VOL. 24, NO.4

COLLIER

League ofWomen Voters of Collier County

COUIVTY

DECEMBER 1998

GENERAL MEETING: MONDA~ DEC. 21, 1998NORRIS ROOM, THE DEPOT

10:45 a.m. Lively League Issue:

State League Program PlanningLeader: Pat Clark, President, LWVCC, and Committee Chairs

12:00 noon Buffet Lunch

12:30 p.m. Program:

What Do We Get for $7.8 Billion?Speaker: Nanciann Regalado, Restoration Policy and Outreach

COQrdinato~ ·U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

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For noon lunch reservations ($10 for lunch andprogram), call Jane Lahy, 261-8654, or LeagueOffice, 263-4656, by Friday, Dec. 18. The public iswelcome. The price for attending the program onlyis $3.00for nonmembers; reservations are 1I0t

necessary to attend only the program. Any memberwho makes a lunch reservation must pay the $10unless the reservation is canceled by Dec. 18.

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The Collier CounfJI VOTER is published mont:h1jl, October through May

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President's Message

Collier County appears to rate a grade of"satisfactory," according to the resultsof the 1998 telephone survey conducted

by Fraser & Mohlke of residents' opinionsabout various services and conditions in thecounty. Chuck MohIke's summary report at theLively League meeting was, as always, interest­ing and his analysis provided insight into anumber of emerging trends.

At the General Meeting, Dc Denise Blanton andstaff members of the Collier County Coopera­tive E~ension Services presented a dynamicoverview of the various programs offered. I wasimpressed by the dedication and enthusiasm thatshe and the "faculty" devote to their courses.

On Dec. 1, I attended the closing ceremonycelebrating the City of Naples 75th DiamondJubilee. What a lovely, inspiring event. Thehighlight of the evening was the dedication ofthe Memorial Trees planted in Cambier Park.Through.contr:ibutions by members, our Leaguejoined many other civic organizations andindividuals in donating a commemorative tree.Most of the trees have not yet been planted, butwe'll let you know when our tree is planted andits location.

Our Board has accepted, with great regret, theresignation ofRenee Hansen, Justice Commit­tee chair. Renee's outstanding service on ourBoard and her amazing ~owledge andexpertise about both the League and the justicesystem will long be remembered. We hope~enee will feel able to rejoin the Board soon.

Plans for the holiday party on Friday, Dec. 11, atMercy Bathey's lovely home promise a truly el­egant affair. In the words of my grandaughter,aged 4, "it's·time to get "spark/y." I wish you alla wonderful holiday season.

Pat

December 1998 CoJ!ierCounty V.0TER·

General Meeting on Dec. 21

Will the Restudy plansave the Everglades?Nanciann Regalado, who works for·the U.S. AnnyCorps ofEngineers, will make the case for the Corps'20-year project to restore the Everglades and controlflooding while meeting the water supply needs of anever increasing population in South Florida.

The project covers 18,000 miles in 16 counties thatrun from Orlando to the Florida Keys and from Ft.Myers to Miami. Cost of this project is estimated at$7.8 billion, which is expected to be split between theU.S. government and Florida state government. Thestate may decide to pass on some of the cost to localgovernments.

Regaldo is the Policy and Outreach Coordinator forthe Central and South Florida Project ComprehensiveReview Study. This project, called the Restudy, is anattempt by the Corps to correct flooding and other prob­lems resulting from the Corps' original 1948 project.

Prior to joining the Corps, Regalado was the deputydirector ofthe National Audubon Society's EvergladesCampaign where sheworked to promote public aware­ness ofthe Everglades and to further policies that pro­tect and restore the Everglades and Florida Bay.

Regaldo has been helping coordinate the 11 publichearings held in Florida to educate the public aboutthe project and its costs.After a final public meeting inWashington D.C., the Restudy Plan will be presentedto Congress in July.

December 1998 Collier County VOTER

Livel Lea ue

LWVF Program Planningfor 1999-2001

Y es, it's time again to review and begin plan­ning what the state League program will befor the next biennium. In League, program

planning always originates at the local level, so thatmeans all of us.

In preparation for the December Lively League, pro­gram chairs and their committees have been asked toexamine existing state positions and to offer sugges­tions for any changes or additions. These recommen­dations will be presented at the Lively League meet­ing for discussion and consideration.

The choices that will be made are: (1) retain the posi­tion as is; (2) restudy it; (3) drop it; (4) expand it; or(5)addanewstudy. OfficialLWVFpositionsfor 1997­99 are in five broad areas, condensed below:

+Govemment in Floridaincludes support and action positions on FloridaConstitition, Finance and Taxation; ElectionLaws; Handgun Control.

+Education in Floridaincludes support positions of free public schoolsystem; increased professionalism; improvedstudent performance; study on amending theFlorida Constitution to allow more than one schooldistrict per county; restudy on election of schoolboard members on a distrietwide basis.

