Here's The July 31 Chat -- Read A Transcript

Okay, we settled one thing in this week's live chat here on TroxBlog: the planet Mars will NOT look "as big as the full moon" later this month.

Other than that, there was talk today about the Pinellas County land deal, the presidential debates, Seminole and Miccosukee gambling, both property and auto insurance, and the latest trades involving the Tampa Bay Devil Rays -- among other topics.

To read the transcript of today's chat, click on the "Comments" link of this announcement, just a few lines below. You'll see what folks had to say and you'll find a form for adding your own thoughts or questions.

Thanks to everyone who took part or stopped by today. There will be NO weekly chat next Tuesday, Aug. 7, but I'll be back right after that, and hope you will consider stopping by for future chats here on TroxBlog.

Comments

[Howard Troxler]

Okay, just to set the right tone, let's knock down this message I got today via e-mail:

Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky starting August. It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will cultivate on Aug. 27 when Mars comes within 34.65M miles of earth. Be sure to watch the sky on Aug. 27 12:30 am. It will look like the earth has 2 moons. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. -- A.B.

[Howard Troxler]

Uh, on the Mars thing, not quite so. That "large as the full moon" only counts if you are looking through a 75x telepscope. For more info on the Mars e-mail hoax, check out my favorite hoax-busting web site at:

http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp

[Howard Troxler]

A pre-filed question:

Howard, I seem to recall that the state had an August deadline to negotiate a new deal regarding the types of gambling to be allowed at the Seminole & Miccosukee Casinos. If my memory is correct, if the state didn't negotiate something, the Fed's would determine what is allowed and the state would get cut out of any potential taxes. Is there any news or developments regarding this? -- Ron

[Howard Troxler]

Ron, we had a story in the paper recently saying that negotiations were under way and that the parties predicted they would soon make a deal in the wake the feds imposing the deadline. Here's the link:

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/06/29/Business/Odds_favor_upgrade_to.shtml

[Howard Troxler]

Here's a pre-filed comment on the Pinellas land deal, and the county attorney's attorney's letter to the editor in this morning's paper. The attorney says Churuti was not representing Jim Smith personally...

It appears to me that the letter by the attorney for Susan Churuti is nothing more than an attempt to influence the Grand Jury before they meet. If it is true that she attempted to broker a comprise directly then her case needs to me turned over to the Florida Bar Ethics board along with her current attorney for attempting to influence the Grand Jury. This is the biggest problem in a one part jurisdiction. No accountability anywhere! -- Schauer

[Howard Troxler]

Dear Schauer, given that Churuti got a waiver from the parties involved, I don't know if she has committed any violation here. I said in a column the other day I don't think the grand
jury will find any criminal or legal violations. But that is an entirely separate question from whether this whole deal stinks -- as this morning's article shows in even more detail, this was an insider deal from the get-go, and the wrong way to run a government.

As for trying to "influence the grand jury," I think there's a difference between doing it in the court of public opinion -- via a letter to the editor, a demonstration, whatever -- which is good ol' fashioned free speech.

[Tom]

Howard,
From today's article by Will Van Sant it looks like Ronnie Duncan has mastered that wonderous notion of plausible deniablity - in reference to his Tarpon Woods property request rationale (that he meant, of course, the golf course.) I didn't know we Pinellas County taxpayers were going to be buying the golf course, only that Pick Talley wants us to be watering it with our "not safe for babies" fluoridated drinking water.

[Schauer]

As a county attorney, is her duty to the County Officials or to the citizens? Can she encourage actions that benefit the Commissioners and Jim Smith over the citizens of the County?

[Howard Troxler]

Tom, re today's article, it further shows how the Jim Smith land deal involved the personal intervention of the chairman of the county commission, how it received special attention at the staff level, etc. -- would that any average taxpayer got such attention!

On watering the golf course, I thought the original idea was to water it by pumping from the Brooker Creek Preserve, which created its own kind of opposition. 'Course, I suppose, they could have fluoridated it just for the heck of it...

The "not safe for babies" reference is to an earlier story that Pinellas, among other places, chose not to pass along to citizens a warning from the Am Dental Assn than fluoridated water ought NOT be given to babies under 1, in an abundance of caution.

[Howard Troxler]

Schauer, interesting question on the attorney's duty. I suspect that most gov't attorneys would tell you that of course their highest goal is to serve the citizens -- but that they provide that service by serving the government as their "client." Over the years I have heard many county or city attys argue a position that, frankly, served the interests of the elected officials who hired them over the public interest. But they were still operating within what they considered ethical boundaries.

