Letters to the editor for Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Letters to the editor should be 250 words or less. Include your name and city or community of residence. Guest opinions should be 600 words or less and include a brief summary of the author’s credentials relevant to the topic. Guest opinions may include a head shot of the author. For the Fort Myers News-Press, email submissions to mailbag@news-press.com and for the Naples Daily News to letters@naplesnews.com

Don't cut conservation funds

This is not the time to reduce funding to the Conservation Collier program, an action which will slow the acquisition of environmentally sensitive lands just when the protection of these lands is most critical. A rapidly growing county such as ours eats up land — land we need to protect our water resources (think aquifer recharge) and reduce damaging floods by holding water during storms and hurricanes. Acquiring environmentally sensitive land also means more growth will be directed toward areas with the infrastructure in place to support that growth — saving taxpayers the cost of extending public services to undeveloped areas.

Cutting the millage rate to Conservation Collier might save a small amount of tax dollars in the short run, but the long-range costs of doing this are far greater and include costs to our quality of life as well as to our wildlife, whose habitat is already greatly diminished.

Residents of Collier County have overwhelmingly supported this program since 2002 (nearly 77% of voters in 2020). We have already seen this program put on “hold” between 2013 and 2020 — let’s not hold it up again by making cuts to this program.

S.L. Calkins, Naples

Reconsider Jaycee Park decision

City of Cape Coral please reconsider your decision about Jaycee Park.  Please don’t turn a peaceful family park into a playground for adults.

A food truck might work if no alcohol is served and if it doesn’t work at least it’s on wheels and can be removed.

No bandstand please. Neighbors don’t need to be disturbed during their evenings or anytime. It’s a residential neighborhood and please don’t remove the trees. I know they are Australian pine but they have been there for a long time providing shade and oxygen. Even if you do replace them I doubt they will be tall enough to provide shade.

Instead of spending thousands or millions on so called “improvements” put that money to good use. Fix things that need fixing. Sidewalks for our children so they can be safe walking on them instead of in the street. I’m an oldie Goldie. Grew up during the Great Depression in the 1930’s. We had streetlights, sidewalks, city water and sewer. Parks in the neighborhood that had trees to climb and grass to play on. Now parks have swings, slides, etc. to play on. It’s great to have a park like that for families where they can sit and watch their children play safely. Please think of the people of Cape Coral instead of entertainment that might bring in money for the city at the expense of a wonderful place for family.

Rose Marie Waite, Cape Coral

Disaster mitigation

I applaud the Your Turn article in Sunday's Naples Daily News about investing in disaster mitigation. Climate change is obviously real and it is time to stop investing time, money and intellectual resources merely in order to try to convince some people about the human component causing climate change. The truth is that climate change is happening and causing problems. The funds and brains involved in the CO2 argument can better be applied to mitigation in all areas.

Kenneth Wetcher, Naples

Sign clean water petition

Water is a way of life in Florida. Yet our way of life is threatened daily by such toxins as blue-green algae, red tide, fecal bacteria, nitrates, brain-eating amoeba and all manner of pollutants in our Gulf, streams, rivers, lakes and aquifers. Repeatedly, Florida voters have supported conservation measures designed to protect our water, but often, those measures have not been enacted or funded by the State Legislature, which too often is beholden to special interests. Meanwhile, our manatees, Florida’s beloved “sea cows,” are starving because pollution is killing the sea grass that is a staple of their diet. Our coral reefs are in critical condition for the same reason. Our wetlands are being developed. The push for rampant development outweighs conservation concerns.But it doesn’t have to be that way. Every single resident of Florida should be guaranteed the right to clean and healthy water, and volunteers are working to make that a reality.Now and in the coming months, hundreds of volunteers are soliciting the signatures of registered voters on petitions to get the Right to Clean and Healthy Waters Amendment on the 2024 primary ballot. It’s not an easy task. To qualify, supporters need to collect almost 900,000 signatures statewide by Nov. 30.Every single signature counts. If you see volunteers collecting signatures, please take a moment to sign, if not for yourself, for your children and grandchildren. You also can download a copy of the petition at floridarighttocleanwater.orgSimply print the petition and provide your name, address and birth date and mail it to the address provided.This is one issue Republicans and Democrats can agree on. Please join the effort.

Sue Beard, Fort Myers

Raise teacher pay

Southwest Florida should be ashamed of how they treat teachers. The pay is so low it is almost a crime. No job is more important than teaching. Our children's future depends on a good education. Teachers foster that future. A small increase in taxes can make a big difference in teachers pay. Don't excuse low pay by a long summer time off. Are they supposed to find a part-time job in the summer to supplement their income? Why should that even be mentioned? My sainted mother always said education is the most important part of a child's life. Nothing could be truer.

