Bert Harris Act/Pine Island
To the editor:
We are observing the well-played hands of special interest groups. A small group retains lobbyist to achieve legislation so a large group of people can pay for their excess profits. In the land use issues on Pine Island, our government feels it is just for 18,000 people to pay for the profits of 200 people. Not only do the 18,000 pay for it, they suffer personal loss of use and enjoyment and diminished economical value of their property.
This is the new American way.
Here are a few other examples of this technique. Florida elected officials will allow five growers of medical marijuana in the whole state. I do not use the stuff and could care less, but what happened to the free market economy?
The same officials passed legislation a few years ago requiring many privately owned pools to spend upwards of $50,000-plus in upgrades so pool contractors and equipment suppliers could rake in the profits. They were treated as public pools even though they are private.
On a national basis, look at the fraud related to the mortgage crisis. Three banks paid in excess of $23 billion in fines. No wrongdoing, no one went to jail. Last year some of those same banks paid $4.3 billion in fines for rigging exchange rates. No wrong doing, no jail time for the perpetrators.
I am aware of an incident whereby a Realtor helped conceal what turned out to be an expensive defect in a property. Once discovered, well after the closing, a complaint was filed with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Real Estate Division. They sat on the complaint for a year then ruled no wrong doing on the part of the Realtor. They had irrefutable written evidence of the Realtor’s actions. Additionally, per Florida Law, the investigation is sealed and cannot be accessed by the complainant. Who was that law made to protect? Maybe the state should dismantle the DPBR and allow those requiring a license to spit them out on their personal printers at home.
Our Florida Congress meets for 60 days. This year the program is to review approximately 1,200 bills and be guided by approximately 1,400 lobbyists. Who do you think wrote those bills? Who do you think hired them to do so? Not the average taxpayer/voter. Special interest!
One of the most dishearten facts about our so-called legal system is the judiciary system. Judges, with impunity, often do not to follow law. They do as they please. They render decisions as favors to special interest groups, return political favors or just plain take care of their buddies. If a litigant has the money, they may win on appeal. I do not know the history of the Cammilot Partners, the timing of their land purchase or real intent of their investment. Why is the case settled? A judge made a decision. Was it correct according to law? Should it be appealed?
Pine Island taxpayers have sent plenty of money to Lee County. Maybe we should get some of it back in the form of legitimate representation and appeal the judge’s decision.
Maybe the Pine Island property owners should foot the legal bills. A $20 toll for non-property owners and their invitees coming over the Matlacha Bridge would go a long way to help defer legal expenses.
A friend sent me a photo of a nice agricultural piece of land on the northern end of the island with some sandy frontage on the sound. It is probably close to 80 acres. With short buildings in the front and progressively taller ones in the back, I wonder how many Pine Island Sound view condos would fit on that property?
Other contributors to the editor on this subject have a point. Once here on the island, the attitude of preventing others from coming here is not right. However, our roads and the bridge are at capacity in the peak wintertime season. Law enforcement lets cars clog the roadsides in no parking zones in Matlacha, but they are fearlessly present on Sunday mornings by the churches. They have to make sure parked cars do not have a wheel touching the pavement. For some revenue generating purpose, this appears to have more importance than keeping the roads open to reasonable traffic delays. The frequent need for emergency vehicles to get off this island where minutes can mean life or death is quite obvious.
In school we were taught “Government by the people, for the people.” Now we have government for the select few.
Dennis Burger
St. James City