You decide: Can we afford to take more IRC land off tax rolls or should we conserve resources?
Approximately 50% of Indian River County’s land is owned by government or land trusts. How much more do we need? Better still, how much more can we afford to lose?
Indian River County Commissioners decided to “let the voters decide” whether they want to pay more taxes to buy more land. The commissioners should be prioritizing the use of tax dollars; they should know what’s coming, including double the maintenance fees for railroad crossings, infrastructure repair, water quality programs and, the latest, children’s charities. Why not prioritize what’s on the ballot?
Our school district says they need to attract quality teachers who need a home and jobs for spouses. We know children do better in school if they live in a stable, valued home. As with the Children’s Tax, no one considers those already struggling financially who are hit the hardest … we must have more green space.
The influx of new residents is here; we can’t ignore our buildable land needs any longer. We should push back the Urban Services Boundaries and use tax dollars, if necessary, to pay for the infrastructure — roads/utilities — needed for new, affordable home construction. We need more homeownership, not more housing subsidies.
For every acre of land purchased by a trust, we lose an acre of tax generation and pay to maintain it. For every home that’s built, we gain revenues from the homes and owners and build the tax base.
At a time when inflation is soaring, living costs are through the roof and jobs are just coming back for many, do we have the luxury of taking more land off the tax rolls and charging our neighbors for it? Or do we conserve our resources, spending on necessities? The commissioners wouldn’t decide. Now you decide.
Susan Mehiel, Vero Beach
Our roads are virtually lawless, and the laws we have aren’t enforced
A friend of mine just got a speeding ticket. I’m glad. I feel bad for her, but I’m happy to hear that somebody got one. Our roads are virtually lawless, and TCPalm recently ran an article on the record rise in road deaths.
We have laws that can protect us, but why don’t we see them being enforced? Interstate 95 is a death trap. With the speed limit at 70, the usual flow of traffic for both cars and trucks is 80 miles per hour, and even at that speed, people weave in and out of lanes (with no turn signal) and blow past those going 80. We never see them pulled over by a trooper. The reckless driving in Vero Beach is just as bad. Speeding is common, but unsafe driving practices abound. One sees cars with “Precious Fluffy” on the driver’s lap, people texting, talking on the phone, running red lights, displaying anger and aggression.
Do we have laws against disturbing the peace and loud exhaust pipes? Why aren’t those enforced as well? Have you eaten at an outdoor café and had a bunch of Harleys or loud, 10-miles-per-gallon, behemoth pickup trucks go by? No peace there.
I would guess that the police are understaffed. They should be reorganized so that they aren’t doing social work and can uphold our existing laws. I say that we should give them the funding they need to protect our safety and peace.
John D.H. Smith, Vero Beach
We must stand firm and ensure that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine does not gain him victory
When will we learn? Ukraine is being destroyed and the United States and the rest of the world is afraid of what Vladimir Putin might do if we respond with help to Ukraine. Thus, giving him the upper hand in using the threat of using nuclear weapons. This will allow him to invade any country he chooses as he can keep holding this threat over the world.
This is absolutely crazy. We live in a new world and we must realize that this present war with Ukraine must be stopped without a loss of Ukraine to Russia.
If any country of the world gets invaded in this matter, no matter the lies that are used to justify an invasion, should be quickly and unanimously stopped. Ukraine is being destroyed and we are not providing the help to stop this destruction of a country and the death of thousands of innocent men, women and children. Our inaction will only foster the continuation of this barbaric and inhumane actions.
We must stand in unity against any tyrant that perpetuates these acts and not succumb to threats that will give them justification to continue with tyranny. Sooner or later we must stand together and not allow this to end in victory for Putin.
As Americans, if we were invaded, we would want our allies to stand with us to combat the threat. Thus, we should helping Ukraine with every avenue imaginable to ensure that Putin’s invasion does not end in victory. We must stand firm against this threat as it imperative to the future of the world that we end this tyranny now.
I do not write this lightly as I have eight grandchildren and pray they will not have to bear the tyranny inflicted on the Ukrainians now.
Richard A. Fasanelli, Palm City
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Letters to the Editor: March 15, 2022
