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Governor Charlie Crist has gotten only lukewarm reaction so far when he asked the business community to fund a campaign to pass the property tax amendment on January 29th. Estimates suggest it will take from 5 to 15 million to pass the referendum, if then. Crist says he will do what he can to raise cash and is already looking beyond January 29th to perhaps another tax cutting amendment being pushed by the House Speaker

“And I’m committed to continue to go beyond January the 29th,” Crist said. “ And I hope that it passes. I think it’s important that we continue the momentum of property tax cuts in order to give us the chance to have more property tax cuts.”

If you have ever tried to search a state web site, you know it can be a nightmare. But help may be on the way. Governor Charlie Crist announced a partnership with Google today to simplify gathering information from Florida government. Currently, if you search for something from the state, Google will take you to the agency web site, but from there you are on your own. Under the partnership, the state will make it’s information more transparent to Google’s search engines. The governor says it should simplify searches.

“It seems to me that this makes it easier to get information in a way that people are more used to,” Crist said. “They’re probably not used to going to the website for the department of state or even the department of education, though I’m sure a lot of educators are. But this is something people sort of customarily use almost on a daily basis and they just put the name in or the subject matter and it takes them right there, instead of having to figure out ‘state.gov,’ you know all that junk.”

Only information that is currently public record will be available under the expanded search capabilities.

State inspectors are hitting the streets, to make sure you’re getting what you pay for when you take your car in for repairs. As Chris Casquejo tells us, the laws that govern repair shops are clear.

Hear it Here: Auto Shop Inspections

State inspector Rick Strong visited five auto repair shops. Four were okay. At the fifth, he laid down the law.

“You can say something to the effect that all parts are new unless otherwise specified,” Strong said.

Mike Twomey didn’t have a place on his invoices to show whether his mechanics were using new or used parts. He was hit with a 300 dollar fine.

When your car breaks down and you have to take it in, make sure to get a written estimate for any work more than 100 dollars.

Inspector Strong says even the smallest violations have to be enforced.

“They could tell you they’re going to charge $100 for something,” he said. “And when you get back, it could be $1,000.”

Florida’s Motor Vehicle Repair law also allows you to look at or take home any parts that are replaced. Shop owner Twomey took the surprise inspection in stride.

“People don’t want to spend money on their cars,” Twomey said. “When they come in, they’re in a bad mood, their car is broke. They want a good experience with a car shop.”

Twomey’s bottom line took a hit, but now he knows the law. He planned to mail his $300 check to the state as soon as possible.

To file a complaint against a repair shop, you can call the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 1-800-HELP-FLA.

State inspectors will be visiting toy stores and other retailers to make sure they are not selling dangerous toys this holiday season.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission currently has about 70 toys on its recall list.  But the federal agency does not have enough people to check stores, so about 15 Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services inspectors will make surprise visits.

“Some of them have small parts and choking is an issue,” said the Agriculture Department’s Terry McElroy.  “In other cases, strangulation is an issue.  There are ropes or levers.  There are other cases where lead was used in the paint.”

To see a list of recalled toys, you can visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website at www.cpsc.gov.

More than 800 local governments in Florida are sitting on pins and needles today, wondering if the State Board of Administration ( The Gov, CFO, and AG ) will release their funds from the Local Government Investment Pool, The fund was frozen last Thursday after a classic run on the bank that left the pool unable to pay off all of its investors if they all cashed out. A recommendation is coming late this afternoon from consultants hired to solve the problem. In the mean time, here’s a list from the State Board of who is still in the fund. participantcurrentbalances_11292007.xls

For the second year in a row, Florida avoided a big hurricane hit.  But homeowners continue to pay high insurance rates, despite lawmakers’ efforts and the governor’s promise of rates “dropping like a rock.”  As Chris Casquejo tells us, the insurance industry is not banking on another quiet hurricane season next year.

Here it here: No Hurricanes In 2007, No Insurance Relief For Homeowners

State emergency response team leaders breathed a sigh of relief as they closed the book on another hurricane season with no damage.  The last two years were a big change from 2004 and 2005, when insurers paid $36 billion in claims and homeowners saw premiums double and triple.  Now, state leaders are asking where is the relief?

“These prices have to reflect the reality,” said Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp. “Not just these models that are based on Armageddon, or some other, I don’t know what they’re based on.”

State meteorologists say Florida lucked out this year.  High pressure forced Category 5 Hurricanes Dean and Felix further south. They slammed into Mexico and Nicaragua instead of Florida.

Homeowner’s insurance companies will make more than $3 billion this year.  But they say those profits won’t offset the couple of years they spent deep in the red.

Sam Miller is with the Florida Insurance Council.
He blames re-insurance costs.  They went up on average 76 percent in 2005.  But Miller says re-insurers have lowered rates from 10 to 15 percent this year.

