Letters to the editor for Sunday, December 4, 2022

Wakeup call for affordable housing

Guest columnist Joe Trachtenberg’s article on the  lack of affordable housing in Collier County was another wakeup call for Naples. The reliance on workers to maintain our homes, our landscaping, our schools, pets, and serve us in restaurants are just a few of the many tasks we take for granted. Imagine traveling an hour or more to make a subsistence wage.

The county commissioners have taken it upon themselves to slow down permitting to the expense of many. Where is their humanity? The City of Naples has repeatedly turned down opportunities to buy land for this need,  but chose not to. Perhaps these two entities feel that this is not their problem? Well, it is not only a problem, it demonstrates  a lack of responsibility to those who need it most at a time when crisis is part of their lives.

The City of Naples has  hired, in the recent past, several design firms to enhance the lighting and visual ambiance downtown so to attract  citizens and visitors, but remains noncommittal to the needs of our workers. This inability to put forth solutions can only be blamed upon themselves as the community is both wealthy (and extremely philanthropic) and maintains a low base of crime.

FEMA is an example of poor oversight in bringing in trailers for those rebuilding, as few, if any, have arrived even after repeated calls to local and state officials. This need for affordable housing is and will remain perhaps the single biggest issue this county will face in the years to come, as the exodus of workers grows.

What we need is less charity, but rather a coalition of a determined private and public partnership to find a solution THIS year. I would suggest engaging the Collier Community Foundation for its insight and ability to prioritize.

The article also stated that there will be a forum on Jan. 11 at NCH where this topic will be discussed by public and private leadership groups. The hope of many is that this issue is addressed with clarity and goals of expedited accomplishment.

While the outpouring of institutional and individual contributions is most gratifying, it's time for our leaders to do their job.

it has been said "Leadership is a privilege that is earned, not a right.“ it is now time for the county and city to provide a vision, direction and support for this engagement.

Kirk Materne, Naples

More on the 50 percent rule

As to the FEMA "50 percent rule" please note the rule states:

"The pre-improvement or pre-damaged market value of a structure is determined using appraisals, values used for property tax assessments, estimates of a structure’s actual cash value including depreciation, and qualified estimates based on the professional judgment of a local official. This does not include accessory structures (pools, garages, sheds, fences) or land."

So there are four ways to get a building's value for this rule. Folks should check each one and ask the authorities to pick the most appropriate (and most advantageous) value for calculating the 50 percent.

Jeffrey Hesley, Bonita Springs

Complex realities of police work

A recent article in the Sunday opinion section of your newspaper was written about needing more police reform for traffic stops and to stop and prevent police from pulling over non-threatening vehicles and other vehicles for minor traffic violations. The purpose of traffic laws is to prevent harm to people and property by those who are not following the laws and safe conduct. Not enforcing the laws can make people believe that they are not responsible for their actions towards others and can lead to further disobedience. Most of the high-profile incidents of the last few years have been caused by the person stopped. What we need is not to punish the police, but to educate the public on how to deal with law enforcement when stopped, like do not get out of the car, let police see your hands.

The thing about police work that is unique is that everyone has an opinion about how it should be done. People are exposed to television and film "police work" their entire lives or worked with institutions or police departments in offices and not in the field and feel that they are familiar with the job. The reality is that you can have years of experience and are constantly learning the job. Reality certainly is not as easy as TV or movies. You make split-second life and death decisions. You don't get a second or third take and whatever you do is second guessed by a million "experts." People routinely let a stranger handle their life savings or treat their medical ailments without asking a single question. They have plenty of critiques when it comes to police. Something to ponder. Maybe experienced professionals know a little bit more about what they are doing than all these police reform activists who mostly never had a job except going to school or being a community organizer. Also look what the recent progressive police reform movement has done to some cities and states now.

