Thursday 8:15 p.m.
We don’t need a new courthouse. That’s according to a lawyer working there. He called in to the radio station this week talking about how he sees it when he’s there. The lawyer felt that the current courthouse is okay and the need to build a new one is not like everyone makes it out to be. The county’s not going to crumble. So we do not need to raise taxes for the new building. Change direction to spend more to affect good jobs and improve the economy. That’s what you’re paid to do. And while you’re there, about improving the building, hire some good SRC air conditioning, heating and electrical companies to work on the building. Realize the difficulties with the building didn’t get that way without some expert help. So as for me, I don’t want to be like Escambia County with 7.5 percent taxes as some have mentioned. Vote “no” on the tax increase.
Friday 9:51 a.m.
Taxes are too high. I will vote no to raise them. Two commissioners have been noted for leaning toward higher taxes. They have been in for too long. One is running now. If you speak out at commission meetings, many have been told your time is up and some have been told your head is in the sand. The tax they say is the only fair way to pay for the courthouse. Citizens needing help with rent and food bills don’t think so. To some, a few cents may determine if they can go to the grocery store or not. Have you seen someone struggling to find pennies to pay for the grocery bill? The ones who want to raise our tax are paid $60,000 a year with expenses. Some live in the county without cars have to pay neighbors for a ride to the store. The economy is still bad and we need jobs. It would be good if the commissioners would get out with some of the old-timers who gather to eat gather around the county to get some fresh ideas. Thanks for letting me speak and not telling me my time is up. Bye.
Friday 5 p.m.
There are three amendments on the ballot. With a “yes” vote, you will amend the state constitution. Can we be sure? Know the issues before you vote. Amendment 1 gives someone billions of dollars over 20 years to buy land someone selects, take off the tax rolls, removing it from the public trust. This is too vast to get a handle on and will grow government. Vote no. Amendment 2 will allow medical doctors to prescribe marijuana to needy patients. The Department of Health will regulate the production and distribution in the state. Again this is bad. Vote no. Amendment three will allow the governor to appoint replacement judges before their term expires. I trust the fathers of the constitution to know more about this when they penned the constitution than we voters. This is something the legislators should take care of in an amendment that is needed. Vote no. If the amendments to the constitution were the responsibility of the legislature, why are they asking us voters to do the work for them? We don’t know the underlying reasons these amendments were placed on the ballot. You may think the evil is in the details. When in doubt, vote no.
Saturday 7:43 p.m.
Hey this is Dennis Dean. I graduated from Milton High School in 1975. I joined the Army 5 days later and was shipped to Schofield Barracks Hawaii. The army tested me there and said that I was on 4th grade level English and 7th grade level math. I started going to adult night classes and later completed 8 years of college. I changed my major four times but I enjoyed learning. I received a Bachelor’s degree and a respiratory therapist certificate. I later started a small business. I now make an excellent monthly wage, thank God. I say all this to bring up the minimum wage debate. I am now blessed with an excellent income not by what I do but by what I know. You can make more money by using your brains rather than your muscles. I challenge young people to get off your butts and quit looking for a hand out. Start using your mind. Get off drugs and quit getting drunk. I did it and you can do it also. It does not matter what skin color you are.
Saturday 9:53 p.m.
Yeah, this is Gene in Pace. Obama’s been in office now for almost 6 years. He has tried to implement 442 separate taxes. His crowning achievement would be when he got Obamacare passed. Now if you want the next 2 years to be the same, and I know that’s kind of late now because voting is on Tuesday, you would just have to put his cronies back in office. We need representation and we’re not getting it so, you know, Bill Nelson is for Obama, everything Obama does, so get out and vote. If not, at least stay on top of what’s going on in government and let’s vote him out in 2016. And Hillary’s the same thing as Obama. Wake up, America. I’m not racist. I’m for life. Democrats are for abortion. If they say they’re not for abortion, call them on it because our tax money should not go to any abortion centers, or Planned Parenthood or any of that, or even PBS. They make enough money through donations. Wake up, America.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Speak Out November 5