Letters to the editor for Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Estero High student group commended

On Sunday a group of seven students from Estero High School put on a very successful Golf Scrambles Tournament. This group of fine young adults have formed an organization called “LEAD” Estero (Leadership, Enrichment, And Development). LEAD Estero is a student-led nonprofit organization dedicated to providing scholarships and leadership opportunities within our community. Their goal is to raise $30,000 which will be used for college scholarships, help in funding special activities, and partner with other groups in the community to enrich the educational experience of all. Kudos to this wonderful group for a good job very well done.

We hear so much from the media about all the bad things young people do. But you rarely hear about groups such LEAD Estero that are doing positive things in a positive way.

This event happened with the help of two very special parents, other parents and family members, the support of local businesses and many student and family volunteers.

Don and Nancy Buchhop, Estero

Requirements discourage teachers

I agree with Michael Yager's letter of Aug. 7 with regard to the redundant requirements that DOE and our districts place between educators and employment.

Upon retiring in 2017, after 25 years of service teaching in classrooms with a master's degree in School Counseling, I considered keeping my Florida teaching certificate active. But I found that I would need three additional credit hours of Exceptional Student Education training to complete a newly required 18 credit component. When I attempted to get those three credits from the district I served I was told that I would need to be hired as a "guest" teacher and then meet the requirement regarding accepting a designated number of substitute teaching jobs before I could sit in a training class to complete the three credit hours. Mind you I had been compliant my entire career. But this roadblock helped me go cold turkey. No more classrooms. No more books. No more DOE dirty looks. Highly qualified has become an inside joke. Ask returning teachers who are busily attempting to complete the same mandatory trainings they have completed every year since they were hired. (I believe there are 18 now.) And they are the same for everyone, whether it's your first-year or your 25th.

I wish our superheroes the best of luck this school year. Your service to the students is a gift and they appreciate it. And so do I.

Janet M. Borchers, teacher, Bonita Springs

Naples a wonderful, caring town

Three days ago I went to Publix for a few groceries and the weather was fine. I should have realized that in Florida change is imminent. When I came out to go to my car, it was pouring rain. I was about to run to my car when a young woman came up to me and offered to walk me to my car with an umbrella I thanked her profusely but did not get her name. This letter is to let her and the Naples community know that we are in wonderful and caring town. I guess I showed my age of 90 and she wanted to help.

Christopher J. Salvo, M.D., Naples

Keep Lee School Board nonpartisan

Keep partisan politics out of the Lee County School Board. Effective School Board members must be well informed about the issues, take strong, clear positions, but must ultimately reach consensus on a vision for high student achievement and clear goals for how to accomplish that vision.

A healthy give and take among board members, who are elected nonpartisan, is an important part of the process of goal development. But, board candidates, selected by a political party, whose loyalties are first and foremost to that party’s agenda, create acrimony, confusion and will destroy the process of consensus building needed for an effective, efficient school system to function.

Our community deserves a school system that focuses on the success of each and every student. Wisely using time and the resources of a $2 billion budget.

Be informed. Go to www.Vote411 for nonpartisan candidate information. In a democracy, every vote matters.

Samuel B. Stewart, Ed.D, former district and county superintendent of schools in NJ, Fort Myers

Reelect incumbents for Collier schools

Board members of the Collier County Public School System (CCPSS) govern a complex system educating students from literally the four corners of the globe. Striking the proper balance between various political forces on both the left and the right is not an easy task. A task I might add which requires an open mind.

The current board members of the CCPSS now running for reelection have consistently demonstrated their ability to not only listen but to hear; to not only judge but to reason; to not only to think but to comprehend.

As one committed to the power of education to equip students to think and reason for themselves, it is without any reservation that I endorse the candidacy of Roy Terry, Jen Mitchell and Jory Westberry for reelection to the CCPSS Board.

Edward Morton, Naples

Nancy Lewis for Collier commission

We would be lucky to have Nancy Lewis as a Collier County commissioner for the next four years. Here are several great reasons why she will be an excellent representative for the county’s residents and why I support Nancy’s candidacy.

