Monday's letters: Short-term rentals, politics and more

Monday
Jan 8, 2018 at 5:12 AM

Maybe UN should regulate short-term rentals

Thanks for the detailed editorial laying out the common-sense reasons for having different levels of government deal with different levels of human problems.

If we push state Sen. Greg Steube's stupid bill on short-term rentals to its logical conclusion, all of our daily living problems would be handled by the federal government. Or even the United Nations?

Tom Macdonald, Sarasota

AirBnB property raises neighbor's concerns

Thank you for the great article on short-term rentals. I have experienced this firsthand the past two months.

I live in a development off Proctor Road and have had short-term rentals next door. There were as many as three families at a time, parties and loud noise. Also had as many as eight adults at a time.

In a situation like this, you have no idea who these people are or what you may expect. What was very concerning is that many times the renters would be taking pictures and videos of the neighbors and their homes. I am not sure what that was about. Yes, these are nice homes, but we are 10 miles from the beach.

The situation was reported to Sarasota County and they were working on shutting this operation down, but their wheels turn slowly. It was also reported to our home owners association with very little concern there. These rentals were advertised through AirBnB.

I am surprised that the motel and hotel industry puts up with this. These types of rentals should remain with their industry, as it is set up to handle the traffic and other problems.

Terry Bair, Sarasota

Political donations show who the public supports

In November 2017, as reported by CNN, the Democratic National Committee had $6.3 million in its coffers; the Republican National Committee had $39.8 million.

That tells the story, not the media, not the talking heads, not the Hollywood elite. Real people donating hard-earned money and businesses that believe in President Trump's policies.

If you wonder who the public supports, follow the donation trail. People don't donate to causes they don't believe in.

Virginia Sparks, Rotonda West

Former independent rebels against Republican policies

For most of the 50 years I've been a registered voter, I've proudly been a committed independent. The past several years have changed that, and I've rebelled against what I've seen as regressive, mean, backward and outright stupid policies by Republicans. So I've become a registered Democrat.

I believe in most of the positions of today's Democratic Party, but I voted for some Republicans when I thought it was appropriate. No more.

Our congressman, Vern Buchanan, decided to join almost all other Republicans and voted in favor of the outrageous, unfair and harmful tax giveaway package pushed by Donald Trump and the Republican Party elite. (And, of course, by their wealthy "donors".)

I voted for Buchanan last election. No more! Buchanan is very rich, so he just voted to give himself (and Trump) a huge tax break, despite knowing what that will do to hurt lower-income Americans, increase our deficit and do massive harm to our country.

I pledge that I will never vote for any person running as a Republican for any office. I encourage other caring Americans to pledge the same.

Dan Awalt, Bradenton

Species of 'deadly foe' found in American waters

The fascinating article by Billy Cox in the Herald-Tribune of Jan. 2 (“Vietnam war survivor faces another deadly foe”) contained one misleading statement.

He wrote that “liver flukes … are alien to American ecosystems.” This is true of the species that infected John Ball, but not of all liver flukes.

When I attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, some friends of mine and I would hike in the mountains west of Boulder in our spare time. We were warned by a faculty member — a biology professor, as I recall — not to drink any of the nice, clear water in any of the mountain streams. He told us there was a slight danger of contracting liver flukes from the water.

The species he was referring to was undoubtedly Fasciola hepatica, known as the common liver fluke or sheep liver fluke. This species is found throughout most of North America, including Colorado. Our adviser told us that the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep was a known carrier of this pathogen. We did not drink any of the water in those streams.

Internet sources indicate that opisthorchiasis, a parasitic disease caused by species of the genus Opisthorchis is the leading cause of cholangiocarcinoma in Thailand and Laos. This species is restricted to Southeast Asia.

G. David Thayer, Sarasota

Monday
Jan 8, 2018 at 5:12 AM

Maybe UN should regulate short-term rentals

Thanks for the detailed editorial laying out the common-sense reasons for having different levels of government deal with different levels of human problems.

If we push state Sen. Greg Steube's stupid bill on short-term rentals to its logical conclusion, all of our daily living problems would be handled by the federal government. Or even the United Nations?

Tom Macdonald, Sarasota

AirBnB property raises neighbor's concerns

Thank you for the great article on short-term rentals. I have experienced this firsthand the past two months.

I live in a development off Proctor Road and have had short-term rentals next door. There were as many as three families at a time, parties and loud noise. Also had as many as eight adults at a time.

In a situation like this, you have no idea who these people are or what you may expect. What was very concerning is that many times the renters would be taking pictures and videos of the neighbors and their homes. I am not sure what that was about. Yes, these are nice homes, but we are 10 miles from the beach.

The situation was reported to Sarasota County and they were working on shutting this operation down, but their wheels turn slowly. It was also reported to our home owners association with very little concern there. These rentals were advertised through AirBnB.

I am surprised that the motel and hotel industry puts up with this. These types of rentals should remain with their industry, as it is set up to handle the traffic and other problems.

Terry Bair, Sarasota

Political donations show who the public supports

In November 2017, as reported by CNN, the Democratic National Committee had $6.3 million in its coffers; the Republican National Committee had $39.8 million.

That tells the story, not the media, not the talking heads, not the Hollywood elite. Real people donating hard-earned money and businesses that believe in President Trump's policies.

If you wonder who the public supports, follow the donation trail. People don't donate to causes they don't believe in.

Virginia Sparks, Rotonda West

Former independent rebels against Republican policies

For most of the 50 years I've been a registered voter, I've proudly been a committed independent. The past several years have changed that, and I've rebelled against what I've seen as regressive, mean, backward and outright stupid policies by Republicans. So I've become a registered Democrat.

I believe in most of the positions of today's Democratic Party, but I voted for some Republicans when I thought it was appropriate. No more.

Our congressman, Vern Buchanan, decided to join almost all other Republicans and voted in favor of the outrageous, unfair and harmful tax giveaway package pushed by Donald Trump and the Republican Party elite. (And, of course, by their wealthy "donors".)

I voted for Buchanan last election. No more! Buchanan is very rich, so he just voted to give himself (and Trump) a huge tax break, despite knowing what that will do to hurt lower-income Americans, increase our deficit and do massive harm to our country.

I pledge that I will never vote for any person running as a Republican for any office. I encourage other caring Americans to pledge the same.

Dan Awalt, Bradenton

Species of 'deadly foe' found in American waters

The fascinating article by Billy Cox in the Herald-Tribune of Jan. 2 (“Vietnam war survivor faces another deadly foe”) contained one misleading statement.

He wrote that “liver flukes … are alien to American ecosystems.” This is true of the species that infected John Ball, but not of all liver flukes.

When I attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, some friends of mine and I would hike in the mountains west of Boulder in our spare time. We were warned by a faculty member — a biology professor, as I recall — not to drink any of the nice, clear water in any of the mountain streams. He told us there was a slight danger of contracting liver flukes from the water.

The species he was referring to was undoubtedly Fasciola hepatica, known as the common liver fluke or sheep liver fluke. This species is found throughout most of North America, including Colorado. Our adviser told us that the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep was a known carrier of this pathogen. We did not drink any of the water in those streams.

Internet sources indicate that opisthorchiasis, a parasitic disease caused by species of the genus Opisthorchis is the leading cause of cholangiocarcinoma in Thailand and Laos. This species is restricted to Southeast Asia.

G. David Thayer, Sarasota

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