In today's Editorial section of the Orlando Sentinel, the Sentinel suggests that St. Cloud may regret rejecting a government subsidized housing project. Again the Sentinel is repeating the false claims that the project would help essential workers, especially teachers, with no facts to support their claims. They blame the community for stopping the project because the community is not smart enough to understand the critical dynamics of the project and that the public is not capable of deciding where their tax money should be spent. They also blamed a shadow group called the not-in-my-backyard forces that we can not seem to find a listing for in the phone book. We guess this is because they are a shadow group that uses secret handshakes to communicate with so they do not have a directory listing.
It is time the Sentinel learned that they should do real research before publishing their editorials. The WayneWho staff is glad that the Landlords Association dedicated the time that they did into researching every aspect of the legislation and the proposal that was being crammed down the throats of the residents. It is sad that they are the only group that did their homework, but this is typical with government today. The Landlords Association even took the next step of trying to help find true affordable housing for Osceola County teachers only to be told that the properties were not suitable and not fit for habitation. So much for pride in your community. The "Preserve" project was a scam from the start and did little to help the essential workers who need it the most. This project was a only way that certain builders could secure their future during a housing downturn that they helped to create. It does not surprise us at all that the developers would turn their sights on a easier target such as Orange county because they have more money that can be thrown around at whim. Should be easy pickings.
The only point that the Sentinel was correct in addressing was that elected officials should be more interested in solving the affordable housing issues. County and City leaders have worked to push the low-income and service level workers out of our community because they don't contribute enough to the general fund. This has been accomplished by denying projects based on arbitrary rules and changing zoning to effectively zone out the middle class from our community. Since this has been a pattern of the local governments for the past 20 years, why should the taxpayers now have to pay to subsidize the housing of those the government has worked so hard to push out? Maybe the Sentinel should be using their journalistic talent to research these issues instead of throwing rocks at the hardworking people of our community. Maybe they could spend some time on finding out which developers are helping which elected officials campaigns so we can have a better understanding of what projects will be coming up for a vote soon. It is sad to see the Sentinel turn against the community and chime in on the side of the development community that has left our area lacking in so many basic quality of life issues, but we guess that the developers contribute more to their advertising revenues than the average citizen.
It is time the Sentinel learned that they should do real research before publishing their editorials. The WayneWho staff is glad that the Landlords Association dedicated the time that they did into researching every aspect of the legislation and the proposal that was being crammed down the throats of the residents. It is sad that they are the only group that did their homework, but this is typical with government today. The Landlords Association even took the next step of trying to help find true affordable housing for Osceola County teachers only to be told that the properties were not suitable and not fit for habitation. So much for pride in your community. The "Preserve" project was a scam from the start and did little to help the essential workers who need it the most. This project was a only way that certain builders could secure their future during a housing downturn that they helped to create. It does not surprise us at all that the developers would turn their sights on a easier target such as Orange county because they have more money that can be thrown around at whim. Should be easy pickings.
The only point that the Sentinel was correct in addressing was that elected officials should be more interested in solving the affordable housing issues. County and City leaders have worked to push the low-income and service level workers out of our community because they don't contribute enough to the general fund. This has been accomplished by denying projects based on arbitrary rules and changing zoning to effectively zone out the middle class from our community. Since this has been a pattern of the local governments for the past 20 years, why should the taxpayers now have to pay to subsidize the housing of those the government has worked so hard to push out? Maybe the Sentinel should be using their journalistic talent to research these issues instead of throwing rocks at the hardworking people of our community. Maybe they could spend some time on finding out which developers are helping which elected officials campaigns so we can have a better understanding of what projects will be coming up for a vote soon. It is sad to see the Sentinel turn against the community and chime in on the side of the development community that has left our area lacking in so many basic quality of life issues, but we guess that the developers contribute more to their advertising revenues than the average citizen.
37 comments:
This project will still get built somewhere in Osceola County. Too many politicians have gotten their campaing contributions from those who want this thing built.
Thank You Wayne for pointing out the truth. There must be a reason the Sentinel came out for the developer, without doing a facts check.
I sent them 2 emails pointing out the glaring false statements and made 3 phone calls to get to the writer of that position. No luck so far.
Maybe all the Orlando apartment complexes should go nonprofit too. Then no one will pay property taxes.
Thanks for the kind words to the landlords association.
Tom Long
President
Osceola County Landlords Association
Truely a scam! The Landlord Assoc has been "onto them" from the beginning-Thank you Tom Long!
"Go get'em!"
