Government overreach on Marco
Marco Island is again playing with fire and government overreach. I’ve seen this movie before and it costs taxpayers when it’s time to pay the piper. Recent efforts to impose a stricter noise ordinance — targeting normal sounds of children are a troubling step in the wrong direction.
Let’s be clear: children laughing, swimming, and enjoying the outdoors are not nuisances. They are a sign of a healthy community. We are not a 55-plus gated community or a small town, we are a city. This government overreach will embolden chronic complainers to call police on every sound. This is not good governance. It is absurd. The measurement should be quantitative and not someone’s opinion that something is plainly audible.
Councilor Gray’s proposal would treat everyday outdoor activities as violations, placing unreasonable limits on how we use our own homes, pools and backyards. Furthermore, an 8:00 p.m. start to quiet hours is not just impractical — it is excessive. Many families are just beginning to gather after work, school, and activities. Enforcing such an early restriction invites unnecessary complaints, turning ordinary living into a potential offense.
Communities thrive when they balance peace and livability — not when they silence one to satisfy the other. If these measures move forward, Marco Island risks becoming even more intolerant of families with kids who live here.
City leaders should reject these restrictions and adopt a data-based measurable standard — one that protects against genuine disturbances, like blaring music at midnight, without penalizing normal family life.
Anna Horrigan, Marco Island
Marco becoming hostile to families
As a long time visitor and a five-year Marco Island homeowner, I’ve known Marco Island to be a family-friendly city, but we are again hearing complaints of kids in the pool at the recent council meeting.
People should be happy to hear the joyful sounds of kids. It means that they are not on their digital devices or causing mischief but rather enjoying fresh air, exercise and having fun! Let’s not forget our own childhood days of playing outside and having fun with friends and family.
It seems that Marco is becoming very hostile to families and many residents seem to want to outlaw fun. This is truly an outrage. I come from a large family and we love to enjoy our pool and lanai with our kids, parents, siblings, aunts and uncles. The newly proposed noise rules by Councilor Stephen Gray will make it a crime to enjoy a joyful dinner on your lanai or let children laugh and sing in the pool. I can’t imagine being in the pool without playing games with my own children, nieces and nephews. It’s part of the fun of having a house with a pool, and we want to continue to share that joy with our families.
Many people look forward to evenings on their lanais, having dinner after the sun goes down or jumping in for a swim. With all sincerity, 8 pm for a noise ordinance is far too early. Many people are not even home from work or after-school events until that time. Looking back at my childhood and my own children’s childhoods, 10 pm would be considered common sense for nighttime quiet hours.
Let families enjoy their lives and stop the waste of police resources by requiring them to show up when people are not causing actual problems. Let’s stop turning Marco Island into an intolerant place for families.
Nancy Sheehan, La Grange, IL and Marco Island
Drag racing on US 41
Has anyone besides me noticed the drag racing on US 41 North between Immokalee and Bonita Beach Roads on Sunday mornings? Every Sunday morning on my way to church I am passed at an incredibly high speed by expensive low slung and unmuffled sports cars − either racing each other or in tandem with each other. Where are the Collier County sheriffs during this? Not in those abandoned police cruisers parked on the side of the row I guarantee you. I think the drag racers figured out pretty fast that these vehicles were no threat to them!
Jon Pipkin, Naples
Principle over political alliance
Cape Coral voters deserve answers.
State Representative Mike Giallombardo strongly criticized the City of Cape Coral’s controversial “stipend” vote that increased compensation for the mayor and council members without voter approval. He called it an attempt to bypass the referendum process and warned he would pursue action in Tallahassee to stop it from happening again statewide. (Source: Cape Coral Breeze)
He was right.
The city charter clearly states voters should decide elected officials’ pay increases. Instead, the council approved additional compensation labeled as a “stipend,” avoiding direct approval from taxpayers.
One of the officials who supported and accepted that stipend was Mayor John Gunter. There was no apology and no effort to let voters decide afterward.
That raises an important question for residents: if Mike Giallombardo believed the stipend was such a serious abuse of public trust, how can he now endorse John Gunter for another four-year term?
It becomes even harder to understand when the alternative is Rick Erickson, a decorated 32-year Army Special Forces veteran who has built his campaign around accountability, transparency, and restoring respect for Cape Coral residents.
This election should not be about political alliances. It should be about principles and whether our elected officials truly respect the people they serve.
