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Sunday's letters: What to do about the National Flood Insurance Program

 
Published July 20, 2018

Time's running out on flood insurance | Column, July 18

Kill the flood insurance program

The Republican ethos (Sen. Marco Rubio) is that government should not interfere in markets and that privatization should be implemented whenever possible. That is their mantra. That said, if home buyers and builders choose to live or build in high risk areas, they are also responsible for reducing their risk with insurance. Florida has covered its waterfronts, riversides, wetlands and lowlands with risky housing. Up next to St. Joe's National Park, one of the most serene beaches on the planet, is private development so thick there is barely space to park between beach houses. The drive on A1A from Fort Lauderdale to Miami is so thick with development that one is fortunate to catch an occasional glimpse of the ocean between the condos.

So be it, but if owners choose to build in places that have a high risk of being blown away or flooded sooner or later, it is not government's place to help pay for their insurance. Buyer beware, as the Milton Friedman people would say. Government is the problem, per Ronald Reagan. Private insurers will figure the costs and pass those on to the buyers. They are the professionals. We can choose to pay or not. That's how the private market works. Isn't it?

Congress should do away completely with the National Flood Insurance Program. Surely the private markets will by-and-by correct properly.

Thomas Maciocha, Tampa

No government subsidy

Funny how a Republican senator from Florida is touting how it would be in everyone's best interest to have government continue to subsidize private insurance policies for citizens owning property in the proximity of rising water. And here I thought Republicans wanted less government involvement.

Darryl David, St. Petersburg

Extend, then fix NFIP

Sen. Marco Rubio is correct: Congress needs to agree upon a long-term solution for the indebted National Flood Insurance Program. While a lapse in the NFIP would be detrimental to Floridians, simply extending a broken program for six months without reforms will leave homeowners vulnerable across the state.

As Rubio mentions, the NFIP has borrowed tens of billions of dollars from taxpayers and Floridians have been left without their fair share of coverage. The nearly 1.8 million policyholders across the state deserve a better flood insurance program and, now that the program is set to expire again, Congress should prioritize finding solutions.

The NFIP needs to be reformed to protect taxpayers and conserve floodplains that provide valuable natural defenses from storms and important wildlife habitat. While updating antiquated floodplain maps using modern technology is important, moving toward a system of risk-based rates, restoring natural floodplains, investing in mitigation efforts and allowing more private insurers to participate in the flood insurance marketplace are equally substantial.

As Floridians know all too well, flooding is the most frequent natural disaster across our nation. Adopting for common-sense NFIP reforms, such as discouraging risky construction in vulnerable natural floodplains, could save taxpayers millions annually and make the NFIP solvent for generations. Rubio is right – it is critical that Congress extend the NFIP prior to its July 31 expiration with the necessary reforms to make communities safer.

Collin O'Mara, Washington

The writer is CEO and President of the National Wildlife Federation.

Nelson caught in court politics | July 19

Standing up for Floridians

The article about Sen. Bill Nelson quoted Gov. Rick Scott as saying that Nelson has been a rubber stamp for the Democratic leadership. Nelson has actually been a rubber stamp for what the majority of the people want, including safe and legal abortion, and clean air and water. He has opposed offshore drilling and has fought for keeping the natural beauty of our state. Scott cannot say the same. His alliance has been with President Donald Trump and large corporations, not his constituents.

Ann Jamieson, Tarpon Springs

NRA's Marion Hammer sues
five men | July 16

Treat amendments equally

So National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer is suing five men for sending her emails and other communications.

I find it extremely hypocritical that Hammer recognizes that there are limits to the First Amendment, but all of her other actions imply that there are no limits to the Second Amendment.

Richard Feigel, St. Petersburg

Florida primary election locks out too many voters

I have just been reminded by elections officials that I am not affiliated with a political party. I am unwilling to affiliate myself with either of the current political parties, and I know there are many people in Florida who are like me. We will not be voting in the primary elections, and that seems very wrong.

We should open our elections so that everybody has a say. It would be fairer and allow more participation in the electoral process. The "ranked-choice voting" method recently adopted in Maine sounds like it might work pretty well here in Florida; it would certainly engage people more in making their choices for the elective offices in our state. With this method, voters identify their choices in order of preference and, after votes are cast, the person with the least votes is eliminated. The votes are re-counted until someone has a majority. What a simple, straight-forward way to elect officials. It may result in people looking for common ground; this would be an amazing improvement over the partisanship that we are experiencing now.

Diana Carsey, Dunedin