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People hungry and fed up with long waiting periods to get food stamps are turning to food banks to feed their families.

Florida’s food banks gave away 72 million pounds of food last year. Food bank workers say it’s getting harder to meet the demand. They’re asking the state to speed up the food stamp application process. President of the Florida Food Bank Association David Reaney said charities are picking up the slack.

“We can’t keep up with the demand if the food stamp program is also not keeping up with the demand. That’s why getting the program working is so important,” said Reaney.

The Department of Children and Families should receive 22 million federal stimulus dollars. DCF is also asking the state for an additional six million. The department wants to use the money to create 288 jobs to help speed up the food stamp application process.

President Barrack Obama and Governor Charlie Crist are neck and neck in a popularity contest.

According to a Quinnipiac Poll released today 64 percent of Florida voters says Obama is doing a good job. 67 approve of the job Crist is doing. The stimulus package isn’t as popular. 51 percent of Floridians think it will have a positive impact on the state’s economy, but Pollster Peter Brown says 49 percent don’t like the giveaway.

“They are much more pessimistic about the state and national economy than they are about their own wallets and their own pocket books. More than 9 in 10 Floridian classified the state and national economy as not so good, but only slightly more than have say they would classify their own finances that way,” said Brown.

Sixty percent of Floridians polled say they don’t think the stimulus package will help their finances.

Florida’s seven pari-mutual tracks in Dade and Broward made a pitch today for a “level playing field” with the Seminole Tribe.

The pitch was made to Democratic house members who heard from the Seminoles last week. The tracks say since gaming on Seminole reservations began in May 2007, their profits are down dramatically. The tracks say leveling the playing field includes a lot of things.

“The playing field we are referring to is more about product, hours of operation and being able to compete in the market area. Tax is a big part of competing and that’s why we’re saying it needs to be reduced to a level that when we ran the campaign we were comfortable with,” said Dan Adkins, CEO of Mardi Gras Gaming.

The tracks in South Florida also want the legislature to give them black jack and the other games being operated by the Seminoles. But the Tribe says if those games are legalized at the tracks, the Tribe won’t have to pay the state a dime.

Florida Insurance regulators got into a sparring match with the industry
today over whether it is proper to use credit scores to set auto
insurance rates. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the contentious hearing
could result in the scores being outlawed for rate setting purposes.

Hear it Here: Credit Scores Affect Car Insurance Rates

How much you pay for car insurance depends more on your credit score than
your driving record.

Testifying under oath, insurance executives sparred with regulators over
the accuracy of using credit scores to set auto insurance rates. They
contend credit scores more accurately predict losses than driving
records. What they couldn’t explain was why.

“What you think is a weakness, and not knowing why there is a correlation, is not a knowable thing,” Michael Miller with the Florida Insurance Council said.  It’s not knowable for any risk factor.”

Two bills have been filed in the legislature to stop the use of credit scores in setting auto insurance rates.

Sponsor Ronda Storms says it just isn’t fair.

“The credit scoring has no impact on their driving skills, on their ticketing,” Storms said.

Hundreds of companies advertise ways to improve your credit score.
Economist Birny Birnbaum says the some time inaccurate scores do not
reflect risk.

“Would you call someone financially irresponsible, if their spouse was in the hospital with cancer and they decided that instead of paying the credit card bills, they were going to pay the hospital?” Birnbaum said.

The insurance industry countered by saying that without credit scores in the mix, half of
all minorities could see their auto insurance go up.

After today’s hearing, regulators will sift through the testimony and make recommendations to the legislature. Previous attempts to ban the use of credit scores for rate setting have failed.

Chanting “Pass the Buck,” hundreds of volunteers from across the state rallied on the steps of the state capitol today to push for a dollar increase in the state cigarette tax.

The tax has not been raised since 1990 and Florida’s 33.9 cent tax is the 45th lowest in the nation. Bill Sponsor Representative Jim Waldman told the crowd not to accept anything less than a dollar per pack increase.

“It’s the dollar that’s going to make the difference. 65 cents, 75 cents that’s not what we need,” Waldman said. “We need to stop teen smoking, and the only way we’re going to do that is to hurt them where it hurts and that’s in the pocketbook. So please, don’t compromise on it.”

Even Republicans seem to be eying a cigarette tax increase, but their bill would raise the tax just 65 cents. A dollar a pack could put as much as a billion dollars a year in the state treasury.

