Gov. DeSantis is wasting taxpayer money again | Letters

Sickening tactics

I am a volunteer who worked her fanny off all last fall to get valid signatures on the petition to put an amendment on the November 2024 ballot that will help end government interference in the personal medical decision to have an abortion. All of the petitions gathered were submitted to the appropriate supervisor of elections office in a specific, regulated process in which professionals verified that eligible registered voters signed and provided accurate voter information — or the signatures were rejected. The deadline for verification has now long past.

I am infuriated that Gov. Ron DeSantis is wasting more state resources looking for fraud in this effort, and forcing the groups that support Amendment 4 to marshal our resources to fight back. It is such an obvious waste of precious time and money and will succeed only in muddying the water with false allegations. It’s another scheme in the string of wasteful, corruptly motivated acts on the part of DeSantis, who surely took a lot of notes from the tactics of Donald Trump — delay, create doubt and fear, muddy the waters, discourage voters. It sickens me.

Shelley Manes, St. Petersburg

Free state, really?

The Free State of Florida, indeed! This is the kind of clumsy bullying you might associate with a redneck county during the Jim Crow era, not an agency of the nation’s third largest state. What an egregious abuse of police power!

Jack Day, St. Petersburg

9/11 attacks 23 years later

Twenty-three years ago, our world was changed by the horrific terrorist attacks on our country. Today, we remember thousands of innocent lives lost and honor the many heroes who selflessly risked their lives to save others.

Over two decades later, the threat our nation faces from terrorism has not subsided. Every day, brave men and women in our armed forces continue to fight against those who seek to harm our nation. It is only because of their service and sacrifice that the United States remains unbowed in the fight against evil.

Paul Bacon, Hallandale Beach

Plan for more flooding

Can infrastructure keep up with rain? | Sept. 6

Given the intense rainfall that has just occurred, now is the time to take a deeper look at our planning for stormwater and storm surge. While it may not be feasible to design a stormwater system that can handle 4 to 5 inches of rain in an hour — as stated by the St. Petersburg public works administrator — we do have a St. Petersburg stormwater master plan in place to achieve the more modest goal of handling 7.5 inches of rain in 24 hours. The concern is that it will take 20 years to accomplish.

At last report, St. Petersburg was planning to increase annual funding for implementing the 20-year, $1 billion stormwater master plan from $17 million this year to $25 million next year. Yet the public works administrator has calculated that to accomplish the plan in 20 years we need to be investing at the rate of $50 million per year. Serious consideration should be given to a significant further increase in funding next year and even accelerating the plan so it is accomplished sooner than the 20-year timeframe.

Also, the stormwater master plan only addresses intense rainfall. It does not address storm surge from hurricanes. We do not yet have a comprehensive plan for storm surge. Whatever funding is needed to fully accomplish a comprehensive storm surge mitigation plan should be provided now.

Will Michaels, St. Petersburg

Personnel file released

Florida state parks whistleblower personnel files released by DeSantis admin. | Sept. 6

How typical of our childish, vindictive, small-minded governor to tell a state agency to release personnel information about a former employee to punish him for bringing to the public’s attention the plan to sell out our state parks to the highest bidder. The release of his personnel file is totally irrelevant to the state parks controversy and a violation of this man’s privacy.

Lynne Price, Tampa

A powerful reminder

Exonerated man, subject of Time’s series, shares story | Sept. 7

I was taken aback by the closing paragraph in the story about Robert DuBoise, who was wrongly incarcerated for nearly 37 years for crimes he did not commit. His statement — “I don’t really accept help very well because I don’t feel like I need it. I’m more focused on doing stuff for other people.” — is incredibly powerful. Given his journey, his words are an inspiration to those who feel life owes them something. It’s a reminder that life doesn’t.

Steve Cassidy, St. Petersburg