- April 19, 2024
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+ Shocker: Meeker and Netts don’t qualify for Reagan group?
Dear Editor:
More than 100 Flagler Republicans attended the Ronald Reagan Assembly’s organizational meeting early this year. Surprisingly, it opened with a founder’s strong edict that “If (Mayor) Jon Netts or (Councilman) Frank Meeker walked in to join, we’d throw them out. They don’t qualify.”
Similar “sins” evidently apply to both of these Republicans: Meeker’s claimed “sin” was voting for Democrat Bill Lewis years ago to fill the open seat vacated by Alan Peterson on Palm Coast’s nonpartisan council. Prior to interviewing prospects, Meeker had written 25 questions on publicized matters facing council. Then he asked prospects to respond to each. Lewis was able to answer more than twice as many questions as finalists the Ronald Reagan Assembly would had prefered. Yes, Meeker (now candidate for our County Commission District 2 seat) followed both bylaws and the oath he signed. Yet he doesn’t qualify for RRA membership years later because of his proper action. Very scary.
It’s troublesome that RRA mailers, ads and hand-outs convey that their new, small group speaks for Flagler’s Republican Executive Committee and both Flagler and Palm Coast Republican Clubs. Actually, RRA only speaks for RRA; its candidates are restricted to only RRA members.
Extremists within RRA, and their member-candidates who never have been elected, claim it’s legal to exclude all registered non-Republicans from voting for three major Flagler seats. By state law, “open primaries” serve as “elections” and are open to all registered Flagler voters. No party controls them, unless they purposely utilize a terrible “flaw” as RRA just proudly did. That flaw, using write-in candidates in Flagler strictly to disenfranchise all non-Republicans to help RRA candidates, needs to be removed. That awful insult to all non-Republicans was a first and hopefully a last in Flagler history.
Strange RRA strategy: Grossly anger all non-Republicans and think they’ll still vote for other Republicans candidates. Was that approved by the Republican Party of Flagler?
We must not condone extremist attacks, like killing the rights of neighbors with different views to vote in open primaries. I see RRA as a valuable future asset in Flagler, but only if it refocuses its local goals and approaches.
While RRA leaders disenfranchise those with different party affiliations, our elected county and city leaders urge all to totally set aside national politics when they meet to solve our many important local problems. All extremist-activists, not just those in RRA, need to learn that far more good is accomplished in Flagler when all work together.
Just one example: Remember when Palm Coast’s leadership (less Jon Netts) wanted a $22 million City Hall? They promoted it using $70,000 of our taxes. By working together (which formed life-long friendships) many of our Republicans, Democrats and independents collected just $3,200, yet we accomplished what seemed impossible. More than 82% of voters killed that project, not long before the local real estate market crashed.
Those who agree with a work-together philosophy for Flagler, let’s informally exchange ideas. I have some big preliminary, counter-action project thoughts we might synergistically discuss. Please email me at [email protected].
Please vote. It is critical.
Ed Caroe
Palm Coast
+ Candidate signs make Palm Coast look ‘disgusting’
Dear Editor:
I agree with Stephanie Richards about doing something with all these political signs that we have to look at for months! Palm Coast looks disgusting! No one even looks at them. You just notice the mass mess.
I also agree with Frank Avolio’s suggestion about garage sale signs. Have people register for the sale with their name and address and fine them if they do not take the signs down.
Pat Barile
Palm Coast
+ Federal government does offer help to home buyers; foreign buyers pump more money into economy
Dear Editor:
In response to Ms. Adams’ letter to the editor of Aug. 1, I, as president of the Flagler County Association of Realtors, would like to address some of the points that were raised.
First, there are several federal programs to assist homeowners, such as the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives and the Home Affordable Modification Program, just to name a couple. As far as government assistance, there are several programs for first-time home buyers, down payment assistance, and also programs such as the SHIP Program and Habitat for Humanity. The national, state and local Realtor associations are using the media to get these messages out to the public.
The lending institutions have federal and state rules and regulations that they must abide by, and most important, Realtors and all licensees must adhere to the 1968 Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap.
Article 10 of the Realtor Code of Ethics specifically addresses the Fair Housing Act by stating that Realtors shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin or sexual orientation. It is a duty as a Realtor to learn the customs of the people we deal with to make them feel comfortable, and to abide by the law.
It is a fact that 25% of Florida sales are to foreign nationals who purchase homes with cash, and statistics show that with every home sold it generates more than $60,000 in related revenue to the local economy, not to NAR. Global owners pay taxes and don’t put a burden on our infrastructure because they are mostly vacation homes. The percentages of foreign buyers are in this descending order from the countries of Canada, Brazil, Europe and China. See http://goo.gl/XbeS3 for more.
Carmen Bongiovanni
2012 President
Flagler County Association of Realtors
On the half-cent sales tax referendum
+ Vote YES
Dear Editor:
I am writing in regard to the upcoming election on Aug. 14. I would like to encourage all the constituents of Flagler County to vote yes for the continuation of the school district’s half-penny tax. This is not a new tax, but was passed in 2002.
All of the revenue will be used for school and student-related needs Some examples are digital textbooks, maintenance and upgrades, security systems, etc. I feel this is an extremely positive investment, not only for our children, but also for our community.
I would like to leave you with this quote: “Don’t’ limit a child to your own learning, for he /(she) was born in another time.”
Ria Geary
Palm Coast
+ Vote NO
Dear Editor:
Want to see your half-cent School Board sales tax at work? Ride by Wadsworth Elementary School and look at the circular wall of fake stones filled with sand and topped off with a large coquina rock that will soon have a panther on top of it. While you are at it, notice the very tall flagpole near the swimming pool, the fairly new building between Wadsworth and revamped Buddy Taylor Middle School that the School Board wasted $3 million dollars on because it didn’t blend in with the other two buildings.
How much will the panther on the rock cost? How much did the flagpole cost? I doubt that anyone on the School Board could tell you, and they probably don’t care how much they cost; they got the money and more coming in because the sales tax increase will be approved because, after all, “It’s for the children,” and the majority of Palm Coasters don’t bother to vote in no stinkin’ primary election! We get what we deserve.
At least the city of Palm Coast isn’t pushing too hard for a sales tax increase. They are just putting up more stoplight cameras to raise more money. ... A word of advice: Save the fine/tax money; you are going to need it when this scam is ruled illegal.
Douglas R. Glover
Palm Coast
Editor’s Note: The coquina rock referenced by Douglas Glover was donated by S.E. Cline Construction. The proposed panther statue is planned to be paid for through a fundraiser led by Wadsworth Elementary Principal Robin Dupont.
