- April 24, 2024
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Hollow defense of red light cameras needs to stop
Dear Editor:
Oh, pull-leeze. City Manager Jim Landon is still presenting “evidence” that red light cameras reduce violations? Complete nonsense. Who determines violations? Why, the city itself! So it is free to manipulate the data to suit whatever purposes they want.
We know that since the cameras were imposed up on us by the City Council (which has since figured out they are not a good idea, only after maybe sticking us for many more years of agony), stop lines and stop bars have been moved because of construction projects, yellow light times have been adjusted based on state law, and road construction has taken cameras off lines for lengthy times. So not only are you not comparing apples to apples, you are not even comparing apples to mangos.
It is interesting to note that Mr. Landon did not associate the cameras with any reduction in accidents. You don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar to figure out why.
So the cameras have not decreased accidents (probably increased, which is the usual outcome) but have sucked almost $2 million from our citizens and economy. Note that if you use a reasonable dollar multiplier of five to estimate the effect of income coming into an economy, we have lost closer to $9 million just this year to our local economy. So not only are we not safer, but are poorer for the experience.
And Palm Coast continues to be the home of the worst traffic control in the area, yet another source of irritation for local drivers but probably good for the cameras.
How soon we will finally have those vile automated bandits off the streets is unknown, but let’s hope they take Mr. Landon out of the city with them.
Mike McGuire
Palm Coast
Conclusions from 2014: Weeks and Manfre need to go
Dear Editor:
As 2014 comes to a close, I would like to comment on a few local issues from this past year.
Elections: It is quite apparent to me that Flagler County needs a new elections supervisor. Kimberle Weeks has proven to be a complete joke! We Flagler county residents deserve better.
Red light cameras: Apparently many of our citizens are against these cameras. I can only assume that these motorists just don't like the thought of being caught by a camera while blowing through a red light. Since it looks like these red light cameras are going to be removed, I hope and pray that no one is killed or injured by one of these inconsiderate drivers.
Sheriff Jim Manfre: The citizens of Flagler County should expect honesty and professionalism from our sheriff. Yet it is very apparent to me, and many others, that the sheriff is not being honest with us regarding his apparent misuse of Flagler County Sheriff's Office vehicles for personal trips out of state. Nor do I believe he is being honest about the apparent misuse of his Sheriff's Office-issued credit card for dinner and alcoholic drinks, and lodging for him and his wife while on these personal trips.
To add insult to injury, Manfre claims that "it's possible that he used the FCSO vehicle for the Pigeon Forge trip, but he cannot remember." Huh? He can't remember? The trip occurred last year, for crying out loud! And he doesn't remember what car he drove? Please! How come I can remember what kind of car I drove on a trip to Florida in 1984 from Ohio? (It was a 1979 Ford Country Squire Wagon). And Manfre can't remember what kind of car he drove on a trip to Tennessee just last year? Really?
Well, I don't believe it! And I for one expect nothing less than 100% honesty from the top law enforcement officer in Flagler County, and I assume that the majority of residents of Flagler County feel the same way. Yet it's quite obvious that we are not getting honest answers from the sheriff.
I, for one, will remember this when re-election time comes around — for both Ms. Weeks and Sheriff Manfre. Hopefully the voters of Flagler County will remember as well.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Tony D'Amico
Palm Coast
Once again, Jews are an afterthought in holiday season
Dear Editor:
We Jews are used to being treated as afterthoughts around here during the holiday season. But is it too much to expect Community Editor Emily Blackwood to do a tiny bit of research in her Hanukkah story in the Dec. 4 issue?
The article begins by mentioning a Jewish family celebrating Hanukkah, two birthdays and an anniversary every year. This is impossible, since the holiday is based on the lunar Hebrew calendar and can fall anywhere from late November to late December.
And the money, chocolate or otherwise, given to Jewish kids for the holiday is not "gilt." It's gelt: the Yiddish word for money. Perhaps, out of "gilt," you'll get it right next year.
Jody Davis
Palm Coast
Toilet paper is instructive for future amendments
Dear Editor:
A certain brand of toilet paper, which shall remain nameless, has started a campaign to "toss the tube.” This maker of TP is going to toss "for good" the tube in the center of every roll. So far 8,216,253 tubes have been saved by people pledging to "toss the tube." Now, this is a drop in the bucket because every year billions of tubes end up in landfills. If you, too, pledge to "toss the tube" every time you "go," you will be doing your part to save the planet .
Tossing is a step in the right direction, but if we didn't use TP at all and like more civilized countries (see France) utilized bidets (spray hoses) we would save 27,000 trees per day.
What does this have to do with Palm Coast and the rest of Florida? Glad you asked. If we didn't use TP, we would not be spending $1 billion dollars per year to save trees!
What we need is an amendment on the 2016 ballot, a bidet amendment. We've had a pig, a class size, a land buying and a pot amendment, so the next logical step is a bidet amendment. We would save trees, the planet and money, and our personal hygiene would probably improve.
Douglas Glover
Palm Coast
