Semrad right to defend Split Oak
Orange County Commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad’s intuition and foresight are correct in calling for outside counsel to fight the Central Florida Expressway Authority and its latest attempt to grab more county land for Split Oak Forest (“Orange commissioner wants new attorneys to fight Split Oak toll road,” Jan. 27). Having attended many Board of County Commissioners meetings, I believe that Orange County’s in-house attorneys lack the tenacity and resolve to engage in this kind of fight. They are too careful and too restrained, considering that the fight to preserve Split Oak Forest was fairly and squarely voted on by the voters, and has since been put through enough alterations and changes to qualify as a meat grinder. This is another case when the vested interests do not like the results, so they move to change the rules. Most recently, it happened with the preemption of Vision 2050 and last year’s HB 180, once again denying Orange County voters their voting rights. It seems to me that Semrad is not only trying to reverse an incontrovertible abuse of power but is also standing up for our constitutional rights. Her stand echoes the great abolitionist statesman, Charles Sumner, “anything for human rights is constitutional.”
Nelson Betancourt Orlando
Nelson Betancourt is a declared candidate for District 3 on the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.
Frost should stay close to home
It goes without saying that the recent assault on Central Florida congressman Maxwell Frost was appalling (“Arrest made after assault on Rep. Frost at Sundance Film Festival,” Jan. 27). But is it off base to question why Frost thought it appropriate to attend a film festival in Colorado when there are news reports that ICE has been searching the Metro Orlando area for a facility to house immigration detainees? The optics do not look good as he hobnobs with the wealthy while some people in his district fear arrest and deportation. Message to Frost: don’t get too full of yourself.
Jim Philips Winter Park
Suspend agents accused of killing Pretti
This should be unbelievable, but somehow, it’s not. The federal agents implicated in the killing of Alex Pretti are still on the job, just reassigned to a different area. Now, forgetting for the moment that we all saw the video of this man’s death, there’s a reason law enforcement agencies across the country routinely put any officer involved in a shooting, let alone a death, on administrative leave. And it’s not just for a “use of force investigation,” though clearly that should be the No. 1 reason here.
It’s so the officer can deal with what has happened. Because no matter how justified, I believe shooting someone and/or killing them comes with a weight, one you’ll carry for the rest of your life (at least if you’re a decent human being) and that takes time to deal with.
And because no law enforcement agencies want an officer on the streets who’s a danger to the public or themselves. Except for the federal agencies in Minneapolis, that is.
Alan J. Beam Orlando
Biden hurt this country
Regarding the oh-so-pithy submission by the Jan. 22 letter-writer (“Biden’s opposing view”) who quoted Joe Biden’s inaugural address:
This reader actually still stands by Joe Biden and the irreparable harm he did to this country over the four years of his so-called leadership? Amazing.
Wayne Windham Winter Park
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