I just don't understand why anyone with any common sense would build any new multi housing project with all the empty "houses" available for rent. Being a landlord myself I have reduced my rent so my property stays occupied. I would welcome a fire fighter, teacher as support for community. They work hard for our safety and education of our children everyday and deserve a house at the end of a day rather than an apartment.
As a taxpayer and a landlord I do not want to support any multi housing,
Yes, thank you Wayne Who. They can say this was a not-in-my-backyard argument all they want, but the truth is that this is a fight between government money being used to tip the market into the favor of a developer. This should be against the law!
Truth of the matter is, it might have been a worthy project to truly research, but once Tom Greer started campaigning, and the truth was learned, there was a wide margin between Mr. Greer and the truth! The developer of this project stands to make a couple million dollars, not bad for a company who is only trying to help Osceola County. Between the Board of Ed., and the other Bd. of Ed, The Foundation, there's no one to trust! Look at the players. Politicians, who can do nothing else but politic, and God forbid you disagree with them. The project stinks, no matter what city/county they try to build it in.
As for the Slantinel, they've been out of touch with the community for the past 10 years, or more.
Maybe the developers will go to Orange County since the Sentinel seems to support this kind of scam on the taxpayers.
When there's plenty of affordable housing for teachers, firefighters,police,etc, why should taxe payers put up money for housing ? Besides that it should be for the ppl that work at walmart an publix's etc. that get the breaks ,,, Not paying property taxes wasn't right either,,,, sounds like someone had more of an interest in this preserve then just housing ,,,, like keeping some contracters working,, over charging the taxe payer ,,, They didn't even have half the money for this preserve anyways,,,, So if orlando calls it regrat then i love the word,,,,,
When someone has to much of something in there house they stop buying it right? right,,,,, So why would we want to build housing ? I feel the tom geer should stick to what he so call knows ,,, cuz it's NOT housing that's for sure,,,, Common sense isn't being used ,,, with this preserve,,, Greed is an helping there buddy's are thou,,, common sense just isn't as common as we might feel,,,,
Did anybody see Commissioner Ken Smith pout and storm off mad when the funding was cut? He is the President of the education foundation.
Keep your eyes open because Fred Hawkins is running for commissioner and he sits on the foundations board too.
This is why Florida is known as the good ole boy state. Get rid of all of them.
I spoke to a representative from the developer of the "Preserve." I pointed out that:
1) under the law more than 15 different occupations would be eligible to live there and
2)the units would be available on a first come first serve basis. I asked if he could guarantee that even one teacher would live in the "Perserve." He didn't answer the question. Instead, he said that they would market the units in a way that only teachers would know about them. He had no comment when I asked if this was possibly illegal.
The facts are clear, but since when as the "Slantinel" ever worried about that?
The citizens of St. Cloud made it clear more than 10 years ago that they didn't want multi-family housing on the proposed location. And the, then, City Council approved Neighborhood Commercial.
Once again the City Council respected the wishes of their constituents, rather than a developer/government entity.
The School Board should stick to educating children and stay out of any project that strays from that prime mission. I firmly believe that educating our children is paramount to $5 million dollars in the coffers of the School District or the Education Foundation.
The Education Foundation does not server the teachers or the students of this community in any good way. Look up their financials and look who the top people are and how much they make. You should also look at how few scholarships they actually give out. That is how they have the money to jump into a scam like the Preserve project.
With this kind of thinking in the county you have to ask yourself about the other DRI that they are trying to start in a bad economy? I don't trust them on these either.
Thank you Wayne Who! I loved the Horton Hears A How article as much as this one!
We need more puppets!
I hear Wolf wants to build in Orange County too. Did he pay Greer to say nice things?
How about a puppet show on the sentinel? Wolf is surely pulling their strings.
Thanks to Wayne Who and Tom Long
Thanks Sentinal for oncs again taking sides with a developer at tax payer's expense! I will now cancel my subsciption to your rag!
I do not think the teachers or the Firemen should get any reduced rent. What makes them so important over any one else? I work hard too and I don't get a reduced place to rent. Teachers get off all holidays and summers. How does any one think the have it so bad when it comes to work? Firemen work a 24 hour shift and sleep during the night getting paid for it.
Tim
I hope you Sentinal people aren't on the take too? Did the good Ole boys deliver some happy meals to your front doors? Same delivery routes? Shame on you guys for not listening to the taxpayers.
Tom Long is doing a great job as a community activist. I hope he runs for county commission. We need good people on the board. What about it Tom?
That is a great idea. I would vote for Tom in a minute. I would probably give him $500 too.
