Praise for FPL, sewage in the lagoon and concerns about Ukraine: Letters, Oct. 9 2022
Spend some time with hungry families to learn their stories
It was clear from a recent letter writer’s viewpoint how upset he is to hear stories about starving Brevard residents.
He believes that "those people" receiving help with food are irresponsible and make poor choices. The reality is that "those people,” as many middle-class people are today, living from paycheck to paycheck, trying to make good food choices to stretch out whatever food stamps can provide and probably applying intelligent and creative ways to stretch what little income they do receive.
Judging those receiving government benefits, particularly children whose families are eligible for free meals, is cruel and judgmental. Several middle-class families, even those with two working adults, struggle today to make ends meet. I challenge this speaker to live on government welfare or food stamp programs. As a social worker for over 35 years, I can attest to the fact that it is not easy.
No one is using the word "victim" accept this writer. The reality is that many people do not know where their next meal is coming from. Few are milking government programs, such as food stamps or free school lunches. To accuse them of being where they are financially because of poor choices is ignorant. I urge this writer to get involved in his community with any program serving the poor and see, with his own eyes, what is really going on. Perhaps he will learn the meaning of compassion.
Cindy LaMonica, Melbourne
Millage increase proposal for schools looks great: It’s not
Beware of the flowery language on the “ad valorem millage” proposal for Brevard schools on the November ballot.
The ballot language sounds great: “To increase teacher pay, ensure student achievement,” etc. Who doesn’t want those things? What the language does not explain is that a 1 millage increase would cost each homeowner $1 for every $1,000 of their property value after their homestead exemption, if any. This would amount to hundreds of dollars of increase for average homeowners on their property tax bill, set to occur every year for the next four years. I wonder why this is not clearly explained in the ballot language. This increase would of course be passed on from rental property owners to their renters who are already struggling with high rent prices. I have a child in a public school, but I’m voting no on this proposal. Please consider doing the same.
Carol Vyhonsky, Melbourne
Between more residents and global warming, flooding will rise
Watching the 24/7 news reports of the storm, I kept hearing meteorologists comment on the flooding: "Worse than ever before."
Several neighborhoods in Orange County are known to have flooding issues; so it was expected there. I heard one man say he had lived in his home for 44 years and never had flooding problems.
Well, what do you expect? Hundreds of thousands more residents, thousands of acres of land paved over for roads, sidewalks, patios, pools, slabs for houses, shopping centers and apartments. The water has no place to go anymore.
And, with global warming, we need to expect flooding to get worse.
Get used to it or mover to higher ground.
Lynne Hill, Cocoa
FPL’s advance work made difference as Ian blew through North Brevard
I want to congratulate Florida Power and Light for the work they did this past summer hardening up the power system here in Windover Farms. There were times when it seemed like it was an endless endeavor but the results are evident. For the first time we did not lose power during a hurricane. That is a super accomplishment.
Thank you, FPL.
George Minto, Titusville
Hurricane Ian: a reminder of the power of the forces of nature
One would think the raw, destructive power we have witnessed as Hurricane Ian made its way into SW Florida and across the state this week would make an impression on the people who believe man is our biggest threat Try selling that line of insanity to all those who lost everything in SW Florida yesterday. IAN was the moral equivalent of another Andrew back in 1992. Andrew destroyed far more than property. It destroyed many lives and families with the loss of so many homes. The impact of Andrew on my family living in Miami was traumatic.
Ian is a reminder to all of us just how powerful the forces of nature can be. Ian pales in comparison to other forces coming to bear on Mother Earth affecting our climate, like the sun and gravitational forces from the moon and other planets and our own orbit variations around the sun. It is laughable that so many have come under the spell of worshiping the god of climate change. The stupidity of the belief that man is somehow causing the climate to change on planet earth, compared to the many other overwhelming powerful forces is pure insanity. It makes my skin crawl to hear the expression “climate change” and unimaginable expense for misguided unsustainable energy sources. This is not going to end well.
What on earth can we tell our grandchildren when they ask, “Why did you let this happen?”
Roland Norris, Cocoa Beach
What does Ukraine have that Putin wants so badly?
