This great nation of people is fast becoming a nation of government directed by and for life untouchable bureaucrats. And now religion has challenged the constitution where it is specifically forbidden. How long before we become Moslemized and mark non-Christians as infidels? If our school board had watched Mike Lannon as closely as they do John Padget there wouldn't be so many skeletons ripe for exposure. We all need to watch this circus as it unfolds. The environNazis want to spend their money on lawyers and us, the residents, to spend ours buying land. Finally we have three commissioners who represent the people and two who work for the state.

GAS TAX TO PURCHASE PROPERTY? Monroe County has become the pin cushion of the environmental whackos. We are under the direct supervision of the state and federal government. The bureaucrats stand in line to issue mandates without the first funds. Our own local government stumbles over their efforts to obey these orders from above. They hire carpet bagger staff whose loyalty is with the state, ignoring the needs of the common citizen. In obedience to the state, property was ruled as 'taken' by the court and you and I must pay some 6 million $. Our own tax money that could be used for affordable housing, education, parks and so forth.

Now, while tens of thousands acres of precious farm land in South Dade is being re-zoned for development, our masters demand that we preserve what they call environmentally sensitive land. This sensitive land belongs to some one who can't be denied the zoned use. If denied it must be accompanied with a check for the fair value.

Where does the money come from? It should come from the state, who is doing the mandating-but it's not. Not one county commissioner will stand tall and tell the state to get screwed. No, they are considering using the last 4 cents of our gas tax. This is our tax dollars that could be used for education, affordable housing, parks and so forth.

The carpet bagger staff, who holds its self as superior beings tells us that 60% of this theft will be paid by tourist and visitors. They downplay the impact of the 40%. These are the service providers, the electric, the air conditioner, the plumber, the grocery supplier, and let's not forget the beer man. All of these and more must spike their prices just to stay even, so don't listen to their lies.

I believe that there should be preservation of treasures, our endangered animals and their habitat. I also believe that these are a national treasure and the effort to save these precious assets should belong to the state and federal government. This is recognized in the clean-up of the Everglades where some 100 million has been allocated for restoration.

Our county commission while trying to do the right thing is doing the wrong thing in their submission to the unfair mandates of the higher government. They gave in to the threats of the state to clean-up the waste water, much of which comes from the dumping of contaminates up stream from the Gulf states.

Before we give in to a mandate to "take" some ones property we need a written commitment that the state will pay any court ordered fine.

SCHOOL DISTRICT DEBACLE: The school board meeting held in the prison like trash dump Coral Shores High School on 12 August was an eye opener. Not so for anyone familiar with the antics of our school district in general, and especially for the embarrassing lack of construction management. You can bet your boots that John Padget, recently appointed Superintendent, didn't miss a trick.

The meeting was held in the prison library. It was better attended than most school board meetings. The seating arraignment seemed to be that each seat was placed behind one of the 3,000 columns randomly set in the room to reinforce the ceiling. I arrived late during a reading exercise where a school teacherly looking lady was reading from a chart placed behind a column and several seated visitors. There were no microphones or loudspeakers. So this lady reader was forced to compete with a steady flow of traffic passing through the library-she lost.

There is no wonder that the school board resists being tela-vised. There is no wonder that this pitiful secret society wanted one of there own to replace Mike Lannon. There is no wonder that Ken East felt safe in berating the Superintendent. There was evidence that there is a total lack of simple discipline. Mr. East should be terminated.

I suggest that Mr. Padget review the last ten years audit reports having to do with maintenance. If he looks closely he may find that the district paid, without bid, for roof repair for more roof than existed. Then there is a 1 million $ paid for an air conditioning service contract that was never used. And more and more.

BOCC MEETING 20 AUGUST 03: Living only a mile or so from the Key Largo library I attended a portion of the meeting. Why just a portion? Cause the sound was out on channel 16. It has always, from the beginning, been barely audible. On this date it was mute. Monroe County at its best.

A couple of observations were worth the trip. First was the appointment of Glen Mapes to the Planning Board. Quite a number of citizens up to speak against this appointment. Before the order to commence firing was given Madam Mayor issued the following warning, "Speak thee no evil." Meaning that only good things can be said of Mr. Mapes. In other words the speakers were admonished to lie. A big lie it was when the speakers cited their objections to the appointment to be that Mr. Mapes resided in a city and not in the unincorporated slums where he would rule. Not one of the speakers was allowed to cite the arrogance, the rudeness, the cowardly demeanor of this diminutive bully who hides behind the protection of the authority of his office. Not one speaker reminded the commissioners that Nora Williams refused to reappoint him as unsuitable.

Well, Com. David Rice will have to live with this mistake, as the BOCC is tied to their "no truth" policy. Planning Board appointments are usually routine and not contested by citizens. Mr. Mapes could have paid attention and may cleanup his act. That, I doubt. The hunger for power is rarely diminished by criticism.

THE PROPERTY THIEVES: This has to do with the public hearing that took place after the regular commission meeting on August 20.

Despite the threats of environ-Nazis and the urging of private attorneys, along with a runny nose state official the commission refused to implement an unconstitutional building moratorium. The likes of which has cost you and me some 6 mil.

The commission was split on this issue. It came about on a 3-2 vote with Nutcase Neugent and David Rice voting with the property thieves. One would think that Rice would be more sensitive to the government that feeds his family, son employed by the sherif's office, wife a member of the FKAA board of directors, and he, a borderline environNaxi Mr. David also runs the Guidance Clinic at a cost to you und me of over a third of a million $. Perhaps this budget item should reviewed.