Many members of the press and local officials fail to recognize that projects that don't pay their fair share are underwritten by the tax payer. I could offer cheap housing if I paid no taxes or impact fees. Does it really make fiscal sense when we have vacancy rates soaring and affordable housing throughout Central Florida that responsible officials would approve the addition of inventory to an already flooded market? Why were half the facts missed by the Sentinel? Expedience, deadlines, sloppy reporting? I'm not the one to judge but I am a tax payer and taxes are pushing many of my neighbors out of their homes and out of Florida. Someone said we don't have a tax problem, we have a spending problem. This so called affordable housing project is just a further illustration of the spending problem. Any elected official who would support this kind of project is inviting me and everyone I can influence to support their rival.
Thanks for your hard work Mr. Long.
If the developers really want to be altruistic and provide teachers housing, maybe they would consider to relinquish all the development and associated fees that they would profit from. Come on. Is it really about the teachers?
I agree with the anonymous poster above. We need to elect Tom Long for County Commission. He has a better track record on the issues than the Commissioners. I would be up to give him $500.00, also. Does anyone else want to pledge for a Long Campaign?
Bill Coffman wrote in the Gazette, that since Jay Wheeler knows everything, he should quit as school board member and become the superintendent.
Then we should convince Tom Long to run for the school board, so he can fire Jay Wheeler.
There is one person that I can think of who has not only stood up for the people of Osceola County, he has proven he has the experience, intelligence and the will to reign in on the spending problems our government seems to have. He has stood up to the developers and worked with the landlords against government spending and the Preserve. Everbody, including myself, speaks highly of this candidate from St. Cloud. We need to find J. Harrell and get him to run for County Commissioner. He would be better for us there than at the city level. Tom you worked with him during the city race, he was a great candidate. I've already asked him, but Tom you have more pull. GO GET HIM if you're not running, and do it FAST!!! I'll support him with my money and my vote.
I will give Tom $500.00. So it looks like were up to $1500.00 so far.
I'll give Harrell and Long $500 a piece. Can they both run on a Commissioner/Vice-Commissioner ticket for their district? Now that would be real change! I believe they both live in the same district. Harrell/Long '08 baby! What would the Good Ole Boys say to that? Un-stoppable that's what.
I was told by certain candidates and even elected officials were questioning Harrell's chances at being elected becuase he was young. Were they shocked. I think he could be running for President and have a decent shot at it. I think the county would be a perfect spot for him. I was told by a person close to him at his church that he was approached by the state party to run for a state House seat. I believe it. He's a heck of a lot smarter then any of the other candidates. Just talk to him for a while. This election is so blah! Nobody cares about what needs to be done. I agree. Tom, you know him personally, get to it. We could have at least one candidate not sold out to builders on the commission.
Tom Long for county commissioner is a long shot. A real long shot.
I like Jonathan Harrell too. I think he would be a great county commissioner and Tom Long would make a great school board member. I think those two should go for it. They got my support.
HARRELL!
HARRELL!
HARRELL!
Harrell? Mmmm, now where did I hear that name before? He better hurry up and make up his mind!
Thanks to Wayne Who for keeping everyone informed of our school board antics.
Tom Long
LONG!
LONG!
LONG!
I said it once, I'll say it again: HARRELL/LONG in '08. You two get together and figure it out! We have to stop the developers, the special interests and all those in office or that have been in office before that support them. People need to stop playing political games and stand up and do what is right for our community. Get rid of them HARRELL and LONG!!!
Hawkins, Robertson and Lane are running in the same race. Can anybody say "More of the same?" Hawkins is a younger Bill, and Judy has already been voted out by the people. Just look at the school system. She's a developer. Yeah we don't have enough problems with them already. That's exactly what we need more of at the county level. And Bill Lane? In the words of a great song: "Hey, hey, hey goodbye!"
So is Tom Long saying above that he'll support Harrell if he does make up his mind to run? What a force that would be. I think Harrell is already in a great spot to win any seat he runs for. When is Crist's term up?
Run, Tom, Run!
Judy Robertson is the very last person we need on the County Commission! We are already STUCK with Ken Smith, who collects a very nice salary from the Education Foundation. Add that to his County salary, and the public is paying him over $100,000.00, not counting his State pension! Poor Ken, he's just struggling to make a buck, but off who?
He was clearly upset when the county voted down the project, and he did make comments that everyone in the room heard. This just proves how single member district can hurt an entire county. We're stuck with him and can't vote him out because people in his district are all on medication, or something to ignore all his antics!
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