Dear Editor:
One thing the County 5 is certainly not afraid of is being voted out of office. Who else would impose new taxes during an election year, especially now with inflation and economic uncertainty. Rising costs of prescription drugs, groceries, and you name it, don’t bother the 5 one bit. I recently talked to a lady who had experienced a cardiac emergency while at work. It was early in the morning, and she was cooking at one of those convenience store delis. She is 70 years old. I asked why she was back there in that hot kitchen working away at her age. She said her medications cost $1,500 a month and she is on a fixed income and couldn’t afford it without having to work. A lot of folks are in that situation.
I’d be more empathetic to the county’s situation, but when you can’t tell us how much it will cost us and what you’ll use it for and have the track record of not living within your means, it’s a hard sell.
Why can’t they study an MSTU, where it’s done on a millage rate instead of a flat rate? With an assessment, someone in a 1,000 square-foot house will pay the same as the person that lives in a 3,600 square-foot house on Hampton Lake. Why should the lower income folks subsidize the wealthy?
They tried this before. One commissioner stated that it was the cost of a pizza every month. Pretty arrogant. The cost of that pizza might be the equal of whether a child gets a birthday cake or a new pair of shoes or a doctor visit.
There are plenty of ways to bring the cost down. But you have to want to. And you have to try.
For example, the county has a “fire marshal” on staff. Full-time, salary and retirement, but works a full-time career job with a fine salary and retirement in another county, so it’s not really full-time. Why? Why should I have to supplement another retirement? Starke doesn’t and they have most of the commercial buildings in the county. They contract it out. Maybe they can use the folks that are certified fire inspectors that are on shift to perform these duties? That’s what Jefferson County does. That’s efficiency.
Maybe cut back on the at least 11 supervisory positions they have?
Suwannee, Okeechobee, Wakulla, and Desoto…counties that are bigger in square miles, and equally or more populated, don’t have huge administrative staff.
This isn’t a knock on the brave men and women who do the work at all. The folks out in the field.
The county has to be honest. Honest about what you have and what you need, not what you want and what it costs.
Tell us what this $4 million is going to get us. I’m a consumer. I want to have something tangible I can see when I’m paying for something.
Is it going to maintain the status quo or improve?
If it’s not going to improve, then why should we pay it? How has it been paid for the last four years? Why do you need $4 million? Can you do it for less? Have you tried?
Don’t tell me you’ll lower my insurance. That’s been tried. Mine more than doubled last year.
Be honest.
Paul McDavid
RJE alumni plan social
The RJE alumni will host a Denim and Pearls Social on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 6-10 p.m. at the Starke Golf and Country Club, 15501 NE 14th St. near Starke. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from any alumni member, or contact President Joann Jackson at 904-769-6963 or Linda Hampton at 904-964-8156.
