To all those helping with hurricane relief in the Tampa Bay area: Thank you!| Letters

Thanks to the helpers

A lightning bolt honors power company workers during hurricane reopening | October 15

Thanks to the Tampa Bay Lightning for honoring the repair crew from Vancouver, Canada during the October 15th game. We at Leighton Drive in the Lake Egypt area have our very own team to thank. My neighbor’s 50-foot oak tree fell, luckily missing houses and cars but blocking our cul-de-sac. A Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputy was here Saturday morning after the storm and said he had a crew of guys out to cut the tree down. I thought he was referring to a reliable crew of landscape design vagabonds who travel around looking for business. But within half an hour, a team of five Brevard County sheriff’s deputies from the Marines and canine units showed up. They cleared the street in half an hour, and refused the several hundred dollars we collected for them. Real heroes.

David Lubin, Tampa

Lack of endorsement

The Times editorial board did not recommend the president. That’s why. | Editorial office, October 28

Sad and sad decision. You may regret not speaking out against fascism and press freedom when it mattered most.

Cameron DilleyChicago

Makes sense

The Times editorial board did not recommend the president. That’s why. | Editorial office, October 28

The explanation of how and why the editorial board makes recommendations was perfect. Your recommendations will always help in making voting decisions.

James GillespieSt. Petersburg

A weak argument

The Times editorial board did not recommend the president. That’s why. | Editorial office, October 28

Sometimes courage is about stating the obvious, such as an “emperor without clothes” or supporting a smart, moral presidential candidate. Not doing so is a weakness, as evidenced by the Times editorial board’s feeble attempt to abandon the president’s recommendation when it was most needed. I never thought I’d see a candidate openly promote the worst in us and get support for it. It’s not the country I grew up in, and it’s certainly not what millions of people died for.

If we are all crawling in the mud to fascism, then what is the point of democracy? When the respected media silenced their voices, what have we become? As I unsubscribe, I am saddened by this realization and hope that we as a nation will have the courage to vote against hatred, bigotry and the denial of freedom. God, help us all on November 5 and beyond.

Carolyn FaySafety Harbor

Show some courage

The Times editorial board did not recommend the president. That’s why. | Editorial office, October 28

I agree that local candidate editorial board recommendations are more valuable to readers than national office recommendations. I also sympathize with the difficult choices you have to make in the face of limited resources. But we’re talking about two races that are also incredibly important: President and US Senate.

Two of the candidates, former President Donald Trump and Senator Rick Scott, are well-known public figures and have likely been well-researched by your editorial board in previous election cycles. That leaves two candidates — Kamala Harris and Debbie Mukarsel-Powell — who will demand more of your time. You have impoverished your readers by not doing this work.

Sherman ZentGulfport

Restore CIT

Hillsborough needs to reinstate the community investment tax. That’s why | Column on October 25

As young professionals, we have high expectations for the quality of life in our communities. We look for vibrant neighborhoods with access to parks, cultural facilities, and safe public spaces—all of which promote a rich lifestyle. This is what drew many of us to the Tampa Bay community and why we continue to stay here.

Reinstating the Community Investment Tax means continued funding for vital projects that benefit all residents of Hillsborough County. These are not just abstract concepts; they directly affect our daily lives. These projects include recreation and entertainment investments throughout the county, from Apollo Beach to North Brandon, Westshore and Carrollwood. It also includes projects that enhance our public safety by investing in nine additional fire stations in parts of Hillsborough County where our population has grown exponentially.

The CIT upgrade also includes investments in transportation infrastructure improvements to reduce congestion and improve intersection safety, meaning less time spent commuting and more time for personal and professional development.

Reinstating this critical funding stream from which we all benefit is just that—reinstating the existing half percent sales tax. Voting to renew CIT is more than a powerful statement of our commitment to a prosperous, sustainable future. It is an opportunity to shape the landscape in which we live and work. Your voice matters. Let’s use it to invest in a better tomorrow by voting to renew CIT.

Chris Yanes, Tampa

The writer is an attorney with Baker Barrios and Vice Chair of Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay.

Not so fast

Hillsborough needs to reinstate the community investment tax. That’s why | Column on October 25

A recent opinion piece by Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister and County Commissioner Harry Cohen tries to make a strong case for a community investment tax and mentions that it is “… not a new tax or a tax increase.” However, the column failed to mention that the percentage of the tax that would go to the school district was reduced from 25% to 5% because some of the county commissioners had a teenage hissy fit after the school board had the audacity to demand a separate referendum on raising employee pay. schools

Voters should be aware of this “bait and switch” and vote against CIT and force the County Commission to put CIT on a future ballot with the same 25% percentage for schools that voters approved in 1996.

Tim WoodallValrico