State Government
Per email request, an open-ended topic regarding State Government and representation that affects Taylor County. Below is the original email request:
I would like to see a new topic started about our State Government. It seems to me that Florida's problems are ours, more so than those of Washington. We need to follow our representatives and make sure that they and the Governor do not deplete the savings of the State. If the best they can come up with for raising money is traffic fine increases, I think there is something drastically wrong with the legislators. Thanks.
From Progress Florida.
Cuts, fines painful sign of Florida's fiscal future
By Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee Democrat
The $2.8 billion of cuts in state services, raids on Florida's cash reserves and increases in traffic fines produced by the special legislative session are a painful signal of far bigger spending reductions that are sure to dominate the 2009 regular session starting just seven weeks from today.
I would like to see a new topic started about our State Government. It seems to me that Florida's problems are ours, more so than those of Washington. We need to follow our representatives and make sure that they and the Governor do not deplete the savings of the State. If the best they can come up with for raising money is traffic fine increases, I think there is something drastically wrong with the legislators. Thanks.
From Progress Florida.
Cuts, fines painful sign of Florida's fiscal future
By Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee Democrat
The $2.8 billion of cuts in state services, raids on Florida's cash reserves and increases in traffic fines produced by the special legislative session are a painful signal of far bigger spending reductions that are sure to dominate the 2009 regular session starting just seven weeks from today.
This is a great topic. Will surely generate comments! "If the best they can come up with for raising money is traffic fine increases, I think there is something drastically wrong with the legislators," you are right. But no new taxes, LOL!
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From the St. Petersburg Times tampabay.com
‘Minutes’ from a March meeting with Sansom, Northwest College appear.
Article by Alex Leary January 16, 2009 To read the article go to the website.
Ten months after House Speaker Ray Sansom helped arrange a secretive meeting of his hometown college's board of trustees, the "minutes" of the meeting suddenly emerged this week.
The following are my thoughts.
This man, Sansom, is in my opinion a slime ball. He does not deserve to be the
Speaker of the house let alone in the Senate.
Perhaps when our elected officials come to Perry on the 22nd this issue could/should
be addressed. He casts a shadow of doubt on all members, no matter how honest
they might be.
Condoning and applauding his actions is deplorable. How can you conduct business with
someone like him? He condoned an illegal meeting and took money for his college
Not giving a second thought to all the other schools in dire need.
Not only does this situation need to be addressed, but the budget that OUR lawmakers have
passed needs to be addressed to our Congressmen and women.
Why do the schools, hospitals, elderly and children get cut first?
Where is a slash in their salaries?
Where is a discussion on the lottery?
Where is a discussion on the Indian Casinos, 100 million guaranteed income?
A letter writing campaign from all you bloggers, friends and relatives needs to start.
How many are willing to spend a stamp and a little time to let OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
know how we feel?
I take it from the amount of comments to this subject that there is little interest in your state
Government. I, too, have had words about the Prez-elect, but he is there and we are here.
What happens to Florida happens to us.
I read Anonymous, who posted under President elect Barack Obama/Post Election Discussion.
It should have been state government.. I agree with him on some points, especially his last paragraph.
If we don’t stand up at the local/state level how can we stand up at the Federal?
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Now isn’t this a hoot? Talk about rip off!
Again from the St. Pete Times. Florida settles lawsuit; drivers get $1 eachBy Steve Bousquet, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau In Print: Friday, January 16, 2009 TALLAHASSEE — Facing a $3.5-billion deficit next year, Florida desperately needs all the money it can get. But millions more will disappear because the state has settled a lawsuit that affects millions of motorists. The Legislature will spend $10.4-million to settle a class action lawsuit over allegations that the state illegally sold drivers' personal information to marketing firms over a four-year period in violation of a federal law barring the practice. The state made $27-million each year on the deal, according to the lawsuit.
The settlement to drivers? $1.
Drivers who held a license, car registration or state-issued ID from June 1, 2000, through Sept. 30, 2004, will get a one-time credit of $1 when they register or renew a registration between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010. "Just one dollar?" Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, asked in a committee hearing on the settlement. The four South Florida motorists who sued will get $3,000 each, and five law firms that pursued the case for more than six years will divide $2.85-million in legal fees, which is separate from credits paid to consumers. Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet approved the agreement in August, but the Legislature has to appropriate the money. The Senate Transportation Committee was briefed on the settlement Wednesday.
The personal information that was sold includes a driver's photo, Social Security number, driver ID number, name, address, phone number and medical condition. The preliminary settlement requires the state motor vehicle agency to post on its Web site a system to obtain names of the mass marketers that bought the personal information, as well as a reference on license and registration forms on state and federal disclosure laws. The state formally denied any wrongdoing. "No one's hurt, no one's injured, and we're paying $10-million?" asked Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami. "It's $10-million or the potential is in the billions," replied Steven Fielder, a lobbyist for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The state's maximum liability was estimated at $39-million, based on a $2,500 penalty for each violation of the federal Drivers Privacy Protection Act. Congress in 1999 amended the law to prohibit states from providing drivers' personal information unless the state had drivers' permission to do so. But Florida, the lawsuit alleged, continued to market the data anyway. The Legislature passed a law in 2004 ending the practice. Anyone affected by the settlement has until March 16 to file an objection with the court in Miami. The case is before U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, said it looks to him as though consumers should have gotten more. "The victim really doesn't benefit very much,and the attorneys make out on fees.
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How are the politics affecting Florida citizens. These are little more than catering to special interest.Yes Virginia there is a grinch.
Bills Introduced By: Senator Constantine
Introducer
S 0536 Money Transmitters' Code
S 0538 Everglades Restoration
S 0540 Water Resources
S 0542 Contaminated Site Cleanup
S 0544 Brownfields
S 0546 Land Acquisition
S 0548 Greenways and Trails
S 0550 Land Conservation
S 0552 Land Management
S 0554 State Parks and Preserves
S 0556 Coastal Zone Protection
S 0558 Beach Erosion Control Projects
S 0560 Restoration of Lake Jesup
S 0562 Drainage Control
S 0564 Fertilizer
S 0566 State Lands
S 0568 Florida Springs Protection Act
S 0570 Solid Waste Recycling
S 0572 Pythons and Reptiles
S 0574 Air Emissions
S 0576 Environmental Control
S 0578 Land Reclamation
S 0768 Luis Rivera Ortega Street Racing Act
S 0772 Physical Education
S 0774 Renewable Energy Policy
S 0776 Wekiva River Protection Act
S 0778 State Universities
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And our legislative delegation will take any credit for every penny coming to Taylor County. Remember all those stupid Will Kendrick mailers and the current stupid ads by Allen Boyd!
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Just remember, they voted against it before they voted for it. What a hoot! Is there any doubt why our Nation and State is having financial issues? Anyone need another trillion? Used to be a million dollars was a lot of money. They don't even speak in Billions now. If it 'aint a Trillion it "aint cool!
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Look at the pork that Boyd has gotten for Leon County referenced in Saturday's edition of the Tallahassee Democrat; almost a half a million dollars for the economic development council and many more dollars from the Obama fund. Boyd is going to take credit for it all, I am tired of all of those mind-less commercials from Boyd, the only thing he has not taken credit for is helping the starving kids in Africa, cure for polio, the Florida highway system and sliced bread. What a joke Boyd is and all of his cronys.
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