Friday's letters: Gun control, reclaimed water and more

Gun-control advocates should endorse Supreme Court ruling

To achieve a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, gun owners must be assured that this will not lead to taking away all of their guns.

The best way to do this is for gun-control advocates to publicly endorse the 2008 Supreme Court decision District of Columbia v. Heller.

District of Columbia v. Heller clearly affirms the right under the Second Amendment for Americans to own a gun for personal home protection.

But it also says this right is not unlimited and does not preclude governments from placing restrictions on gun ownership.

Steve Scott, Sarasota

Bill on reclaimed water makes sensible changes

Our state’s continued economic prosperity will depend on satisfying our growing water-supply demands and meeting environmental challenges. Florida is the national leader in reclaimed-water development, and continued reclaimed-water development serves both of these missions.

Contrary to some activists’ assertions, HB 1149 makes common-sense changes to existing permitting processes, which will increase the efficiency and predictability of permitting reclaimed-water projects.

Providing this increased surety assists utilities that are making investments in expanding alternative water-supply and environmental-restoration programs.

The bill accomplishes this while maintaining environmental and public health protections for such projects.

Indeed, for years Florida law has allowed utilities to put properly treated reclaimed water directly into the ground, as long as the reclaimed water complies with comprehensive environmental requirements. That does not change with this bill.

HB 1149 has other good components as well. It establishes within the Florida Department of Environmental Protection a statewide best-management program for wastewater-collection system assessment, investment, rehabilitation and electric-power outage mitigation planning.

Utilities are eager to participate in this innovative “Blue Star” program, which will raise the bar for utility asset management, promote storm resiliency, and reduce sanitary sewer overflows.

Lastly, HB 1149 breathes life into the untapped water-supply potential of the C-51 Reservoir project, which will help satisfy South Florida’s growing water-supply needs while managing regional water flows.

Florida’s reclaimed-water utilities share a commitment to environmental protection and scientifically sound environmental policies. It is with this shared commitment that we support HB 1149.

Lisa Wilson-Davis, President, Florida Water Environment Association Utility Council

The council is made up of local government and private utilities that own and operate wastewater treatment, disposal, reuse and recycling facilities.

Keep Van Wezel to save some of Sarasota's past

Harold Bubil's column Sunday raised good questions about planning for the future of the Bayfront.

In a letter Tuesday, a writer makes a case for doing away with the Van Wezel for reasons of obsolescence and poor usability.

Following that reasoning, there are more than a few other buildings to be removed in our community.

The Belle Haven should go; it's old, suffers from neglect, and is in the way. The Municipal Auditorium is not needed, and neither is G. Wiz.

Just stop maintaining them and they will be obsolete and unsafe in a short time. Then they will deserve to be demolished. And "experts" will be hired to say so. While we are at it, what about the courthouse? It too is old.

These buildings, once gone, would become faint memories like the Ringling Hotel, the train station at Main and Lemon, the train depot at the end of Main Street and other buildings long gone.

I wonder about all that old stuff in Burns Court, those old buildings on lower Main and the Kress building, too — all past their prime. What good are they?

And they are much older than the Van Wezel.

In a city not even 100 years old, why are we so quick to demolish our past? We have little left to preserve now.

Should not the Bayfront redevelopment play a role in preservation?

Let's think hard about removing even more of our past.

Dave Rekow, Sarasota

iRide is a valuable service that city should help fund

I must echo a recent letter writer regarding the funding of iRide. As a city dweller, I can’t praise it enough. It’s a natural. Similar services are offered without problems in countless other places.

When it started, my first thought was, “This is much too good an idea. It won’t last.”

Please, Sarasota, prove me wrong! It adds character to the town, it’s hugely convenient, it’s fun, and it cuts way down on congestion. When I think of the hours I’ve wasted searching for a parking place.

Sarasota wants to be a grown-up city, yet, when it comes to actually doing something, our old provincial side comes galloping to the fore.

As for not tipping: You get picked up at your door, dropped at your destination, retrieved a little later and deposited back home, all for free. And you can’t give your driver a few bucks? It defies belief.

Mariana Cotton, Sarasota