1. Nancy will be an excellent steward of the county’s tax dollars. She is not in favor of large taxpayer funded subsidies to big corporation like the recent $15 million dollar tax break handed out to the Great Wolf Lodge.

2. She has promised to follow the county’s property development laws to prevent overdevelopment – something long overdue in the county. In fact, she’s the only candidate endorsed by the Save Vanderbilt Beach coalition.

3. Nancy is the only candidate who has not accepted special interest campaign contributions – no donations from developers.

4. Finally, Nancy is very engaged in community life. As a 30 year resident, she’s already a regular participant in county commissioner meetings and has taken the time to understand the initiatives being proposed and how they impact residents’ quality of life.

Nancy Lewis will do her utmost to preserve our unique charm by ensuring our elected officials listen to the people; follow our property development laws to minimize traffic problems and prevent over-crowded beaches; protect our fragile and beautiful environment – including our shared water resources; are good stewards of our tax dollars.

I love our beautiful “slice of paradise”. Nancy will ensure it stays that way.

Beth Petrunoff, Naples

Daija Hinojosa for Collier commission

I have had the pleasure of knowing Daija Hinojosa for five years. She has always been a strong role model and has great leadership qualities.

I worked with her in the retail industry under her leadership and management and can say from experience she is absolutely the right candidate to lead us in District 4 for county commissioner. She is kind, a great listener and knows how to bring people together.

I’ve never been very political until the events of 2020 changed our country. It made us realize what has been going in our government on the federal, state and local levels is not representative of what we were founded on.

We need bold and unapologetic leaders to help spread awareness of crucial issues impacting Naples and the county. Daija has been there every step of the way. I’ve watched all of her informative videos online where she addresses topics like affordable housing, mandates, the bill of rights sanctuary and many more. I think she has her hand on the pulse in regards to what the local residents want.

Daija is a selfless candidate who is willing to help others and go above and beyond. She runs a grassroots campaign with integrity, based on faith and concrete values that any honest Republican voter can get behind.

I think this role is destined for a young maverick female candidate who will not be influenced by special interest groups or big money donors with their own agendas.

Kerri Ummarino, Naples

Vote for Jim Huff for Congress

If your house is under water or if the foundation of your gulf shore condo is being washed away, try selling it or call your Congressman Byron Donalds and ask him if you should continue to follow him in his denial of climate change. His answer will be that in the last 80 years, the temperature has only increased by one degree, so don’t sweat it. The problem is that the water on your forehead is not sweat, it is Gulf water rising in your living room. Welcome to Marco Island, to Vanderbilt beach and to Gulf Shore Boulevard Vote for Jim Huff who will represent you and your property. Jim recognizes the impact of climate change. He has spent much of his life managing water with the Army Corps of Engineers.

Sally Lam, Naples

Return Penny Taylor to Collier commission

Collier County has been fortunate in having Penny Taylor as the District 4 County Commissioner for the last eight years.

She combines commendable personal qualities and an outstanding record of accomplishments. Penny has demonstrated an understanding of the challenging economic and growth problems facing the county, the need for fiscal and cost restraints, and the numerous quality of life issues such as affordable housing and water quality.

Collier County is one of the few counties in the U.S. which is growing very rapidly. But this rapid growth is a mixed blessing and must be thoughtfully managed.

One of the key requirements in being county commissioner is to thoroughly understand how the county government operates and to work well with the county staff. Penny’s eight years of experience in being county commissioner will be especially invaluable during the next four years because of the recent heavy turnover in county senior staff. For example, there have been three different county managers in the last two years.

Qualifications and experience count! Penny has fairly and effectively represented the citizens of Collier County. Penny deserves and has earned our vote in both the Aug. 23 Republican primary and the Nov. 8 general election. Please reelect Penny Taylor for District 4 county commissioner.

Jon Zoler, Naples

Marco Island condo owners beware!

