Keep Alva rural
Writing this with a heavy heart for rural Alva will be no more. One storied rancher in Alva wants to sell his fifth-generation ranch to Forestar, a subsidiary of a home builder. D.R. Horton wants permission to turn the 561-acre ranch in the Olga/Alva land into a 737-housing development, which will positively ruin Alva/Olga as an all-rural community. Rural will be taken completely out of the equation. For once the first huge housing development comes in many more will follow. We need the green space to keep Alva rural. The development will take millions of gallons of water out from the density reduction groundwater resource, where this development will be built. In order to be built in Lee County commissioners must approve changing Lee County land use map from DRGR to rural. They would also rezone the property from agriculture to residential planned development. If you agree with me flood all the Lee County commissioners’ phone lines and tell them simply do not change these designations. Keep the property! In addition, keep the master document known as a Lee Plan intact, a plan that lays out how Lee County is to be developed without disturbing Alva’s character. Consider the safety, wildlife and 3,000 people’s way of life. If not, our county will not have any diversity at all! People in the town of North Fort Myers. Cape Coral and Fort Myers should call too. For in essence this water belongs to you too. Consider our regal Florida panthers could spread out to this rural land from the Babcock Ranch. Even the only bear family that lives in the heart of Alva. We can obtain the money from the Lee County General Fund. Switching designated funds to this acquisition and have 20/20 take care of it. We need green space and water. I speak for all the wild animals. I am a 46-year resident of Lee County.
Carl Veaux, Cape Coral
Donalds would harm public schools
Governor candidate Bryon Donalds proposes educational plans which would harm public school students. If elected governor, he plans a massive expansion of tax funds for For-Profit private schools and For-Profit charter schools (Miami Herald). As a Florida state legislator, he promoted new funding for private schools.
Florida public school students may not be able to survive another governor who promotes voucher expansion versus funding for public school students. The Florida governor appoints the secretary of Education and those appointed by the last three governors have focused on additional tax dollars to private schools and for home schooling parents…