+Justice in Floridaincludes support of unified court structure,merit selection; rehabilitation and alternatives toincarceration; juvenile justice system that recog­nizes special concerns of children and families.

+Social PoliCY in FlOridapromote social and economic justice; equal rightsfor all; achieve universal health care coverage atreasonable cost; promote the well being of child­ren and combat discrimination., poverty, violence;

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support positions on children and families,farm­workers; welfare, health care reform; immigration.

+Natural Resources in FloridaPromote beneficial environment; resourceconservation; adequate supply offood; support offreshwater resources; proper coastal management;environmental protectionand pollutioncontrol; andpublic participation in decision-making.

EducationCommitteeobserves

• J School BoardThe League's Education Committee has been observ­ing the School Board's meetings regularly, and Leaguemembers willi again be taking part in the CollierCounty Legislative Coalition, a group interested inlegislative issues concerning education.

The chief concerns of the coalition this winter is thequestion of school vouchers and ways to be proactivein opposition to a voucher system.

On March 15, our League committee will be in chargeof the General Meeting that will present facts andfigures about the Collier County school system. Ifyouare interested in local schools or education in gen­eral, please join us. Just give me a call.

Nancy Wolfe, chair (566-7469)

Next IN. Meeting will be heldon Friday, Jan. 8This year the International Relations committee meet­ings will be held on the first Friday of each month,except for January, which will be on Jan. 8. Thismeeting's topic is "American Apathy Toward Inter­national Affairs," led by Ellen Norbom. The meetingwill begin at 9:30 a.m., at the home ofNancy Wolfe,12902 Bald Cypress Lane (Quail Creek).

Our December meeting was on 'foThe United Nationsand Human Rights," led by Janet Smith.

. AIda Pierce, chair (262-4708)

4 December 1998 Collier County VOTER

Leonore Reich, LWVCC's Natural Resources Chair,is a multifaceted person. Her life encompasses expe­riences as a 14-year-old emigre from Germany, a wifeand mother, a biology/psychology major, a yoga in­structor, a college professor of psychology, a scubadiver, a researcher ofshark behavior-the list goes on!

Born in Nurnberg, Germany, Leonore came to theUnited States with her family when she was fourteen.After completing high school in New York City, sheattendedHunter College, married, and raised two SODS.

With her boys grown and on their own and her hus­band active with a CPA career, Leonore decided itwas time "to make plans for the rest ofher life." Froma diving magazine she happened to pick up in herdentist's office, Leonore, who enjoyed snorkeling,determined that a week alone on the Dutch Carib­bean island ofBonaire would provide ample opportu­nity for thinking and relaxing. On her last day onBonaire, Leonore made her first scuba dive-an eventthat changed her life.

Back in New York, Leonore decided to pursue gradu­ate work in psychology. She enrolled in the New

J:.O('U~ ONSchool for Social Research to study psychology; inaddition, she began a 25-year scuba-diving "career."Leonore's psychology studies landed her a positionteaching psychology at Westchester Community Col­lege. She also was a part-time yoga instructor with alocal adult-education program. Through her love ofdiving, Leonore began participating in dive expedi­tions to study sand-diving fishes and sharks. Thisresearch was under the supervision of Dr. EugenieClark, former director ofMote Marine Laboratory inSarnsotaand later a professorat the UDiversityofMary­land. Leonore's dive trips have taken her to the Red~ Australia, New Guinea, and the southwest Pacific.

Leonore and her husband had been "snowbirds" inNaples for two years when, following his death nineyears ago, she became a year-round resident. Leonorelives at Beach Walk with her black cat Midnight.

It was while Ken, her second son, was still a baby thatLeonore joined the League of Women Voters and be­gan attending meetings in the Pleasantville-Briarcliff,NY, area where she then lived. Except when hin­deredby employment orfamily commitments, Leonorehas remained active in League.

Leonore currently is LWVCC's Natural ResourcesChair. In addition to her League activities, Leonoreserves as a Vice President of the Collier Council ofJewish Women. Leonore also remains active with TheConservancy of Southwest Florida, where she servesas a docent and as a member of the EnvironmentalAction Committee.

