Clean up downtown Vero Beach; Brightline, Palm City speed, lights; preserve land | Letters

Don't trust middle man, donate for environmental land in Martin

In a recently published article, it was demonstrated that private enterprise can (and does) effectively purchase land for environmental protection.

About 20 acres were acquired for $1.2 million in the Loxa-Lucie watershed area of Hobe Sound. This land, of clear environmental value for preservation, was bought for about $60,000 an acre.

Conversely, the Martin County Commission bought 6 acres with questionable environmental value, and even less feasibility for scaled usage in environmental protection. That purchase, after loan payments, will be closer to $915,000 per acre. When comparing apples to apples, it seems clear who made the better decisions.

Many have questioned whether private citizens are capable of preserving environmental lands. That answer is front and center: Yes!

Environmental organizations like the Conservation Fund have demonstrated effective ability to preserve land solely on private donations. Private farmers and ranchers have done the same for decades.

When considering the land purchased by the county and the high cost thereof, the only question left to ask is:

Why in the world should we trust you to make a land purchase when private organizations obviously do it better?

Don't pay the middleman, and don't ask government officials to buy the land. Donate to the private organizations that prove their abilities to execute mission with precision. Instead of letting the county take your money, you send it to where it will be used wisely.

Michael Syrkus, Palm City

Stop all the opinion, find way to improve Vero Beach streets

As a resident of Vero Beach, I can't help but bring to light a few issues that appear to plague any real resolution to the Twin Pairs "Battle of the Roadways."

First, I find it offensive and misleading that the crux of this argument/narrative is being managed and controlled in large part by our very own columnist, Larry Reisman. I find Larry to be quite a likable fellow. His intentions to help Vero are often useful and constructive. But I do take offense to his aggressively negative position on this matter.

On a regular basis, we're bombarded with his personal opinions against the lane-reduction fiasco downtown. When you own the message, it's your job to be fair and balanced, not one-sidedly persuasive.

I couldn't begin to tell you if reducing lanes will solve any of the toxic traffic problems downtown. I know today, a walk on any downtown Twin Pairs sidewalk more closely resembles a gauntlet, not a safe and respectable place to stroll.

Let's show a little more respect for our historic downtown. Let's create an environment we can all be proud of. Is it really that hard to work together to solve this problem? Are we that dysfunctional?

Let's stop the bickering, the aggressive media tactics, pro and con, and simply find solutions through a combination of compromise and common sense. When visitors drive through our downtown, let's show them we care about our community.

Let's do away with the lowlifes who trash the streets. Let's do away with the obnoxious, self-centered, aggressive drivers who wave their middle finger at decency and respectability. Is it really that hard to fix? I think not.

John Ryan, Vero Beach

Medicaid expansion would help Floridians, boost economy

Florida is one of 10 states that has yet to expand Medicaid, which offers much-needed health insurance to low-income individuals and families.

On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into effect. One of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act has been to expand the Medicaid threshold to 138% of the federal poverty level.

Thirteen years later, Florida's government has refused to help low-income individuals and families by not expanding the threshold. Billions of dollars remain unspent, yet designated for the purpose of Medicaid expansion. Not all jobs offer health insurance.

According to an article published by Florida Health Justice Project, there is now bipartisan desire for Medicaid expansion in Florida. A political action committee (Florida Decides Healthcare) is working to pass Medicaid expansion through the 2026 ballot. This would be excellent and appreciated by many. According to the same article, 76% of Floridians would support the expansion of Medicaid.

Health insurance is a human right, not a privilege, and should be treated seriously. An estimated 95% of Democrats and 74% of independents support the ballot to expand the Medicaid threshold.

Of course, Medicare for all is another great policy (like Sen. Bernie Sanders requests). Hopefully policy makers can work on gaps in insurance for Medicare holders earning above certain thresholds, as well as for Medicaid holders. No one should be left uninsured or with gaps in insurance. Retired people shouldn't be left with gaps in insurance, either.

According to another article by the Florida Health Justice Project, Medicaid expansion will generate $7 billion for the economy.

Anna Santacroce, Fort Pierce

Speed, lack of lighting issue in part of Palm City

I am writing about the lack of lighting on Berry Road in Palm City. Berry Road is located directly behind my house in Danforth.

My father and I were driving to pick up my sister on Halloween, and a few kids ran out in front of us. Due to lack of lighting, we couldn't see them and had to swerve to miss them. No one was hurt, but it could have been worse.

Additionally, I often hear people speeding down that road at night, and I noticed there are no speed bumps. With that being said, I feel that it would be beneficial to add speed bumps and lamp posts on Berry Road. This would help with the safety of our community.

Austin Fleming, Boy Scouts Troop 840, Palm City

Homeowners: Let Florida's Citizens insure at sub-market rates?

Nobody seems to want to give me an answer to a simple question on property insurance in Florida.

As I understand it, you can insure with Citizens, but if you can find insurance for less than 20% over Citizens' rate, you are directed away to other companies. Therefore, it seems to me that when the minimum polices are well above $3,000, this is just a minimal, added $600 bonus for the companies.

It further seems that companies love to take our money for coverage, but when a bad hurricane hits, most move their assets to another entity, take huge bonuses to use up the cash and then file for bankruptcy, leaving the state guarantee fund holding the bag.

