Growth; comparing Vero Beach Twin Pairs to Sebastian; hate; DeSantis & insurance | Letters

Controlling growth key to local character, quality of life

Blake Fontenay's recent column ("Let cities, counties decide how much room they have to grow") was one of, if not the best opinion piece, yet.

The residents, voters, taxpayers, quality of life and community character protectors show up time and time again and petition their small town Stuart commissioners and their Martin County "We Are Different" commissioners to not destroy our existing community character and quality of life.

However, in most cases, the out-of-town developer and/or local property owner proposing overdevelopment that changes existing community character and negatively impacts the existing quality of life gets the vote/rubber stamp "APPROVED."

What is the incentive/influence for the elected officeholders to ignore the pleas of their constituents and vote "APPROVED" for the developer and the resulting degrading overdevelopment?

Stuart and Martin County are represented in the Florida Legislature by at least one senator and two representatives. They need to advocate for and vote for home rule, especially as far as growth is concerned.

If we can't see what has happened to our south ― Miami/Dade, Broward, Palm Beach counties and to our north Port St. Lucie/St Lucie County ― and realize that this is not what small town Stuart and Martin County should be, we have failed then to protect what we came here for.

Thank you, Blake, for your timely opinion article and thank you to City Commissioner Christopher Collins for doing what your constituents voted for you to do, protect our existing community character and quality of life.

Thank you,

Bob & Margot Ernst, Stuart

Fontenay, Collins on target when it comes to growth

Columnist Blake Fontenay and Stuart Commissioner Christopher Collins are absolutely correct to say the city of Stuart has the power to plan a limit on our maximum population. 

I have lived in Stuart since 1956, and watched the river degrade and traffic jams increase. That is not just due to growth; it is due to our geography. We are literally surrounded by winding rivers and creeks that need environmental protection (hence my decade-long outcry for a Stuart Environmental Protection Department). Also, many city streets end in bottle-necked peninsulas bisected by a busy (and dangerous) railroad track. 

Florida cannot co-opt our city charter and make Stuart have the same density as a major urban area. In fact, we should stop most annexations, so additional "city" acreage is not added into the density equation.

Annexations increase the taxes for everybody. The additional services always cost much more than the developers' falsehood that their new projects will bring more tax revenue and impact fees than the cost of the services. 

I have talked with Commissioner Collins, and he has not learned the "political" speech patterns that avoid unintentionally offending people. But he sincerely wants to fight for the quality of life in Stuart and fight to clean up the St. Lucie River. 

Adding high density does not provide "affordable housing." It makes the cost of living for those of us already here increase exponentially, so our existing homes might become "unaffordable."

Don't let petty attacks on Dr. Collins' zealous personality prevent the citizens of Stuart from getting behind him to protect our quality of life and finally cleaning up our most valuable asset: the St. Lucie River. He is the first commissioner since 1956 that I have heard say those goals out loud in public meetings.

Mac Stuckey, Stuart

Contrasting Twin Pairs, now, with bollards; and Sebastian, Canada, Vero Beach

My 89-year old mother suggested that the best way to see the true impact of the proposed narrowing of the Twin Pairs would be to put up the bollards for at least a month, and while the snowbirds are here. People will find ways to avoid the area for a day or a week, but a month, at the busiest time when the snowbirds are here, will show the Vero Beach City Council exactly what life will be like in the future.

Having bicycle lanes anywhere is an excellent idea, separated by a barrier of some sort to keep the cyclists safe. Most of my family lives in Canada, which is light years ahead of the United States when it comes to accommodating cyclists and basically anyone who isn't in a car.

I am so glad I don't live in Vero. How many studies have there been on the Twin Pairs? Who would want to park on those streets anyway? If I had to conduct business on the Twin Pairs, I'd park on a side street. I'd rather walk a few extra steps than risk my life. Plus, we should all walk more anyway.

Another $150,000 might be $5 for each Vero taxpayer, and that may not seem like much, but when these studies happen time after time, those sums mount up. If I lived in Vero, I'd be furious. At least the City Council in Sebastian, where I live, seems to spend our money as if we're not all millionaires.

Cathy Wray, Sebastian

Thanks, governor, for nothing on homeowners insurance!

Thank you to Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature!

I just received my homeowners insurance renewal for the next year and it is $3,000 more than last year, an increase of nearly 100%. They did a fine job of taking on the insurance industry to lower our premiums. Thanks for nothing!

Don’t even get me started on this “freedom” thing. On the one hand, they want parents to have the freedom to run school boards and on the other hand, they want to curtail the freedom of parents who take their children to drag shows.

What the governor actually wants is the “headline” ― to keep his name out there so everyone will know him for the presidential election in 2024.