Ann Bleakley

Welcome, new membersArthea Brimmer· Rosemarie Henson-Rowe Barbara Metcalf Shirley Roellig Dona Walker1922 Blackstone Circle 2885 Citms Lk. Dr., #301 1090 Egret's Walk 6000 Pelican Bay 2338 ImmokaleeNaples, FL 34109 Naples, FL 34109 Circle, #101 Bl.. #204 Rd., #353592-6433 (0)261-7111 592-7972 Naples, FL 34108 Naples, FL 34108 Naples, FL 34110fax 592-0901 Clara D. Killin 598-5496 594-2210 514-2991

Sue Greer 3483 Gulf Shore BI. N. Mary Mullane Maureen Sullivan-Hartung206 Mermaids Bight #304 1824 Village Lane 4120 15th Av. SWNaples, FL 34103 Naples, FL 34103 Naples, FL 34110 Naples, FL 34116261-5328 261-2363 566-2113 455-6897; fax 455-0933

December J998 Collier County VOTER

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Government Committeereviews election, ethicsOur last committee meeting began with a discussionof November's election results. Generally we werepleased and surprised with the passage of 12 ofthe 13proposed Constitutional amendments, particularlywhen we considered that 20 years ago, all the pro­posed amendments were defeated. The voters obvi­ously took the time to read the amendments and con­sider their effects on Florida's future.

Credit should be given to Mary Morgan's office forsending out sample ballots two weeks before the elec­tion; the Naples Daily News for its excellent cover­age; and the members of the Constitution RevisionCommission for their commitment to spreading theword around the state. .

With school board elections now being nonpartisanand a semi-open primary system among some of thechanges brought aboutby the amendments, we're sureto see some interestingdevelopments in Collier Countypolitics.

We have begun our local study of a code ofethics forCollier County. The study group, consisting of PatClark, Mary Ann Fick, Pat Lawrence and myself,has met and written a scope of the study to be pre­sented to the LWVCC Board. We are also studyingnine local ordinances in effect in other Florida coun­ties. Any League member who is interested in thisissue and would like to join our study group is invitedto call me for the time ofour next meeting.

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Our other program issue is the cityhood/annexation/community development district question. While for­mal study of this subject has not yet begun, interestedmembers are also invited to participate in this study.

Kathleen Siebodnik, chair (775-3491)

N.R. Committe continueslooking at Everglades issuesAt our November meeting, ourNatural Resources com­mittee welcomed Gary Beardsley, former LWVCCmember and chair ofthis committee. Gary cited someof the failures of the Anny Corps of Engineers overthe years to keep important wetlands from being de­stroyedby workingwith local permitting agencies thatwere accommodating development. He mentioned thewetlands in Estero, on which the new FGCU univer­sity is built, as a glaring example of this failure.

Gary also shed some light on the agenda ofthe Alter­nate Development Group (A.D.G.), which came toconsensus on some issues, but was deadlocked on otherimportant issues because the membership ofthe com­mittee "was stacked with developers,". to quote Gary.

On Nov. 30, the Anny Corps of Engineers held anopen meeting at Naples High School. Pat Clark,Kathleen Slebodnik, Virginia .Corkran and I at­tended. Stuart Appelbaum, regional director of theRestudy Project, gave essentially the same talk we hadheard at a regional meeting ofLWV in Delray Beach.Representatives of the major environmental organi­zations~ South Florida Water Management, and "justplain taxpayers" were heard in the question period.David Guggenheim, president and CEO of The Con­servancy of Southwest Florida, spoke last, but said itbest: This is perhaps our last chance to keep what wehave left of the Everglades and to stop the urbaniza­tion ofour rural environment. (Ed. Note: Learn moreabout this important subject at our General Meetingon.Dec. 21-see p. 3 ofthis VOTER .)

Our next committee meeting will be at 10 a.m., Fri­day, Dec. 18, at the League Office. All welcome.

Leonore Reich, chair (566-2352)

6 December 1998 Collier County VOTER

Voter Service Roundup Medicare reform is topicThank you to the following volunteers who partici- of three LWVCC meetingspated in Voter Registration this summer: Anna LeeBrown, Pat Clark, Mary Ann Fick,Dorothy Fitch, Pat Believing that meaningful input on Medicare shouldLawrence,Henny Porter, Leonore Reich, Miriam Sil- be given by a wide range ofpeople, the LWVUS Edu-ver, Kathleen SJebodnik, and Madeline Sorensen. cation Fund and the Kaiser Family Foundation to-The Candidates Forum, seen on Channel 54, was held gether launched a nationwide campaign to educateAug. 25 with our president Pat Clark introducing and involve citizens about efforts to preserve Medi-Kathleen Slebodnik as moderator, and panelistsNancy care for future generations.Fischer, League representative; Brett Batten, Naples Two meetings in Collier County and one in Lee CountyDailvNews; and Gene Roberts, radio talk show host. are among the 500 public dialogues, 11 focus groups,Our able behind-the-scenes crew was made up ofAnn and 10 town meetings to be held allover the country.Bleakley, Grace Crandell, Dorothy Fitch, Pat The results will be tabulated and presented to the Na-Lawrence, Pat Scudder and Chris Straton. Helping tional Bipartisan Commission on the Future ofonElection days at the Board of Elections Office were Medicare.The Commission plans to give recommen-Pat Clark, Pat Lawrence, Jane Lahy, Dorothy Fitch, dations to Congress in March 1999.Without citizenPat Scudder and Kathleen Slebodnik. participation, the 77 million "BabyBoomers" and oth-I am very grateful to co-ehair Flo Beckler and others ers reaching retirement age might not be happy withwho made the necessary arrangements in my absence. what Congress gives them at the end of this process.

