Thursday, May 01, 2008

A Letter To Mr Crist

Dear Mr Crist,

I did not vote for Amendment 1 but since it has passed, I now have to deal with the circumstances.

Please excuse my lack of enthusiasm over the grand celebration of my property tax being reduced by approximately $61.00 a year, because my home is not in the 300k + value range that will actually benefit from the property tax break.

My husband is a county employee. He works for the parks department which is the first place the county has earmarked for lay offs. This year there were no pay raises. (Prices on everything have skyrocketed, but no pay increase) Now because of amendment 1 passing, he is in jeopardy of losing his job. Which would mean that we would lose OUR HOME!!! Do you know that there are no less than 3 houses on my street in foreclosure? And this is before your precious amendment 1!

In the last several months, due to the threat of Amendment 1, I have seen many of my government employed friends lose their jobs, and then their homes. How is this a benefit?

I have a child in the school system. The Pinellas county Superintendent has proposed cutting teacher salaries by 2% as well as closing schools. We will lose assistant principals, counselors and many necessary programs including those that help troubled students (the ones that REALLY need help). How is this beneficial to our future? Think about it, who is going to be 'in charge' when you get old? When we all get old. Why are you messing with the educational programs? And don't you dare say you aren't, because that is exactly what has happened due to your precious Amendment 1 passing.

I ask you to please, do us all a favor and be a governor for ALL of the people in Florida, and not just the privileged!

Today in the St Pete Times Metro section there was a headline, "Tight Budget? Not For Everyone", which told about you approving $2.5 million in the state budget for CW Bill Young Institute of Government for a St Pete College to also be led by US Rep Bill Young. It is going to be fully funded by the legislator. WHY??? I don't want my taxes, which I pay faithfully every year, going to that.

How many children in Florida do you think will go to that college now that the money that funds to our public school system is cut to the bare minimum due to the passing of amendment 1?

OMG!! People are losing their jobs left & right. We are losing public services left & right...HELLO?!?!?

CAN ANYBODY HERE ME?????

6 comments:

Bobkat said...

I'm not familiar with Amendment 1 but it sounds like it has had far reachinh repurcussions and will continue to do so. It also sounds like civil servants over where youa re are being treated about as well as they are in the UK.

I have my fingers crossed thatall turns out well for you. Michele does too I'm sure.

Milk Brain said...

we don't have an amendment 1 issue here, however I don't know of any city/town in my area not to have to deal with budget crisis management for next fiscal year. every district in my area is cutting school funding. Our mayor proposed budget for the schools for next year would eliminate 35 teaching positions, closing 1 elementary school, the alternative school and closing the Preschool (where Evan goes). by doing this there would be between 35-43 kids PER CLASS! (and no town preschool for approximately 90 children). demographics in our community show that a large portion of our population is low income. Many of our town's children are already "choiced out" to other districts costing the town money.
we went to the town council meeeting the other night, along with many other parents to show our concern for the Mayor's proposed budget and how it will seriously hurt our community. I feel like pretty soon the schools will implode and there won't be any schools left.
Best of luck and big hugs to you guys! (our home is worth about $165k if we're lucky... I wouldn't benefit from your tax break either!)

carmilevy said...

It amazes me how detached so many politicians are from the constituents they supposedly represent. In these challenging times, you'd think they'd be making extra efforts to chime in and do the right thing.

Instead, they prove that politicians never change, and good citizens will always get the short end of the stick.

My wife, a teacher, will applaud heartily when she reads what you wrote about education. How any politician thinks that gutting our educational system will benefit society in any way is beyond me. Must be the new math.

Snaggle Tooth said...

(Maybe even "creative Anti-Math")

Were I you- I'd prob copy n paste that post into an email, n send it right to your Senator, State Rep, Governor's office, n the local opinion newspaper editor.

There must be a way to repeal this malarky!

flleenie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
flleenie said...

You know what sucks? He doesn't even OWN A HOUSE in Florida, never has...so property tax prices don't mean a rats ass to him, only his wealthy supporters. Then to make matters worse, he is being considered as a possible Vice Presidential candidate on the John McCain ticket... Wooo Hooo!! So go ahead, Charlie, f... my state up, then, as a bonus, why don't you f... up the country up as well!! I hate to be repetitive, but, WTF?

10:26 PM