Dr. Doug and Vicki Santini, Cape Coral
American Airlines’ proposal
I would gladly pay a premium fare to bypass the Fort Myers commute. When the Naples Airport Authority board evaluates American Airlines’ regional jet proposal at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 21, at the Naples City Council Chambers (735 8th Street South), local travelers stand to gain a direct transit alternative far more convenient than traveling to RSW.
Driving to RSW consumes up to an hour each way; local departures reclaim at least 1.5 hours of round-trip travel time. Eliminating a $70 ride-share or parking fee directly offsets the ticket price differential. Indirectly, local commercial service eases traffic along the Interstate 75 corridor while preserving road and infrastructure capacity for our regional business community.
Charlotte operates as a primary American Airlines hub. From there, connecting passengers have access to nearly 10 daily flights to Chicago, as well as direct connections to New York, London, Paris, and Frankfurt.
Although the current appointed body will cast the May 21 vote, governance shifts this fall under House Bill 4005. The authority transitions to an independent district elected countywide by all Collier County voters this November, with the candidate qualifying window running from noon on June 8 through noon on June 12, 2026. Crucially, this restructuring eliminates the historic statutory ban on commissioner compensation, granting the future elected board the autonomy to establish its own salaries drawn from airport operating revenues. While the short-leg flight to Charlotte remains highly advantageous, the community must maintain strict oversight of this new administrative framework.Bebe Kanter, Naples
Immigration-related costs
I recently read a letter to the editor regarding the growing costs Florida taxpayers continue to absorb from immigration-related policies and enforcement. The actual cost to Florida taxpayers adds an important dimension to that original letter and further illustrates the financial burden being placed on our state.
According to recent reports, the Florida Division of Emergency Management has spent nearly $460 million from the state’s emergency fund on illegal immigration enforcement over the past year. In addition, more than $650 million from that same fund has reportedly gone toward construction and infrastructure costs associated with Alligator Alley. Together, these expenditures represent an enormous commitment of state resources — funds intended to address emergencies affecting Floridians.While the federal government approved approximately $608 million in reimbursement to Florida, no money has yet been received, and it is becoming increasingly uncertain whether those funds will ever arrive. If that reimbursement fails to materialize, Florida taxpayers may ultimately be left carrying costs that state leaders assumed would be partially offset by federal dollars.
Regardless of where one stands on immigration policy, this issue raises a reasonable question about fiscal responsibility and priorities. Emergency funds exist to respond to hurricanes, natural disasters, and unforeseen crises affecting Florida residents. As these expenditures continue to grow, citizens deserve transparency about where these funds are going and who ultimately will be responsible for paying the bill. The debate over immigration is important, but so is accountability.
Chuck & Kate Gass, Naples
Vengeance Department?
Since the name of the Department of Defense was changed to the Department of War to reflect its new mission, shouldn’t the Justice Department be renamed the Vengeance Department?
Bruce Bunch, Fort Myers
Protecting Florida’s lifeblood
Florida’s great inland lake — Okeechobee — is again at risk of releasing toxic discharges into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers as we head into the 2026 rainy season. We’ve seen this disaster before: green scum spreading across estuaries, fish kills, and warnings to stay out of the water. The cause is no mystery — decades of nutrient overload from agriculture and development have turned the lake into a chemical time bomb.
The Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir and stormwater treatment projects offer hope, but they must be completed and maintained with urgency. Relaxed environmental oversight and budget cuts only delay progress and increase the danger to our communities, our tourism economy, and our drinking water.
Southwest Florida residents cannot afford another toxic summer. We must demand full funding for restoration, strict enforcement of nutrient limits, and transparency from agencies managing lake releases. Clean water is not a luxury — it’s our shared lifeline.
Linda Lindquist, North Fort Myers
Path to Democrat victory
Can a Democrat win the Fort Myers congressional seat?
Yes — but only if the candidate is truly accountable to the people of the district, and not on puppet strings to party leadership or political insiders. Victory is possible if the candidate listens closely, responds thoughtfully, and works relentlessly on the issues that most directly affect everyday families. A winning candidate must be honest, willing to find common ground, and committed to reflecting the values and integrity of the community they seek to serve.
What are the most urgent issues facing voters? Our seniors face a 30% cut in Social Security if action is not taken soon; shrinking purchasing power for the average wage earner due in part to a mounting national debt driving higher inflation; young adults facing a steady erosion of opportunity caused by unaffordable housing, rising costs, and the loss of stable jobs. These are not abstract concerns — they are real pressures shaping daily life for working families, seniors, and young people trying to build a future.