Florida business leaders want stimulus money spent on infrastructure. Tax groups, economic experts, and construction contractors have looked at different ways to spend the money, and as Whitney Ray tells us, they have a plan to spend half of Florida’s 12 billion stimulus dollars to create 150,000 jobs.

Hear it Here: Business Leaders Push ‘Wise’ Stimulus Spending

As state gas tax revenues dwindled this summer, so did the road construction jobs they funded. Since September road builder Craig Elmore has laid off 50 workers.

“We’ve been in business for 56 years and I don’t know how much longer we can go on if we don’t get some help,” said Elmore.

Help is around the corner as Florida looks for ways to spend 12 billion federal stimulus dollars. State Senator Mike Fasano is siding with business leaders who say the 1.3 billion earmarked for roads should be used as soon as possible.

“It’s making certain that every dollar goes to exactly what it’s suppose to, resurfacing, building and repairing,” said Fasano.

Some of the money could be spent to update water treatment plants and pipelines.

“Getting money to stimulate change in infrastructure makes it better for you and me to drink water and it also puts people to work,” said Chuck Carden, Director of Operations for Tampa Bay Water.

And if the money begins to trickle down, business and retailers are asking consumers to shop locally. An estimated 12 billion dollars that could be spent in Florida stores is being spent online or in other states. And for every 100,000 of those dollars spent out of state, one Floridian loses their job, causing businesses to close their doors.”

Floridians are not only being encouraged to shop locally. Business leaders are also asking them to take instate vacations. Business leaders are also asking lawmakers to lift building permit restrictions in order to speed up construction projects.

Many Floridians with kidney diseases have to drain their bank accounts before they qualify for federal help with medical bills.

Lawmakers want to lift restrictions that keep many Floridians under 65 from qualifying for Medigap insurance. Medicap is an insurance plan that helps customers pay for health care cost. State Representative Ritch Workman said some families have to unload thousands of dollars saved for retirement in order to afford the help they need.

“No one chooses for their kidney’s to fail. When that happens, and you’re not 65, you’re only choice is to clear your assets until you get on Medicaid,” said Workman.

Lawmakers say providing Medigap coverage for kidney patients will save the state in the long run, by keeping people off the Medicaid rolls.

Florida voters want Governor Charlie Crist to run for re-election, but say if he throws his hat in the US Senate ring they’ll back him.

Crist says he’ll make a decision about his political future after the legislative session ends in May. The governor’s job approval rating remains high at 67 percent according to a new Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday. Pollster Peter Brown attributes Crist’s popularity to his ability to stay in the political center.

“He’s convinced a large swath of voters, regardless of their ideology or personal affiliation, that he’s doing a good job and he has their interest at heart. That’s why he does so well in the polls. That’s why you don’t see people lining up to run against him, no matter what office he runs for,” said Brown.

Quinnipiac also asked voters how they fell about expanding Seminole gaming. 63 percent think the state legislature should enter into a compact with the Seminole tribe.

Florida’s small counties are pushing lawmakers to offset tax breaks given to land owners. Voters approved the breaks last November, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the breaks are driving the counties into the red.

Hear it Here: Conservation Land

Scenic Jefferson County faces a problem all small counties are facing. Thousands of acres are being taken off the tax rolls because of voter approved Amendment 4. The amendment lets land owners to  put property into conservation and avoid taxes.  Leonard Bembry represents 10 small counties.

“When you talk about the percentage of money that they have to educate their children with, the impact is tremendous,” Bembry said.

Schools here are almost broke. Bembry wants lawmakers to reimburse small counties when land is taken off the tax rolls.

There are more than a dozen small counties scattered across the state that are all worried about losing their tax base if large chunks of land go into conservation.

36 thousand privately held acres are already off the rolls in Jefferson. Another 140 thousand acres could be. Media mogul Ted Turner is one of the county’s biggest land owners.

“We don’t reduce the taxes on our land when we put conservation easements on it,” Turner said. “No, we may put it under protection but we don’t intend to pay less taxes.”

Former State Senator Kurt Kiser moved to Jefferson 8 years ago because of its rural nature. He says small counties will survive.

“It’s going to preserve the rural way of life and the really nice farms and acreage that we have out here now,” Kisner said. So I think it’s going to help improve the tax role eventually.”

The real tax crunch for small counties hits next January.

Just under three hundred thousand acres are already under private conservation efforts across the state.  1 of every 8 acres is in Jefferson County.

A joint House-Senate committee has dampened one of the Governor’s legislative priorities.

The Governor is pushing the adoption of tougher auto emission standards developed by California. The joint legislative panel now says it is unconstitutional for Florida to let other states set our policies. Today, Crist called their decision “over thinking.”

