Many of the state’s editorial writers and columnists have expressed despair at the possibility the Legislature will OK drilling for oil a short distance from Florida’s shorelines, including Derek Dunn-Rankin of the Charlotte Sun.
Here is what he said:
It does seem ironic that the Florida Legislature should propose drilling for oil 3 miles off our beaches while the nation is celebrating Earth Day. If there is a prize for lobbyists, the equivalent of a moviemaker’s Oscar, it should go to the band of professional persuaders who managed to craft the bill and sneak it past the normal hearing and debate process at a time when both the House and Senate are tied in knots over unprecedented budget challenges. Lobbyists and legislators moved in secrecy and managed to keep both reporters and members of the Legislature itself ignorant of their grand plan. A radical departure, the bill passed out of committee 12 hours after first being made public. It was disappointing that local Rep. Paige Kreegel was one of the disciplined majority that voted the bill out before organized opposition could coalesce.
Liberal or conservative, the reaction of the state’s editorial pages were articulately angry, shocked and indignant.
Michael Lannon, superintendant of St. Lucie County Schools, stated recently, “We’re going to become a Third World country here in Florida. People should consider leaving Florida for their children.”
I was appalled that I, a native Floridian and a Realtor welcoming people to our beautiful state, should even consider fleeing. This statement sends the message that the leader of our schools has given up hope on our kids, our schools and our state.
It is typical politics to blame others for our messes, but we have to stop shifting the blame. To point at the Florida Legislature as the sole source of our problems is not acceptable.
Yes, it is very true that the education system is well underfunded here in Florida, but we also are undertaxed, and we cannot have it both ways. We have to stop equating more dollars to better education. Read the rest of this entry »
Today I was pleased to stand alongside Florida business leaders in a grassroots effort to help Floridians save money. Together we unveiled the Florida Backyard Card, a money-saving incentive for Floridians to spend their money wisely and locally.
Through the Florida Backyard Card, hundreds of businesses across Florida are offering incentives for their customers with benefits reaching beyond discounts and values.
The State of Florida is pleased to join the coalition of businesses rewarding customers through the Florida Backyard Card. With support from the Florida Lottery, the Backyard Card will be available at lottery retailers across the state. In addition, VISIT FLORIDA is managing www.FloridaBackyardCard.com, where consumers can download a card and search for the best deals in their backyard.
At www.FloridaBackyardCard.com, Floridians can enter their zip code and search for participating businesses to save on apparel, restaurants, groceries, home improvement, vacation rentals and many more goods and services.
When Floridians spend with local businesses, their dollars go to employee wages, building rent, utilities and state and local taxes which support schools and emergency services. Every purchase impacts our economy. In fact, 75 percent of Florida’s gross domestic product comes from consumer spending.
I am personally urging Floridians to go out today and get a backyard card from Florida lottery retailers across the state or online atwww.FloridaBackyardCard.com.
I already have mine and plan to use it well to help boost our economy.
This week we have been celebrating Sunshine Week – recognizing Florida’s open government laws. We serve the people of Florida with openness and transparency every day. However, every year during this week, we strive to find new ways to make state and local government more accessible to the public. To achieve this goal, today we launched a new Web site,www.FlaRecovery.com.
As you know, these are challenging times for our nation and for our state. Yet, I believe that Florida will weather this storm as we have weathered storms in the past. Brighter days are ahead. We know people are hurting, and that is why I am grateful for Florida’s fair share of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
For those of you who are no email buddies of our governor, here are the remarks he made today in his state of the state address.
By Gov. Charlie Crist
For the nearly 20 million people who choose to call Florida home, to not just raise their children and build their businesses, but to truly live out their dreams; the future is now.
The strength of our state and national economies are being tested in ways not seen in decades: unemployment is at a 16-year high. We are in a national housing crisis and foreclosures continue to rise; businesses are shutting their doors in the communities they have long served; and a weakened Wall Street has left us in a credit crunch that is cutting into hardworking families’ nest eggs and Read the rest of this entry »
posted
Apr 26, 2009 by Lamar Thames
