Barrett's Crayola Monologues
Dear Concerned Citizens and the Media:
The following is an unsolicited e-mail that was sent to me by Desmond Barrett "stating" his "position" on impact fees.
To me it illustrates just how dangerous it can be to disseminate misinformation, demagoguery and gobbledygook to the public. I hope you won't heed or print this garbage.
This letter also shows the failure of our local educational system.
Desmond Barrett is a local elected official, and a JUCO graduate, and yet, he can't compose an essay at the seventh grade writing skill level. Forgetting Barrett's composition and sentence structure, which is truly awful, I have taken the liberty of redlining this opus.
I am simply dealing with the problems the proofreaders at the News-Star, Citizen and News-Press have to contend with when they try to make Barrett's incessant letters fit the norms of English composition, and the comprehension level of their readers.
I am also demonstrating how Mr. Barrett not only flip-flops from letter to letter and speech to speech, he does 180 degree pirouettes in the same essay.
Sincerely,
Jim Fleming
Lehigh Acres
The green comments are my own.
I am enclosing a letter that was written by me on my position regarding impact fees in Lee County. This letter was written as a position letter not to be debated by Jim Fleming and his friend Robert Anderson (The Watchdog). (We aren't allowed to debate a clearly flawed position? He can exercise his right of free speech, but we can't exercise ours?) These two men have both tried to misstate my position on taxes for there own personal and political gain. This letter was written to provide my own personal thoughts on an important issue that I care about as an elected official and conservative republican in Lee County.
This position paper is not meant to push or develop a campaign for the State House as Mr. Fleming suggested. As I am committed to serving out my second four year term on the East County Water Control District Board. I have not ruled out a bid for higher office in the near future, but the timing of this open seat is right for my family nor I. A dear friend as spoken to me about family above politics. Advice that I have taken to heart. It would be unfair for me to put my own ambition over the future of my young children. I care deeply for my family. To run, (Against me, by Carpetbagging and moving to another District) I would have to uproot my family from the only home they have lived in for the past five years. It would also be to stressful for my wife to run a third campaign in a six year period.
But, let me make my position clear on (a classic Richard Nixon cliche) impact fees (This is the murkiest "position" I have ever read.) This position should be of know surprise to my supporters and foes alike. (It's "know" surprise to me.) As I have always in public and private maintained a No New Tax commitment. If you feel as I do in No New Taxes. If you have taken a No New Tax pledge as I have. If you believe government should live within it;s means as I do. Than you should understand my position that impact fees are a new tax imposed on business and new residents.
The underlining principles in my position is that Lehigh Acres and other pre platted communities have a lack of commercial and industrial parcels. Most of the parcels in these communities were divided into quater acres lots for residential use to maxims profits in home sales, while at the same time small strip malls were set aside to provide basic services. As our population has grown the need for more commercial and industrial business is badly needed. With the lack of lands developed for these uses communities like Lehigh Acres face a shortage. Thus forcing governments to tax residential properties more to make up for the lost income to govern. (?) Government must find a more equitable way to balance this unfair burden on residential property owners. This cannot and should not be done by raising taxes and calling them fees on new construction. (This is absolute double-talk).
We can only find a more equitable way by providing tax cuts, waiver of fees, low interest loans, (Loans?) and other incentives that invest in local business (?). A tax on business as some have suggested is clearly wrongbut, by providing incentives, the commercial and industrial industries (?) in our community will thrive. This new growth will expand the tax base. Lessen the burden on residents, provide local job opportunities, stimulate our local economy, and build a brighter future for our community. Not a sentence. Vintage, Boy's State rhetoric.
Saying all of this, we still must provide affordable housing for our younger and aging population. When I talk about affordable housing I mean medium household income of $40,000-$90,000 a year. We are losing our middle class housing to skyrocketing property values, at the same time paying higher property taxes. Instead of Mr. Fleming always attacking someone for his own purpose, he should help develop Lehigh Acres into the gem that it could be. (It is Mr. Barrett who is always on the attack with these Crayon essays.)
This is the letter Mr. Fleming was attacking: (I was not attacking his poorly written letter, I was citing his foolish public statements at an open public meeting when he stated that he was tired of sticking it to the builders and developers, and that he wanted to do away with impact fees altogether) In recent weeks I have read with keen interest the debate over impact fees being used by our local governments. These governments celebrate these fees as "Growth Paying for Growth." These fees are just another tax on businesses and new homeowners.
During the past five years Lee County and City Governments have been caught flat footed by the increase of a little less than 100 new residents a day entering Lee County. These residents move to Lee County and our cities for new opportunities in homeownership and the red hot job market. While this influx of new residents to the county/cities has generated a thriving housing/econmic boom for Southwest Florida, our infrastructure has not been so lucky (Can an infrastructure be lucky?).