The Aug. 23 home regulation ballot initiative on Marco Island is bad for Marco Island residents. There is nothing to prevent this bill from being extended to condos and subject them to the same onerous rules if it passes. Ridiculous rules such as posting evacuation plans inside each bedroom, restricting children over 12 years old from sleeping on a pullout couch, and subjecting your home to unannounced inspections by city inspectors. We can learn a lot by taking a quick trip down memory lane when a similar rental registration ordinance was put into place in 2015. That ordinance originally did NOT include condos either, but guess what? With the stroke of a brush, in a single city council meeting, four councilors voted to opt in condos. That's how easy it was then and that's how easy it will be again. The Take Back Marco PAC is hoping voters don't remember that. One of the leaders of "Take Back Marco" is former city councilor Amadeo Petricca. He has been pushing this referendum and was one of the four councilors who voted to include condos in the 2015 ordinance. A wise man once said "Those who don't know their history, are doomed to repeat it" and "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Let's stop this bait and switch, big government ordinance and work together for a common sense solution. Vote "No" on Aug 23.

Lauren Johnston, Marco Island

Daija Hinojosa best for Collier

Naples needs a fresh mind and intellect to reach all demographics in our diverse town. Daija is exactly what we need! She is authentic and will act with transparency and passion for doing what is right for our community. Daija has the grit and the conviction to represent the people of Naples the right way. She’s pro resident and knows how to lead through her strong principles that guide her through everyday life. Her tireless commitment to leading fearlessly and serving her constituents are just the tip of the iceberg for what Daija will do for Naples. I will be proud when Daija becomes commissioner because I know that she truly serves the people as she did when she spoke out against the mask mandate and beach closures. Daija has people's best interest at heart!

Tara Crete, Naples

Race to the bottom under Republicans

For far too long, we’ve had a party in Tallahassee committed to undermining the middle class and the marginalized. For over 20 years, the Republican Party has been ruling the state for their own special interests. In that time, we’ve dropped to 35th for children living in or close to poverty, 41st in income disparity, 45th in state education funding, 48th in overall teacher pay, 48th in access to and affordability of health care, and 50th in cost of living vs. wages. Over the past two decades Republicans have siphoned off over $2.5 billion away from the state’s affordable housing program, eviscerated the agency responsible for sensible growth, and allowed the corrupting influence of money to rule. Florida is one of the states with the highest percentage of seniors living in poverty with minorities being disproportionately affected. Florida is winning the race to the bottom under Republican control in Tallahassee. The midterm elections are here – vote like your future depends on it, because it does. It’s time to free Florida and fire DeSantis. I’ll proudly vote for Democrats in this election!

Annisa Karim, chairwoman, Collier County Democratic Party

Florida politics of extremism

FGCU is to be congratulated on the recent U.S. Dept. of Commerce grant of $22.9 million for “workforce development and job placement.” This could well be a giant waste in light of the DeSantis extreme political radicalization of the governor’s office on numerous levels and issues.

Public schools start in a couple of weeks and are short about 4,000 teachers at last count. Little wonder. They are underpaid, under appreciated and now abused by a governor demanding they toe to his political line in the classroom no matter how off the wall it may be. Why would any professional and licensed teacher even think of teaching in Florida?

Why would a PhD apply for a position at FGCU or any other state university in light of the attacks on academia, having told the professors what and how they can teach? Such employment would be a stain on their resume.

Why would any business, large or small, locate in Florida seeing Disney World attacked for not hewing to the racist and biased solely political agenda of the DeSantis administration? Would any upper management willingly relocate their families to Florida in light of the current environment.

Why would a lawyer locate here knowing that a popular and elected attorney general was fired for his professional concerns about mandates from the administration regarding abortion, transgender and similar issues? Why would any appellate lawyer practice before the Florida Supreme Court knowing that this court has devolved into nothing more than a partisan group like their brothers and sisters at the Supreme Court of the United States.

Why would any OB/Gyn practice in Florida in light of the present and coming legislation telling them to violate their professional judgments and oath for the administration’s political will? Why would any physician or researcher come here knowing that our surgeon general is a widely known nut job throughout the land?

“Workforce development and job placement” sounds very encouraging but I fear that $22.9 million will largely go to playing the politics of extremism and doing the exact opposite of what FGCU is trying to do.

Jim Sheets, Fort Myers

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Wednesday, August 10, 2022