Page 5 - Florida Sentinel 9-25-18

Editorial/Columns
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‘What Does The Future Look Like For The Next Generation?’
chools and transportation are the
two major factors that people con- sider when looking at starting a busi- ness or where to raise a family. In November, we have the opportunity to invest in both with countywide referen- dums. The passage of both is critical to our future and the futures of our chil- dren and grandchildren.
As we debate the merits of these amendments, we must ask ourselves a simple question: “What does the future look like for the next generation?”
Hillsborough County is the fifth fastest growing county in the nation and it is expected to grow by another 200,000 people in the next 10 years. Traffic congestion and unsafe streets are only going to continue to de- teriorate without intervention. There have been 1,037 deaths on Hillsborough County roads over the last ten years – and far too many of those victims were children.
So, I ask how can we not act?
Over the next ten years, thousands of new students will enroll in Hillsbor- ough County Schools, who are already facing the need to build 20 new schools and address a backlog of maintenance issues, like working air conditioning. We wouldn’t leave our kids in a hot car for a few minutes to run into a store, so why would we allow them to sit in hot classrooms all day?
Fortunately, we can do something about this today by voting yes on both county amendments. Both investments are critical and will pay off for the next gen- eration. The days of comparing our- selves to smaller counties that don’t have nearly the population or job growth that we have has long past. While no one likes the idea of in- creased taxes, the small contribution from each of us, together, is an investment that will pay off for decades to come.
While some of our political leaders have failed to make the needed invest- ments, we shouldn’t hold back progress because we don’t like what they have (or haven't) done - regardless of the issue at hand. If anything, our disap- pointment should be the motivation that allows us to bypass their inaction.
Citizens of Hillsborough County came together and collected more
than 77,000 signatures to place the transportation referendum on the bal- lot.
And under the pressure of more un- funded mandates put on our schools by the state legislature, the school district placed the referendum for schools on the ballot directly for voters to decide. The state's recent failure to properly fund our schools is exempli- fied in the miniscule 47 cents per stu- dent based allocation funding “increase” Hillsborough County Public Schools recently received.
Both amendments are written to en- sure money will only go to specific pur- poses that will solidify the future.
The transportation amendment pro- vides for 45% of its funding to improve HART and make it into a transit system that people can depend on, with 55% tied to road improvements that will im- prove intersections, computerized traf- fic lights, and fix 450 miles of our most dangerous streets, saving over 800 lives.
The education referendum will only provide funding for specific capital im- provements like air conditioning, main- tenance, technology and school security; not salaries or administrative costs. That way, our teachers can focus on teaching our children, instead of dealing with rising temperatures, un- comfortable students and overcrowd- ing schools. This is our chance to come together, collectively as a community, and make the investments that matter to us.
Years from now, our children shouldn’t have to fight the battles we are capable of handling today. We can- not kick the can down the road. As study after study has proven, reliable and efficient transportation options and strong public schools generate greater economic opportunities that impact us all. These are investments that everyone in the community will benefit from no matter where they live in Hillsborough County.
We can take ownership of these is- sues and secure our region’s standing as an economic engine for the state for decades to come with a small invest- ment this November. Vote Yes for transportation AND education.
EDWIN NARAIN Tampa, FL
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C. Blythe Andrews 1901-1977 (1945)
C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. 1930-2010 (1977)
Choices Made And Lessons Which Follow
ou be the judge. Should the misdeeds of an in-
toxicated seventeen-year-old boy haunt him for the rest of his life and keep him from assuming mem- bership among one of the most elite fraternities in the world: The United States Supreme Court?
As we said earlier, you be the judge. But before you cast your opinion, make certain to recite the age-old scripture, “Judge not lest ye be judged.”
But right is right. And wrong is wrong.
And what kind of person were you during your formative former years in high school? What kinds of mischief did you get into (if any at all) or think about getting into (if any at all)? And but for the grace of God, what kept you from committing felonies and languishing years behind prison bars?
Your response is probably wise and predictable. You state, “No, my juvenile years were not spotless, but I am not presently running for a seat of Supreme Court Justice.” And your contention is credible if for no other reason than the fact that being a supreme public servant deserves a supreme degree of moral and constitutional trust.
But, nobody is perfect. Everybody makes mistakes, argues your teenage son, daughter or grandchild. Perhaps, this dialogue and the argument that follows is a good way of introducing your young loved ones to the realm of what it means to become an adult.
You know you’re grown when you realize that only you are responsible for the things you do.
So it is that a Supreme Court justice candidate is beset by the ghosts of his past. So it also is, that young folks throughout America must silently observe and learn that atonement is more than just a word.
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5