What threat?

Waterslides and rifles: Inside Fla.’s playground for the far right | Dec. 18

In this Washington Post article, the writer quotes Carol Lerner, a retired education analyst and researcher who produced a 30-page report that found elements of the far right were increasingly drawn to the 27-acre campus, as saying: “But that makes it super dangerous, too.”

The article, though, doesn’t unveil the threat. As is typical of too many articles like this one, the “threat” appears to be: Help police! There are people in the world who don’t think like me. They must be stopped!

Oddly enough, despite the enormous threat, no one seems to have been harmed by the presence of The Hollow and no crimes appear to have been committed. No one has been injured and the families seem to think it’s a safe place to take the kids. What exactly is the concern here?

Robert Bennett, Valrico

Paying for stadium

Suddenly, we have plenty of Rays stadiums we can’t afford | Dec. 18

I enjoyed John Romano’s column about a new Rays stadium, but it raises a question: Why are local taxpayers picking up the tab? It seems to me that if team owners want a new stadium, they should put their own money into it.

If the owners fund it, will local government lose some of the benefits after construction? Sure, but I am happy to trade off some possible future revenue knowing that my tax dollars didn’t build a stadium that will become a dinosaur in less than a decade. Let the owners fund the stadium and reap their own benefits, if there are any.

Bruce Margolis, Lake Mary

Medicaid expansion

It’s hard to get Florida vote on Medicaid expansion | Dec. 19

Why wouldn’t Florida’s governor and the Republican-led Legislature want to expand Medicaid coverage to over 1 million uninsured Floridians? I’ll tell you why. They have health insurance and don’t care if you do.

David Burg, Tampa

Who is screaming now?

Tampa Bay gas dips below $3, its lowest price in over a year | Dec. 19

I paid $2.89 per gallon for gas today. Why aren’t my Republican friends thanking President Joe Biden?

Tom Soma, St. Petersburg