Darwin knew

In Pasco, Idalia’s flood waters came fast: ‘Don’t even know how I got here.’ | Aug. 31

As long as humans walk this earth, there will be people who launch their small-craft during small-craft warnings, people who ignore evacuation mandates, and others who disregard their personal health and safety causing a need for well-funded, well-trained, highly dedicated emergency service personnel to risk their lives to save others. Thank you to all the emergency responders!

Ray Hansen, St. Petersburg

Anonymous reporting

Florida Senate Bill 60, which took effect in 2021, prohibits code compliance officers from initiating a code compliance action based on an anonymous complaint. It is a shame that the bill pertains to water use. I understand the need to reduce frivolous complaints and retaliation by feuding property owners, as it wastes the time of investigators. However, by requiring reporting parties to identify themselves, many violations are not reported.

In my Lake Magdalene area neighborhood, one property owner has run sprinklers every morning since May, regardless of whether it has rained. Since I strive to maintain good relationships with everyone in my neighborhood, I am reluctant to report this repeated offense. It seems that SB 60 is more focused on identifying the reporting party, rather than protecting our most valuable and precious resource: water. It is my suggestion that our elected officials delete water usage from the scope of SB 60 and allow anonymous reporting of water violations.

Jan Dormany, Tampa

Intentional dysfunction

Florida report on insurance failure raises more questions than answers | Aug. 23.

It appears Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is one of those people who gained success being a governmental functionary whose function is to make sure nothing functions. I believe he is among that group of opportunists who throughout history succeeded in finding that sweet spot of managerial inefficiency where citizens dislike the government but not to the point of his getting fired. Florida has had a large number of these profitable mismanagers who manage their dysfunction with efficiency and ease. It is amazing these functionaries do so well while the systems they manage flounder in perpetuity.

Brian Valsavage, St. Petersburg