MARCH 22, 1994, LETTER FROM ROBERT ALLSTON TO LEE COUNTY COMMISSIONER RAY JUDAH



Appendix Pages 1 and 2

March 22, 1994

Bob Allston
P.O. Box 07003
Fort Myers, Florida 33919

The Honorable Ray Judah
P.O. Box 398
Fort Myers, Florida 33902

Dear Commissioner Judah:

I have been in South Florida for the better part of 58 years. Long ago where I was brought up, for the most part, crime consisted of a trash fire that got away or someone got bitten by someone's dog.

If you told me then that my state was destined to become the highest serious crime State in the United States I would have considered you "a little touched in the head". For, in those days, there is no question that such states as New York or Illinois had vastly higher crime, by any measure.

Now, Florida increasingly becomes the Nation's leading tinderbox. More and more people adopt the philosophy of disrespect for life, for defensive reasons, if no other. Violence is resorted to increasingly to settle grievances. Thus at some point in the future a bomb may go off in a government building planted by an otherwise respectable middle class citizen who could no longer cope with having to deal with corrupt and inept government, exacerbated perhaps by having to live in a foreign and intimidating world of crime. This might be followed by more similar bombings or murders in other areas of the State or Nation, as these things sometime happen. It would be crime protesting crime. One doesn't need to speculate how future historians might record such events.

It is my own experience that has lad me to think of these things and the best I can do appears to be pamphleteering. Enclosed is a paper that I have distributed to each of the attorneys in the County Attorney's Office. Also, it appears more than obvious at this point that if I am going to get anywhere with the MSBU situation I must address the core problem first.

Another thing I am doing is sending a similar paper to the county attorneys in the other Florida counties to see if they could suggest what to do about it and I am frankly interested in knowing how commonplace it is for other county attorneys to fabricate legal opinions or other information for their commissioners or other purposes. We all have a stake in our State.

I am also considering contacting academics in related fields-- public administration, law, business, etc. to suggest they or their students might like to do a paper or something related to the problem. This is in part an inbred problem so an exchange of ideas between the Attorney's Office and other persons in relevant fields could not help but be beneficial.

There have also been some studies of County Government that relate to ethics, corruption and efficiency. I would appreciate it if you could put me on to any that might be available.

I am sending this along to the other Commissioners in the event they might be able to help also.

Again, I want to express my opinion that these issues warrant serious consideration, and I appreciate your kind support and assistance in the matter.

Sincerely,

Bob Allston

cc: All Lee County Commissioners

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