Mayor’s right about marina plan
The headline The News-Journal wrote for Mayor Don Burnette’s letter of May 13 declares the Port Orange marina to be a “nice idea.” Is it? It seems the mayor thinks it’s a bad idea, and I agree.
These proposed 102 deepwater slips will be rented by 102 wealthy owners of 102 deepwater yachts, many if not most of whom will not be residents of Port Orange. These slips may or may not reap a profit, but the business of municipal government is to represent the best interests of municipal taxpayers, not facilitate private profits. Will marina owners build and maintain sufficient exclusive parking areas and access roads to support this marina? Will taxpayers or marina owners pay for the periodic dredging to allow access to these “deepwater” slips and to provide police and fire protection for these 102 million-dollar (plus or minus) yachts? How much insurance coverage will be required of deep-water yacht owners and marina owners to cover damage from fuel spills, fires, septic and toxic spills, hurricane damage, and repair? What’s the bottom line for this deepwater deal, and for whom?
Philip Ewanicki, South Daytona
Fair comment
They’re being “negative” about our president? Oh, boo-hoo. This is America; that’s what we do.
When we’re faced with a top-tier con man who’s bilking his role for millions of dollars, it’s every American’s responsibility to hold him accountable. Foreign governments are booking stratospherically-priced rooms at the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C., and never using them, solely to curry favor with our ego-in-chief.
After promising on the campaign trail to “not take a vacation day, this president is gone from the office at three times the vacation rate of Barack Obama. As of January, Trump’s travel cost us $13.5 million.
Trump’s personal autobiographer noted that he’s never been seen reading a book. The facts surrounding Dear Leader Trump are well documented: Sued over 3,500 times while a businessman for not paying employees and contractors, more than 3,000 lies and misstatements since attaining office, tax cuts of which nearly two-thirds went to the richest 1 percent, and a personal flair for bullying the disabled, minorities, other religions and political opponents.
I spent 20-plus years of my career working in global corporations, the last decade managing brilliant engineers and business people in Europe. Believe me, they recognized Trump the first time he elbowed his way to the front of the photo op at the NATO Summit in Europe. Since then, he has merely cemented world opinions about our sadly unfit president.
Our countrymen and the media are not engaging in “negativity” when evaluating and discussing Trump. We’re doing our jobs as citizens.
Greg Heeter, DeLand
'Run into,' not 'run-in'
Page A5 in Sunday’s edition has an article titled “Netanyahu’s run-in with UAE envoy unusual.”
The term “run-in” is defined in the dictionary as: “A disagreement or fight, especially with someone in an official position.”
However, the article then goes on to state that the meeting was a very cordial and pleasant meeting between the two individuals in a Washington, D.C., restaurant. The headline would suggest that the two had a major disagreement, feeding the idea that Israel and an Arab country had a fight. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Please do not add to fomenting problems in the Middle East with headlines that are exactly the opposite of what actually happened.
James R. Schmook, Port Orange