Consider a defense lawyer with a comparable double duty. Of course the lawyer's job is to serve "justice," but the lawyer does it by representing the interests of his or her client as vigorously as possible.

[Tom]

Howard,
While the land deal reeks, the deal that brought us the aforementioned fluoridated water is much worse. Steven M. Seibert, former county commissioner, and then a significant participant in the Jeb team in Tallahassee, has made himself about a half million dollars since the deal to use Mosaic's toxic waste for our source for fluoride. How this came about ought to be looked into by the grand jury as many of the same players are involved - except for Mr. Duncan.
I hope Bernie McCabe has staff monitoring the Trox Blog today.

[Robert Payne]

As today's column concerned the insurance industry, I would like to share with you a little known fact about your Flood Insurance policy. Read your policy, Under III-Property Covered,C-Other Coverage, 2,- Loss Avoidance Measures. Your policy will cover steps you take to PROTECT your home up to $1,000. Don't try asking your agent. He popbably doesn't know.
Neither did most of FEMA'S flood advisors or the hurricane experts I have spoken with to date. Why isn't ihis info widely published as part of storm preparation? Really effective preparation measures can save lives, money and heartache.

[Howard Troxler]

Here's a pre-filed comment & question about hurricanes and insurance:

I have read that any structure can be made to withstand a Cat 5 hurricane, it is just much more costly to do so. Can you find out: 1. Is that true and 2. Could builders spend that extra cost and still earn a profitable return by not purchasing the ever more expensive
storm insurance? Of course, they would have to get their lenders to approve such a plan. I imagine that all this depends on if it truly is possible to build hurricane proof buildings. -- Bob H.

[Howard Troxler]

Hey, Robert Payne, I had no idea! Is that coverage for PERMANENT protections, e.g. seawalls & bulwarks & such, or for the measures you take in preparation for an actual flood, e.g. sandbags?

[Howard Troxler]

And in answer to Bob H.'s question:

Dear Bob: Heck, I'm no engineer, but I suppose it's "possible" to build ANY structure to withstand a Cat 5, even an outhouse, but as you point out there is a tradeoff between cost and insurance saings. Others who know more about this than I do are welcome to chime in here, but let's think about it. Let's say your homeowner premium is a whopping $10,000 a year and if you could perfectly storm-proof your house, it dropped to, heck, $3,000 a year (still got fire, accident, liability, flood, etc.) -- a huge savings of $7k. But how much does it cost to achieve this magical stormproofing is the test. If it's $100k, you need 14-15 years to get your money back, etc., etc.... also on the front end is the question of affordability and saleability. Builders already claim that a measly little impact fee increase will ruin the market, let along a whopping, multi-10K price increase...

[Ralph Madison]

Howard:

I almost always enjoy your columns. You are always knowledgeable and sometimes funny. I appreciate your comments about homeowners insurance, etc., but I have a question about auto insurance. Recently our insurer, State Farm, sent a letter encouraging us to contact our legislators about "no fault" insurance and to come out against renewing it. What are your thoughts on this?

As to your column on insurance I have one thing to say (well maybe more than one). Insurance companies are a for profit corporations. Health and Home insurers have one and only one overriding goal. They must, by law, attempt to make the most money for their shareholders. By limiting their liability with tort caps or lower reinsurance they have no legal incentive to help the homeowner or person needing medical care. Only government has a duty to help their citizens. Maybe just maybe people will see that government should not operate like big business but should be concerned with the people.

[Ron]

Howard, What do you think of the Wiggington (plus cash) for Wheeler trade?

[Howard Troxler]

Ralph, thank you for the no-fault question! I got that letter too as a State Farm auto insurance customer. There are some clear things, and some unclear things.

Here is what is clear: As of Oct. 1, mandatory "personal injury protection" coverage will no longer be required in Florida.

The way it works now, everybody carries up to $10,000 that covers the medical expenses of anyone injured in an accident, regardless of fault.

Critics say that system is filled with fraud -- the $10,000 tends to get spent no matter what. So we're getting rid of it.

Anybody who has their own medical coverage in their car policy, as most of State Farm's policyholders do, will be just fine. The problem will be for people who do NOT have such coverage. Hospitals, for example, fear their emergency rooms will be filled with non-paying customers.

Somewhat less clear to me, which I am desperate to learn more about, is the effect of this change OVERALL. I keep hearing that it effectively ends the need for mandatory auto coverage in Florida altogether -- but I don't understand how it affects the existing liability coverage.