So I ask, why not have Citizens insure homes at a rate below which companies charge and insure anyone that applies, since in the long run the state funds suffer anyway? Would this force most companies to be more competitive and reduce rates to more reasonable numbers?

I read somewhere recently that the premiums for homeowners property insurance are over $50 billion a year. That could be a nice profit even in a year when we have $35 billion in hurricane damage.

Edward Marasi, Port St. Lucie

Why doesn't Republican House investigate 'stolen' election?

I have noticed something odd going on in the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives.

If the election was stolen from Donald Trump like the majority of the Republican Congress believes, then why aren’t its members holding hearings and investigations to demonstrate to the American people exactly how the election was stolen from Trump?

The Republican-controlled House has subpoena power and could make people testify in open hearings, thus could investigate all those allegations Trump supporters believe to be true.

If the people who read this newspaper truly believe the election was stolen from Trump, why aren’t they writing their congressmen and the editor every day demanding Congress investigate the stolen election? Ask their congressmen why.

If you are a patriot and you truly believe the election was stolen, stolen from you, why aren’t you taking to the streets demanding action?

It's odd how the Republican House would rather talk about anything else but the American election that was "stolen." Are alleged patriots running from their most patriotic duty to uphold free and fair elections?

It's easy to say the election was stolen, but tough to prove it. Seems to be a pattern in the Republican Party.

Don Whisman, Stuart

DeSantis voter: Governor in danger of looking like political swamp creature

I voted for Gov. Ron DeSantis in the previous state election and have been singing his praises since he declared his candidacy for president. Nonetheless, I have become a tad concerned with some of his recent actions, which makes me wonder if he is the best choice for our country's highest office.

To wit:

1. The recent departure of 30 or so of his current staff. Usually, "if it walks like a duck ... "

2. His reluctance to comment on the recent pro-Nazi demonstrations.

3. Taxpayer-funded plane trips for his wife and him for campaign functions.

4. The recent Florida housing chief appointment and probe.

5. Questionable selection and salaries of two state university presidents.

6. The Disney debacle.

Perhaps these concerns and others can be addressed satisfactorily. If so, DeSantis should do so, otherwise his actions may lead to his being classified as just another member of the political swamp.

Ray Mancari, Vero Beach

'Hate Mind Virus': Unpack term to better understand antisemitism

It’s pretty apparent what’s going on with all these "anti-Israel“ protests here and abroad.

Antisemitism is on the rise on college campuses around our country.

I heard this term, “Hate Mind Virus” and decided to separate the words to understand its full meaning.

Let’s start with the word “hate.” Dictionary definition: Intense hostility and aversion.

“Mind” is part of the brain, involving the left and right sides. The left side of the brain is the analytical: examination of a thing to determine its parts. The right side of the brain is non-analytical, it just acccepts whatever is given it. No judging.

“Virus”: It's obvious what this means, but here’s the dictionary definition: tiny disease-causing agent. We know what COVID was like, how it was transmitted to many in various ways.

Have our open southern borders allowed bad actors (terrorists) to stir up this hate against Jews here on American soil? Thank goodness our governor, Ron DeSantis, stands strong against such hate.

These colleges only survive on donations from government and private individuals. Thank you to all big college donors in various states who are withdrawing their annual pledges.

I would like to condemn all people who burn our American flag. Send them to whatever countries they think are better than America.

We welcome only people who will live by our Constitution and American values and obey our laws.

Our beautiful America is filled with all the freedoms to express our religious beliefs.

Our freedom of speech should never involve threatening other Americans like what happened in that college library, where American Jews were hiding and frightened for their lives.

Let's pray to stop “Hate Mind Virus."

Janet Wenz, Palm City

Encourage Brightline to go slower, not faster

I just read your lead Nov. 2 article regarding the speed of Brightline trains at various Treasure Coast crossings. I was left with a disturbing question.

What was the point you were trying to make? To get them to go faster at crossings? Geez.

Read how long it takes for them to stop as cited in your own article. Allow me to say again: Geez.

Mark Johann, Vero Beach

Editor's note: The article took no position on Brightline speed; it merely reported what reporters found.

Multiple ways to headline a story about Israel-Hamas war

Instead of the bold headline, “Refugee camp rocked by Israeli airstrikes,” Nov. 1, why didn’t you headline the picture below it? “A salvo of rockets is fired from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip toward Israel on Tuesday.”

You also could have headlined the story with “Hamas commander who directed the deadly attacks on Kibbutzes to start the war was killed by Israeli airstrikes.”

Marcia Marks, Vero Beach

Time to oust do-nothing congressmen

Why is it Republican senators had nine months to force Sen. Tommy Tuberville to use his position to make the appointments of our servicemen and women?

These people have been in limbo during this time. Why didn't Sen. Chuck Schumer do something quicker to remedy this problem? What is going on in our Senate?

The House isn't much better. It's taken weeks to finally get a speaker. How much legislation has been held up during this time? Do we Americans have a "do nothing Congress"?

In fact, now that we have a new speaker, he's one of the worst people that could have been chosen. When the House finally did meet, it didn't oust George Santos. What kind of caliber of people do we Americans now have in our Congress?

I only hope the voters get some backbone in November 2024 and oust these "do nothing" people.

Rita Wolper, Stuart

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: DeSantis in swamp? Boost Medicaid; fix Vero Beach, Palm City | Letters