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Letters: Hernando residents again lose to special interests

 
Published March 25, 2015

Delayed Restoration of Impact Fees

Residents lose to special interests

Are they serious? Do they live in a carefully constructed bubble of special interests? They again delay the implementation of impact fees and want to give some consideration to taking another run at the sales tax. The message was clear after the last failed attempt from much of the electorate — no impact fees, no sales tax. Now Commissioner Wayne Dukes wants to get into the citizens pockets with an end run of increasing the gasoline tax 3 cents so that we can all take it on the chin to appease special interests. The people of this county who have invested untold millions to live here have lost yet again and I suspect tomorrow will be no different.

Dennis Schoch, Spring Hill

Traffic Signal Toucan Trail and U.S.19

Traffic light needed now

There is no doubt for those who travel in the vicinity of U.S. 19 and Toucan Trail, especially those who live in Weeki Wachee Acres and frequent the businesses at this intersection, of the danger presented in crossing or turning either north or south.

Thousand Island Café, Spring Hill Lanes, Kally K's Restaurant, Hooters and Spring Hill MRI, along with 648 immediate residences, utilize this intersection. All businesses are extremely popular. We used to be able to pull directly onto Sealawn Drive when traveling south, until the DOT installed directional curbing.

We are now forced to get over to the far lane, travel north to use Toucan Trail and make a U-turn. This intersection was dangerous to begin with and is now a death trap. The DOT plans to start construction of a traffic signal sometime after they begin repaving from Toucan Trail to Cortez Blvd. This will be sometime between July 2016 and July 2017. We need a signal immediately.

Joan Ferko, Spring Hill

Desperate schools longing for advocates

County leaders are not listening

Dan DeWitt's column (March 20) about the need for an advocate for Hernando County students is correct. One would think Hernando County School Board members and superintendent Romano would be excellent advocates for the school age children of our county.

However, let us not confuse the purpose of the Penny for Projects sales tax. It was not for music teachers, reading coaches or curriculum planners. The tax was intended to pay more than $60 million for technology, as well as for roofs and air conditioning units.

Our students do need more classroom instructors and less people in administration which each of our last three superintendents always believe is the most important need when they lead the Hernando County School District.

If the School Board had not listened to Hernando County plutocrats and county commissioners and kept the tax separate from that of the county's, perhaps the School Board would have been successful when they asked for an extension for the existing half penny tax.

Hernando County politicians are not listening to the citizens they represent when continuing the moratorium on impact fees. They are listening to a select few citizens who wish to believe that an extension of no impact fees will magically improve the building situation in Hernando County.

Joseph R. Pratl, Spring Hill