump's views are not the issue. His actions are. The Constitution does not care about his views — only what he does. And thus far, his actions have been within the constitutional boundaries of the office. The voters who elected him knew his views before the election, and he has pretty much done what he promised he would do.

The fact that he speaks his mind, sometimes not in a politically correct manner, is one of the reasons he was elected. It's time for the Democrats to accept that Trump is the president, that his actions have invigorated the economy, that he is taking on many of the problems he inherited (North Korea, ISIS, Iran, immigration, Syria and others) and that he is working with Congress to get things done.

Ronald Hall, Lutz

World Cup | June 28

Feeling good for a moment

Another morning. Another day of news reminding me that we live in a world that exalts pride and despises humility. And yet … and yet … buried in a small article is this two-sentence jewel regarding the World Cup soccer tournament. "Who knew, for example, that fans of Japan would bring trash bags to games in order to tidy up after themselves? Or that fans of Senegal would be inspired to clean up the stadium as well?" I won't pretend to be a soccer fan, but I hope those fans are rewarded by their teams going all the way to the title game. The world could use a good dose of what those people have.

Larry Tyner, Temple Terrace

Pettiness amplifies political divide | Romano column, June 26

Thank those in the middle

I agree with John Romano that pettiness amplifies the political divide. It does so whether it is coming from the right or the left. Unfortunately it seems to be a tactic at all times of some members of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

President Barack Obama was always a leader who believed in taking a rational approach regardless of his own feelings. That is why his health-care plan is still in force despite President Donald Trump's efforts to destroy everything Obama did and replace it all with things that say, "Only I can do it." Even though Republicans in Congress are now in the majority, there are many members of both parties who have the emotional restraint to see that the Affordable Care Act was the best compromise they could make at the time, and they are not able to improve on it right now in any way. My hat is off to members of both parties who are capable of reaching across the aisle in the spirit of democracy to keep the United States of America as great as is humanly possible.

Sheila Smith, San Antonio