Where has your money gone?
Larry Evans' recent editorial [linked to, see above] concerning the "good old boys" and the Venice Taxpayers League controversy was right on the money. Most of the people who came here in the past wanted to be left alone to play golf, bingo or bridge. They came to Venice to relax. To completely retire. Their motto was, "Don't bother me with details."

Now there is a different breed of newcomer entering the Venice scene. Their motto is, " Please explain that again, slowly." Things are beginning to change and "good old" perceptions are beginning to give way to "good old" common sense. However, let's take a closer look at the controversy between the "good old boys" and the Venice Taxpayers League.

The "good old boys" including their various business/fraternal organizations and PACs have always sworn fealty to the citizens of Venice while kneeling to, saluting and carrying out the wishes of Venice's 4B group: Bankers, Business Interests, Barristers (a small group) and Builders.

Take a long hard look at where a good portion of the real money -- your taxes -- has been spent over the last several years. From very fancy and expensive lamp posts, expensive street clocks and giving big bucks to a private "for-profit" business to help them buy a building. From purchasing expensive near-beach land for a parking lot to helping a loyal member of "the club" find a way to beat the system and build a saloon/restaurant for his own financial gain.

City Council has bent over backwards, sideways and turned our pockets inside out to help entice tourists, beachgoers and shoppers into our city. For the good of the average citizen of Venice or for the good of the Venice business community and their representatives? You be the judge and it doesn't take that long to figure out the answer.

Finn Caspersen
The Venice Taxpayers League was formed in 1955 by Finn Caspersen who, after careful consideration, felt that no one else, including the Venice City Council or the local "power group," was properly representing the majority of Venice's citizens -- the average Joe and Mary Taxpayer of Venice. He made no bones as to who his constituents were and neither have any of his successors. The VTL has never represented any interests but those of the taxpayers of this city.

Take a long hard look at the other organizations in this city. Start with the Chamber and work your way down. Whose interests do they represent?

There is nothing illegal about business or even social groups representing business or "good old boy" interests but their claim that they do it for the good of everyone in Venice just doesn't seem to ring true. Remember the old adage, "What's good for General Motors, etc." Again! Whose interests do they really represent?

Two important things happened at the November 12th Venice Council meetings. Three local citizens with over a hundred petition signatures asked council not to pass what the Planning Commission had granted to a local developer and his lawyer regarding the height of a proposed condo complex bordering their homes. They were also concerned that the paving over of more land would cause flooding in their already flood prone area. Council was very sympathetic but passed the project with a 100% vote.

In the second happening, a resident complained that building crews near him were starting their noise at 6AM every day except Sunday. The law says that Saturday is a 9AM day. A representative of the developer, who was obviously interested in speed building, claimed that he could not control the small independent contractors who came into the area through back streets. Council asked if he could change 6AM to 7AM on Saturdays and he decided he could control them. Council voted unanimously and the law was only two-thirds bent to speed-build homes.

Proper representation ≠ equal representation
Evans' editorial is a step in the right direction on a long road towards proper representation -- not equal representation. Proper means that the interests of the citizens and taxpayers of Venice and the rest of Sarasota County should come first. The result would be that taxes will certainly come down as things look up.