Republicans Hate Florida, Poor People, the Future

Orlando Sentinel:

Indeed, during the past nine years, lawmakers haven't raised a single tax and have approved a cumulative total of $20 billion in tax cuts, mostly benefiting corporations and wealthy Floridians.

In the process, they've made Florida even more reliant on the sales tax. Collections now total almost $20 billion -- or 75 percent of the state's recurring annual revenue.

So tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, tax increases for poor people and horrible fiscal stewardship that sets up the state to either destroy education and other services in the future, that's Republican economics for you. Shifting taxes from the rich to the poor is not only un-American, it's bad policy. What happens when the economy stalls and the middle and lower classes can't afford to buy big-ticket items? Oh yeah, you lose billions in revenue and everything gets worse.

Republicans Hate Rule of Law, the State Constitution

Naked Politics:

Judge Kevin Davey on Thursday week struck down as unconstitutional a new system of public defenders to handle conflict cases that can't be handled by elected public defenders. The GOP-controlled Legislature during the 2007 session created a system of regional conflict counsels as a way to cut down on the costs of hiring private outside attorneys.

But the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers sued and Davey ruled that the Legislature exceeded its authority by requiring the new offices and that Gov. Charlie Crist exceeded his by appointing the five special public defenders. The court also quashed the appointments of the five attorneys who were tasked with setting up law offices.

Republicans don't have the power to do something like this. They don't care, they think that the rules don't apply to them, that they are allowed to do whatever it is they want to do. They're wrong.

Dorworth Hates America

He's barely been in the legislature for a month, but apparently Chris Dorworth has somehow managed to amass a "distinguished record" and has enough knowledge to come to the conclusion that Mitt Romney is the best candidate for president of the United States.

That makes it pretty clear that the voters who didn't show up to vote in the special election -- handing it to Dorworth -- have screwed not only the legislature, but the state of Florida as well.

Ambler Hates Democracy, Poor People, Honesty

The Buzz:

Given the terrible budget crunch looming for Florida leaders and the continuing cry for meaningful property tax relief, the timing could be ripe in 2008. So says state Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Lutz, in a "Political Connections" interview airing Sunday on Bay News 9. The tax initiative on the ballot Jan. 29 is just a first step and further relief will "require a creative look at how we raise revenue,’’ such as sales tax exemptions and taxes on internet transactions.

"Politics are a product of the times we live in, and politics is always about timing,’’ Ambler said in the interview that airs at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. "We are really going to be confronting a very serious trough in our economy...I don’t think anything’s off the table when people are going to be looking at very, very potent cuts that are going to cause a lot of folks to perchance lose their jobs."

So Ambler favors cutting taxes on those that own property (primarily the rich) and raising taxes on those that don't (primarily the poor). It really is kind of a reverse-Robin Hood type of thing they're pursuing here. It's immoral, it's un-American and it's dishonest. Republicans claim they favor "less taxes." Unless, of course, you are more likely to vote for the other side, then you get "more taxes."

Simmons Hates Kids, Voters, Rule of Law

Instead of even attempting to comply with the will of the voters and the Florida Constitution, Simmons wants to change the law without even trying to make it work:

Rep. David Simmons, R-Maitland, said he will push for changes during the Legislature's spring session, hoping to "smooth out the rough edges and the inflexibility" of the current law.

...

His solution likely will be to continue calculating class size as a school average rather than count children in each classroom. That should meet the intent of the amendment, he said, while injecting it with a dose of realism. He thinks it could be done without asking voters for their approval.

Republicans Hate Fiscal Responsibility

A great post at Florida Netroots details the legislature's horrible practice of screwing local governments:

What happens when the Florida Legislature, which is in charge of the state budget, can't afford to pay for everything? It shifts the burden to city and county budgets.

According to the Florida Association of Counties a number of unfunded mandates are passed down to our 67 counties:

Medicaid - $213 million

Department of Juvenile Justice - $100 million

Revenue Sharing Loss - $262 million - Since 1999, tax cuts by the Legislature have resulted in a series of revenue cuts to county budgets

Court Facilities - $83 million

Solid Waste Recycling Grants Loss - $17 million - Counties are mandated to do this and costs initially were picked up by grants – which were later cut from the state budget.

Special Risk Retirement, Disability and Workers Compensation - These costs cover the special needs of firefighters and law enforcement personnel

Mental Health Treatment in Jails - actual dollar amount unknown, but this is a significant recurring impact to county budgets.

