Solar power

Dear Editor:

Clean energy is the best way to create the jobs we need, and there is no question we need jobs now. There are more than 5,500 solar companies putting more than 100,000 people across the country to work, and this industry keeps on growing at a time when few industries are.

Since a solar company called Solyndra recently fell victim to a competitive marketplace a few weeks ago, politicians and pundits who depend on Big Oil and King Coal have been using Solyndra as an excuse to vilify an industry that is one of the best ways to get Americans working again. An investment in solar energy creates seven times more jobs than the same investment in dirty coal, nuclear or natural gas. The attacks on solar energy are a purely political maneuver to keep our country chained to dirty energy at a time when we desperately need to move forward toward a clean energy future.

Politicians can talk about creating jobs all they want, but that’s all I have seen so far — talk, no action. The ones who are actually working to address the unemployment rate are the ones who are calling for more investments in clean energy, like solar power. Investing in clean energy companies is one of the few ways we can actually see American industries grow.

Sarah Ryan

Delray Beach

Dear Editor:

Why? Who puts more people to work than solar companies?  Dirty energy (like coal) is an old tired investment. Nuclear could bring Fukushima-like clean-up jobs –but — who needs that? Realistically, investment in clean energy like solar power has given us an American Industry that is actually growing. That’s where we can create jobs. Don’t you agree?

Ms. Beth Widzowsky

Boca Raton

The Cove

Dear Editor:

To all the residents who have, like myself, stayed clear of “The Cove Plaza” all summer due to the constant construction, I encourage everyone to put it back on their list of places in Deerfield to do business. The city has done a wonderful job on the re-planning effort. The local businesses have suffered, so we all need to go out of our way and try to shop or eat there and support our local businesses.

Hillsboro Boulevard is also looking good with all the new trees and flowers planted. It’s good to see our tax dollars at work. GOOD JOB!

J. Huffman

Deerfield Beach

Hillsboro Lighthouse

Dear Editor:

My family visited the Hillsboro Lighthouse on Saturday, and it was the best! Our group consisted of two adults and four small children — three boys: 5, 3 1/2, almost 3, and a girl, 2. We swam in the small inlet area first and played in the beautiful Intracoastal waters for about an hour. Then, we climbed all the way to the top, even the little ones. Once there, they looked out, enjoying the sights and posed for some photos. The climb down was a bit slow, and extremely hot, but we made it without an incident.

The tour director explained my daughter was really too small, but I was so grateful for the opportunity to reach the top. Otherwise, our party probably wouldn’t have got to enjoy the very best part of the day — the lighthouse.

It was by sheer accident that we stumbled upon the tour day, when I was searching for activities in Coral Springs (where we were staying) the day before the event. The boys found it so entertaining, they asked to go back the following day! But we’ll wait until the next tour date, Nov. 19. We did struggle a bit to find where to get on the boat, but I see now that it really was all there on the site. Next time, we will get to tour grounds, as our little ones were exhausted after the climb (in desperate need of a nap).

Thanks again for the wonderful day,

Leigh Tahirovic

Naples

RE: Utility Tax, FPL bills

Dear Editor:

“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” That is a fitting quote for what the city has done to thwart the will of the voters who signed the Rescind Unfair Taxes petition.

In the beginning, the city attorney told us the goal was 10 percent of 41,850 registered voters at the last municipal election. Not so, said the Supervisor of Elections (SOE). The number is 41,280. So we did not have to get 4,200 signatures to have our petition validated …  only 4,128.

On Wednesday, Rescind Unfair taxes paid the city $47 to have copies made of all the signatures we had submitted to the city clerk on Sept. 6. That gave us the opportunity to count every signature, for a total of 6,220. The SOE only got 5,614. What happened to the other 606?

In addition, a letter to the Supervisor of Elections, the Deerfield City Clerk with the approval of the city attorney, asked that the precinct numbers be verified. The Supervisor of Elections stated that they have never been required to validate precinct numbers to verify that the signer was a registered voter. The Deerfield charter asks that the precinct be added, but nowhere does the charter ask that the number be verified. In our conversation with the Division of Elections, we were told that if the city charter did not specify that the precincts had to be verified, the SOE could have ignored the directive from the City of Deerfield Beach that made that demand, since the state statute does not require precinct verification to identify a registered voter.

