Monday, March 15, 2010

We all fund helicopter no matter our party

As Reese Palley states in his recent letter, "We all pay the costs of Trauma Star flights," and the county's air ambulance is not "free" because it is supported by county taxpayers. Mr. Palley then goes on to criticize "all Republicans" for opposing mandatory health insurance, and to paint me as not a "responsible grandfather" because I "should have seen to it that [my] family has health insurance."

First, my grandson's father has health insurance for his family, provided through his employer. But even the best health insurance can leave you with a bill of thousands of dollars should a family member suffer a life-threatening injury requiring commercial air ambulance service. That is why I, as both a fiscally conservative Republican and a responsible grandparent, willingly pay property taxes to keep the Trauma Star lifeline secure for our residents and visitors.

I sincerely hope that Mr. Palley never suffers a traumatic injury requiring medical evacuation, but if such a misfortune should strike, this essential service will be available to him regardless of his ability to pay -- or his political party affiliation.

Mario Di Gennaro

County Commissioner

Key Colony Beach

Data supports benefits of nude beach in city

If you put tennis courts in a park, you are satisfying a special interest group, namely those who play tennis. You are displacing others, like picnickers, to another area of the park. But it is deemed there are enough tennis players to make this a legitimate use.

What is different about designating a small part of the public beach in Key West as a clothing-optional area?

A 2006 Roper Poll revealed that 25 percent of Americans have gone skinny-dipping or sunbathed nude, and that 74 percent of Americans were not opposed in principle to public areas for such use. Unless Key West is a strange anomaly, a clothing-optional beach may be used by 25 percent of Key West residents, and be accepted as a legitimate amenity by a majority. Then there is the tourism question.

From 1991, when the clothing-optional beach area was established at Haulover Park in Miami-Dade County, to 1994, the number of park visitors increased 82 percent.

By 2004, that increase was 123 percent, and a 2004 survey showed 48 percent of the clothing-optional beach users at Haulover were locals (Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach County), while 46 percent were tourists from outside Florida. (Six percent were other Florida residents.) This indicates both local popularity and an interest from tourists. In the same survey, 85 percent of non-locals indicated the clothing-optional beach was the main reason for their visiting the county.

One can argue the exact dollar value of the tourism benefit, but officials from Miami-Dade County and the city of Sunny Isles Beach immediately north of Haulover have testified to the economic impact of the clothing-optional beach, community use and acceptance, and lack of harm. These testimonials are a matter of public record.

Based on this, the designation of a small portion of Smathers Beach as a clothing-optional area for a one-year trial would seem a responsible action of the commissioners and mayor of the city of Key West. What other single amenity could Key West provide at virtually no cost that has a comparable promise of increasing tourism?

Michael Kush

Tampa

Support our musicians during the hard times

We would like to commend the BottleCap Cafe and Lounge on Simonton Street in Key West for having a fine jazz quartet and vocalist on Wednesday nights. We are vacationing here and were so impressed with the caliber, style and professionalism of the group -- it was a swinging evening.

Places in the Keys that hire live music with local musicians are to be supported, especially with the economic climate and chilly weather affecting their incomes.

Mary and Ron Repetti

Guilford, Conn.

A yard sale hostess can relate to column

A huge thank-you and compliments to Mandy Bolen for her column "Enlightened Yard-selling." As a "hostess" myself for yard sales on Big Pine Key and on the mainland, I have experienced the same scenarios as Mandy reported on, both from a hostess and guest perspective. Her article was inspiring, yet so true, when it comes to enlightenment expiring. Sadly, I doubt the Oldsmobile Bandits read the newspaper!

Susan Russo Weisenborn

Bradenton