Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Times
Saturday, December 4, 1976, page 5 (of 22)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
opinion / • editorials / • commentary / • letters / Is this trip necessary?
This week more than 200 members of Florida government, ranging from the high and mighty to the lesser known, left their Tallahassee sanctuary for a four-day, all-expense paid weekend in Dade County. The invitation to "Come On Down," was extended by various county municipalities (the City of Coral Gables included), Chamber of Commerce groups, private businesses and other local organizations. They all chipped in $100,000 to wine and dine our good legislators in the hope that, after getting a taste of the fine life down south, they will go back up north better attuned to the needs and wants of the county. To give this junket some semblance of respectability, it's being billed as, "Bicentennial Legislative Appreciation Week," which just goes to show that you can get away with almost anything during this bicentennial year. The idea of luring elected public officials with paid vacations and cocktail parties in fancy hotels is contradictory to good, responsive government. We see nothing wrong with private organizations and businesses shelling out their money to furnish elected lawmakers with paid junkets, but, when public funds are used for this purpose, we have to wonder. The City of Coral Gables contributed $3,500 in public funds towards the festivities and, during these times of tight budgets, that money very easily could have been spent locally on more worthwhile causes. Schools, police departments, social welfare programs are all screaming for money, but our city fathers can never find enough for them. Somehow, though, they can manage to come up with money to entertain politicians and their wives. The planners and proponents of the junket have said, what's $3,500 or $100,000 for that matter, when millions of dollars in legislation beneficial to Dade County are at stake. But what assurances do we have that these legislators will go back to Tallahassee any more sympathetic to the needs of Dade County than when they arrived? And if they did, we'd have to ask — is this any way to run a government?
the gables publishing company
serving south dade and coral gables since 1926 jim storey general manager bea moss managing editor bill mc hugh circulation manager address: 4627 ponce de leon blvd. coral gables, fla. 33146 telephone: 666-7981
Christmas shopper
Photo by DOROTHY STEIN Christmas shopper Yes, folks, it definitely IS that time of year when Christmas shopping is at the top of everyone's must-do list. But wait. What's this? We thought Santa had elves and other little people to help him. Oh, well, perhaps he's buying a present for Mrs. Claus and figured word would get out what it was if he got it at his friendly North Pole drugstore outlet instead of this one in South Dade.
reader response / Ban smoking on commercial flights
EDITOR: If you have ever sat in the last seat of the nonsmoking section of an airplane with chain smokers just behind you, you will soon learn that nonsmoking sections do not work. You should urge the Civil Aeronautics Board to ban all smoking — cigarettes, cigars and pipes — on commercial airline flights. The health of nonsmokers is a far more important right than the right of persons to smoke. There are a great many persons who defy the Dade County ordinance banning smoking in stores, and most of these lawbreakers are most defiant if told about the ordinance indicating that they are well aware of the ordinance and that it is not enforced. I would suggest that a few plainclothesmen be hired to enforce the ordinance. A few stiff fines, would cause the practice of smoking in stores to cease, and the fines would more than pay the salaries of the plainclothesmen. The persons hired should be told that this would be temporary employment, and all but one employe could be discharged when smokers learn that they cannot defy our laws. WILLIAM R. ANGLE 15600 SW 77th Ct.
Thanks for your confidence
EDITOR: I wish to take this opportunity to thank you for your endorsement of my candidacy for State Representative during the 1976 election process. You have been very kind in your expressions of confidence in my ability. My legislative office will open shortly. If I can be of any assistance, please call on me at any time. I trust I can call upon you for guidance and advice in the days ahead. ROBERTA FOX State Representative District 110
Letters welcome
The Times/Guide welcomes letters and commentary on matters of local interest and import. Letters submitted must be signed to be considered for publication, but names will be withheld upon request. Letters may be edited on the basis of space considerations.