Power grab

The Spring Lake Improvement District Board of Supervisors are again violating their oaths of office and are not doing the will of the people. They are now asking the state Legislature for broad new powers that through assessment powers would drive many senior homeowners into foreclosure. These are trying times for many seniors who are on fixed incomes. We are nationwide in the greatest financial crunch that America has ever seen.

Many homeowners will not weather the financial storm. If this "power grab" is allowed to take place, the residents of Spring Lake subdivision are facing what is perhaps the most serious attempt by a public body to change forever the character, feel and cost associated with living here.

There is nothing worse in Florida or nation than corrupt public officials. The problem seems to be the attitude of the bureaucrats working in state and federal agencies. They don't believe or cannot understand that they actually work for the public. They seem to forget that public taxes pay their salaries.

Some bureaucrats are under the mistaken impression that they are working in government merely to enhance their own comfort. Fortunately President Carter, under his administration, recognized the problem of bureaucrats' non-responsiveness to the public. When taking office he listened to story after story of bureaucrats' apathy, rudeness, irresponsibility. He heard where American citizens got the run around from public employees. Carter was the first president to do something about this problem. He got legislation through the Congress that had a sobering effect on many bureaucrats. Under this legislation, a bureaucrat can be fired if there are a certain number of reports from citizens charging him with being rude and showing apathy to the public.

This rule governing bureaucrats' behavior with the public is encouraging and long overdue. The Legislature should not accept the proposed changes by the Spring Lake Improvement District.

The Spring Lake homeowners are almost 100 percent against any changes. To grant excessive power to temporarily elected officials to enter into contracts that will last many years is insane.

Billie E. Jewett
Sebring