Monday's letters: Scary Russian bear, Business Protection Act, vehicle exhaust noise, more

World quakes before mighty Russian bear

A bear wanders onto your property, jeopardizing the tranquility and safety of your home. You are alarmed, but across the street your neighbor is unaware of this episode.

Day after day more havoc, now threatening the very lives of your family. What to do? Ask your homeowners association, that’s it!

But you are told there is nothing they can do. What then? Ask your neighbor for help, what else?

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Your neighbor sends bug spray and firecrackers, but they do not dissuade the emboldened bear. You plead for better means to defend your family. More firecrackers and bug spray arrive.

The bear has left your home in shambles. Fearful for their lives, you send your spouse and children out of town with only the clothes on their backs.

You stay to defend against increasingly violent attacks. Your neighbors sympathize but don’t want to antagonize the great “hectn” by providing what you need to counter the onslaught.

What must Volodymyr Zelenskyy think of his neighbors? What must the citizens of civilized society think of mighty NATO and the USA quaking in their boots?

How can we look at ourselves in the mirror and allow Vladimir Putin’s devastation of Ukraine?

William Tafoya, Sarasota

Bill pro-business, anti-local government

Florida statute SB 620, the Local Business Protection Act, passed by the Republican majority Legislature and awaiting the governor’s signature, puts business rights over the voting rights of Florida citizens.

This is not surprising, as the Florida Republican Party really doesn’t want its own party members making decisions about how their communities are governed. In Sarasota, the party failed in its attempt to block voters from choosing their local county commissioners.

This appalling bill, SB 620, would allow businesses to sue municipalities and counties that passed local regulations resulting in a claimed 15% loss of profits for a company.

So, for example, if commissioners were to pass an ordinance that supported the quality of life that the majority-Republican Longboat Key citizens enjoy, a local business could sue to block it. It is hard to believe that any legislator of any party would support legislation that would deny local citizens the right to govern their own community.

This legislation is a gravy train for attorneys and a nightmare for local governments.

Call or email Gov. Ron DeSantis demanding that he veto this legislation: 850-717-9337 or GovernorRon.Desantis@eog.myflorida.com.

F. Lowell Curtis, Longboat Key and Bethany Beach, Delaware

Prefer Selby ‘before’ to Selby ‘after’

Your report on the changes at Selby Gardens had good “after” pictures, but none of the parking lot “before,” when we could park under the trees with a view of the water and picnic tables on the slope (“Selby Gardens starts vertical construction for its renovation project,” April 20).

For decades I’ve been a member at Selby and enjoyed the concerts under the banyans – until one Sunday when we were told to put away our home-baked snack and Zsolnay china.

Only food bought from vendors could be eaten. After that we had our snack at a picnic table by the parking lot before entering.

Selby is hiding behind solar power as it destroys trees and caters to the restaurant industry. A botanical garden is not a dining venue.

The roofs of already existing buildings could become solar. In storms, buildings are safest below the treetops.

Jean Kathleen Ranallo, Englewood

Crack down on drivers with noisy engines

What can be done about the issue of motor vehicle exhaust noise?

No matter where I go, I hear cars and motorcycles gunning their engines or accelerating with their modified mufflers made to create louder than necessary noise.

I would ask that other annoyed citizens speak up about this issue and ask that our lawmakers revise noise abatement laws to lower the motor vehicle exhaust levels allowed.

I also ask that our law enforcement officials actively enforce said laws. There are certainly many current violators.

I understand vehicles trying to get out into traffic and reach speed limits without creating a traffic hazard. This can certainly be done without modified exhaust systems created for ego or adrenaline bursts of loud noise.

Many of us relish living in our quiet communities, but the quiet is very often disturbed at all hours by motor vehicle noises many blocks away.

Jerry Hahn, Sarasota

Governor won’t tolerate dissenters

It is absolutely frightening to me that Disney, for all that Disney World has meant to the state of Florida, is being punished for daring to voice disagreement with the governor and his Legislature.

This goes contrary to all I was ever taught about the “Land of the Free.” Am I now in danger for voicing my opinion?

Jane Springrose, Bradenton

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: World quakes before mighty bear, enforce laws against noisy engines