E.R. Santhin, Naples

School board chair

I recently attended a school board meeting on September 11. For all the positive things happening in the district the behavior of the current chairperson is extremely disturbing. She may be playing to her base on NPR  but to treat other members with disdain and rudeness is unacceptable. She needs to apologize to fellow board members and try to build consensus. Otherwise the district is in excellent shape.

Steve Donovan, former School Board member 2002-2010, Naples

Teacher compensation

Everyone seems to agree that our teachers are grossly underpaid.

I propose that Governor DeSantis (or some dynamic Florida legislator on the fast track for higher office) take note of what Detroit auto workers are striking for – 40% more pay over four years, better pensions and a four day work week – and champion a campaign for 40% over-four-years' raises for Collier County teachers.

All of us can get by without not getting a new car for a while. But doomsday is coming if college kids no longer want to become teachers because the compensation is flagrantly below a living wage.

Mel Stuckey, Naples

Still in hurricane recovery

Our community is still recovering from Hurricane Ian, one year later.

Collier Resource Center never closed our doors, before, during, or after the storm. And the need for food, shelter and transportation has only increased since Ian left a path of destruction.

Immediately after Ian, we connected hundreds of residents with local resources. We linked a group in Parkland, collecting supplies to donate in Naples, with the Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul. We helped volunteers find the most vulnerable populations for meal delivery. We assisted high school students collecting hygiene supplies and pet food. Perhaps our best contribution was to activate a team of listeners, volunteers who offered emotional support for people needing to process the trauma of so much loss.

In the weeks following the storm, our clients requested case management and referral services for FEMA applications. They required tarps for roofs, debris clean-up, and utility assistance. Since Ian, we have served more than 1,400 people, a 35% increase.

Twelve months later, our community is still in recovery.

Client requests over the months shifted to housing help, medical and dental assistance, senior services, disability equipment, mental health resources, and diapers. Collier Resource Center continues to meet the demand for case management and follow-up care. Our professional services are free. Affordable housing in Collier County remains a critical unmet need.

Hurricane Ian challenged our entire community. Obstacles for an already compromised population intensified. We are still gluing together the cracked and shattered pieces of people’s lives.

Nina Gray, founder, and Kari Lefort, CEO, Collier Resource Center

Vaccine deniers

Have you or anyone else you know visited Ron DeSantis, or Doctor Ladapo, to ask for a diagnosis of any physical ailment? Probably not, because you see DeSantis is a politician and Ladapo is only on the state payroll for $362,000 for supporting the governor's appeal to the vax deniers, in the hope they'll support the Gov in his hope to be president. Ladapo received a $123,000 bump over his predecessor who did not agree with DeSantis. Since all this vaccine denial, I've never heard, or read, any comments from either DeSantis, or Ladapo, about the 90,000 Floridians that have died of COVID.

Roger W. Quagliano, Estero

Biased coverage

Thank you for your in-depth coverage of our president's adult son's federal indictments on page 11. Just kidding! If this would have happened to a Trump or Bush adult child, it would have been front page news.

Rhonda Aubert, Ave Maria

DeSantis lacks empathy

I have been keeping a low profile on my thoughts about the state of our union but I feel the need to speak out about our governor, DeSantis. He is currently campaigning around the various states trying to get traction with the voters. Even Fox news asked him about his "awkwardness" when approaching people. But perhaps we should look at his words more carefully. The other day the U.S. Senate relaxed its dress codes. Many believe that Sen. Fetterman from PA is responsible for this. I don't know. And frankly, I don't really care. But DeS had this to say about it: "The U.S. Senate just eliminated its dress code because you got this guy from Pennsylvania who's got a lot of problems." Seriously?! Fetterman had just recently been treated for depression, had a stroke while campaigning and yet, he has worn his suit when being on the Senate floor. And DeS has the audacity to say "this guy's got problems" with no empathy for what Fetterman has been through, showing such disdain for a human being, a lack of respect for a man who despite his struggles to recover completely from a stroke and battle depression, and is an elected senator from PA. DeS, no wonder you're not getting much traction with the voters. Your demeanor screams "superiority" to all. Frankly DeS, you need to have some treatment -- for humanity.