Charles "Sonny" McCoy, the commission sage, delivered a compelling speech on the dangers of a moratorium of any duration. Land-use Attorney James Matson PhD, successful and commanding great respect in his field, spoke to the evils and liability of the proposed moratorium. He recommended the passage, stating that he would make a fortune from the certain litigation.

If the Florida Keys Citizens Coalition has an ounce of honesty why don't they buy the sensitive property. Mr. Grosso the attorney could contribute his enormous fee as a starter. It is reported that Grasso threatened the county, you and me, that of they didn't do as he says that he would seek a reduction in building permits. This, of course, implied that he had some inappropriate influence with the DCA . The commission action said, in effect, "Mr. Grassio, you worm, go get screwed, much more of your intimidation will lead to a complaint to the Florida Bar."

It appears that we finally have a majority of commissioners who are sick and tired of the bullying and unfunded mandates of the state and federal bureaucrats. We the tax payers owe Mayor Spehar, Com. Murray Nelson and Sonny McCoy our thanks for a job well done. Also, thanks to Jim Matson for telling the truth. It is my hope that the Florida Bar doesn't take action for his breach of professional ethics.

I have said before, and say again: You can back the cowardly possum into the corner and jab him with a sharp stick for just so long, and he will attack.

IS A STRONG ECONOMY POSSIBLE? With my own self, if I spend ten times more than I make it won't be long before I make my bed under a bridge. It is forecast that in the coming fiscal year congress will be operating on a $480 BILLION deficit. What that there means is that we have spent all the tax money collected plus the 480 Mil. figure. It don't take no Harvard economist to question the hope that the economy can approve appreciably.

How did we get into this mess? Who can we blame for this money drain? First must be the elimination of a strong middle class. Why? The movement of business offshore in search of cheap labor. This followed by the felonious opening of our borders to illegal aliens for cheap labor. Please don't believe that this illegal labor only benefits stoop labor on the farms or the food service industry, they are found in all the service industries. For this, President George W. Bush, reformed drunk, self proclaimed Christian liar should be impeached or at least left at the gate in the 04 elections. Bush and his administration with the assistance of both houses have joined together to destroy what was once the greatest democracy in the history of the World. They had some help.

First of these is the oil industry who spend billions to enslave us to dependence on foreign sources of oil. Even more destructive have been the environmentalist who have blocked drilling, and dams, and nuclear reactors. They are indeed more detrimental than any terrorist group.

How will we ever work our way out of debt? Can the jobs lost be returned?

60 Minutes on 27 August, showed a line of over 800 men, women and children, in an Ohio town standing in line for food. I remember lines like that in the 30's during the great depression. Hungry Americans . Many of these had jobs paying minimum wages. School children interviewed confessed that they went to school in the morning hungry and came home in the afternoon and found no food in the house.

Dear friends, this is criminal. The federal government, bolstered by the environmentalist have ruined this one time great democracy. How soon will it be that we, the timid possum, will suffer one too many jabs, and come out growling and biting like an angry lion?

THE ELEVEN COMMANDMENTS: The 11th Commandment is, " THY SHALL NOT DISOBEY A FEDERAL JUDGE." Of course that doesn't apply too lesser judges, especially chief justices of state supreme courts. You can bet your diamond studded gold Crucifix that had you or me disobeyed the order to remove those tablets we would have been held in contempt. We would be immediately incarcerated until Mars nears its self again.

When will the masses in this country realize that the judges, leaders of the Judicial system, rule this country. It's not Jesus and his followers. It's not the pedophile priests or the cardinals and the bishops that protect them. It's not the snake worshipers in the mountains or those who sacrifice their sick and dying children to prayer and deny modern medicine. Do we want to worship a god with the power to create heaven and earth and galaxies yet undiscovered? And yet He would require a follower to sacrifice a son to prove his love? Nonsense!

Is this the class that we want to rule our great country? Well, we are out of luck. You see, our founding fathers were also endowed with an insight that caused them to deny recognition of any religious institution. It is only lately that this separation of church and state has been challenged. The God of all the people seems to have blessed our country because we don't kill fellow humans and little children in his name.

"CRAZY HORSE"GEORGE NEUGENT STRIKES AGAIN: George Neugent, County Commissioner District 2 (Precincts 13-19) George was once highly revered by the Marathon community. In the short 15 years of residency he served as: The president of the Greater Marathon Chamber; Director of the Pigeon Key Foundation; Chair of the Boot Key Harbor Committee; Director Old Town Merchants; and several more prestigious civic positions. That's the old George.

The new and present George is, among other newly acquired character defects, disruptive, argumentative, antagonistic, and contemptuous of fellow commissioners and staff.

His latest spectacle revolves around what has been referred to as a secret meeting called by Neugent. This was called to hear complaints from Stock Island residents concerning complaints against the sewer contractor. So. what's the beef?

To start with Stock Island is in district 1. Even the barest of courtesy would have called for him to notify and/or invite Mayor Spehar to attend. Secondly, Commissioner McCoy has been designated as the Wastewater Liaison. He was not notified or invited. Strange, strange, but not so strange.

Street talk has suggested that Neugent is fishing for someone in District 1 to replace Dixie in the 04 elections. It is said that he is attempting to recruit Kim Wigington who he believes will be easy for him to control. Neugent dreams that this maneuver would give him the 3-2 control of the commission. What he doesn't realize is that Commissioner Rice will be unable to vote on any matter concerning the Sheriff, and the FKAA. There are one or two that are standing in the door to file an ethics complaint each time he fails to recuse.

Neugent's aberration may have caused a ripple, but not a wave. He can be ignored and service to his district, which has been sorely neglected by Neugent, will be carried by the three loyal commissioners.

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