Lou Walker, Cape Coral

World-class concerts at Artis-Naples

There were two incredible events held at Artis-Naples on Nov. 21 and 22. The Berliner Philharmoniker performed on their first ever tour of Florida, two amazing concerts. The orchestra was part of the visiting orchestra series that Artis president and CEO, Kathleen van Bergen, has so skillfully put together over the past years. In fact, Naples has been able to hear what is generally considered the top three orchestras in the world, those being the Vienna Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw, and the Berlin Philharmonic. The Berlin orchestra under the direction of its superb chief conductor, Kirill Petrenko, mesmerized the audience both nights and the Naples audience showed their appreciation with extended standing ovations with loud cheers! The Berlin orchestra has a unique sound quality -- that being somewhat of a combination of European and American, perhaps the best of both worlds. They displayed the highest degree of technical proficiency and interpretation.

A highlight of the first concert was an impeccable performance of a Mozart violin concerto performed by their concertmaster Noah Bendix-Balgley, who further delighted the audience with a stirring rendition of klezmer music as an encore.

The second concert featured just one work, Gustav Mahler's monumental "Seventh Symphony." The audience was spellbound for one-hour and 17 minutes of this work. The interpretation of this complex Mahler symphony by conductor Petrenko was outstanding and so capably performed by the orchestra.

In summary, the Naples community was indeed so fortunate to be able to hear another world class orchestra right here in Naples, without having to travel to Europe! There are two more visiting orchestras scheduled this season, the Cleveland Orchestra and Chicago Symphony. Don't miss them!

Steven Zvengrowski, Naples

AMA doesn't support cannabis legalization

Dr. Sabrin’s comments on the Reverend Orsi’s column are a good argument for approving legalization of all drugs. After all we would be rid of black markets that “attract the most vicious individuals in society.” Unfortunately, they would still be with us and the only real benefit to adult use of cannabis, which is now legal in 16 states, is the tax revenue generated by its sale in the billions of dollars.

However, the following comments straight from the AMA are worth considering:

The AMA does not support legalization of cannabis for adult use until additional scientific research has been completed to fully document the public health, medical and economic consequences of its use. The medicinal benefits of cannabis are largely unknown, and that its use is associated with lower birth weight, an increased number of car accidents and other risks. The U.S. Surgeon General has also issued warnings about health risks tied to cannabis use.

We remain particularly concerned about cannabis use by young people as well as by pregnant or breastfeeding women, and continue to call for robust public health messaging on the deleterious health effects of cannabis.

Even still, it is clear that cannabis prohibition and enforcement policies have disproportionately and adversely impacted marginalized and minoritized communities. For this reason, the AMA supports public health-based strategies, rather than incarceration, in the handling of individuals possessing cannabis for personal use.

In addition, NIH research suggests that marijuana use is likely to precede use of other licit and illicit substances, and the development of addiction to other substances.

Ted Raia, M.D., Naples

Republicans, Democrats and investigations

When the Democrats took control of the House in 2018 they had a list of about 85 investigations that might take place against Donald Trump.

There was always the Russian investigation. That one was never going to go away even though it was debunked because it was gold to the Democrats but there were also these:

Trump's tax returns, Trump's family business, the payment to Stormy Daniels, James Comey's firing, Trump's firing of U.S. attorneys, Jared Kushner's ethics law compliance, the list goes on and on and on.

Why am I mentioning all of this? Because of a contributor's letter (Republican bait and switch -- 11/27). He said the Republicans ran on inflation, immigration and insecurity on crime but now that they won the House they're going to switch to the Hunter laptop story.

I'm hoping that the Republicans do stick to the above issues but if people don't think the Hunter laptop story is important (CBS finally came out and said it was not Russian disinformation) then we just might have lost this country already.

Personally I think the mess at at our southern border should be at the top of the list but there's a good chance President Biden compromised our country and we have every right to find out if he is "the big guy." I believe Americans are entitled to that investigation.