It's a work in progress...

[Ron]

Where does it say that the government has a duty to help citizens? Help, in what way, Entitlements? The government has a duty to protect it's citizens and provide basic services. Anything else is up to the citizen's themselves. It's caled personal responsibility.

[Howard Troxler]

Hey, Ron, on trading Wiggy to the Astros for Wheeler -- I was sad to see Wigginton go but figured, we could sure use a more stable bullpen. Then I saw in the paper this morning that Wheeler himself might be trade bait! This has made me less sure about what the heck is going on. I want to see these guys actually creating a better team, no more talk about the long term... Cantu for a couple of decent AAA pitchers, maybe, but if you're givin' away core starters of your big-league club it better be for a darned good reason.

[Schauer]

BTW. Any word on the Republican YouTube Debate in St. Pete? is it dead or did they work around the scheduling conflicts?

[Howard Troxler]

And Ron, I think there's a semantic battle over "help." Let's put it this way -- I think it is a valid use of government to address major, common problems in a community. A minor example: the city of Chicago has snowplows. It snows there. They need 'em. Nobody sits around whining that the "private sector" ought to be doing it.

Likewise the flood insurance program underwritten by the feds. You can say, it's unwise, a huge subsidy of people's private choice to live on the coast. Yet we do it.

Along these lines, there is the interesting question of why not have the gov't just take windstorm coverage altogether, spread the risk fairly & more actuarily across the state, rather than our current worst of both worlds -- the private sector clearly broken, and dumping all the worst risk on the public!

[Howard Troxler]

Schauer, the paper this morning sez the YouTube debate could be reskedded for later in the year, maybe December, but still happen in St. Petersburg. Lots of folks eager to do whatever it takes to make it work.

[Ron]

Whats up with Charlie Crist and his new conversion to the church of global warming? I can't see anything good coming out of this, unless you consider more taxes a good thing.

[Larry]

Howard, now that we know the insurance problem in Florida is not fixed, when are the powers to be going to get back to work. It scares the bejeebies out of me as more and more risk is piled on the citizens of Florida. I know Governor Crist thinks it's delightful, but I don't. I don't think anyone really comprehends what the level of risk would be if the "big one" slammed into Tampa Bay or Miami or Jacksonville or Pensacola, or if two of them were hit the same year. Someone, somewhere, has to have an idea of how to deal with this mess we're in.

[Tom Hyink]

I think that the Governor should come to Pinellas Co. and fire Smith, Churiti, and the entire Pinellas county commission, OOPS! THEY ARE ALL rEPUBLICANS SO THAT WILL NEVER WORK.
tOM

[Howard Troxler]

Larry, thanks for the question. Seems to me that everybody is hoping they can still accomplish something by duking it out in the regulatory arena, versus the various rate hike requests and such.

I am skeptical of that and said in my kol this morning that the underlying structural problems have NOT been fixed and the January special session should be deemed a failure. I think the gov and Legislature ought to be preparing already to take another considered whack at it. But I don't sense any immediate enthusiasm for that...

[Bob]

Howard,

You, Mr. Gailey, and the editorial board have said all that needs to be said regarding the betrayal of the public's trust regarding the land "deal."

However, lost in the coverage of this sad episode is the fact that the most important issue facing local governments this year is the continuing debate on property tax reform and the proposed constitutional amendment.

How is the current County Commission going to speak with any authority or credibility given the compromised position they have put themselves in? How is any elected official going to speak to the issues of tax inequities of non-homesteaders and the over-valued appraisal process commonly referred to as highest and best use?

What do you think will be the impact on the elected officials in other local jurisdictions to continue to debate the property tax reform issues? Does the dark stain cast by Smith and Associates extend across City and County lines?

[Ron]

The Governor can't fire the county Commission, but, we the people can!!!. I hope that come election time, those ocncerned citizens who actually vote will remember this transaction. While it is small in the overall scheme of things, it says a lot about what happens to those who seek power, once the attain it.

[Howard Troxler]

Tom H., I predict that there will be no grounds for the gov doing anything like that -- merely a bad-smelling land deal not being enough, there's have to be criminal charges, etc. I might be entirely wrong about this, but as I said earlier I don't think the grand jury will find any legal violations.

This is gonna be interesting, because it depends on how critical the grand jury is of the deal even if it DOESN'T find any legal violations. The grand jury could just say, "No laws broken, we're outta here." Or it could issue a report quite critical of the nature of this deal. Or, I suppose, it could even say, "We looked at everything and it is just fine by us! Government should run like this ALL the time!''

