Readers comment on an Archer solar project, Gainesville City Commission candidates and more

The Gainesville Sun
·3 min read
Archer residents outside of commission chambers give a thumbs down to a proposed solar project nearby their neighborhood.
Archer residents outside of commission chambers give a thumbs down to a proposed solar project nearby their neighborhood.

Living together

Praise to the Alachua County Commission and residents of Archer who modeled the practices of consultation and collaboration about the Archer solar project. In a year of much talking, blaming, finger-pointing and hostility on many topics, these folks resolved a complex issue of energy, community, history and economic justice.

As we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, who urged us to "live together as brothers," they provided an example. Perhaps the governor and the Florida Legislature can learn from their example. The present scorched-earth legislative game plan needs improvement.

Susan M. Stanton, Gainesville

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Right choice

I have expressed concerns for the hardships faced by ordinary people who are struggling to afford housing and pay their bills so they can continue to live in Gainesville. Low-income households, hardworking Gainesville families and local business are being adversely affected by the poor governance, fiscal mismanagement and dysfunctional conduct of the Gainesville City Commission.

Unfortunately, the City Commission continues to ignore the valid concerns of citizens and our neighborhoods on these important issues while continuing to increase Gainesville Regional Utilities rates and property taxes. How much affordable housing could have been built with the $32 million in American Rescue Plan funding that the City Commission is squandering? Why are GRU residential electric rates 35% higher and the fuel adjustment increase nearly 3 times higher than Florida Power & Light?

We need less politics and more common sense, better decision making and more fiscal responsibly on the City Commission. As a candidate, Cynthia Chestnut has demonstrated that she is committed to listening to GRU customers and neighborhoods who are being disenfranchised and ignored by the commission.

I believe that Chestnut is the right choice to help bring stability, leadership and good governance back to the City Commission. Please join me in supporting her.

Nathan A. Skop, Gainesville

Fresh ideas

I am impressed by Matt Howland's analysis of the pressing issues that our City Commission will have to resolve. He brings fresh ideas rather than yesterday's solutions.

But it is his listening to hundreds of Gainesville citizens and their concerns as he knocks on doors around town that convinced me to vote for him. Matt will represent us.

Richard MacMaster, Gainesville

Choosing a candidate

In the past one would look for a candidate who knew the issues, did the research, spoke the truth and, with the knowledge gained, voted the issues. Hopefully the electorate would take the time to investigate the candidates and make an informed choice.

That is something I have tried to do in every election, and I’ve been voting since the '70s. Once in a while a candidate would run for office with rather bizarre ideas or beliefs, but they’d never win. But times are changing.

There is no doubt in my mind that there will be many voters who will vote for someone who says that the 2020 election for president was stolen — that Donald Trump actually won. In spite of recounts and audits, many times in the same state showing the results with the same outcome, those voters will still succumb to the same lies. Those voters, devoid of reality, will never believe, much less admit, that Joe Biden won the electoral votes and the popular votes.

I sincerely hope that those reading this will, once again, do the research, learn the issues, and vote for one who recognizes and expounds the truth.

Thomas R. Weller, High Springs

Join the conversation

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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Letters: Archer solar project, Gainesville City Commission candidates