Beth Summer, Naples

Time for younger leader

It's time. USA needs a young leader. Look at the ages of leaders in European countries. Canada 51, UK 43, France 45, Germany 65, Ukraine 45, Poland 51, Turkey 69. Joe Biden is a selfish old white man who only thinks about himself. Watch his actions when he speaks, he stumbles and pats himself on the back and diverts country tragedy about him. Over 40 years in government who has become a multimillionaire. Move aside!It's time to elect a young leader in this country and force the old hags out like Biden, Pelosi, Feinstein and McConnell.

Arthur Maranian, Naples

Make fathers responsible

In the new dystopian world created by the end of Roe v. Wade, we might look at some new ramifications.  Women are being forced to continue a pregnancy even if they do not have the financial ability to raise a child with the incumbent expenses of food, diapers, childcare (if she has a job which would allow her to pay for it) and on and on.  Raising a child is expensive. From the day a baby is born until the day it turns 18, it will require about $310,605 — or about $17,000 a year, according to a new Brookings Institution analysis of data from the U.S. Agriculture Department.

So, how does a single mother do this?  We need laws now which place financial child care on the shoulders of fathers so that the responsibilities of mothers are shared more equally with the fathers. States should enact statutes which require that the mother identify the father of each child who would then be required to provide DNA as proof of his fatherhood and his Social Security number so that he would be financially responsible for the mother and child until the child reaches the age of 18.  Such statutes would have men more equally sharing the burden of procreation.

In the next election, women must vote for candidates who support women's rights to health and health care. Failure to do so places the shame squarely on women if they fail to remember that elections have consequences.

Sally Lam, Naples

The Libertarian alternative

If you are one of those fuddy-duddy Republicans who persist in believing in limited government and limited taxation, you have a place to go.

If you believe in balanced budgets and non-intervention, you have a place to go.

If you believe in maximum personal freedom and maximum personal responsibility, you have a place to go.

If you have been dismayed by trillion-dollar deficits (even BEFORE the pandemic) and executive arrogance, you have a place to go.

Most importantly, if you expressly renounce the use of force to achieve political goals, you have a place to go.

The Libertarian Party will welcome you with open arms. See: lpf.org

Larry Gillis, Cape Coral 

Veteran status

Ron DeSantis' facts are incorrect. His latest campaign message is that if he's elected president, he'll be the first veteran since 1988 to hold that office. Of course, he's referring to George H.W. Bush, who served as a Naval aviator in WW II and then was elected in 1988. However, he left out a more recent president. I'm no defender of George W. Bush, who in 2000 was appointed president by the Supreme Court, but surely being subject to orders as a member of the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War era puts his military service on a par with that of DeSantis.

Vic Delnore, Fort Myers

Political inexperience

Former Vice President Mike Pence made a telling remark  at the Republican presidential candidates debate last week in addressing Vivek Ramaswamy, who intimated that  9/11 was a Bush administration conspiracy and climate change “a hoax,” among other lunacies.

As someone without any governmental service, the energetic newcomer proclaimed that it’s “pretty simple” to solve all problems, foreign and domestic. The last candidate to make that declaration was Donald Trump, who also, like Ramaswamy, had no elective or military experience, and we see how that worked out.

Echoing Nikki Haley and Chris Christie, the ex-vice president pointed to the lack of experience of the unofficial candidate of the QAnon cult, who just turned 38,  in admonishing that this “is not the time for on-the-job training.”

Why didn’t he raise that point in  2016 when he steadfastly campaigned with Donald Trump, who like Ramaswamy, had no experience, and it showed during their four years in office together?

Now that the nation has had an opportunity to experience their leadership, there’s good reason to reject allowing either of them, Trump and Pence, from occupying the White House.

While many  observers  give the inexperienced  Ramaswamy little chance to wrest the party’s nomination unless the former president drops out due to his criminal legal proceedings. But if that does not materialize, he’s well-positioned to be on the GOP ticket with the ex-president, whom he lavishly praised in the debate and was the recipient of reciprocal commendation by the former president.

If so, he would bring a youthful balance to the ticket. At age 39 upon Inauguration Day 2025, he would be less than half the age of President Biden and his immediate predecessor. That would make him nearly the youngest major party vice  presidential candidate.

The two other 30-somethings had ignominious post-vice presidencies experiences. Only one was younger, John Breckinridge, who had barely turned 36 when seconding  President James Buchanan, before he joined the Confederate Army after the Civil War broke out.

The other, a 39-year-old: Richard Nixon.

That’s not a good track record.

Marshall H. Tanick, Naples

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Wednesday, September 20, 2023