As far as those 2018 House elections? There was no bait and switch there. The Democrats pretty much ran on hounding President Trump with investigations for his final two years in office.

Rick Manuel, Dade City

Noise complaint

In regards to loud music at night. I called the sheriff's department about loud music in my neighborhood in Golden Gate City, Around 9 p.m. on Saturday I called and was told by Collier County dispatch that they would respond to the incident and a deputy would call me with results. It is now 1:30 a.m. no results. The loud music is still going on. I call again explaining the situation. Deputies call me and want to know if I want to do a formal complaint by filling out a form. I agreed. Officers pulled up at my house and wanted to come inside the house so they could observe the noise, I told them you could hear it from my driveway. No they want to come inside, into the bedroom to see if noise could be heard before I could fill out the formal complaint. I am not the criminal in this case but they treat you like. They invaded my privacy by going inside my house for noise that could be heard from my driveway. Law enforcement says if you see or hear something SAY SOMETHING. Think twice, because you will feel like you are the criminal.

Wiebe Van Marum, Naples

Trump has too much baggage

Over the next 17 months or so the Republican voters across the country will have to make a decision. Do they want to vote for Donald Trump and make him their candidate for the 2024 presidential election or do they want to put a Republican in the White House? They can't have both, just too much baggage there.

Dennis Miller, Miromar Lakes

Why did we let this happen?

Saturday, I woke up in such a bad mood, sad really. The day before I had heard that our former president had sat down to dinner with a Holocaust denier and self-proclaimed white nationalist. I couldn't believe it. My thoughts immediately went to my father who served in the Army during WWII, then to my uncle who died at Normandy and to my aunts who served as nurses. I thought, this is a desecration of all who fought and died in the war fighting Nazism. How can this be? How can a former president of the United States of America break bread with such an individual? How did we go from the comment about Senator McCain to this? More importantly, why did we let this happen? Where are the op-ed pieces denouncing this? Are we as Americans going to let this slide? Are we going to let someone trample on our fathers, our mothers, our uncles our aunts or anyone who fought and sacrificed for us? Someone please tell me I am not the only one who thinks this is completely wrong and needs to be denounced by everyone.

John Reilly, Fort Myers

The meaning of the words

Recent newspaper articles have criticized former President Trump for hosting a dinner attended by a “white nationalist,” as if this were a mortal sin. But let’s take these words “white nationalist” apart.

“White” refers to a substantial racial majority of the U.S. population.  Is a representative of that racial majority by definition evil?

The term “nationalist,” on the other hand, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is an adjective relating to, or advocating nationalism. “Nationalism,” Merriam-Webster defines as “loyalty and devotion to a nation.”  Is therefore loyalty and devotion to our nation, the United States of America, such an evil concept, especially if espoused by the majority of its population as in this context, or have we allowed the language to be hijacked for the social and linguistic terrorism practiced by the media, without regard to the meaning of the words used for these nefarious reasons?

Frank Sterdjevich, North Naples

A flip and a flop

An easy lesson learned. Whenever a career politician opens their mouth, expect something interesting to come out. Case in point.

Very recently, the senior senator from New York, Chuck Schumer, railed on about granting citizenship to every “Illegal” alien in the United States. That amounts to over 11 million individuals. To what end does this serve. Very simply, it creates 11 million Democratic voters, what a surprise! He indicated that this was essential to our way of life. It will also increase welfare payments to astronomical levels.

Back in 2009, making a speech before the Georgetown Law School, he clearly stated that illegal immigration, and quoting him, “is wrong, plain and simple.”

Career politicians, unfortunately, are not held to their word. They should be held accountable for what they say. If they flip and flop, something is wrong and they should be removed. This behavior indicates that they have little respect for Americans.

Want to create more Democratic voters? Offer to pay off their student loans. What an idea. Take that burden off the borrower and place it on every American taxpayer. How many millions of outstanding student loans are there? The cost is, again, astronomical and it will fall on the backs of people who paid their debt, never went to college, or worked their way through college. No benefit for them. Whoever came up with this idea is a real genius. Hopefully, this ridiculous concept will fall to the wayside along with other ideas to buy votes.

