Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Elections supervisor

failed in his duties

On Tuesday, Aug. 24, I held candidate signs at two different polling places, Precinct 5 in the Old City Hall building and Precinct 6 at St. Mary [Star of the Sea Catholic Church]. According to Chapter 102.031 of the Florida Statutes, it is illegal to "solicit voters inside the polling place or within 100 feet of the entrance to any polling place." At both polling places, the boundaries were unmarked and seemed quite arbitrary.

After a careful measurement was conducted with the Precinct 5 clerk, it was discovered that the perimeter was more than 130 feet from the entrance to the polling place. This placed sign holders in the hot August sun and well out of view of many of the voters approaching the polls.

On the other hand, the clerk at Precinct 6 placed his boundary line less than 70 feet from the entrance to the polling place. The law specifies that the supervisor of elections is required to determine these perimeters based on the particular characteristics of each polling place. If this determination was in fact carried out as specified in the election law, then apparently the precinct clerks weren't properly notified.

Moreover, either the supervisor of elections or the clerk of the precinct must mark the boundaries of the no-solicitation zone before the polls open. Quite obviously this was not done at either of the two precincts that I visited on Tuesday. In fact, I do not recall ever having seen marked boundaries at any polling place in Monroe County.

In both cases, the poll workers did their very best to provide a fair and equitable system. The problem seemed to originate with the supervisor of elections and his failure to properly carry out his responsibilities to the voters and the candidates. The fact that these irregularities occurred during a primary rather than the general election mitigates the concern to some degree. There is less electioneering at the polls during primaries than the general election.

This, however, does not diminish the fact that primary elections are still bona fide elections and need to be treated as such and not practice runs for the November elections.

Bud Meaker

Stock Island

Lydia Estenoz deserves

her higher salary

In response to Basil Gianniotes' letter on Aug. 30, you obviously are clueless. As a student, I do not want anyone making $10 to $15 an hour teaching me an education. I want to know they have the credentials and deserve the honor of a higher wage to teach. In turn, I know that I will have a quality education to walk away with and to further [myself] with.

Even the [Florida] Keys, as unique as we are, deserves a college.

Many who have a bachelor's degree and higher deserve a coveted higher salary, like Lydia [Estenoz]. They went to school, made the sacrifices and deserve their higher wages. For those making less money, it is a matter of choice. You can either do nothing ... or make the necessary sacrifices to make a change.

As a current student, I know many who work several jobs, go to school full time and have children. [Florida Keys Community College] (FKCC) is the only place in the Florida Keys that provides residents (at any age) a two-year degree on campus. Did you know that FKCC has one of the lowest tuitions in the state [among] community colleges? I bet not. Monroe is the most expensive county in the state of Florida. Did you not do your research before you moved here?

FKCC has been around since the 1960s and has produced numerous graduates who wanted to live here while attending school. Many professionals who live and work right in the Keys have earned their two-year degree at FKCC and returned to the Keys after getting their higher education. FKCC also holds the accreditation, making transferring to virtually any school easily done.

[As to] your statement regarding shutting the college down; ask the numerous students attending and their parents if they would like to see that, and I can almost guarantee a big "no."

Lastly, let's remember that no place is perfect and if you really want to know what Lydia does why don't you pick up the phone and call her? Before speaking with blinders on, do your research; you won't look so ignorant.

Robin L. Jernigan

Key West