[Tom]

Howard,
Regarding the CNN YouTube debate - If CNN capitulates to Giuliani and holds up the debate long enough for Fred Thompson to join the fray in St. Petersburg, then so be it. But, keep in mind the candidates that agreed to the original date without fear of snowmen or putting fundraising first.
I refer to the pair of Viet Nam War era veterans, John McCain, and former Air Force flight surgeon, Dr. Ron Paul. No way should Gov. Crist consider endorsing a candidate who failed to show up for the party he announced. I say to CNN whatever happened to the adage "The show must go on?"

[Howard Troxler]

Bob, THANK YOU for the point about the credibility of the commission, because I think that is the real story here.

This commission speaks to almost 1 million citizens about the need for taxes, the reasons to raise them (Penny for Pinellas), and how the process works as it does.

Jim Smith sets the tax value for those citizens. The County Commission levies taxes on them based on Jim Smith's assessments. The commission also will continue to have a role in the ongoing debate over our tax structure and whether to cut taxes even more.

Some of the commissioners, I think, are starting to grasp how much their credibility is at stake here, but they as a body have only expressed the wish to get to the bottom of all this, etc. -- they are meeting today & it will be interesting to see what else is said.

[Howard Troxler]

Hey, Tom, on the debate schedule, I take the Giuliani campaign's word at face value that it was blindsided by the announcement of the original Sept. 17 date and the sked was already well planned for that date. But maybe I am a sucker.

Re: Thompson: agreed that he changes the dynamic of everything, but do you think something about the rescheduling of this was meant to help the bigger fish, while disadvantaging McCain, Paul, etc?

[Howard Troxler]

Hey, to everybody who's looking in, there's still plenty of time to bring up a different topic.. that empty box down at the bottom of the Comments page is calling you...

[Howard Troxler]

On Bob 12:40's additional question about whether the Pinellas affair crosses county lines and affects the tax debate elsewhere, I tend to think not. Most communities are pretty focused on what their own folks are doing and less on other places. It would have to become a "marquee" scandal that transcends local concerns, and so far I wouldn't guess this one is...

[Ron]

These debates are a farce, and I don't just mean the CNN/YouTube debates. 30 second sound bites that are memorized and recited from talking point memo's provide absolutely no value in determining who is best suited for the job.

[Tom]

Yes, Howard, and the Machieavellian machinations of the big boys in the GOP cannot ever be "mis-underestimated" as El Jefe likes to say.

[Howard Troxler]

Ron, I agree on the value of modern "debates" that are just an excuse to spout prepared statements and spin. We have come a long way from Kennedy-Nixon and a universe away from the multi-hour sparring of Lincoln and Douglas.

Hence I found SOME value in YouTube, except that the questions were still screened by CNN! As I said on the blog the other day, let 'em deal spontaneously with the American public. And if they draw the next card out of the stack and its a nutty question about Martians or conspiracy theories, let 'em show how they deal with that too!

Lastly, we need FOLLOW UPS. Once the candidate finishes spouting the prepared reply, the questioner ought to be able to say, "You didn't give any specifics," etc.

[Tom]

Hey Ron,
The debate format is NOT a farce, CNN just selected the ones for maximizing entertainment value. That is why it is a show. But, what it does is show who can think on their feet, process infomation and communicate most effectively under stress.

[ELIZABETH]

What every happened to "government for the people by the people?" These days The constiturion seems to have been ammended for big business and private interst by big business and private interest. The one thing that you realize when talking to people who live outside the United States is that that they think that Americans are the biggest suckers ever born. In other countries people hit the streets in protest when they feel their government is not acting in their best interest. Here they sit in front of the tube watching reality TV and "The Game." I recently invited dozens of people on my email list to speak up for Freedom of Speech by writing the Pinellas County Commissioners to help save the Pinellas Community Access channel. I got 3 responses. Indifference speaks very loudly. So if we expect our officials to change, we need to confront them...regularly. No heat, then they think their cool to do as they please.

[Robert Payne]

Yes, it does cover the cost and labor for sandbaggging,truck rental for removal of property to higher ground, but not permanant structures such as seawalls and bulwarks.

[Schauer]

OK Different topic. Any thoughts on the choice/neighborhood schools in light of the recent SC decision on race and the local fixation on taxes and finding cuts.