Environmental and Growth Management Compliance - actual dollar amount unknown but this is a significant recurring impact to county budgets - Completion of each county’s comprehensive land use plan requires that the plan has built-in financial feasibility

Zero Tolerance - $100 million

The quantifiable total is close to $1 billion in unfunded mandates - yet the financial impact of three mandates highlighted above cannot be quantified.

In other words, each year local governments are covering $1 billion of expenses that were historically the responsibility of the state, with no state funding support attached.

And while the Legislature is currently debating the largest local government revenue cut in state history, they are at the same time discussing additional unfunded mandates.

Read more...

Hello. I am this excellent candidate running against Kreegel. First time he has ever had opposition candidate. I look forward to speaking, reading and blogging with you.

Judy "JJ" Juliano

Bogdanoff: "Let Them Eat Cake"

Most Floridians are dealing with tough economic times and tightening their budget, in large part because of the performance of the Republican Party in running the state. The budget is in a crisis, people are being priced out of their homes and cities and things are only going to get worse. How is Ellyn Bogdanoff fighting that problem? $10,000 massages and facials. Really.

From Chris Chiari:

Representative Ellyn Bogdanoff continues to show she lives in a different world than most of her district. Her hosting of the House Majority 2008 Annual Spa Event, in which contributors pay $5000 to $10,000 to get a massage, facial, and have breakfast with her and other house leaders is ironic, especially given the hundreds of thousands of dollars it cost taxpayers to underwrite 4 special sessions.

"I wonder how Ellyn will enjoy her massage, knowing that it comes on the heels of further cuts to our schools and in the face of a slowing economy," stated Chris Chiari, her opponent in the upcoming District 91 election. "It has Nero-like symbolism," he added - referring to the tale of the Roman Emperor who insanely fiddled as Rome burned.

It's this type of elitism and inability to sympathize or help out with the problems of regular people that is going to be the downfall of the Republican Party. It has already happened at the national level. Florida Republicans, you're next.

Hays Hates Democracy

He's sponsored an amendment to kill publicly financed elections in Florida. He agrees with the Jeb! assessment that public financing is "welfare for politicians." I'd buy the two of them a copy of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Constructing Valid Metaphors," but I think it might violate the gift ban. Public financing is a way to even the playing field, remove corporate influence and make elections about ideas and not money. Republicans oppose a system like that because it guarantees they lose. That's why they gutted the Florida system and now want to get rid of it.

But it really wouldn't be a complete Republican boondoggle unless Hays justified it with an ironic and hypocritical excuse. Bingo!:

"Just think how much more good that $11 million could have been used for if it was spent on education or rehabilitating prisoners or helping foster care children," said Hays.

Really? Really? The only reason we aren't giving enough funding for public education, prisoner rehab and helping foster care is because of this drop in the bucket that is going towards increasing democracy? Really? I'm declaring shenanigans. Hays is a liar. The reason these things are more fully funded is because Republicans don't want to more fully fund them. End of story.

Rubio Hates Education

Why else would he continually push for unneeded property tax cuts during bad economic times? The more of his proposals that pass, the less funding is available for education. Naked Politics:

Continuing to bash a property-tax plan he reluctantly voted for, House Speaker Marco Rubio is now urging supporters to back a citizens' petition to cap the total amount of taxes paid by every property owner.

Flores Hates Education

Her ridiculous support for Jeb!'s policies proves it. Why else would she support policies that have made Florida the laughingstock of the educational world. Dropout factories, one of the lowest graduation rates in the country, huge disparities in the quality of instruction and facilities based on race and/or SES, overreliance on a terrible standardized test. Educators and people with common sense look at that record and say we need to fix it. Anitere looks at that record and says, "more please!" Read more at John P's blog.

Traviesa Hates Personal Responsibility, Grammar, Spelling; Loves the "Mel Martinez Rule"

Trey sent this lovely e-mail out:

"Our Community is previaleged to have the CNN YouTube Republican Preseidential Debate this week in down town St. Petersburg. As your State Representative I would be remissed if I didnt formally invite all of you to attend these events.

Wednesday Noverber 28th at 11:00am - FLORA WHYLIE PARK"

When people complained about the, you know, general idiocy of the e-mail, what did Trey do? Did he live up to the Republican "value" of taking personal responsibility? No. He invoked the "Mel Martinez Rule":

When you screw up, blame an anonymous staffer

Very effective approach to avoiding personal responsibility. Well-played, Traviesa, well-played.

The scariest part of the e-mail? It was an invitation to a party for Mitt Romney.