Our governments failed to take the necessary steps to properly plan for this future growth. Lehigh Acres is a prime example of growth over running our infrastructure of the community. Our schools are over crowded, our streets are clogged, and all other infrastructure is being pushed to the max.
To make up for this lack of planning these same governments have now relied on the old phrase of robbing Peter to pay Paul. They take from my neighbor and return the money to me. (Then, by all means, let's get it back) At the same time governments have held the property taxes high, while imposing an unfair burden on new construction of homes and business of up to $10,000 in new taxes. (Total B.S.)
They have imposed this tax (impact fees) so they can say growth pay's for growth. As a conservative community leader, I see these fees as another tax which harms business, hurts first home buyers (Hurt business and first home buyers? Have you read the papers?), and takes away options for our seniors on fixed incomes.
Government cannot and should not impose new taxes on it's currant or future residents without a vote of the people. Government must be accountable to the people, and not it's own interest. Imposing new taxes, imposing new regulations on property owners without a vote of the people is clearly undemocratic. (Barrett voted Against a referendum on the Lehigh Acres Plan).
Government should provide incentives through tax breaks, low interest loans to encourage development, (You've got to be kidding? Government loans to encourage more overdevelopment?) cut regulation that hinders smart growth in a timely fashion (?), and not increase taxes with impact fees to encourage new development, especially commercial developments in pre-platted communitas such as Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres (?). More incomprehensible double-talk. How can he do all that? How can he be all things to all people?) As a County we should continue to support pre-platted lands legislation in the State House and at the local level. This will allow smaller lots to be assembled and then sold off to a developer to help a community grow smartly. (I started this statewide legislative initiative when Barrett was still in Jr. High School).
With tax incentives, cutting regulatory rules, governments will spawn a new ownership society that President Bush speaks about often, which would create new jobs, affordable housing, and a thriving business class. If we don't do this Lee County will slowly push the working middle class out of the county along with stalling commercial growth which is so badly needed in our pre-platted communities. (Sheer demagoguery, puffery and empty rhetoric without substance.)
In the end growth will pay for growth only when we expand the tax base reducing taxes to new and old residential property owners, help small business owners grow and developers develop projects that grow Lee County smartly and affordably. (In the end he equivocates, as always).
(That's the Real) Desmond Barrett
The following is an unsolicited e-mail that was sent to me by Desmond Barrett "stating" his "position" on impact fees.
To me it illustrates just how dangerous it can be to disseminate misinformation, demagoguery and gobbledygook to the public. I hope you won't heed or print this garbage.
This letter also shows the failure of our local educational system.
Desmond Barrett is a local elected official, and a JUCO graduate, and yet, he can't compose an essay at the seventh grade writing skill level. Forgetting Barrett's composition and sentence structure, which is truly awful, I have taken the liberty of redlining this opus.
I am simply dealing with the problems the proofreaders at the News-Star, Citizen and News-Press have to contend with when they try to make Barrett's incessant letters fit the norms of English composition, and the comprehension level of their readers.
I am also demonstrating how Mr. Barrett not only flip-flops from letter to letter and speech to speech, he does 180 degree pirouettes in the same essay.
Sincerely,
Jim Fleming
Lehigh Acres
The green comments are my own.
I am enclosing a letter that was written by me on my position regarding impact fees in Lee County. This letter was written as a position letter not to be debated by Jim Fleming and his friend Robert Anderson (The Watchdog). (We aren't allowed to debate a clearly flawed position? He can exercise his right of free speech, but we can't exercise ours?) These two men have both tried to misstate my position on taxes for there own personal and political gain. This letter was written to provide my own personal thoughts on an important issue that I care about as an elected official and conservative republican in Lee County.
This position paper is not meant to push or develop a campaign for the State House as Mr. Fleming suggested. As I am committed to serving out my second four year term on the East County Water Control District Board. I have not ruled out a bid for higher office in the near future, but the timing of this open seat is right for my family nor I. A dear friend as spoken to me about family above politics. Advice that I have taken to heart. It would be unfair for me to put my own ambition over the future of my young children. I care deeply for my family. To run, (Against me, by Carpetbagging and moving to another District) I would have to uproot my family from the only home they have lived in for the past five years. It would also be to stressful for my wife to run a third campaign in a six year period.
But, let me make my position clear on (a classic Richard Nixon cliche) impact fees (This is the murkiest "position" I have ever read.) This position should be of know surprise to my supporters and foes alike. (It's "know" surprise to me.) As I have always in public and private maintained a No New Tax commitment. If you feel as I do in No New Taxes. If you have taken a No New Tax pledge as I have. If you believe government should live within it;s means as I do. Than you should understand my position that impact fees are a new tax imposed on business and new residents.