What values unite this community? A respect for human life, a commitment to honesty, a belief in equality, and a deep conviction that every person is entitled to the inalienable rights affirmed in the nation’s founding principles. A candidate who speaks to these shared values — and lives by them — can build the trust needed to earn broad support across the district.
John Katzmark, Fort Myers
How have we been doing?
Since the end of February, I’ve been fortunate enough to be on a nice long reclusive vacation deep in the woods, intentionally deprived of communication with the outside world. I hope things have gone well in the last two and a half months.
I guess by now Trump’s massive forces have completely obliterated and decimated the forces and capabilities of Iran. The repressive leaders have been unseated and decapitated by the liberated people of Iran. Democracy must be prevalent throughout Persia. Elections have been held and pro-America candidates have prevailed. Iran’s threatening uranium is now safely in our hands. Golden statues of Trump now decorate the landscape. The Strait of Hormuz teems with US ships bearing foodstuffs and medical supplies to the aggrieved population. Our allies have belatedly seen the error of their ways and joined us in rebuilding a free Iran.
I’m home now and can turn on the TV to see just how successful the mastermind from Mar-a-Lago has been. Oops!
Kevin McNally, Bonita Springs
Defense of Trump criticism
On Saturday this paper printed a letter from an obviously distraught letter writer reacting to an earlier letter critical of President Trump. She felt the paper displayed bias in printing terms such as “giant python slithering…” eating his prey. Having a “sulfuric odor”…”obnoxious, bullying, dishonest”… “lacking in basic morals” and so on. Clearly her criticism of the NDN is being done tongue in cheek.
After observing the video put out by the White House depicting Trump flying over a “No Kings” rally and dumping feces on the crowd or viewing the AI generated picture of Trump as Jesus, I’m sure some of the terms being criticized are fairly accurate. Pardoning thousands of criminals, including drug lords, many because money has changed hands, might justify the python “slivering” comment. The politicalization of the Justice Department and the subsequent persecution of political enemies might be construed as “eating his prey.” I don’t believe there is a reader out there who would question the comment about “lacking in basic morals” and there is no need to examine specifics since they have been observed and made public constantly. I can’t resist. however, mentioning Stormy Daniels and Trump’s rape conviction.
Dishonest? The Trump family has personally profited by billions (yes, billions) of dollars since Trump became president and the presidency became commercialized. Despite promising to do so on multiple occasions, Donald J. Trump has never released his tax returns to the public. It’s not difficult to imagine his reasons for not doing so. Bullying? Ask any female reporter asking a question his eminence doesn’t like.
The problem with the original letter coming under critique is that it didn’t go far enough. Instead of criticizing its author the respondent should thank him for an honest, objective analysis and object only to its briefness.
Robert F. Tate, Naples
Marijuana regulation
Dr. Dave Trecker is correct; cannabis isn’t for kids (“More bad news about marijuana,” May 16). That’s why reform advocates demand that it be regulated like other adult-use products: so that it can be kept out of the hands of children.
Fortunately, state-level legalization laws are doing just that.
Federal survey data provided by the University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future study finds that between 2012 and 2025, the percentage of 12th graders reporting having ever used cannabis fell by 23 percent. Among 10th graders, use fell by 35 percent. Among 8th graders, lifetime use fell 17 percent. As recently acknowledged by Dr. Nora Volkow, director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse, “This trend in the reduction of substance use among teenagers is unprecedented.”
By contrast, cannabis criminalization only exacerbates potential adverse consequences. Participants in the unregulated marijuana market don’t pay taxes, they don’t check IDs, and they don’t test the purity of their product. Disputes that arise in the illicit marketplace are not adjudicated in courts of law.
Americans don’t want a cannabis free for all, but they do want cannabis to be legal. It makes no sense to perpetuate the prosecution and stigmatization of those adults who choose to consume cannabis responsibly.
Paul Armentano, deputy director, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Washington, DC
Trump haters dominate letters
The Mailbag is filled three times a week with letters whose contents can be distilled down to three words: “I” “Hate” “Trump.” Is hatred of our duly elected president the ONLY thing that defines a liberal? Back in the day, liberals actually had ideas on how to run the country, the economy, and foreign affairs. These days, all they do is spew hatred for those on the right. Moderates are left to choose between candidates who have traditional values and those who espouse radical-inspired hatred for the party in power. Let’s put President Trump’s assumed personality problems aside long enough to propose alternatives to his many accomplishments; the change of tone in the Mailbag would be quite refreshing.
Dave Bridgeman, Alva
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Proposed Marco noise ordinance government overreach | Opinion letters
Reporting by Letter writers / Fort Myers News-Press
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