Have you stopped to wonder why Putin really invaded Ukraine? It can’t be because Russia needs more land, and obviously not for more people, at the rate they’re killing them. There must be something in Ukraine that Russia desperately needs. And, based on the billions of dollars we are sending them in aid, someone in our administration knows what it is, and will go to any length to prevent them from getting it. And likewise, why would Russia sabotage the Nord Stream pipelines, one of their major sources of revenue? There is much lurking beneath the surface of these events. But whatever it is, it is so critical to Russia that they are willing to sacrifice world peace. So, what’s the big secret?
Thomas Johnson, Palm Bay
It’s time to bring Ukraine into NATO and here’s why
Vladimir Putin’s sham elections that have annexed parts of Ukraine are reprehensible. He has gambled to the point of nuclear brinksmanship again on the U.S. and its many allies not responding firmly. What are we to do? I have what I think is a timely suggestion that should now be carefully considered.
I think it is time to admit Ukraine into NATO.
Earlier apprehension that we would somehow provoke Russia is still a clear and present danger, but our sanctions alone have not had the desired effect thus far. Because Putin has taken the initiative and escalated the situation, we now have justifiable indignation on our side and the support of the world opinion. Ukraine’s military successes are laudable, but they raise the devastating specter of limited nuclear retaliation by Russia and thus a nuclear expansion of the conflict. Extending NATO support to Ukraine is an appropriate response that meets Putin’s gambit. Now is the time for the U.S and its allies to do the right thing and proceed with a feeling of faith over fear.
S. W. Miller, Melbourne
Those who cheated on COVID funds should face stern consequences
I recently read that the government has found that over $45 billion of taxpayer money was stolen through the poorly monitored and overseen unemployment program created under COVID that paid $30,000 a year to people who cheated their fellow Americans and stuck them with the bill.
And my guess is the fraud was at least double that amount but government employees are too incompetent, or crooked themselves, to have found the true level of fraud.
I propose that each person caught cheating on this program have whatever they own confiscated, then sold to reimburse taxpayers, and in addition, they should be sent to prison for fraud for the next five years.
Ilene Davis, Cocoa
Biden’s timing is off and his version of math, otherworldly
Tuesday, Sept. 13, was supposed to be a day of celebration. President Biden had planned a large gathering on the White House lawn to celebrate passage of the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” characterizing it as “the single most important legislation passed in the Congress to combat inflation.”
On his way to the gathering, a reporter yelled out a question, asking if he was worried about the August inflation report. He responded “no” because it was only .1%, referring to the August inflation rate (actually 8.3%). July had been 8.2%. His version of math seems otherworldly.
Later, in his promotional speech, Biden bragged that gas had dropped $1.30/gallon since early summer, failing to add that it was still $1.31/gallon higher than when he entered office.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in her presentation, praised the partisan Democrat bill for driving down costs of “kitchen table items for America’s working families.” The independent Tax Foundation’s detailed analysis had concluded it would probably “worsen inflation by constraining the productive capacity of the U.S. economy, while pumping $485 billion in new demand (green projects) into the economy.” And, its net revenue gain (added taxes) of $352 billion would evaporate from the president’s student loan forgiveness.
That day’s inflation reports had prices of meat, poultry, fish and eggs up 10.6%, dairy up 16.2% and electricity up 15.2%.
The stock market ended that trading day with Dow Jones average losing over 1,200 points, the largest single day loss since WW II.
Could Joe’s timing be worse?
Ed Taylor, Satellite Beach
Sewage in the lagoon is sickening
Doesn’t it make you sick to continually hear about the dumping of sewage into the Indian River Lagoon(IRL)? It's been going on for years, and Brevard County and most of our cities are guilty of dumping for one reason or another.
So I would think we have to do something about it and here is my idea
We stop all development in Brevard effective Jan 1, 2023 for 1 year.
We make major efforts to upgrade out sewer systems, septic systems, lift stations, pump stations, piping, etc. Yes, it's going to take money but I think it should be the top priority of our county and local governments, to protect our lagoon, our health, and our environment.
The Save Our Indian River Lagoon account has more than $200 million dollars in it and is growing by $4-5 million a month, thanks to the ½ cent sales tax we voted ourselves to save the river. Use the money….spend the money…..we are taking in way more money than we are spending on the river, and that’s what the money in that account is for.
If the cities, and the county have to increase taxes, decrease services in other areas, do more with less…so be it but we cannot continue to dump millions of gallons into the river as we have done last week.
Now what do you think? How would you begin to solve this monumental problem that has plagued us for years?
Bob Socks, Cocoa
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: why dump in lagoon and concerns about Ukraine: Letters, Oct. 9 2022
