Re: Vote YES on the Water Referendum

To the Residents of the Village of Pinecrest:

I read the Water Referendum positions by Cherri Ball, Bob Ross and James McDonald. I was very disappointed in Mr. Ross’ and Mr. McDonald’s position to vote against the water referendum

With respect to Mr. Ross saying that by giving those of us in Pinecrest water who do not currently have water the VOP is giving the water lines to the county is absurd. We need the water and the county is not going to pay for it. I assume Mr. Ross has water which is good for him and not good for those of us that do not. I am very surprised that he would take that position.

However, even worse was Mr. McDonald who currently serves as a VOP council member. He stated “The inescapable fact is Pinecrest was not incorporated to provide potable water to its residents!” Mr. McDonald, Pinecrest to incorporated to benefit all the residents of Pinecrest and getting us water is one of those benefits along with having police protection and other services. To say that getting us water was not one of the goals of Pinecrest is close minded. You have a duty as a commissioner to ensure that all the residents of the VOP have a better life and your stance against the water is directly contrary to that.

You also state the unfairness of taxing the entire Village to pay for county water lines. That is not unfair for those of us who do not have water. Residents pay for a lot of services that most of us do not use. For example, I was on the committee for the Community Center when we expanded the gym and services to the elderly. Does that mean that those who don not use the Community Center should not share in the cost? Maybe those that do not use the Community Center should get a $100 tax credit each year.

For some reason both Mr. McDonald and Mr. Ross do not understand the burden of not having county water. Twenty years ago I discussed the same issue with then mayor. Gary Matzner. With all due respect to Gary, he failed well to understand the issue. Had he done what I suggested, most of the bond would have been paid off by now.

If Mr. McDonald believes that is the County’s responsibility to bring us water, then the VOP should sue the county on behalf of Pinecrest to bring the water in. We know that will not be done. So I urge all VOP residents to vote YES on the referendum.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Eric P. Littman
Eric P. Littman
EPL/ica


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4 COMMENTS

  1. Mr. Littman,

    Comparing the Community Center use or non-use to taxing everyone for water hook up is apples to oranges. No one will be able to use the water for those getting the entire village to pay for the water hook up to their houses.

    Taxing many for the benefit of a few is not the American way or the neighborly way. This is not a public project as everyone for it wants everyone to believe.

    How about reimbursing the Village property owners who had to pay to hook up to the water service? Seems like they should benefit as well. Perhaps a discount on their taxes instead of an increase?

  2. Well said Eric Littman. In addition, what both Bob Ross and Jim McDonald fail to mention is that when the county contributed the $3.4 million to the Village, the county documented a clear expectation that they fully expected the Village of Pinecrest to COMPLETE the project. Look up the documents associated with the GOB contribution. It very clearly said the Village is expected to complete the project. Those were the conditions under which the Village council accepted those funds in 2007. So to say that the county should finish the project flies in the face of the GOB funding documents !
    It was our hope for the past 10 years that we might be able to access federal or state funds to help us finish the project. However, I came to the conclusion at the end of my term that we had no other option but to go forward and fund it ourselves. I asked the council to consider it in 2016 and the council at that time punted it over to the current mayor and council. So here we are.

  3. I agree completely with you, Eric Littman. I would also like to add that YES, WE DO pay for the water lines that were added from 2008 to 2010, following the 2007 GOB. We all pay for that on our taxes as County Wide Debt Service. My amount was $116.36 in my most recent tax bill. And further, James McDonald should be ashamed of himself for taking this stance while functioning as a sitting Council member. As you said, Pinecrest was incorporated to make life better for all of its citizens, and to leave over 10% of residences with no access to county water lines is not making an improvement…NOT AT ALL. I do not use the gym, the tennis centers, or Pinecrest Gardens. I would not have spent our money on the curved lighting on Kendall Drive. Yet these are improvements upon which our Council has voted. To me, water goes well beyond that. It is a health, safety, and hygiene issue. PLEASE VOTE YES FOR FIRE PROTECTION AND WATER LINES!

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