LETTER to the EDITOR
Editor:

There's nothing like the Holiday season to reacquaint you with the bottom of your bank account. At the same time, Floridians are eyeing Tallahassee with increasing skepticism, wondering when property taxes will stop draining us. In the midst of these family cost concerns, Southwest Florida residents are being asked to sign petitions and put the proposed Hometown Democracy amendment on the November 2008 ballot. Know this: if the amendment passes, Florida's cost-of-living will skyrocket.

Hometown Democracy is unworkable for many reasons already discussed in the media. But no reporter has bothered to ask a local election official how much it would cost to prepare, print and distribute the ballots and voter education materials required for Floridians to vote on all amendments to community land use plans. In fact, these are astronomical costs.

Every year, printing Florida's Hometown Democracy ballots alone would probably cost about $24 million more than normal statewide election expenses. On top of this, around 6.3 billion pages of voter material will be printed at a likely cost of $1 billion annually. And where will the money come from to pay for these and other related expenses, like ballot preparation, US Mail, and endless litigation? Every Floridian's property taxes will spike to pay the bills.

When the paid signature gatherers ask you to endorse Hometown Democracy this Holiday season, remember that their unworkable idea will cost far more in property tax dollars than it is worth.

Carole Green

Lee-Collier General Chair

Floridians for Smarter Growth

Editor:

I just don't see why people want to pick on my God. I don't tell others how they should worship. But these people just don't want our children to know who created them. You know those that come against my God have a god that they believe in or they would not have any type of religion.

You know that they tell the mothers of school children that they can not bake Christmas cup cakes for their children's classes because of the word Christ. Well you know if you have a child you would not say Happy Holiday or Seasons Greetings for the child's birthday, you would call the child by it's name and that is exactly what Christmas is, a child's birthday day. We call him Jesus Christ. But they try to tell me that is not politically correct, well this is totally wrong.

When you do something, say it is

either wrong or right - there is no inbetween.

I don't see why a person that is put in office just doesn't do the job that they are paid to do instead of trying to make laws that tell me I can't do this in my business or in public because it is not politically correct or that a minister or priest cannot pray the word of God and use the name of Jesus. That is going just to far.

I thank my Lord God that this country was founded on the Christian belief, so I can worship whomever I wish. Men and women are fighting the war overseas now so that we can have the freedom of speech and to worship who we choose.

I feel that it is time to speak up, this has just gone on too long.

Loretta Haley

Fort Myers