Florida shouldn’t give valuable forest land to a golf course developer | Letters

Another bad idea

Months ago, Florida OK’d giving 324 acres of state forest to golf course company | Aug. 26

Are these ridiculous plans to add hotels and pickleball courts to state parks a red herring, something to distract us from some other nefarious activities? The way I see it, the true problem right now — the bellwether for things to come — is the proposal to give land in the Withlacoochee State Forest to golf course developer Cabot Citrus Farms. Is this last minute clandestine deal to steal public land for the benefit of a few destined for quick approval? Why are our precious natural resources being pilfered instead of being preserved and protected?

BrendaLee Chalifour, Dania Beach

Preserve out forests

Months ago, Florida OK’d giving 324 acres of state forest to golf course company | Aug. 26

Coming on the heels of the pickleball-in-state-parks fiasco, this story underscores the fact that Gov. Ron DeSantis sees himself as having only one constituency: Not Floridians, but developers. Our state parks are sacred. They protect Florida’s spectacular natural ecology and make it available to everyone. The governor seems to think that these spaces are neither sacrosanct nor public, but instead are his personal slush fund for gifts to his buddies.

I cannot imagine anything more offensive to the principle of conservation than allotting a piece of the spectacular Withlacoochee forest north of Brooksville to a golf course development. Golf courses are anathema to water conservation. The chemicals needed to maintain them are poisonous to the complex ecosystem of the forest. Plus, this development will exist near the conservation area, turning a walk in the forest into something more like a walk through Brandon. The deal is so corrupt and offensive that’s it’s worthy of being in a Carl Hiaasen novel. No Floridian should stand for it.

Amié Devero, Tampa

Governor needs more woke

PolitiFact - Gov. misleads on parks plan | Aug. 31

PolitiFact points out that Gov. Ron DeSantis has put himself between a rock and a hard place. If he didn’t know of the plans to add hotels, golf courses and pickleball courts within Florida State parks, he’s showing himself as an ineffective manager. It’s much more likely he did know of the plans and the resulting uproar shows he has lost touch with Florida citizens.

Any state executive with sense would go slow making major changes to the revered Florida state park system. I wonder why no one in the DeSantis administration saw this determined pushback coming. Is no one listening, or is the governor so dead set on doing what he wants to do that caution gets lost in the stampede?

DeSantis has been successful with his laser focus on “woke.” Unfortunately for him, it’s now devolved into his undoing. He should have been woke and aware of the downsides of this unpopular and truly ridiculous initiative. Thanks to the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact for highlighting this issue.

Jon Crawfurd, Gulfport

Forgetting our history

Woodson funding is uncertain | Sept. 1

I was disappointed to read that the county’s tourism board is questioning its support for the $10 million to the Woodson African American Museum, a key component of the proposed redevelopment of the Gas Plant site, which includes a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. This decision is not just shortsighted, it repeats past mistakes.

Let’s put this in perspective: We’re talking about a $6+ billion redevelopment deal, with over $600 million contributed by the city and county to build the new stadium. Yet we’re balking at a mere $10 million for a museum that represents a crucial part of the neighborhood’s heritage? This is penny-wise and pound-foolish.

The irony is palpable. The current stadium stands on the former Gas Plant neighborhood, an African American neighborhood displaced by redevelopment. Now, as we plan the area’s future, we’re considering sidelining a project that would honor the history we once erased.

This deal isn’t just about baseball or economic development. It’s about acknowledging our past, making amends and creating a more inclusive future. The Woodson Museum should be at the forefront of this project, not an afterthought.

We need to ask ourselves: Have we learned nothing from our history? Are we really willing to repeat past mistakes for the sake of saving what amounts to a rounding error in this massive deal?

Sam Blatt, St. Petersburg

Restoring voting rights to felons

Finally a step ahead on voting rights for Florida felons | Editorial, Aug. 28

If our erstwhile elected officials remembered the basis of our judicial system, this six year (and counting) delay in restoring voting rights to felons would have never have occurred. The people passed an amendment in 2018 that said after serving their sentence, felons’ voting rights would be restored. Since the elected officials hate it when the people speak, they added a requirement that felons pay all fees and fines related to their sentences. Officials, though, are incapable of documenting and presenting such costs. Thus, felons’ rights should have been restored immediately. This is another example of voter suppression.

James Hunter, Lutz

Trump and Kamala

Kalama Harris isn’t giving many interviews | Aug. 21

Come on, people. Donald Trump is flying all over the United States speaking to thousands of people at a clip, but Kamala Harris cannot give many interviews without her VP candidate present. How will Harris ever stand up to Russia’s Vladimir Putin or China’s Xi Jinping?

Trump is brave and strong and will quickly decrease inflation, lower the price of gas, secure the border from criminals and drugs and will prevent World War III. Remember how much better off you (and the country) was 3 1/2 years ago, and vote accordingly!

Donna Alcee, Wimauma

Harris’ CNN interview

I am not a huge fan of comedian Bill Maher, but I read most of his social media postings as they make me think. He gives credit when he feels it is due and bashes politicians of all stripes when he feels they are wrong.

Maher recently mocked CNN’s interview of Vice President Kamala Harris. Why didn’t they ask her some serious questions instead of “throwing her softballs”? What about abortion, the war in Ukraine, the homeless, the opioid crisis and the national debt? How does she propose to pay for the $25,000 that she wants to give first time home owners? Will she continue to pay off college loans?

When will she sit down for an interview and answer some real questions?

Tom Craig, Riverview

Conjure Ronald Reagan

When is the Trump-Harris debate? | Aug. 27

I’d like to hear Vice President Kamala Harris open the Sept. 10 debate with Donald Trump by channeling former President Ronald Reagan and announce she will not use her opponent’s 30-plus criminal convictions for political advantage.

Charles Lehnert, Sun City Center

What about charter schools?

DeSantis halts parks plan | Aug. 29

It is very nice to see people pull together and express their displeasure in our governor’s attempt to begin the privatization of state parks and forcing him to back down on the idea. I only wish that voters had been so aware back in the 1990s when Tallahassee began to move funds from public schools to privately managed charter schools.

Chan Bliss, Safety Harbor