Tammie Golden, Voter Service Chair Medicare enjoys broad public support, but faces maj-

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December 1998 Collier County VOTER

jor challanges due to the nation's growing number ofelderly people and the rising cost of paying for theircare. A number ofQptions are on the table to addressthese problems. However, the issues involved are enor­mously complex, and national sUlVeys have pointedout the public's need for more basic information aboutthe program, the problems it faces, the options forchange and the implications of proposed reforms.

Options on the Table+ Cut Medicare Spending by: Trimming amountof payments to doctors, hospitals and other medicalproviders, or Curbing fraud and abuse, or EnrollingMedicare beneficiaries in managed care plans suchas HMO, or Raising the eligibility age to 67.

+ Ask Medicare beneficiaries to pay more andfind other sources of income by considering the fol­lowing steps: Raising premiums for all Medicare ben­eficiaries, or just raising payments for those benefi­ciaries with higher incomes, or Raising taxes.

t Expand benefits by: Adding prescription drugcoverage.

t Fundamentally change the stmcture of Medi­care by: Adopting a "Defined Contribution" program,where the federal government pays the exact sameamount for each beneficiary's coverage and allowsthem to select their insurance provider, but would nolonger guarantee that the same set of benefits wouldbe covered for all beneficiaries.

As one might expect, each option led to lively discus­sion of the pros and cons. You didn't attend a meet­ing, but would like to know more? For a free infonna­tion packet, call the Kaiser Family Foundation's pub­lication request line at 1-800-656-4533.

Ann Campbell, Social Policy Chair

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LWVF ActionPriorities for 1999The following will be given specialemphasis by the League 3' lobbyistsduring the 1999 session:

According to League lobbyist Marcia Elder, the twoissues currently assigned for priority action are cam­paign-finance reform, including public campaign fi­nancing, and opposing school vouchers.

Senate President Toni Jennings has indicated thatcampaign finance reform is one of her chief goals,and agroup ofRepublican senators, including SenateMajority Leader-Jack Latvala, is proposing legisla­tion on "capping soft money contributions and level­ing the playing field for candidates running for a state­wide office."

This legislation would place a $5,000 cap on allow­able contributions to political parties. This is strongly.supported by League. Unfortunately, the overall billalso includes measures to increase allowable cam­paign spending, which the League opposes.

League will also be watching any efforts to weakenpublic campaign financing, which became part oftheFlorida Constitution with the passage ofConstitutionalAmendment II. This provides fQr public financing ofstatewide campaigns for candidates who agree to cam­paign spending limits.

Local representatives to contact are: J. DU.dleyGoodlette, on the House Election Reform Commit­tee; and Burt Saunders, ofthe Senate Ethics and Elec­tion Committee. Goodlette's local phone: 435-3535~

Tallahasse phone: 850-488-4487. S~under's localphone is 417-6220; Tallahassee phone: 850-487-5124.

School vouchers will undoubtedly be an intense de­bate between· supporters, including Governor-electBush, and opponents, which include the League.

While no specific legislative proposals havebeen filed,League members can help by writing to their electedofficials to oppose the principle of vouchers, whichshifts money from public schools to private schools.

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CalendarDecember 1998 Collier County VOTER

The League Office is located at 660 9th St N., #358, Naples, FL 341 02

Dec. 15 Tuesday 8:00a.m.Buy your own breakfast

Dec. 18 Friday 10:00 a.m.

Dec. 21 Monday 10:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Dec. 28 Monday 9:30a.m.

Jan. 4 Monday noon

Jan. 8 . Friday 9:30 a.m.

Jan. 8 Friday 9:30 a.m.

Dec. 11 Friday 4-6pm Holiday Party

Social Policy Committee (Speaker)Chai1; Ann Campbell, 263-1755

Natural Resources CommitteeChair, Leonore Reich, 566-2352

LIVELY LEAGUE andGENERAL MEETING

Government Committee (Ethics)Chai1; Kathleen Slebodnik, 775-3491

Board Meeting

International Relations CommitteeChai1; Aida Pierce, 262-4708

Government CommitteeChair, Kathleen Slebodnik, 775-3491

Mercy Bathey's home4000 Gordon Dr.

Pacific 41 Restaurant173 9th S1. S.

League Office

Norris Room, The Depot

League Office

1st Natl Bank Bldg.

Nancy Wolfe's home12902 Bald Cypress Lane

League Office

League of Women Voters of Collier County660 9th Street North, Suite 358Naples, FL 34 102

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Naples, Fl 34102