From http://web.archive.org/web/20041110070106/http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/08/Northpinellas/Pinellas_voters_shoul.shtml :
In June our Pinellas County commissioners spent $500,000 on a contract with Lucier Chemical Co. to add fluoride to our water in the name of tooth decay, without the voters' consent. It's only a few cents more we will have to pay, they said. Well, it seems the children in Pinellas County have a cavity epidemic. How can we argue with that?
Then in August, our commissioners decided to assess a $5-per-day boat ramp fee, once again without the voters' consent. Well, it seems the boaters should not have a free privilege anymore. Most people who don't own a boat won't bother to argue with that one, either.
Most recently, a Sept. 1 Times article, Officials demand welfare to work contracts, states the U.S. Department of Labor's fraud division has subpoenaed our commissioners to hand over documents pertaining to their $15-million contract with Lockheed Martin IMS. Since 1999 the county never bothered to do an audit of the contract. Why? The records show that the county attorney "repeatedly warned that the audit would be expensive and, if fraud was discovered, commissioners could be held responsible." What was that? Responsible?
We have county commissioners who have made it obvious they feel no responsibility to the people who employed them - us, the taxpayers/voters. Yes, it's only a few cents here, $5 there, but when and where will it end? Remember the saying, "of the people, for the people, by the people"? It appears the ones who should know, don't, or have forgotten.
November is fast approaching. Are you going to allow our local government to continue to irresponsibly run away with our money? Or do you think it's about time we, the taxpayers/voters, fire the excuses and hire more responsible employees?
-- Tammy Cihak, Palm Harbor
Then in August, our commissioners decided to assess a $5-per-day boat ramp fee, once again without the voters' consent. Well, it seems the boaters should not have a free privilege anymore. Most people who don't own a boat won't bother to argue with that one, either.
Most recently, a Sept. 1 Times article, Officials demand welfare to work contracts, states the U.S. Department of Labor's fraud division has subpoenaed our commissioners to hand over documents pertaining to their $15-million contract with Lockheed Martin IMS. Since 1999 the county never bothered to do an audit of the contract. Why? The records show that the county attorney "repeatedly warned that the audit would be expensive and, if fraud was discovered, commissioners could be held responsible." What was that? Responsible?
We have county commissioners who have made it obvious they feel no responsibility to the people who employed them - us, the taxpayers/voters. Yes, it's only a few cents here, $5 there, but when and where will it end? Remember the saying, "of the people, for the people, by the people"? It appears the ones who should know, don't, or have forgotten.
November is fast approaching. Are you going to allow our local government to continue to irresponsibly run away with our money? Or do you think it's about time we, the taxpayers/voters, fire the excuses and hire more responsible employees?
-- Tammy Cihak, Palm Harbor