AKA - Government at it's best!
- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi - Feb 3, 2012
A little known public park on Lower Sugarloaf has been held against it's will unable to serve the public as it would like to for approximately the last two years. In what can only be hoisted as a disturbing pennant of the proverbial "I'm from the Government, I'm here to help," this little gem of the Keys has been commandeered and cut off from public access... at the public's expense of course. Worse than that, with it's care under the watchful eyes of Government, this prime piece of Real Estate has also been removed from the tax rolls.
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Now granted, it is my understanding that this gem was gifted to the State, and I am in the process of finding out more details, but what used to be a slightly overgrown lot, with an old house on it a few years ago, used by locals to watch the sunrise, fish from, and maybe drop a kayak from, has become a pristine park...logically fenced off from use by the public.
I understand budget constraints, but somehow the State was able to spend money to rebuild the seawall and boat ramp, construct the kiosks, level the ground, spread gravel and landscape this pristine piece of paradise. (Let's not get into the fact there was probably a nice contract that was awarded to perform these enhancements.) Yet, ultimately they also spent money to build the large gate at it's entrance, and adorn it with the big ol' lock that secures it from the nasty public, hell bent on entering... and dare I say "enjoying"...this public asset.
So perhaps with budget constraints, our Government can not afford to maintain or insure what they have built and that is the reason this parcel needs to be shut off from public access. It's ironic, because we often hear the rhetoric of how the wealthy have bought up all the water access and restricted open access, but yet here we have an example of our very own government doing exactly the same thing. AT OUR EXPENSE!
Surely we could not trust the public to properly use open land without the amenities of State provided conveniences. Even though the public is doing that exact thing from adjacent property, across the channel, and from the nearby bridge. Surely if the lot was a gift, the State could not risk simply leaving it as natural open land, but instead needed to groom it like a Disney World attraction so that it would be nice to look at from outside the locked gate!
Folks, people say that I'm "radical or extreme" for my suggestion that all levels of government can reduce their budgets by 25% without missing a beat. This is a perfect example of what I am referring to, and it is what the State has done with this property that should be more appropriately dubbed "radical or extreme." Furthermore, I suggest that those reductions can occur, AND the level of service can be increased.
However, if we keep listening to high paid government bureaucrats suggesting that they have "cut to the bone," we will be left with more Parks like this to enjoy.
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- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi - Feb 3, 2012
A little known public park on Lower Sugarloaf has been held against it's will unable to serve the public as it would like to for approximately the last two years. In what can only be hoisted as a disturbing pennant of the proverbial "I'm from the Government, I'm here to help," this little gem of the Keys has been commandeered and cut off from public access... at the public's expense of course. Worse than that, with it's care under the watchful eyes of Government, this prime piece of Real Estate has also been removed from the tax rolls.
.JPG)
Now granted, it is my understanding that this gem was gifted to the State, and I am in the process of finding out more details, but what used to be a slightly overgrown lot, with an old house on it a few years ago, used by locals to watch the sunrise, fish from, and maybe drop a kayak from, has become a pristine park...logically fenced off from use by the public.
So perhaps with budget constraints, our Government can not afford to maintain or insure what they have built and that is the reason this parcel needs to be shut off from public access. It's ironic, because we often hear the rhetoric of how the wealthy have bought up all the water access and restricted open access, but yet here we have an example of our very own government doing exactly the same thing. AT OUR EXPENSE!
Surely we could not trust the public to properly use open land without the amenities of State provided conveniences. Even though the public is doing that exact thing from adjacent property, across the channel, and from the nearby bridge. Surely if the lot was a gift, the State could not risk simply leaving it as natural open land, but instead needed to groom it like a Disney World attraction so that it would be nice to look at from outside the locked gate!
Folks, people say that I'm "radical or extreme" for my suggestion that all levels of government can reduce their budgets by 25% without missing a beat. This is a perfect example of what I am referring to, and it is what the State has done with this property that should be more appropriately dubbed "radical or extreme." Furthermore, I suggest that those reductions can occur, AND the level of service can be increased.
However, if we keep listening to high paid government bureaucrats suggesting that they have "cut to the bone," we will be left with more Parks like this to enjoy.
.JPG)
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