By Jennifer Sullivan, “Area coordinator for the Florida State Green Party, Spring Hill” in the Dec. 3 St. Petersburg Times:

Bring in change that helps people

Nationally we look to be changing for the better, politically. But locally and statewide? We look to be in a red county after all. In a frenzy for change we left in what many say is a puppet-like, do-nothing District 44 state representative, Robert Schenck; U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite flip-flopped once again after getting re-elected. Before Election Day she fiercely opposed the bailout, but now (safely back in D.C. for two more years) she’s thinking some bail-outs may be okay.

Will this county continue to favor the building industry and be anti-people? In goes yet another approval of a Wal-Mart, including the huge space-wasting parking lot. Where are the sidewalks for children and families to safely walk on to get healthful fresh air and exercise? What’s up with so few plans for bike lanes and better mass transit? Will dumb road project boondoggles continue to dominate? (Elgin Boulevard comes to mind.)

Instead of spending tons of taxpayer dollars for a dazzling new judicial center, can we give the public back some of the learning facilities? How about re-instating the libraries’ regular hours? Isn’t it much better for teens to hang out at the library? By taking that option away, will we feed the new judicial building? What priorities make the most sense: education and opportunities or suppression and punishment?

Can this new commission really tackle progressive and refreshing change by thinking real and sustainable citizens benefits as they spend the citizens’ tax dollars? How about creating a solar field in the center of Spring Hill in the dried-up Lake Theresa area? There are approximately 468 acres of zoned agriculture surrounding this lake that can be utilized. Opening the minds and doors to a project like this would create good jobs and reduce our need for the dangerous and costly dinosaur of nuclear power generation.

What if our county invested in recruiting solar experts and implemented this project? The county could then sell this clean energy to the surrounding homes. This would greatly reduce the need for more power lines that are owned by companies that will bill us for the inconvenience anyway. Let’s also think of requiring big-box stores to install solar panels on their roofs and make the most of that unused space!

In this time of need, it would behoove the upper echelon of county government to take a 10 percent pay cut, since tax funds are down. That would show change in the better direction! Need more ideas on a better direction? See gp.org.

Jennifer Sullivan,

Area coordinator for the Florida State Green Party, Spring Hill