“When private reinsurance rates go up, the rates we have to charge consumers go up,” Miller said.  “When private reinsurance go down, the rates we charge consumers go down.”

And the insurance industry believes Floridians can’t bank on another quiet hurricane season in 2008.

Later this month, several insurance companies will appear before state regulators to answer possible collusion charges.

Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp and state emergency response team leaders marked the official end of the 2007 hurricane season. For the second straight year, Florida avoided a direct hit.  Meteorologists say the state was lucky, because high pressure systems forced Category 5 Hurricanes Dean and Felix further south.  But with two quiet seasons in a row, state leaders want to remind Floridians to stay prepared and not forget what happened in 2004 and 2005

“It’s still fresh in the minds of a lot of people,” said Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp.  “And I think that because of the work done by this amazing emergency response team to keep people prepared and continually pressing to have a family plan, we see a far greater level of preparedness and understanding of how quick this could happen and how significant it is.”

The state emergency response team wants to remind people that the end of hurricane season is the start of wildfire season, and to also prepare accordingly.

The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission is considering a plan that would exchange some property taxes for a temporary hike in the sales tax.  The proposal from member Carlos Lacasa would give very homeowner a tax exemption worth half of their property’s market value.  The state’s six-cent sales tax would increase by a penny.  The commission is also floating other ideas.

“Whether we want to introduce a proposal for numbering into the full commission on sales tax enclusions,” said chairwoman Susan Story.  “And the second piece will be some property tax issues, like portability, highest and best use.”

Last month Former Senate President John McKay proposed doing away with some of the property taxes that pay for education.  He wants replace the money by getting rid of existing tax exemptions and placing a sales tax on professional services.

Hundreds of Local Governments, including many school boards, can’t touch their cash reserves  for the second day in a row. The State Board of Administration froze a state investment account yesterday after panicked local governments withdrew large cash reserves, threatening the solvency of the fund. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, at least one county had to cancel payments to vendors to make its payroll today.

Hear it here: Local Government Investment Blues

It was business as usual in Derrick Martin’s 8th and 9th grade Jefferson County math class. But Martin almost didn’t get a paycheck Friday. Jefferson is just one of hundreds of local governments with money invested in a state operated account. The fund was frozen Thursday after a 1920’s-style run on the bank.  The small county had to scramble to make payroll.

“I had almost a million-dollar pay roll today,” Jefferson County Schools CFO Hal Wilson said.  “The only way I could meet that payroll was to stop payment on checks issued to vendors.”

The way the fund works is that counties empty their checking accounts every night. And then when they need to pay bills they call up the fund by eleven in the morning and the money is back in the account by two that afternoon.

Fears over sub prime mortgage investments caused local governments to withdraw more than half the fund’s value over the last month. If the withdrawals hadn’t been frozen, there wouldn’t have been enough cash to pay everyone.

Jefferson County High School Principal Juliette Jackson says no one panicked.

“Now, we know that its probably going to cause some implications later,” Jackson said.

A meeting Tuesday will decide the next step. It can’t come soon enough for the Jefferson County School System, which just wants the 4. 3 million it has in the fund.

But more withdrawals could sink the fund, causing widespread losses…and almost guaranteeing that Derrick Martin won’t get his next paycheck.

A consulting firm was being hired late Friday to make recommendations. Counties with cash in the fund were invited to participate in a conference call to raise their concerns to the state.

More than a dozen oystermen met with Governor Charlie Crist at the state capitol. Pointing to maps and explaining how a reduced flow from the Apalachicola River is already hurting the oyster crop, the group is looking for the Governor to stand up for them when he meets with the governors of Alabama and Georgia over the water flow issue next week. Crist told them he hears what they are saying.
 
“We’re gonna fight for you,” the governor said.  “We’re going to make sure that we protect the water that we have a right to have, and that you truly deserve and that your families depend upon.  I get it.  I understand.”   

State Representative Will Kendrick represents Franklin County in the state legislature. He wants the Governor to tell our neighboring states to start looking further ahead so water isn’t short before action is taken before the water runs out.

“It’s not been that big of an issue here in North Florida, but across the state we’ve already put our money where our mouth is,” Kendrick said.  “So, I just hope we would see those other states step up to the plate and institute some conservation measures and not just 30 or 60 days ago realize you’ve only got a 90 to 120 day supply of water and all of a sudden want to cut off the gap.” 

Crist also told the oyster delegation he looks forward to hearing more from the community before his Dec. 11 meeting with governors Purdue and Reilly.

Voters will head to the polls in exactly two months to decide whether to change Florida’s property tax law.  Groups in favor of an amendment to cut property taxes could spend anywhere from $5 million to $15 million on their campaign.  But as Chris Casquejo tells us, educators are gearing up for a fierce fight.

