Guest Column: Please comment on proposed county budget
Bill McClure, Vice Chairman
St Johns County Board of Commissioners
I would like to express my thoughts to you on the upcoming 2013 – 2014 budget, in hopes that you will share yours. The county commissioners will not raise the property taxes and this decision has already been made. However, how and where we spend those dollars is up for debate.
The mayor of St Augustine, Joseph L. Boles, Jr., the interim commissioner, Donald Crichlow, and the freshman commissioner, Roxanne Horvath, voted to obligate $417,838 of the reserve of funds of the City of St Augustine, so that a private concert promoter, AC Entertainment, can entertain 1,515 residents who purchased tickets for the Gentlemen of the Road stopover next month.
Mayor Michael Beamish of the City of Troy, Ohio, says that he, the city council, and his staff are extremely excited to welcome their Gentlemen of the Road Stopover event featuring Mumford and Sons on August 30th and 31st. Let’s talk to him again on September 1.
Guest Column: Back to School
David B Shoar
St Johns County Sheriff
This month I would like to remind all of our citizens as well as visitors that schools will be back in session later this month which means that our children are going to and from school daily. I would ask all of you to take extra time and be extremely careful in school zones as well as at bus stops.
Letter: Prescription for mediocrity
Randy Covington
St Augustine, FL
Dear Editor:
I would like to respond to the letter published in Historic City News last week from former Republican Party of Florida chairman, Florida Senator John Thrasher, asking your readers to be informed about Common Core State Standards.
Editorial: Hold on to your wallets
To paraphrase an old political joke about the state legislature, the St Augustine City Commission is in session — hold on to your wallets.
Letter: Be informed about Common Core State Standards
John Thrasher
Former Republican Party of Florida Chairman
St Augustine, FL
Dear Editor:
Like many of your readers, I have been following the conversation regarding a new education reform initiative soon to arrive in Florida schools, the Common Core State Standards. Unfortunately, there has been a tremendous amount of misinformation about the movement to raise academic standards, especially among our fellow conservatives.
Letter: Commissioners want Gauze Mahal for own benefit
Randy Covington
St Augustine, FL
Dear Editor:
Commissioner Sanchez and the rest of the commissioners heard last Tuesday of structural deficits in both the road maintenance and fire service operations of the county that total $13.0 million dollars a year. The Commission was informed that all the reserves used to cover these structural deficits will be exhausted in two years. The Administration presented a plethora of “revenue” enhancements such as a new sales tax, waste water fee and millage increase to make up this shortfall.
