Pinellas Trail needs Fight Club rules
Re: E-bikes, evil intent and elected officials (June 11)
What the Pinellas Trail needs is Fight Club rules.
The first rule: No motorized vehicles permitted.
The second rule: NO motorized vehicles permitted!
At the risk of raising the predictable derisive howls of “but this isn’t where you came from!”, why have so many places that are not Florida figured this out? E-vehicles have no place amongst pedestrians, bicycles, kids, equestrians and even livestock and, in one case I know of, mahout and Elephas maximus, on walking-hiking-biking trails. Other places know this. Why doesn’t Florida?
Contrary to Carl DiOrio’s June 11 claim that the long-needed shift on the Pinellas Trail from guaranteed chaos to the “travel on the right pass on the left” rule was a bad idea, the Trail Authority managed to get that done with great success. Save a few … recalcitrant (this is a family publication) types still shaking liver-spotted fists and insisting that “if it was good enough in 1982 …!” Gone are the knots of walkers and runners on the wrong side, scattering in goggle-eyed panic at the approach of every bicycle moving on the correct side. So too, tourists are no longer left befuddled by that old Opposite Day approach.
So, I am cautiously optimistic that the Pinellas Trail authority can also figure out how to deal with e-bikes, scooters, hoverboards and, for all I know, jet packs by applying the Fight Club rules. Granted, I’ve only been an adult bicyclist for a scant 40 years, but in my limited experience and witnessing the advent of the e-bike/scooter age, local authorities out West, in states with multiple thousands of miles of such trails, quickly acted by posting more Fight Club rule signage and stepping up ticketing/confiscation of offending e-vehicles. Today, other than the occasional yute (if you know, you know) flaunting the rules, you rarely see e-vehicles on the trails in those states.
But if the Pinellas Trail authority is going to obstinately refuse to do as other places successfully do, may I make a suggestion? Hire a mahout and his elephant and let an e-bike or two surprise THAT Trail user.
I think I’d pay to see that.
Mike Schell
Clearwater
Protect mail carriers and your pets
Did anyone bite you at work today? On average, 14 mail carriers per day will say, “Yes.”
Postal Service officials report that in 2025, over 5,200 mail carriers experienced dog bites or dog attacks while just trying to do their jobs. With deliveries every day, including Sundays and holidays, carriers are on the move, and dog bites continue to affect them in all kinds of communities, from busy city streets to suburban driveways and quiet rural roads.
Dog attacks and bites are 100% preventable when dog owners remain vigilant and properly restrain their dogs.
To ensure mail carriers’ safety, dog owners must securely lock their dog in another room until a delivery exchange is done. If a dog is outside, the dog must be leashed away from the mailbox or doorstep as sometimes packages or certified mail require hand delivery all the way to your door. Make sure that moment doesn’t come with risk of injury.
When a carrier feels unsafe, mail service could be stopped, not only for the dog owner, but for the entire neighborhood if the dog is roaming the area. When mail service is stopped, mail must be picked up at the Post Office. Delivery service will not be restored until the dog is properly restrained and the area is deemed safe by the mail carrier.
With your help, we can keep our carriers, your neighbors, and your dogs safe. Thank you for protecting your pet and our mail carriers as we continue to bring packages and other important correspondence to your door each day.
Jessie Davis
Postmaster, St. Petersburg Post Office
Officials should stop the scare tactics
Re: Property tax amendment could lead to significant reductions in services (June 11)
The numbers speak for themselves: According to the city’s own website (Dunedin.gov), the city’s expenses for 2016 were $73,661,808. This year the budget is for $164,436,783. That’s a 223% increase over 10 years. Accounting for inflation should raise the 2016 budget to only $99,000,000. We might account for the additional 166% growth due to population increase and therefore need for more services, but that is not the case. According to Worldpopulationreview.com, Dunedin’s population has actually been decreasing since the census of 2020. In 2016 the population was 36,300. Today it is 35,140. Mayor Freaney has a fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers to account for her increased budget due to inflation and actual growth. Instead, she seems to be resorting to fear mongering in order to further gild her goose.
Roger Shell
Seminole
Fighting to protect Florida’s protected waters
Most residents have never heard of Stevenson Creek, but what is happening here could impact all 43 aquatic preserves in Florida.
Stevenson Creek is a protected estuary within the Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserve system. Despite decades of public investment in restoration and protection, permits have been issued for multi-slip docks in a shallow waterway heavily used by manatees and other wildlife.
Even more concerning, a little-known regulatory loophole allowed a monetary donation to be considered in determining whether the project met the Aquatic Preserve “public interest” standard. This totally contradicts the original intent of Florida’s Aquatic Preserve protections.
More than 1,000 residents have voiced concerns. The Stevenson Creek Advocacy Group (SCAG) is working with agencies and elected officials to restore the original purpose of these regulations and ensure Florida’s protected waters remain protected.
This is about more than one creek. It is about whether special waters designated for preservation will continue to be managed for the benefit of all Floridians.
Sherry Day
Clearwater
President, Stevenson Creek Advocacy Group
Time to examine town’s PD deal
There is a great deal of discussion across Florida about the proposed increase in the homestead exemption and its impact on local government budgets. If property tax revenues are reduced, the town of Indian Shores will face an important question: how should taxpayer dollars be prioritized?
One area deserving closer examination is the police department budget. Indian Shores and Redington Shores share a police department with a combined annual budget of approximately $2.6 million. However, Redington Shores contributes about $600,000, while Indian Shores taxpayers contribute roughly $2 million.
This raises an important question: are Indian Shores residents receiving a fair return on their investment?
For comparison, the city of Indian Rocks Beach, which has a larger population and is approximately twice the size of Indian Shores, operates with a police budget of about $1.4 million. Yet, Indian Shores continues to spend substantially more on law enforcement than neighboring communities.
At the same time, many residents would like to see greater investment in other priorities, including beach preservation, parks, public amenities, infrastructure, and quality-of-life improvements. Residents should also have access to clear and transparent information regarding police department activity and performance. Monthly statistics and operational reports would help taxpayers better understand how their money is being spent.
As budget pressures increase, city leaders will need to decide whether maintaining the current level of police spending remains the best use of public funds. Should Indian Shores continue subsidizing a shared law enforcement arrangement that appears disproportionately costly? Or should the city explore alternatives that could provide comparable public safety services at a lower cost, freeing resources for other community needs?
The coming debate presents an opportunity for residents and elected officials to have an open discussion about priorities, accountability, and the future of Indian Shores.
James Blair
Indian Shores