4 letters: switching parties, local federal spending, defending the county, code enforcement

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

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I also switched parties to vote in the primary

Dear Editor:

Kudos to John Brady and his decision to change his political registration (temporarily) from Democrat to Republican. John did this to help ensure his choice for the Flagler County Commission has a chance to win.

Several months ago, I did the same thing. After being a moderate Democrat for 56 years, I too switched parties to become a moderate Republican. Why, you ask? I did it to vote in the Primary Elections in order to keep the “far right” from winning and destroying our democracy. After the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, I had to do something. Three events in my lifetime have greatly disturbed me: the Challenger exposition, the Sept. 11 attack on our country, and the Jan. 6 insurrection at our U.S. Capitol, which I watched with tears in my eyes. I firmly believe that Mike Pence saved our democracy that day.

The idea here is the old adage: “If you can't beat them, join them.” If you are a moderate Republican running for office, please let the public know so we can vote for you.

David Cox

Palm Coast

Local evidence of federal government problems

Dear Editor:

Let me get this straight; a tree falls on my house, and I can get $163,364 in federally funded home repairs. And we've got a City Council member who said, "The funds that are coming down are federal dollars, so there's no local impact on the community.” Another council member said, "it's definitely going to be a life saver for the resident.”

Now I know why we have nonpartisan local elections which are supposed to be free from party affiliations, bias or designation. To me it's just a way to get elected in a Republican County (Flagler) although you are a Democrat but nobody knows.

No matter what happens, the Democratic Party will bail you out.

The Friends of A1A wanted $500,000 in federal grant money to build a Visitor Experience Center; a representative at the Department of Transportation suggested they ask for more, so the Friends of A1A asked for $3.6 million.

The federal government's main purpose was to provide for the common defense; now its main purpose is to provide for the trifling and lazy from the womb to the tomb. I served in the U.S. Navy for four years, and this was my country right or wrong; the federal government we have today has gone beyond wrong; it's criminal!

Douglas R Glover

Palm Coast

Here’s what the county does that cities don’t

Dear Editor:

I noted in your May 26 edition that a writer wonders why the Flagler County government has not stepped up to the plate to provide services here. He believes the city provides them all. I thought you might benefit from seeing a list of services which the county provides which are not provided by local municipalities:

Elections office, tourism department, tax collection, driver’s licenses, property appraiser, Sheriff’s Office, Flagler County airport, veterans services, economic development, public transportation, judges and courts, two libraries, county jail and juvenile detention, clerk of the court and comptroller, emergency management system; community para-medicine, 911 call center, ambulance services, Fireflight helicopter, adult day care, Agriculture Extension Service, community centers, Meals on Wheels, indigent health care and burial, housing assistance programs, senior services and congregate dining.
Your tax dollars at work. A list of all this may be found at FlaglerCounty.gov.

Linda Hansen

Palm Coast

Fix the city of Palm Coast’s code problem

Dear Editor:

I agree wholeheartedly with Cathy Heighter in her statements at the recent City Council meeting regarding the matter that something has to be done with the debris in front of homes. But I would like to add the garbage pails and recycling bins lined up in front of the garages.

I have been in a one-woman crusade for 2.5 years with getting Code Enforcement to do something. I have been to city meetings. I have also met with the mayor. I have been fighting these years to make it mandatory for real estate agents to hand out the book of violations like they had to back in the ITT days.

I have no problem giving my name when I report a violation. I call no mattter what neighborhood I am in. With all this building going on, try to picture “beautiful” Palm Coast in two years. There are not enough code enforcers, and nothing is being done with these booklets regardless what I was told.

Pat Barile

Palm Coast