Rubio Hates Economics

The Buzz:

House Speaker Marco Rubio: “These severe economic pressures have a negative impact on real estate-related revenues and also discourage consumer spending. We exercised budget discipline in the recent legislative sessions this year. We are prepared again to take whatever steps are necessary to keep the state budget balanced while providing essential services to the citizens. When Florida citizens are spending less, state government must spend less, as well. We are going to continue work towards solutions for the economic pressures that are squeezing Floridians’ wallets. We are committed to working to make Florida affordable again."

Econ 101. When the economy is stalling, you increase government spending and cut taxes on the lower class and the economy gets moving again. Government spending gets the economy going more because more money flows into the economy, which generates more profits, more taxable income and more revenue. Poor people, when they have extra money, put 100% of it back into the economy and tax cuts for poor people are much cheaper than tax cuts on the wealthy. Cutting one source of government revenue without replacing it somewhere else doesn't help the economy, it hurts it.

Republicans Hate Campaign Finance Laws

At least when those laws get in their way. How do they respond? They ignore the laws (Until they get caught, of course):

Barry Millman, an aide for Rep. Paige V. Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda, resigned Friday after he was caught using his state office and equipment to further Kreegel's re-election campaign.

Anyone really believe Millman acted independently of Kreegel? I doubt it.

We need someone to challenge Kreegel so we can get corruption out of the legislature and the voters of District 72 have a honest legislator.

Bob Allen Round-Up

The latest from around the blogosphere on the story of convicted criminal Bob Allen:

Incertus - Remember Bob Allen?: "Of course you do--Florida state legislator who got caught offering to pay a cop to receive a blowjob. It's understandable if you'd forgotten him, what with the rash of Republican gay sex arrests in the last year, but Bob Allen had his day in court, and the jury found him guilty on Friday. And his buddies in the state legislature can't get rid of him fast enough."

Change In Tallahassee - The Bob Allen story: "The Bob Allen story in TPMtv episode 'GOP Bathroom Etiquette Breakdown.'"

Pam's House Blend - Bob '$20 BJ' Allen convicted: "I guess the jury didn't buy the anti-gay Florida legislator's story that he asked if he could blow the undercover officer out of fear that Allen 'was about to be a statistic' because of all the black guys milling about the Titusvillle park restroom."

Smashed Frog - Bob Allen Perverted Justice: "Allen can stare down two law enforcement officers, walk inside a bathroom, peer over a handicapped stall door, walk inside to join the officer and respond in kind-- 'Sure I can do that. But this place is too public'--and this predatorial solicitation is not considered sex offense enough to require registration as a Florida sex offender."

FLA Politics - He Musta Fit, They Didn't Acquit: "Hence, it is apparently worse, at least in RPOF-world, to solicit anonymous gay sex than it is to be convicted twice of driving around drunk in an automobile, risking injury and death to goodness knows how many people."

Talk To Me - Should He Stay...: "With colleagues like these in your corner--circling like sharks in these times of puritan moral turpitude--disciplinary actions followed by resignation appears politically probable now that Bob Allen has been convicted."

Change in Tallahassee - Florida Republican Party Chair: Time For Bob Allen To Retire: "Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer released a statement on the Allen verdict: 'The nature of this conviction requires (Rep.) Allen to seriously consider his ability to effectively serve the citizens of his district, which should be one of his utmost priorities.'"

Pensito Review - Florida Republican Legislator’s Gay Sex Solicitation Trial Fun While It Lasted: "Between blowing kisses to his wife and sporting the 'I’m not a sex offender, I’m a racist' defense, the trial’s been a hoot. But now, alas, it’s over and the defendant was found..."

Blast Off! - Today's Daily Schadenfreude: Blowin' Bob Allen: "Presumably, Blowin' Bob would be both the payer and the giver, a rare if not entirely unprecedented circumstance. At least, that's what I've heard ..."

We need to find a Democrat to run and replace Allen so that the voters of District 32 can actually be represented by an honorable person.

Get Out And Vote

We can pick up a seat tomorrow. It's up to you in Seminole County:

On top of that, a Special Election in an off year is its own kind of beast. Turnout will be low, perhaps 15% or so, which means getting reliable base voters out is priority one. With the help of a team of volunteers, the Bacallao campaign has covered most of District 34 door to door, emphasizing the registered Democrats who have voted regularly in the past.

Also in a Special Election, the advantages of incumbency, particularly name recognition, go away. As an example of what this can mean, nearby District 49 went for the incumbent Republican by 7 points in 2006, only to switch to a Democrat, Darren Soto, who won by 4.2% in a Special Election this April – an over eleven-point swing!

