Voice of the people: Preserving environmental lands is worthwhile
I can identify with Pam McDonald's sentiment that Polk environmental lands be user-funded, however, I don't think it's getting the whole picture ["Let users pay for county environmental land sites," July 24]. Circle B Bar Reserve, Polk's most lauded environmental land, is full of locals walking and biking, but there are also a ton of people who've traveled to Polk. From a business perspective, tourists potentially eat, drink, sleep and shop here. Great!
As a fiscally conservative person, what alarmed me was maintenance. Would money forever come out of the county budget? I've learned since, that environmental land funding is separate. The money can only be spent on these properties, and these properties have a reserved fund for maintenance.
Tax spending isn't user based. My kids don't play baseball; I don't need a boat ramp, etc. Many county services exist because they are for the greater good. It's good for Polk's prosperity, health and environment to have places like Circle B Bar Reserve.
Polk is seeing heavy development. I can't afford property, and I want to be able to get a break once in a while. I've calculated, and based on my property value I'd pay about $4.20 per year to preserve some more places for myself, my children and my Polk neighbors. Worth it.
Blair Updike, Lake Wales
Beliefs based on feelings are virtually immune to facts
It isn't just the lives of ordinary, though gullible, Americans that Donald Trump has ruined with his false claim that the last presidential election was stolen from him ["Local Jan. 6 defendant wants new charge dismissed," July 29]. Joshua Doolin is now facing felony charges for his participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Jonathan Pollock, a participant in the Jan. 6 insurrection is now a fugitive from justice, living what has to be a miserable existence. Doolin's sister and two friends are also facing additional charges.
And Donald Trump? He raised $250 million from the gullible to help fund the fight to overturn the "stolen election" that the "small people" are now going to jail/prison for. Who is paying for their legal defense? Not Donald Trump. Will Trump be tried for wire fraud along with his attempt to overthrow democracy in America? The answer is not far down the road. The problem where Trump's supporters are concerned is that beliefs based on feelings are virtually immune to facts.
Richard Sutherland, Winter Haven
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Opinions mean more when backed by data
Upon the reversal of Roe v. Wade, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill that impacts women of child bearing age. The bill relates to reducing fetal and infant mortality. I encourage everyone that wants to have an opinion on this bill to read what it actually says. I think that every U.S. citizen has the right to express an opinion on any subject, but opinions mean more when they can be defended with actual data.
What does the data say about abortions in the state of Florida? In 2020 there were about 75,000 abortions. About 71,000 occurred during the first trimester. No abortions occurred in the third trimester. There were about 2,500 abortions or 3.5% classified as elective in the second trimester.
What does the new Florida law do? Among other things, it provides education and accountability on the health hazards of the use of tobacco products on pregnancy, it creates a review panel to evaluate and reduce fetal and infant mortality, it creates a data base to track all abortions, it limits elective abortions to the first trimester, it defines certain terms and it requires minimum quality standards for hospitals that provide birthing services.
Edward McDonald, Auburndale
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This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Voice of the people: Preserving environmental lands is worthwhile