[Howard Troxler]

Elizabeth, thanks for the comment (and for breaking up this all-boy club). I do not mean to sound like a total nut here, but I think the story of the late 20th century in America was how the wealthiest classes pretty much convinced the rest of America that they OUGHT to have a crummy deal. We are the only G8 nation without universal health care. Our tax structure is increasingly skewed toward protecting wealth and taxing wages. One minor example is how the debate has changed in a century over the inheritance tax -- incredibly popular in the Progressive era as a tax on the "plutocrats," now increasingly unpopular as a "death tax," even though the vast majority of Americans would have never had to pay it...

[Guy Nash]

I wonder very loudly if there was any sales commission paid to anyone at the closing of Jim Smith's valuable property:????

[Bob]

My question more specifically is does it cross over City lines within Pinellas County?

[Ron]

Tom, I have to respectfully disagree with you regarding the debate format. Howard has te right ideas for future debates. What did you learn about any of the candidates that you didn't already know from the Cnn/YouTube debate?

[Gail]

The insurance problem in this State is going to kill some of us. My home owners insurance went up 125% this year, I am so afraid of what is going to happen when my policy gets renewed. No wonder people are leaving this state and returning back to where they came from. My problem is I cant leave this state and return to where I came from. I AM home.. I am born & raised here in Pinellas County. I live in a NO evacuation, NO flood area. I just find these increase so unfair, unrational, un everything. What can we do?

[jblasi]

There seems to be some misunderstanding regarding personal health insurance coverage being used for vehicle accidents. 20 years ago, as a pedestrian standing on the sidewalk (in another state) I was struck by an out of control car. The driver had the mandatory $10K as I did at the time. If it were not for that state's No Fault Insurance coverage I would probably be in debtor's prison today, and lost my home as well as been left handicapped and out of work for 2 years. There was no way on the face of the earth my personal health insurance was going to cover the over $137K initial three weeks in intensive care; the neurosurgeon, orthopedist; rehabiltation, etc. Without the State's no Fault coverage this is punishing the victim twice. Anyone who believes their personal health insurance is going to come to their rescue in this kind of situation is mistaken--they don't, nor won't, let alone the sad numbers of people who have no coverage whatsoever -- 47 million last count so they say. Private health insurance is extremely cautious about paying claims, and like every other insurance are perfectly happy to collect premiums and raise rates. A few years ago I knew an individual who had to have a colonoscopy, and BC/BS denied the claim because an inquiry as to whether this was due to an auto accident or on the job injury was being questioned. It is hard to imagine a colonoscopy being performed for either of those reasons, but it held up payment of this individual's medical claim for over a year, and finally the doctors/hospital had to be paid directly refusing to wait. How anyone could believe private insurers will pay vehicle accident medical claims is beyond me. Carrying as much personal insurance on your own policy as affordable is possible for some, but not everyone. Everyone else is at the mercy of the uninsured/underinsured driver should an accident take place.

[Howard Troxler]

Schauer, your comment is the first I've seen linking the ongoing "choice" movement with budget cuts & such, but there could be some linkage, no?

"Choice" means voluntary re-segregation, and by default or by design, our society seems willing to accept it. The 1950s equation that separate = unequal is no longer valid. Young parents black and white want the best closest school, not to have their kids shipped away.

Combine this with budget pressures AND with demographic changes -- both Pinellas and Hillsborough predicting enrollment DECLINES...

[Tom]

Ron: That the American people are creative and clever and bold.

[Howard Troxler]

jblasi, thanks for the comment. The reference I made to medical coverage was other coverage within AUTO policy, as State Farm says most of its customers have... I am ignorant of the role of medical coverage in general regarding lasting injury from auto accident.

Gail, thanks as well for the comment. I just mentioned declining enrollments in Pinellas and Hillsborough -- one speculation is that at the grass roots level, enough folks have Just Had It and are either leaving, or choosing not to come here as fast... I don't know if this trend is real or showing up, but I would think school enrollments would be where the rubber met the road, a canary in the coal mine, and any other cliche I can think of off the top of my head.

[Howard Troxler]

And to jump back a few questions to Bob's follow-up: Oh, will the Pinellas land deal have any fallout at the city level, inside Pinellas? I think that is more likely, yes... with city and county folks trying to convince voters, I think local gov'ts overall credibility could be affected in the fallout.

[Howard Troxler]

We are a little past 1 p.m., so consider this last call for new topics or any other follow-ups...

[Howard Troxler]

Well, I sense a cheeseburger (or perhaps, a somewhat more healthy wrap) in the near future. THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by today, either to add to the conversation or just to see what folks had to say!

