GOP demolishing education, values
Many thanks to Scott Maxwell for the column “Florida loves anti-gay Christian schools. But Muslim ones?” (Oct. 29)
Republicans have done all they can to demolish free, quality public schools. Beyond the corrupt cash grab, it’s clear how much they love the “uninformed voter,” as the felon in the White House points out.
They are against cancellation until anyone breathes a word of criticism against their newly sainted martyr, Charlie Kirk. They’re against religious discrimination until Muslims also want to feed at the public trough.
They’re against corruption, unless it’s Donald Trump, whose “meme coin” scam seemingly allows foreign governments to bribe him, directly or indirectly. Keep speaking out and speaking up!
James Carbone Fort Lauderdale
Taxation without representation
After reading the Nov. 6 headline, “Justices skeptical of Trump tariffs,” it raises the question: Where are MAGA, Republicans and the conservatives’ rebellion against taxation without representation? Our Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to raise revenues.
There is no emergency; we’re not at war. The only emergency is the Trump economy, where business owners are having to spend payroll funds on tariff taxes, raising prices for consumers and causing layoffs. For a conservative Supreme Court, this seems like a no-brainer, especially since the last time something like this happened, it was enough to fuel a revolution.
William Higgins New Smyrna Beach
Property taxes vital for local rule
Eliminating property taxes in Florida sounds like a homeowner’s dream — until you realize it’s a local government’s nightmare. This $50 billion lifeline funds the sheriffs who patrol your street, the firefighters who save your house, the teachers who educate your kids, and the roads you drive every day. Rip it out, and you don’t just cut taxes; you gut the backbone of Florida’s communities.
The math is merciless. Even if schools are spared (as promised), counties and cities still lose $25–$30 billion overnight. Governor DeSantis says tourists will pay the tab. But tourism taxes already max out at 6% in most counties and brought in just $2 billion last year. That’s a rounding error against the hole left behind.
Raise sales taxes to 11-15%? You’ll hammer working families already stretched by insurance and rent. Slash services? Rural counties like Liberty or Glades will go bankrupt before the next hurricane hits. And “efficiency audits”? That’s code for closing libraries, delaying ambulances, and praying the next storm doesn’t come.
Property taxes aren’t perfect, but they’re stable, local and tied to the value you build in your community. Replace them with volatile tourist fees or regressive sales hikes, and you trade predictability for chaos. Florida’s boom was built on reliable services — not IOUs from out-of-state visitors.
Beware of the “no property tax” propaganda. It’s not freedom; it’s a fiscal cliff with a beach view.
Bill DeBusk West Melbourne
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