When he was first elected to the governor’s office, I thought he might be a reasonable governor. But not any more. He has proven to be too radical for my taste. Examples include the Disney debacle and the appointment of Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, whose “opinions” are diametrically opposed by the vast majority of medical experts. I could go on, but what’s the point: He's enjoying high marks among his followers; I guess he should enjoy it for as long as it lasts and hopefully it won’t last very long.

Edward Booth, Port St. Lucie

Sunshine, warm weather why people flocking south

The Jan. 12 newspaper contained a letter to the editor that posited the idea many folks have moved to Florida and four other southern states because of various "far-right-thinking" ideas. I don't know the writer performed a census or has some privately held information, but it seems a wild stretch to me to come up with certain reasons, including:

They are all Republican-controlled states with low or no income taxes. (True.)

They have low crime rates. (Very questionable, if not untrue.)

They have low business regulations. (Is that really a good thing for consumers or for those trying to protect themselves and their families from exposure to COVID?)

They have expanding opportunities for "school choice." (Pity our public school systems in Florida that suffer financially because of the amount of support that goes to charter, private and other non-public schools in this state).

In my opinion, this is called the propagation of mind-controlling propaganda portrayed as an education. For example, just in the Jan. 21 newspaper, the headline stated, "Private School Voucher Boost Sought," with a subheadline of "House Speaker Backs Major Expansion of Program."

This has been the same messaging from the state GOP the past 25 years, while it continues to attempt to destroy our public school system and gives credence to certain schools that don't have to pass the same rigid requirements imposed on public schools.

I have my own suggestion as to why the huge amount of folks are moving to the southern states in droves and it is called warmer weather and almost constant sunshine. No one goes through the hassle of a major move just for political purposes. To think otherwise is just wishful thinking.

Sharon E. Garland, Hobe Sound

Golden Rule also found in 'Old' Testament, too

I just read your editorial, "Treasure Coast victimized by growing stench of hate; here's what we can do," which I think is a necessary commentary, but I was a little surprised to see you reference the Christian Bible.

That reference seems out of place in a statement about tolerance. It gives the impression that you presume your bible is supreme. That is part of the rhetoric of hate crimes. I am sure the reference was included with the best of intentions. This is not a criticism. I just wanted to note that reference may not be received in the manner intended.

Incidentally, the Golden Rule can be found in several places in the "Old" Testament, specifically in Leviticus.

Lisa Lazan, Vero Beach

Don't believe hype; hate, racism not increasing

In a recent editorial, the proposition of increasing racism and antisemitism was awkwardly laid out: “Over the past two years it seems like there’s incessant stink of hate in the air locally.”

Maybe the writers live next to a swamp. I don’t smell anything here in Vero Beach. Funny that you would start with the Fort Pierce mass shooting as an example of hate. The ADL, JDL, SPLC and NAACP couldn’t have cared much.

The only hate I saw there was animosity toward police. No one snitched on the shooters. A Chinese man in Los Angeles shot up a Chinese neighborhood celebration. What kind of hate was that?

I don’t agree racism is growing, only the reporting of selected acts, fueling a dangerous narrative. Examples like racist graffiti inside a golf course tunnel won’t persuade anyone. Nor will “END RACISM” written across NFL goal lines.

The Anti-Defamation League shows its colors with exaggerated complaints of hate speech on the internet, not physical crimes caused by hate. Any dope can sit at a computer and spout nonsense, but these alarmist stories of a few pamphlets on driveways or a banner hung from a highway overpass shouldn’t shake our society.

The ADL says that LGBTQ+ overall rates of harassment have risen 64%. How in the world can we imagine that’s an actual number. School complaints? Online predominantly? If a third grader calls a classmate fat? Any arrests included in any of this ADL report? I don’t see it. When they lump in internet “threats” with physical crimes, this once useful organization is really reaching.

“What can we do about it?” Meet your neighbors is your answer. Get to know them. Maybe. I would start with not believing the hype. Hate and racism are not rising. Chill out.

Norman Grant, Vero Beach

Some definitions of 'woke' reminiscent of George Carlin bit

I see local officials are trying to define the word "woke." Allow me to assist in defining it.

Woke is a new code word for any of the following for Republicans: Liberal, free thinking, any Democrat, anyone or entity who does not toe the Trump/DeSantis my way-or-highway line, any idea that differs from your personal ideas, progressive, reference to any minority group seeking recognition, and a way to deny and revise history.

There are more, but this is a good base.

It is used as a verb, "to woke;" a noun, "they are woke;" an epithet, "Disney is too woke for me!"

Reminds me of an old George Carlin bit (insert a different word in a common phrase): "We are gonna woke you sheriff, but slowly, so it really lowers your IQ." (Artistic license taken.)

Jeff Hamilton, Sebastian

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Vero Beach traffic; thanks to DeSantis for insurance; growth | Letters