You want voters? Offer the people something truly beneficial to improve our quality of life. Isn’t that what they are being paid for?

Frank Iraggi, Bonita Springs

No t the Credit Card Competition Act

I would like to address a bill that is up for passing at the federal level. It's called the Credit Card Competition Act of 2022. It's supposed to help bring competition to the credit card industry to help lower fees that merchants pay. Every time that we buy by credit card, the merchant is charged a percentage fee of the purchase. 83 percent of credit card fees are by Visa and Mastercard. Having been in small retail business for 26 years, I can tell you that the merchants have always been able to write off the fees on their taxes and the fees are baked into the price you pay for the goods anyway. What the bill is supposed to do is create competition BUT the real kicker is that the credit card industry might stop doling out all the perks -- reward points, air flights, hotels, dinners, cash back and so much more. I don't know about you BUT I like my rewards points. It has been very beneficial over many years. The reason to drop the perks is due to decreased interchange revenue for the credit card companies so they would take away the perks to keep their profit margin in line. Thus, the bill would take away rewards from customers, since credit card companies would no longer have the ability to fund the programs and the perks, thus taking away from the consumers. If you remember in the early 2000's, the Dodd Frank legislation had similar effect on debit cards, perks were gone. The credit card industry might decide to raise our annual fee if you want the perks, or they may just drop them. Please google the legislation and read more to understand the ramifications. There is more to the bill.

This bill was originally hidden in the national defense legislation but it was dropped. The Legislature is gearing up to finish for the year and the NDAA (national defense) hasn't passed yet. Perhaps the House will hide this potential act in the NDAA bill. So I am asking you all to call your rep and your senators and tell them NO on the Credit Card Competition Act if you like your perks. As consumers, about the only thing that reps and senators understand is MONEY. And I, for one, would like to continue to get back a little of what I pay every month as a small token for helping along the economy!

Beth Summer, Naples

Convince Mexico to close borders

Substantially all those crossing our southern border illegally come from over a hundred different countries, not from Mexico. That means that Mexico has an open order allowing anyone to enter the country. Since most of those people have no interest in staying in Mexico they are allowed to head north into the U.S. and become our problem. It would seem we have a common problem that must be solved.

I suppose Mexico benefits from this activity by sharing income with the drug cartel, so maybe they are happy with the situation.

Until we somehow find a way to convince Mexico to close its borders, there is little hope for a solution to our growing immigration problem.

Richard Krieger, North Naples

Shameful effects of liberal policies

Reading The News-Press's articles about the crushing impact of inflation on the poor, in addition to the working class, I must conclude that the journalists employed have no concept of cause and effect. Article after article complains about the monstrous effects of inflation, yet zero, none, nada, mention the cause: Joe Biden’s attack on our oil and gas industry, the lifeblood of our economy. As 80 million Americans who were just getting by under President Trump now feel the knee of liberal policy on their necks, and 75 percent think the country is headed in the wrong direction, Biden said he would “change nothing.”

Liberals actually think the horrible effects of their philosophies are just a coincidence, it just so happens that our lives have gone to hell since they took over, and who needs fuel oil anyway. Biden has kneecapped American power generation, while begging foreign suppliers to increase their production, the act of a fool. Americans should lead the world in the production of natural gas, and get rich supplying the fools in Europe who refuse to supply themselves.

A large part of the journalist's role in America is to hold our government accountable, to take an honest look at the cause and effect of government action, regardless of who is in power. Sadly, we no longer have that with the press, as they intentionally suppress how liberal policy has impoverished millions of Americans, particularly people of color. It’s shameful and deplorable.

Jeffrey Naslund  M. Ed., Fort Myers

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Sunday, December 4, 2022