Since Dr. Snipes claims their hands were tied, the SOE threw out 973 names and disenfranchised those voters at the request of the city clerk and the city attorney. The map given to us to determine the precincts was defective and inadequate, to say the least. The job done by the SOE was not stellar either. They threw out any voter who had a Pompano Beach address, thereby eliminating at least 12 registered voters, although these were newly-annexed registered voters. They threw out the name of Gloria Battle as being in the wrong district, whatever that meant.

With FPL charging residents a 10 percent utility tax for usage in September when the tax was not effective until Oct. 1, and the city making the same error on the water bills, maybe it’s time for the city to listen to the majority of the city residents and rescind this oppressive tax.

Jean Robb

Chairperson, Rescind Unfair Taxes, Deerfield Beach, FL

Editor’s note: “Management has become aware of a billing cycle issue regarding the public service tax (utility tax). “We are in the process of working to address the situation, and will provide an update as soon as more details become available,” said the city last Friday.

As of press time Wednesday: “We are still reviewing the Florida Statutes to determine what actions to take. We recognize there is a misperception about the October billing cycle, but would not describe it as a ‘problem.’ Nonetheless, we are reviewing what option the City may take if in fact we deem it to be an issue.”

RE: FPL bill

Dear Editor:

Well, it’s here … my electric bill at my repair shop in Deerfield. Ready for this? These are the actual numbers of all the taxes on the bill. Gross receipts tax: $8.05, Utility tax: $23.19 and Florida Sales Tax: $23.89. Never mind the Franchise Charge: $19.31, whatever that is. So the Grand Total of taxes is $55.13. Multiply that times 12 … the Grand Total per year just in taxes is $651.56. What about the electric? Oh, that’s only $310.78. Thanks to all, we will be out of business soon, or we will have to raise our prices just to pay taxes.

P.S. Did not see the house electric bill yet, which is also in Deerfield. Double tax … why not?

Steven Fabrizio

  Deerfield Beach, FL

New laws threaten coast, fish

Dear Editor:

Are you aware that the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission [FWCC] is proposing to change the rules on the harvest of Spotted Sea Trout?  [New rules would expand the season and double the catch limit]. If passed, the new “law” could possibly be the demise of the Spotted Sea Trout here in Florida.

Commercial saltwater fishing impacts Florida’s economy with over $1 billion annually and over 10,000 jobs. The numbers, both recreational and commercial, add up to one huge chunk of change for Florida annually and that, my friend, is a wonderful thing. But ask yourself, “Am I willing to put at risk the extermination of such a wonder fishery so that a chosen few can gain some quick cash in place of an industry that supports Florida with $5 billion in revenue every year? Am I willing to jeopardize one of the state’s largest tourism magnets and chance the destruction of some of the world’s most wonderful marine nurseries and estuaries so that a chosen few can make some quick cash? Is changing the rules worth the risk?”

Remember what happened to the Redfish stock in the 1980s due to commercial fishing over-harvesting? Redfish in the state of Florida were all but wiped out, and it took many years to bring the Redfish population back to healthy stock levels. Billions of dollars were lost and the fishing tackle industry took a monstrous hit. Not to mention the unknown amount of money spent on getting the stock back to present-day levels.

As recreational anglers, it is in our best interest to do everything we can to see that the rules are not changed in order to ensure the future of the Spotted Sea Trout Fishery. I strongly urge you to write the FWCC today and voice your opinion regarding this matter of great importance.

www. myfwc.com/contact/staff-contacts/senior-staff/commissioners

Capt. Danny Barrow

Director, Snook & Gamefish Foundation

Thank you – Pink Heals Tour

Dear Editor:

All of us at American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life for Deerfield Beach, Lighthouse Point & Hillsboro Beach, and Making Strides of Boca Raton want to thank the Greater Broward Firefighter Charities, Broward Fire-Rescue and BSO for bringing the Pink Heals Tour to our wonderful city. This tour brings us HOPE for the CURE.

We especially want to thank: BSO Fire Chief Neal De Jesus, Deerfield Fire Chief Chad Brocato and Sheriff Al Lamberti; their outstanding support staff including Doug Watler, Marisol Tambling, Debbie Rittinghouse, Courtney Palmer, Sebastien Locurto; as well as Carol Sjursen, Al Santana of CERT and the Explorers of the Fire Dept. & Police Dept. We also want to thank the Black Pearl Pipe & Drums Bagpiper for returning for our Luminaria Ceremony, along with Broward Fire & Rescue Ladder Truck to take that fabulous photo with all of us encircling HOPE.

Nona Breitenstein, Gordon Vatch, TJ Eagen, Karen Hardy, Lorraine Sylvia, Carlos Sanchez, & Patty Miranda