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Saturday's letters: Tax guns to pay for security

 
Published March 23, 2018

Million-dollar questions | March 21

Tax firearms to pay for security

So public officials are wondering where they'll get the money for stationing an armed guard in every school. How about heavily taxing every gun? It's the proliferation of the weapons, many in the wrong hands, that led the state to mandate armed guards to safeguard our schools.

We will easily be able to determine how valuable the Second Amendment is to the gun owners. After all, it's those guns, some obviously in the wrong hands, that led to the state mandate for armed officers in the schools. No need to make those of us without guns pay for this.

Donald Rosselet, Dunnellon

Million-dollar questions | March 21

Taxes and tariffs

The NRA should no longer qualify as a tax-exempt social welfare organization under our tax code. Everyone knows they are one of the most powerful lobbyist organizations in the country, and lobbying is not a tax-exempt activity. The NRA should be paying the taxes to cover the increased security costs at our schools rather than using that money to buy political support. Then add a tariff on weapons being imported into this country along with a tax on ammunition if more money for security is needed. Those who want to play with guns should pay, but not the taxpayers who want commonsense gun laws.

Tom Blythe, St. Petersburg

Congratulations draws criticism for president | March 21

In search of a spine

Sen. Marco Rubio said he didn't agree with President Donald Trump congratulating Vladimir Putin on his election win, but he seemed to be more upset with the fact that someone close to the president leaked the information that Trump ignored advisers' written words — in all caps — to not congratulate him. Rubio went on to say that if this person or persons didn't like working for the president, they should quit. Doesn't Rubio think it's a good idea to have at least one adult in the room with a spine?

Gregg Kirby, Seminole

Unfit to lead the nation

Russians hacked the 2016 elections. Russians attacked and killed a person in the United Kingdom, our closest ally. Russian-contracted mercenaries attacked U.S. forces in Syria. And what does Donald Trump, the president of the United States, do? He calls Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his victory in a sham election in Russia. This president, and his silent Republican supporters in Congress, are simply unfit to lead this nation.

Leo Cain, Clearwater

Arts funding

Dozens of projects hurt

The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance developed and submitted a proposal to the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, as did many nonprofit institutions. Our proposal for the St. Petersburg Festival of the Arts was approved, and I am proud that we were ranked 23rd out of 134 in our category. Overall, 658 organizations and institutions were approved, representing nearly $55 million in arts funding.

However, the Legislature zero funded three grant categories and approved grants to only three out of 489 cultural museums in a fourth category. Florida's state appropriation investment in grants is now only 13 cents per person, which drops our national ranking from 10th to 48th.

The costs of countless staff and volunteer hours spent on research, program development, writing applications, and defending applications are obvious, but I want to highlight the losses that are much more significant than money.

Tampa Bay has one of the largest deaf communities in America, and the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance had planned to bring the National Theatre of the Deaf to a local stage as part of the Festival of the Arts. We also have an emerging dance community, and we planned to bring in a dance troupe that performs and specializes in community engagement workshops with local dancers and seniors. Those two things will not happen now. Employees, actors, dancers and artists will not be paid. The theater will be dark.

That is the impact the Legislature's decision has had on one organization and one festival. Imagine what the rest of St. Petersburg, the county and the state are losing. I urge other nonprofits to publicize the impact of this funding decision. What plans did you have that will now go unrealized? Maybe if we all focus on the arts and cultural performances and programs that we will not see, not hear, not experience, we can demonstrate the true impact of our losses and show that this is so much more than a budget cut story.

John Collins, St. Petersburg

Dark side of daylight time bill | March 21, editorial

Television disruption

The editorial on the Sunshine Protection Act covered most of the key negatives. However, to the average person, the biggest inconvenience will be the change in the TV schedules. During the winter, prime time will be from 9 p.m. until midnight, with the late news following that. We're not like Arizona, which is located between two U.S. time zones and can switch back and forth between TV feeds. There is no U.S. time zone, or TV feed, for anything east of Florida. Apparently the supporters of this bill have not taken this into consideration.

Chuck Bayer, Redington Shores

Trump adviser speeds up exit | March 23

Bolton, Trump ideas clash

John Bolton is an unusual pick for President Donald Trump's national security adviser. As recently as 2016 he said he would "still overthrow Saddam Hussein" if he had known everything that he knows today. His sentiment betrays Trump's condemnation of the Iraq War, and Bolton's advocacy of regime change (and, by extension, nation-building) in Iran and a first strike against North Korea jeopardizes Trump's promise to put "America first."

Hawkishness, on its own, isn't disqualifying. But as a public servant, Bolton has repeatedly stretched the truth on basic facts throughout his career.

Anhvinh Doanvo, Tampa