Republicans Are Mismanaging Florida and It Is Time To Do Government Business A New Way

After 12 years of Republican control of state government, House Speaker Larry Cretul today admitted Republican mismanagement and confessed that it is time to “do government business a new way.”

In response, House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands urged Republican leaders to embrace good-government initiatives backed by Florida House Democrats.

“Today, I heard Florida House Democrats call for bipartisanship and good government, and I heard Republican leadership admit that 12 years of total Republican control of state government has failed Floridians,” said Sands, D-Weston. “It is time to bring real change to the way business is done in Tallahassee.”

During House floor remarks, Speaker Larry Cretul stated:

· “I am asking you to do government business a new way…”\
· “To make government work, we are going to have to change the way we approach it and the way we think…”

“I am thrilled that Florida Republican leaders are recognizing what Floridians have seen for a long time. Republicans have done such a lousy job of running state government that even they admit that it’s time `to do government business a new way’ for the good of our state.

“It is interesting to hear Speaker Cretul confess that Republican leadership since 1998 has led to unnecessary spending and a failure to follow basic government accountability measures that Florida put in place in the Government Performance and Accountability Act of 1994.

“Today, Speaker Cretul also called for greater budget transparency. I urge Republican leaders to consider the merits of House Joint Resolution 241 by Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota.”

House Joint Resolution 241. Expanding The Public’s Access. Rep. Keith Fitzgerald. The constitutional amendment requires budget documents be user friendly and easy to understand. The amendment would prevent last-minute backroom budget and legislative deals that avoid public input and scrutiny. The key components include these requirements:

· Budget documents must be user friendly, easy to read and understandable;
· A three-fourths vote is necessary to allow an amendment on the House floor during the last week of session to reduce the back room last minute deals showing up for a vote without public scrutiny;
· Members of conference committees are prohibited from discussing legislative matters among themselves, except at noticed public meetings;
· A two-thirds vote of both chambers is required to enact public records or public meeting exemptions;
· Citizens are allowed the right to challenge in court the rules governing public access to documents and meetings.