Letters to the Editor, March 12
Reject proposal
In 2010, after a yearlong effort involving significant public and political input, a Marco Island charter revision commission put forward a number of proposed revisions to our city charter.
Residents voted on these proposals during a general election, the preferred process under state law. One of the changes, with approval by 76 percent of voters, created our current City Council term limits. Another proposal tried to increase City Council salaries with a cumulative 13-year inflation adjustment from 1997, and then added automatic annual COLA increases going forward. It was soundly rejected by over 86 percent of voters.
Despite the clear message from the 2010 vote, our City Council for unknown reasons recently dusted off that old rejected pay proposal and expanded the inflation adjustment to now cover the 26 years since 1997.
If approved, the new base salary will be almost doubled for these less than part-time positions and will increase every year going forward. There was no charter revision commission this time around, nor any public input or proper vetting and analysis. And rather than allowing us to vote on this proposal in a general election, when voter interest and turnout is at its highest, it is embedded in the upcoming and now unnecessary Republican presidential preference primary, where voter turnout will be extremely low.This proposal as structured should be rejected. Instead, the next City Council should create a new Charter Revision committee to look at all potentially needed updates to our city charter.
John Conroy, Marco Island
Americans With Disabilities Act
I am initiating this communication on behalf of all disabled and challenged individuals that continue to have to face misinformed business owners, management and staff that either don’t understand or elect to not acknowledge the accessibility required by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
While it doesn’t occur often, I still experience situations in which my service dog is prohibited to accompany me to provide the assistance required. As a 38-year-old adult, I am wheelchair bound and require the services of a fully trained and licensed service dog. He is certified through Canine Companions and has been my assistant for over eight years without one incident. When on duty, he is absolutely responsive to commands and always well behaved.
The latest incident occurred on Feb. 25. My parents and I joined my aunt, uncle and cousin at a business for dinner. Just before our dinner was delivered, the owner stopped by our table and ordered my mother to “remove the dog, now!”
Following several attempts to affirm that he was allowed as mandated by the ADA, to include showing him his certification, he refused to listen to reason. We departed the restaurant.
Aside from the embarrassment and ill-mannered treatment suffered by all of us, this is just wrong, especially in today’s world of instant information.
Margaret Hackett, Marco Island
Biden’s memory a non-issue
Yes, President Biden is old and he has senior moments, as we all, young or old, have. But is that relevant in performing his job as president?
Based on his job performances during the last three plus years, my answer is emphatically no.
During the last three plus years, Biden- Harris administration has delivered an economic miracle as can be observed by the consumer buying power, the goods and services that consumer can afford to buy.
Yes, there is inflation and goods and services cost more than used to be. But that cannot be a measure of economic well-being when rising consumer income is more than compensating rising costs of goods and services and allowing the consumer to buy more goods and services than ever before.
Biden-Harris has achieved such a fit by creating over 14 million jobs including 800 thousands of manufacturing jobs, 23 straight months of sub-four percent unemployment rate, wages outpacing inflation.
In addition, in this extreme partisan environment and with a slim majority in the Congress, and that only in the first two years, the administration has succeeded in enacting such major legislations as the American Rescue Plan, Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS Act, Infrastructure and Jobs Act with support from both parties, a feat that has not been achieved by any other administration in the last 20 years.
It shows Biden’s extraordinary skills to work across the aisle, memory lapses or not.
Mukhtar Ali, Marco Island