The underlining principles in my position is that Lehigh Acres and other pre platted communities have a lack of commercial and industrial parcels. Most of the parcels in these communities were divided into quater acres lots for residential use to maxims profits in home sales, while at the same time small strip malls were set aside to provide basic services. As our population has grown the need for more commercial and industrial business is badly needed. With the lack of lands developed for these uses communities like Lehigh Acres face a shortage. Thus forcing governments to tax residential properties more to make up for the lost income to govern. (?) Government must find a more equitable way to balance this unfair burden on residential property owners. This cannot and should not be done by raising taxes and calling them fees on new construction. (This is absolute double-talk).
We can only find a more equitable way by providing tax cuts, waiver of fees, low interest loans, (Loans?) and other incentives that invest in local business (?). A tax on business as some have suggested is clearly wrongbut, by providing incentives, the commercial and industrial industries (?) in our community will thrive. This new growth will expand the tax base. Lessen the burden on residents, provide local job opportunities, stimulate our local economy, and build a brighter future for our community. Not a sentence. Vintage, Boy's State rhetoric.
Saying all of this, we still must provide affordable housing for our younger and aging population. When I talk about affordable housing I mean medium household income of $40,000-$90,000 a year. We are losing our middle class housing to skyrocketing property values, at the same time paying higher property taxes. Instead of Mr. Fleming always attacking someone for his own purpose, he should help develop Lehigh Acres into the gem that it could be. (It is Mr. Barrett who is always on the attack with these Crayon essays.)
This is the letter Mr. Fleming was attacking: (I was not attacking his poorly written letter, I was citing his foolish public statements at an open public meeting when he stated that he was tired of sticking it to the builders and developers, and that he wanted to do away with impact fees altogether) In recent weeks I have read with keen interest the debate over impact fees being used by our local governments. These governments celebrate these fees as "Growth Paying for Growth." These fees are just another tax on businesses and new homeowners.
During the past five years Lee County and City Governments have been caught flat footed by the increase of a little less than 100 new residents a day entering Lee County. These residents move to Lee County and our cities for new opportunities in homeownership and the red hot job market. While this influx of new residents to the county/cities has generated a thriving housing/econmic boom for Southwest Florida, our infrastructure has not been so lucky (Can an infrastructure be lucky?).
Our governments failed to take the necessary steps to properly plan for this future growth. Lehigh Acres is a prime example of growth over running our infrastructure of the community. Our schools are over crowded, our streets are clogged, and all other infrastructure is being pushed to the max.
To make up for this lack of planning these same governments have now relied on the old phrase of robbing Peter to pay Paul. They take from my neighbor and return the money to me. (Then, by all means, let's get it back) At the same time governments have held the property taxes high, while imposing an unfair burden on new construction of homes and business of up to $10,000 in new taxes. (Total B.S.)
They have imposed this tax (impact fees) so they can say growth pay's for growth. As a conservative community leader, I see these fees as another tax which harms business, hurts first home buyers (Hurt business and first home buyers? Have you read the papers?), and takes away options for our seniors on fixed incomes.
Government cannot and should not impose new taxes on it's currant or future residents without a vote of the people. Government must be accountable to the people, and not it's own interest. Imposing new taxes, imposing new regulations on property owners without a vote of the people is clearly undemocratic. (Barrett voted Against a referendum on the Lehigh Acres Plan).
Government should provide incentives through tax breaks, low interest loans to encourage development, (You've got to be kidding? Government loans to encourage more overdevelopment?) cut regulation that hinders smart growth in a timely fashion (?), and not increase taxes with impact fees to encourage new development, especially commercial developments in pre-platted communitas such as Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres (?). More incomprehensible double-talk. How can he do all that? How can he be all things to all people?) As a County we should continue to support pre-platted lands legislation in the State House and at the local level. This will allow smaller lots to be assembled and then sold off to a developer to help a community grow smartly. (I started this statewide legislative initiative when Barrett was still in Jr. High School).
With tax incentives, cutting regulatory rules, governments will spawn a new ownership society that President Bush speaks about often, which would create new jobs, affordable housing, and a thriving business class. If we don't do this Lee County will slowly push the working middle class out of the county along with stalling commercial growth which is so badly needed in our pre-platted communities. (Sheer demagoguery, puffery and empty rhetoric without substance.)
In the end growth will pay for growth only when we expand the tax base reducing taxes to new and old residential property owners, help small business owners grow and developers develop projects that grow Lee County smartly and affordably. (In the end he equivocates, as always).
(That's the Real) Desmond Barrett
posted by Editor Facts & Myths at 7:51 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home