All elections have consequences. High-stakes testing of our schoolchildren is a fig leaf labeled "accountability" when really it’s a weapon aimed at poorer public schools to push an ideological obsession with privatization. It does nothing to foster innovative critical thinking, which is the skill that builds a prosperous society. Stephen’s Republican opponent, as you suspect, is a staunch advocate of continuing the Jeb Bush-era policy of producing a traumatized cohort of kids lacking in arts, history, and civics education.

Also, right at this moment there is a mad rush to slash property taxes in Tallahassee, and some calm and reasonable thinking is badly needed there, because Florida does not have a state income tax. The State Legislature makes property tax law, but it’s the counties that provide the overwhelming bulk of the services. Therefore it’s easy for the Legislature to be prodded by the wealthy developers to cut taxes since they don’t have to face the consequences, such as park and library closings, cutbacks in school equipment and supplies, and stagnant public sector salaries. For gosh sakes, Florida ranks 49th in the nation in per capita school expenditures, and dead last in the nation in per capita university expenditures as it is! Florida is a wonderful place to live in because it retains such fantastic beauty, but the threat of bulldozing just to put up tacky strip malls is relentless.

Rubio Tackles Global Warming

This is strange:

House leaders next week will host a symposium called "The Science and Economics of Climate Change," with Speaker Marco Rubio clearly ready to put his stamp on an issue Gov. Charlie Crist seized a few months back.

Rubio's solution for global warming? Tax cuts.

Rubio Loves...Rubio

Pushing Rope:

Rubio is screwing up Florida by using the Florida legislature to position his future political ambitions. Bill Frist as Senate Majority leader is an apt comparison. Frist grinded the Senate to a halt and catered the the conservate base. This was all for a potential presidential bid. Frist became unpopular and realized he would not be a credible presidential candidate.

Rubio is veering Right after Florida voters made a moderate Governor. He is more like to become the next Johnnie Bryd than Jeb Bush.

Tax Cut Fever...

The insatiable pursuit of tax cuts by our legislature is, not surprisingly, a bad idea:

Florida's proposed property-tax overhaul could squeeze an already-battered state budget while further tangling a tax system that one former leader said is held together by "chewing gum" and "baling wire."

...

"The Legislature always wants to be all things to all people," said House Minority Leader Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach. "But you've got to wonder, where do we get the money for schools, health programs and the other things people want even while we're cutting taxes?"

Even Republicans know it's a bad idea, that's why they're lying about it in an attempt to sell it:

Will the slumping Florida housing market get a major boost if voters approve a measure that allows homeowners to take their tax break with them when they move?

That's what lawmakers are touting, but some economists question whether the legislation will do much to reverse the current slowdown in homes sales.

The so-called tax portability will have a "marginal, positive effect on the real estate market, certainly, not of the size and magnitude to cause a major recovery," said Hank Fishkind, an Orlando-based private-sector economist who has served as an adviser to a number of Florida governors.

Bob Allen Trial Begins

Central Florida Political Pulse:

State Rep. Bob Allen is facing the fight of his life this week as his trial on a charge of soliciting prostitution begins Monday in a Brevard County courtroom.

But just finding a fair and impartial jury could be one of his toughest battles, said Allen's attorney Greg Eisenmenger.

...

"I'm not sure a change of venue would help that much because I can't think of a place in Florida that hasn't been affected," he said.

Sinfonian disagrees:

You know, I actually think it's more likely that the jury will be biased in favor of Blowin' Bob. We're talking about Brevard County, after all, home of some of the batshit craziest wingnuts anywhere. Given Blowin' Bob's stellar record of voting against teh gay and for "family values," I rather think he's going to get a sweetheart deal. They'll probably forgive and forget ...

Republicans Abandoning the "Kill Florida's Future" Amendment

The horrible tax plan they've spawned now isn't good enough for some Florida Republicans:

Sen. Lisa Carlton, R-Osprey, on Thursday told a Sarasota audience that she is "leaning no" on the Jan. 29 constitutional amendment, concerned the proposal does not go far enough to fix Florida's property tax problems.

Other Republicans who are waffling on their own idiotic plan:

Mike Bennett
State Rep. Doug Holder

Their explanation? It doesn't go "far enough." It certainly goes far enough in destroying the future of the state. So, good for them, I guess, for doing the right thing, even if it is for the wrong reasons.

Welcome

This is a new state blog for Florida's House of Representatives designed to keep an eye on the activities of the Republicans who misrepresent us in Tallahassee.

If you are interested in posting at Florida House Watch, drop me a line at quinnelk@hotmail.com with some idea of your Democratic and/or progressive credentials and I'll add you as a blogger.