Residents of all ages support higher taxes to protect land in Manatee | Letters to the editor
Kids tell voters to protect land and water
Dear Manatee County voters:
We are kids who love and care about nature. Have you heard about the Manatee County land acquisition referendum? This referendum would add an additional 0.15 mill property tax that would be used to buy and conserve land. That’s about $29 per average home per year.
The land that would be saved with this money would filter pollution, helping to keep the bay healthy. This land would also provide us with clean drinking water (let’s hope we don’t sacrifice that).
Why is this important to us kids?
It is important because our future depends on adults protecting the resources we will need. If you don’t protect land, then our future is bleak. And because in 40 years we want to bring our kids here. We don’t want to show them a dirty polluted bay and the land paved over, devoid of the beautiful forests and meadows that once covered it; we want to show them the wilderness, we want to show them the wondrous world of nature you adults have witnessed.
If you want to help ensure that we have a future filled with the wonders of nature, vote for land and water in Manatee County.
Kids for Clean Water
Longboat Key
(Co-signed by Brice Claypoole, 12; Coco Claypoole, 10; Dalton Jordan, 9; Mason Jordan, 13; Kaitlyn Cagno, 13; Jaden Cagno, 10; Ashley Aular, 11; Brianna Aular, 9; Sophia Riesen, 16; Addison Riesen, 11; Elizabeth Brooker, 6; Anne Brooker, 4; Daniel Rogers, 9; David Rogers, 12; Amber Rogers, 8; Abby Rogers, 13; Douglas Hanna,14; Robert Hanna, 12; Madi Hanna, 6; Landon Vaccaro,14; Ian Hughbanks, 9; Elliott Benson, 13; Maxwell Knight, 12; Khora Knight, 7; Logan Knight, 5; Yemaya Mauri; Nico Vieco, 12; Lola Besaw, 11; Belia Besaw, 13; Evan Sellers, 11; Colin Sellers, 8; Miguel Yepez, 9; and Aurelia Yepez, 7)
Vote ‘yes’ for higher taxes to save environment
Would you be willing to contribute the equivalent of two fast food hamburgers a month, to help assure your children and future generations have access to clean water and the natural beauty of the Gulf Coast? Over four decades I’ve fished local waters and operated a contracting business on Longboat Key. I’ve seen firsthand the connection between the health of our local environment and the health of the businesses on the Suncoast. You don’t have to look any farther than the broad negative effect of all too frequent red tide events on our tourist economy.
In my first 20 years there were some notable successes as awareness of water quality led to dramatic increase in seagrass coverage in Tampa and Sarasota Bay.That has all changed in the last decade and now seagrass meadows are disappearing at an alarming rate fueled by excess nitrogen from sewage releases, storm water run-off (exacerbated by rampart development) and myriad other minor insults. The natural habitat that drew us here and that sustains our economy is seriously threatened.
But we can do something about it. On Nov. 3, 2020, voters in Manatee County have the opportunity to approve a referendum (voteforwaterandland.com) that will establish dedicated funding in Manatee County to protect water quality, water resources, and fish and wildlife habitat. The need has never been greater and if we don’t act soon and decisively I fear our children and future generations will never have the opportunity to experience the natural wonderland that we all often take for granted.
Please vote YES for the “Water Quality, Fish and Wildlife Habitat Preservation and Parks” funding measure and encourage you neighbors and friends to do the same. Do it for the kids, they will remember you for it.
Rusty Chinnis
Longboat Key
Protect natural areas before they are lost
When you open your 2020 ballot you will find on page 4 a referendum that will impact the quality of life for your family and generations of county residents to come. The water quality protection and land conservation referendum enables you to authorize Manatee County to purchase natural areas and park lands to protect drinking water sources and water quality, preserve fish and wildlife habitat, prevent stormwater runoff pollution, and provide open spaces for you and your family to enjoy.
In 25 years there will be about 160,000 more residents in Manatee County competing with current residents for space in parks and bumping into one another on nature trails. The development necessary to support that growth will come at a cost to the natural environment, including destruction of fish and wildlife habitat to make way for new homes and more polluted stormwater runoff from streets and parking lots.
We must act now to protect remaining natural areas and wildlife habitat before they are forever lost. Your vote FOR the water and land referendum will give Manatee County the dedicated source of funding it needs to restore a balance between development and protection of the natural environment.
Dick Eckenrod
Ellenton
A ‘tiny’ price to pay to save environment
Have you ever visited Emerson Point Park? It’s a wonderful, natural piece of acreage at the west end of Palmetto.
What is alarming is that without effort, funds and demands from local residents there could be a high rise condo on the mound at the west end of the park!
People have to support land preservation actively to maintain the health of our landscape. $2.40 a month is a tiny commitment for residents to make in the fight to keep more lands undeveloped.
Jim Eliason
Palmetto