Hear it here: Property Tax Cut Fight Heating Up

Public library leaders are upset. They say they’re already doing more with less. They worry there will be less money for books if voters approve a property tax cut in January. Educators also fear schools will lose big, and are finalizing a campaign against the amendment.

“Florida will continue to be falling further behind other states in comparisons of school funding,” said Mark Pudlow of the Florida Education Association.  “And it will be making it much harder for us to keep and recruit the best teachers.”

The plan would allow homeowners to take their Save Our Homes benefits when they move.  It also doubles the homestead exemption.

Under the amendment, business and other non-homestead property owners would have their annual property tax increases limited to 10 percent.

Business interest groups believe the amendment does not help enough.  But they’re willing to get behind it and spend accordingly.

“It’s better to get half a loaf than no loaf at all,” said Barney Bishop with Associated Industries of Florida.  “So is this something that’s still important for the business community?  Yes, because our employees are impacted and our companies are still going to be impacted to the extent that at least we’ll have a cap of 10 percent.

Many polls, including the Florida Education Association’s most recent one, show that the amendment would not pass.  But many voters remain undecided.

60 percent of voters have to approve the property tax cut amendment for it to become law.

Governor Charlie Crist, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum voted to temporarily stop withdrawals from a shaky state investment fund.  The three top leaders make up the State Board of Administration.  Cities, counties and school boards have taken out $10 billion from the fund in the last two weeks, and $3.5 billion on Wednesday alone.

“We’ve seen this fund depleted by several billion dollars in the past few days,” said Gov. Crist.  “There was sort of a run on it, if you will.  I think our main fiduciary responsibility is to stop that from occurring.  No matter what’s motivating it, whether it’s factual or not factual.  It’s almost irrelevant from this point.  We have a duty to be good fiduciary board members on the SBA and protect the investment of the people.”

Crist, Sink and McCollum also voted for an independent adviser to look into the fund before they take any action.

A Leon County judge has ruled that a law that lets people take their signatures off petition initiatives is constitutional.  A group called Florida Hometown Democracy leveled the legal challenge.  Their proposed amendment would require local referendums on land-use changes.  Their main opponent, Save Our Constitution, has used the new law to try to cut the number of signatures its supporters have collected to get on the November 2008 ballot.  Associated Industries of Florida is bankrolling Save Our Constitution’s effort.

“The legislative intent behind the law is very clear,” said Barney Bishop of Associated Industries of Florida.  “People are allowed to sign a petition.  You can tell them anything you want to, to get them sign a petition.  People should be able to have the opportunity to hear the other side of the argument, to decide if they don’t want to have their signature on the petition anymore.  It’s what’s called a democracy, a free flow of ideas.  You hear both arguments.”

Supporters need 611,000 signatures to get on the ballot.  As of Tuesday, they had nearly 394,000 filed with the state.

More people are buying holiday gifts online.  Consumers spent more than $733 million  on Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving.  Online retailers consider the day the start of the internet shopping holiday season.  The number represents a 21 percent increase over 2006.  But the Florida Retail Federation says the U.S. Congress needs to change sales tax laws.

“That is costing Florida about 2 billion, billion with a B, dollars a year.  So that needs to be changed,” said Rick McAllister with the Florida Retail Federation.  “Now, all those brick and mortar retailers who operate in Florida and have an online presence are collecting sales taxes, are remitting those to the state.  But those other online retailers who do not have a presence in Florida do not have to collect the tax that is owed by us as citizens of Florida.”

ComScore, the research firm that conducted the survey, also found that 60 percent of the money spent on Cyber Monday came from work computers.

The U.S. Green Building Council has certified Florida’s first “Silver” Home in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. At a time when home sales are sluggish, environmental friendly sales are on an up tick. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, one reason might be the 30 percent energy savings every month.

Hear it Hear: Green Housing

This home is just over 21 hundred square feet. It costs just over 4 hundred thousand dollars.  And from the outside, it looks like most other homes.

But inside, there are low volume toilets, energy efficient lights. Special windows. At the dedication, builder Dave Wamsley says the saving can be surprising.

“This home will be 30 percent cheaper to run, month to month, than a normal code compliant home.”

There is also no traditional hot water heater.  This is the entire hot water system right here. No big tank…when the faucet inside is turned on, this unit heats just enough water for that faucet.

Around the perimeter of the house, a rain garden, designed to keep most water runoff  on the site. The concept impressed former  Environmental Protection Secretary Colleen Castille.  “Storm water is what really creates quality problems without water statewide.”

The house is the first in Florida given a silver rating by a national non profit group encouraging energy efficient building.  Charles Patterson of 1,000 Friends of Florida says the home is the future of building.

“This is a big part of what we need to do to have a sustainable community statewide”.

The new owners will move in just in time for Christmas