Property tax amendment will be a train wreck
The report “Florida property tax plan promises relief. Calculate your savings” (6-12-2026) is simply a misdirection play by Gov. DeSantis and the Republican representatives in Tallahassee to divert our attention away from the exorbitant prices that we Florida residents pay for home and auto insurance.
Florida frequently ranks at or near the absolute highest in the nation for both homeowners and automobile insurance premiums.
Why do DeSantis and our legislators refuse to do something about these prices?
They could, but they have little to no interest in serving Florida residents. It would be instructive to see how much in terms of political contributions our Republican representatives receive from the insurance companies.
Voting ‘Yes” on this constitutional amendment will be regretted almost immediately by Florida residents. I predict a veritable train wreck.
Please run a report on what our local government officials say about this amendment and how it will adversely affect local governments and their ability to serve our communities.
Richard Sutherland, Winter Haven
Polk County, stop the building
I came to Polk County in 1979 and was lucky enough to get a job for the school district in the Student Services Department. As an open minded Yankee, I was fascinated by the land, the culture and the good-old-boy network. As a transplant, I thought I knew something. It amused the locals when I shared my youthful wisdom with them, and still remember the merriment in their eyes as I blathered on.
Ah, the good old days… I could drive from Frostproof to Kathleen in 45 minutes. That’s not happening anymore. The building business is booming. The traffic is snarled in most areas of the county now.
I’m most certain that this relentless building, knocking down of woodlands, filling in of wetlands, and relentless use of the aquifer will destroy the beauty of this amazing geographic region, and erode our quality of life. Driving U.S. 27 has a nightmare quality to it now. Davenport is often one big traffic jam. Builders are stretching their reach south. Now data centers will be sucking the aquifer dry. It really has to stop.
Paul Foks, Winter Haven
The sadness of human drift
In her poem, “The New Colossus,” inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, Emma Lazarus referred to America as the Mother of Exiles. “Give me your tired, your poor,” she wrote, “your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”
Those stirring words ring hollow when our doors have now shut against the most desperate.
South American refugees trekked north, away from brutal regimes and drug cartels. Caribbean peoples, Middle Easterners, far-easterners and Africans escaped similar situations. “…the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, send those, the homeless tempest-tost to me…” They came for our promise of freedom and opportunity.
Our inefficient immigration policy overwhelmed us. We no longer offer hope even to those already in our country. Instead, we’re shipping immigrants to other countries, some who’ve been here for decades, non-criminals, contributing to America. We’re putting families into inhumane prison camps. Trump’s administration is building those camps across America.
When will it stop? When worldwide authoritarians stop trampling the poor and govern without corruption. When illegal drug producers realize their huge profits stain their own souls. When the mega-rich truly see their greed brings harm to fellow humans.
Only then can Lady Liberty again say, “I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
Jean Duhon Hanson, Dundee
In Trump’s own words
Republicans and Trump supporters often begin conversations with, “Donald Trump said…,” as though his words are gospel. To test that reflex against reality, here are several statements from Trump himself:
I could go on, but you get my point. Yet incredibly, his cult members will dismiss the statements Trump made above and will continue to hang on to his every word, all the while, denying they are in a cult.
Michael Schwam, Lakeland
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This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Property tax amendment will be a train wreck (Voice of the people)
Reporting by Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
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By Lakeland Ledger | USA TODAY Network
