Letters: Something stinks in Jax city services (and it’s not the trash)

I've noticed a couple of issues with city services. First, in late May I saw a truck on our street, checking every house with a backflow valve on the irrigation meter.

Apparently, they were contracted by JEA to conduct a two-year test, for which the customer will be charged $45. The existing inspection sticker on my backflow valve indicated it was last tested on Sept. 10, 2020. That test was conducted by Dunn Creek Irrigation, an authorized testing contractor listed on JEA's website.

Now it has a May 2022 inspection sticker on it from Bob's Backflow.

So, my previous two-year inspection was evidently cut short by four months, and the next inspection should take place in May 2024. But if the current pattern holds, it will be reinspected in January 2024, again losing four months.

When I called JEA, I was told that Dunn Creek never submitted the original inspection permit to them back in 2020. They also claimed that the company is no longer on their authorized contractor list, and they did not follow up with me to have it inspected — nor fine me — due to COVID restrictions.

The website still lists Dunn Creek as an authorized contractor, so I called them and they forwarded me JEA's own copy of the inspection form, dated Sept. 10, 2020. They were also livid.

The other issue involves Waste Pro. We have had our share of recycling, yard waste and household trash issues over the last two years, like everyone else in Jacksonville. When I left one morning for my daily walk, Waste Pro was just pulling into our neighborhood. Upon my return, our household trash bin had apparently been dumped into their truck, then hauled down the street and left in front of our neighbor’s house.

I retrieved it, put it away and went for a bike ride. As I rode through our neighborhood, I noticed other bins were dragged away like mine and there was debris left near many of them. Another neighbor actually had his bin dumped right into the middle of the street and left there.

We're not getting the basic city services that we pay for with our tax dollars.

Danny W. Suber, Southside

'Red flag' parenting suggestions

I was 3 years old when I found my father's gun. Going into the kitchen with it, my little fingers on the trigger and pointing it at my mother, I said "Bang bang, mommy!" Horrifed, she snatched it away from me and thankfully, I was too weak to pull the trigger.

Parents need to be tried and fined whenever teens commit a school shooting or similar violence takes place with the use of a parent's gun, in the home or anywhere else.

We also need to identify early on those students who might be considered "troublemakers" by teachers and/or school administrators, as well as those involved in juvenile crimes. They should be required to visit our jails and hear speeches from others who are incarcerated and willing to tell their story.

Hopefully, such measures may help our youth avoid further problems with law enforcement and jeopardizing their own future.

Granted, no one likes to feel disrespected. Youth are especially sensitive to this and, sadly, they often react immediately. Will our schools and parents place more emphasis on helping youth manage this tendency to overreact, so they learn that when strong emotions are sparked, there are other options they can use?

I know that many parents may find it hard to suspect their children this way. Still, avail yourselves of what to watch out for and always be on guard. Reach out to school counselors, pastors or other parents you are close to and trust. They may be of genuine support.

Parenting is not easy and family life can be very stressful for many reasons. Do everything you can to keep your own lives and homes in order.

Rev. James (Jim) Black, Jacksonville

Deficit spending vs. vacations

The June 12 AP article in the Times-Union blazed “Americans spending too much,” based on the author’s observations in the resort community of Rehoboth Beach, Del. According to the article, President Biden believes we should reduce consumer spending to reduce inflation. Really? People who can afford to go on vacation do tend to spend money, but that doesn’t mean the general population is overspending.

A recent Washington Post/George Mason University poll found that 9 in 10 Americans say they’ve started bargain hunting for cheaper products and 7 in 10 are cutting back on entertainment or eating out. The poll found people are also putting off planned purchases and driving less due to $5 gallon gas.

While there are several causes of inflation, the main contributor is ongoing government deficit spending. This means that the federal government keeps spending more than it has by borrowing the money. According to USAspending.gov, in 2021 the federal government spent $2.77 trillion more than it collected in revenue and this year the deficit is estimated to reach more than $1 trillion.

