Utility legislation

Utility proposal hurts taxpayers

Every year one or two bills are proposed in Tallahassee that make you stop and wonder: What were they thinking? And usually, they die and are never heard from again. This year we have SB 896, sponsored by state Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg. But this bill has passed two committees with one left to go before it goes to the floor.

Why is this bill bad? It ends 100 years of law that required electric and other utilities to relocate utility equipment at their expense when necessary for the completion of public works projects. Under this bill, unless the project is related to the maintenance, improvement or expansion of a road, you the taxpayer will be required to pay for the relocation. If your city or county has a water or sewer project, taxpayers can add the cost of relocating the utility's equipment to their bills. If you have a stormwater project or berm and swale project, you pay those costs. If you have a streetscape project, dig into your wallet. Does your city want to expand a bike path and need utility relocations? You will pay for the relocation.

At a time when residents need more transportation projects, infrastructure improvements, water and sewer expansion, and bike paths and lanes, this bill will increase the costs to local governments and impact their ability to provide these improvements. And who benefits? The utility companies.

I urge everyone to let their legislators know that this is not acceptable. The Florida League of Cities opposes this bill, your local government opposes this bill, and you as a taxpayer should oppose this bill. The only beneficiaries are the utility companies.

Gary Bruhn, mayor, Windermere

Scott to sue over health funding | April 17

Stop giving tax money away

In addition to continuing to deny 800,000 Floridians health care, thereby making them suffer, Gov. Rick Scott will use my state tax dollars to sue the federal government for saying we need to provide health care for these 800,000.

The governor says, "We will fight to protect the health care of Floridians," yet in the same breath, "President Obama has decided that the state must take on a larger Medicaid program, forcing our taxpayers to pay even more to government before they get their tax dollars back."

We have already paid and will continue paying the federal government for Medicaid funds, but now our funds have been going to other states that expanded Medicaid. It is Scott and the Republican Florida House who are giving our tax dollars away.

Esther Kirk, Riverview

Suddenly, Clinton's like the rest of us April 16, Daniel Ruth column

Makeover is a must

Daniel Ruth's column on Hillary Clinton's planned image makeover is on the mark. Due to images such as her "vast right-wing conspiracy" comment about her husband's suspected infidelities, to "misremembering" being under fire in Bosnia, such a makeover is obviously a must.

I hope that one remark will remain unchallenged, however. That is her recent prepared comment on economics: "Don't let anybody tell you that corporations and businesses create jobs." There was a rumor that her staff tried to clarify the remark the next day. What's to clarify? Would that all politicians stated their core beliefs so succinctly.

Keep up the good work, Dan. It is good to see that you can effectively skewer politicians of all stripes.

Paul Leaverton, Tampa

9/11 claim is unfounded | April 17, commentary

Public needs the facts

In FBI special agent Paul Wysopal's defense of the FBI investigation of Saudi ties to the Sept. 11 attacks, he says he is going to "provide some facts" about the investigation. That he does, but he doesn't give one fact about what they investigated. He only says that the investigation occurred and that they found that nothing was connected.

It's almost an insult. It says "trust our investigation." That's not enough. We need facts.

Steve Morrell, Bradenton

Florida Competitive Workplace Act

Act to stop discrimination

As the owner of a small business, my success depends on the reputation of our state and city being a place where visitors and other businesses feel welcome. One way our state and local governments do this is by passing laws that demonstrate our open-arms approach, including antidiscrimination laws. That's why I'm supporting passage of the Florida Competitive Workforce Act.

Currently, Florida law allows businesses to refuse to hire gay and transgender people. As a business owner, it does me no good for our state to have the reputation of being unfriendly to any potential customers. HB 33/SB 156 aims to change this by adding LGBT people to statewide antidiscrimination protections.

Major Florida employers such as Disney, Darden, Wells Fargo, Office Depot, CSX and Florida Blue are supporting the legislative measure, along with more than 300 small businesses and organizations across the state.

It's time to make sure Florida law reflects the warm, welcoming climate we want people to feel about our beautiful state.

Mary Alvarado, Brandon

Editorial cartoon | April 18

Right on target

Chip Bok's editorial cartoon is spot-on. Nowhere is it more true than right here in Florida since the conservative, probusiness regime has been in power and sold out to the highest bidder. Money has become epidemic in politics.

Damon Castle, Clearwater