An announcement: I will be on the road next Tuesday, Aug. 7, and there will NOT be a weekly live chat that day. My apology in advance. I hope you will consider coming back for the next one after that!

[Howard Troxler]

And as usual, I'll leave the comments open to this chat so anyone stopping by afterward can still add something.

Best wishes to all...

[Charles Scott, Esquire]

On the Insurance problem in Florida. I sent a letter to the Times which was published prior to the last session in which the legislature allegedly fixed the insurance problem. My suggestion was "national hurricane insurance" a variation on "national flood insurance" where you pay for the coverage separately. This makes sense from the standpoint that if there is a claim for flood it is probably related to a hurricane. Spread the risk for hurricanes just like it is spread already for flood insurance. Florida is not alone all the coastal states from Florida to New York plus all gulf cost states are also at risk. I think my suggestion did get raised at the last session, however it apparently became muddied up into a suggestion for a national catstrophy fund where every tax payer has to pay in. Under my plan if you want the national flood/hurricance coverage you pay, and only those that use it pay. It spreads the risk beyond just the people of Florida. Whether my suggestion works or not, the problem is much bigger than just high premiums. We are just beginning to see the tip of the ice berg, via stagnant real estate sales, which inturn affects title companies, realtors, real estate lawyers, the economy, and the tax base. Why? Because you cant get (affordable or in many cases, any) insurance on residential or commercial property in Florida. When you cant get insurance you cant close a sale. The insurance problem is much bigger than it seems on its face.

[Schauer]

Maybe Gailey can fill in for you next week? Or how about Commissioner Welch?

[Brian E Roche]

I believe it was Ronald Reagan who said, “There you go again…”

How rich, now that Mr Welch finds himself in the unwanted spotlight of public scrutiny for his participation in the ever changing saga of the purchase of the County Appraisers personal property, just in time for Mr Appraiser to purchase a new home, that he would thoughtfully point out to the Times Editorial Board that it “also has a responsibility to report accurately” – How rich, how rich indeed.

It’s also interesting to note that only those up for re-election in ’08 seem to be making public comment.

I find this particular statement amusing in some ways, and disturbing in others, in light of Mr Welch’s and Mr Harris’s silence (lending tacit approval) to the Libel of myself and my brother by the Times Editorial Board in two separate Editorials after the 06 Elections, Editorials that directly, incorrectly, and irresponsibly – in my opinion – threw the race card into our decision to challenge a sitting County Commissioner who happened to be black – heaven forbid that one of the many real reasons (reasons that the Times was fully aware of an yet, failed to report accurately) that we chose to do so was that for the proceeding two years – as candidates – first Norm, and then myself, repeatedly pointed to these very types of 7-0 unanimous decisions and backroom sidebars, and to the underlying abuses of power that we believed they represented.

I make these statements because Mr Welch and Mr Harris, have known my brother Norm for more than 10 years and have been aquatinted with me for the past two and a half – and know that the Times insertion of the race card was extremely inappropriate and false assertion, let alone libelous.

The Times libeled us, these gentlemen know that they libeled us, and yet now that the heat is on – Mr. Welch (and certainly at some point Mr. Harris) will call on the Times to “accurately report”.

Regardless of what you think of MY decision to enter the ’06 Election, it should be evident to many of the Citizens of Pinellas whom have had the opportunity to speak with both my brother and I personally since we began to challenge the authority of the County Commission, that in part, we most certainly have been on to something.

Pinellas Count politics are on the verge of being irretrievably damaged by the continued presence of any number of incumbents running the County for the personal benefit of a few, including themselves. It’s time for them all to go, to fall on the sword of accountability, to accept responsibility – but don’t hold your breath.

Please remember this and consider making a change on Election Day.

Sincerely,

Brian E Roche

[Daneil]

Charles Scott, you have a good idea. Pehaps it should be expanded to all catastrophies, earthquakes, tornadoes, mudslides, flood, hurricanes, etc, to get more states on board. Almost every state has to deal with these catastrophies and it would spread the risk. The problem in offering these companies reinsurance instead of having a national fund is illustrated clearly in Florida. The insurance co buys the cheaper reinsurance from FL, then buys more reinsurance from a co they own themself. If there is no disaster they pocket the money used to buy the additional reinsurance. Meanwhiile rates go up because they tell the regulators they needed the additional reinsurance, That is exactly what happened in FL

[JPB]

The Pinellas debacle is unfortunate for us Hillbro folks. Why? It takes the spotlight off the dimwits on our county commission.