Deficit spending adds to the national debt, which is currently over $30 trillion. This amounts to $243,000 per taxpayer. This is more detrimental to the U.S. economy than people going on vacation. Even the federal government is not immune to the laws of economics and citizens will pay the price in the form of higher inflation, higher interest rates, profound recession and a lower standard of living.

Unfortunately, the Biden Administration doesn't seem to understand this.

Sharon Morris, Jacksonville

Being a quarterback apparently has its perks

I read the T-U every morning and while not a sports fan, I occasionally glance at that section. The June 11 article titled, “Gators QB Richardson to write an essay for speeding” caught my eye.

By the end of the article, I felt that (once again) being a sports star gives privileges that few others get. When Richardson was pulled over for driving 105 mph at 4:11 a.m. on April 4, his explanation was “I was putting in my maps and didn’t realize I was going that fast.”

In court it was revealed that he was also ticketed in February for driving 90 mph, but his lawyer asked that no points be assigned to his license. The judge ended up assigning an essay to be written explaining his reasons for speeding and what he learned in traffic school and to pay $349.

Wow. I’m just wondering how many other young people are given the opportunity to write essays, instead of being assigned points that might eventually save lives if they continue driving at excessive speeds. I guess being a quarterback has its perks.

Martha Hellmuth, Middleburg

VyStar owes us a solid explanation

As a member of VyStar Community Credit Union, I have one question that remains unanswered as I read stories about the botched transition to a new online and mobile banking system: Why?

Why did an otherwise competent financial company do such a poor job of overseeing the transition to a new digital system? Online and mobile banking is not exactly new technology. Dozens of other financial institutions have been able to update their electronic banking systems without going into a near meltdown.

The decision to partner with Nymbus on an overhaul of its digital banking platforms has been disastrous and has cost the credit union immeasurably in terms of credibility with its 800,000 members. Did the somewhat murky relationship between VyStar and Nymbus — in which two VyStar executives sit on the Nymbus board — play a role in the debacle? Did the board exercise proper oversight when reviewing vendors?

I believe members deserve not only to know why this has happened, but what the board of directors is doing to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Dan Dundon, Jacksonville

Let’s adopt the Swiss model

I’m responding to the June 11 letter that asked, "How do you explain Switzerland? Millions of people have guns yet there are no mass shootings." I’ve heard this rationale before but it’s time to add some context.

Switzerland requires every able-bodied man to report for military training. Boot camp lasts between 18-21 weeks and includes an intensive six-week period devoted to firearms and firearms safety. After these men serve their time, they are given their weapons to bring home and keep. Hence, there are millions of guns but also millions of well-trained gun owners.

I believe 21 weeks is sufficient time to scrutinize the mental disposition and character of these future gun owners. Now, if that letter writer would like to affect a similar system in the United States, I’d be willing to wager mass murders would decrease significantly.

By the way, I have owned guns for decades and I see nothing wrong in enacting gun safety laws and universal background checks.

Andrew Gardella, Jacksonville

DeSantis deserves better press coverage

We have the best Florida governor in my lifetime and all he gets is negative press. Ron DeSantis supports the Make America Great Again agenda of our 45th president. He articulates great ideas to make our state even better and I think even some voters in “blue” areas of Florida are getting it.

Recently he signed a bill to help our military veterans find employment and educational opportunities. Another bill he signed will increase teacher pay and promote teacher training. He also signed a bill promoting voter integrity and prohibiting ballot harvesting, while another sweeping bill he approved gives Florida taxpayers more money in their pocket (instead of government officials).

Readers in Jacksonville deserve balanced reporting of our governor and his policies. We are sick and tired of what progressives want for Florida and America. I bet other states would love to have someone like Ron DeSantis for their governor.

William V. Choisser, Jacksonville

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Letters: Something stinks in Jax city services