“I don’t know that there’s so much of a problem with it,” Crist said. “I think we just need to control our emissions and make sure that we’re protecting the air. I’m excited about the possible success we could have this session with that initiative.”

Passage of the emission plan has always been a long shot. It is opposed by every large car maker in the country.

Governor Charlie Crist toured the Beau Turner Youth Conservation Center near Monticello this morning.

Media Mogul Ted Turner and his son lease the property to the state for virtually nothing, then made improvements to the land so city kids can learn to fish and hunt. Governor Charlie Crist went 2 for 3 hitting a target with a bow and arrow. Afterwards he praised the Turners for making kids dreams come true.

“We live in the most beautiful state, in my humble opinion, in the country,” Crist said. “So many good things are going on in challenging times. A lot of good things still continue to happen. I was just talking to Beau and Ted about how we gotta keep doing smart things, we gotta keep doing good things, and we’ve gotta promote this great state that offers so much to so many.”

Crist also took a few shots at some clay pigeons today. And While he may be know as Chain Gang Charley, he will never be know as shot gun Charlie.

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer is joining forces with lawmakers to push stricter penalties for insurance agents who rip-off senior citizens.

Hear it Here: CFO Fights Financial Fraud Against Seniors

The state is reviewing hundreds of cases of financial fraud against people over 65. As Whitney Ray tells us, lawmakers are trying to toughen laws against people who swindle seniors out of their money.

To earn extra income 81-year old Bonnie Madden invested 300-thousand dollars in two annuities. The agent who helped Bonnie invest her money later convinced her to combine the two annuities into one, costing Bonnie a penalty fee, but earning her agent a 52-thousand dollar commission.

“I would like to see him in a bright orange suit jump suit and silver bracelets that hold his hands together,” Bonnie said.

Bonnie fell victim to twisting, a form of fraud where an agent convinces an investor to change annuities several times, costing the victim penalty payments. Lawmakers filed legislation to stop twisting.

“This is a get tough bill. It provides criminal penalties and that will serve as a strong deterrent,” said House Democrat Keith Fitzgerald.

The legislation increases misdemeanor penalties to a felony for insurance agents caught twisting the annuities of people over 65. The bill extends the automatic refund period for seniors from 14 days to 60, to give family members enough time to review the investment.

It also caps penalties for pulling money out early. Florida’s Chief Financial Officer says right now seniors are getting tricked into buying 15 year investments.

“We recently had a 90 year old woman who was sold an annuity with a surrender charge of 15 years. That’s just wrong,” said Sink.

Life insurance companies killed similar legislation last year. Insurance lobby Groups are supporting the efforts, but worry that some restrictions could keep wealthy seniors looking to gamble from switching annuities.

Governor Charlie Crist is shaking off news that tourism in Florida was off seven percent in 2008.

Last year marked the first time in seven years the number of visitors has fallen. Crist says he sees good news among the bad.

“Some encouraging news in that stat, that I saw too, is that I think we’re getting about 14 percent more tourists from Canada now, so more foreign visitors are coming to the state. That’s good,” Crist said. “The other thing is, encourage Floridians to travel in Florida. I think that was up about 22 percent, in-state travel. There’s so many different parts of the state to visit and go to and you help Florida businesses. That’s a great thing to do.”

More than 210,000 Floridians are living with traumatic brain injuries and the number is expected to increase by 50,000 before 2020.

A coalition of health experts are teaming up to help people living with brain damage and other injuries. The group, called Project Partners, announced a five year plan to bring victims together, raise awareness across the state, and help families of people with brain injuries. Thom Delila broke his neck in 1972 and is trying to raise awareness for people with brain injuries.

“All people with disables want to be provided with information and know what resources are available. They want the opportunity to obtain appropriate medical and rehabilitation services, they need assessable housing, they want to engage in meaningful activities such as employment, recreation and leisure activities,” said Delila.

Project Partners also wants to establish a state entity for people who living with traumatic brain injuries in Florida.

State Senator Mike Fasano is taking on Progress Energy, in an attempt to lower customer’s electric bills.

Last month the utility company raised its rates 25 percent to cover rising fuel costs and to build a nuclear power plant in Levy County. Fasano filed legislation to bring down the amount customers have to pay for the plant and spread the cost to future customers.

“Instead of seeing a 10, 12, or 15 percent increase in their electric bill, they may see one or two percent increase if that much and there by it would be rate payers not only today, but rate payers in the future that would pay for the nuclear power plant,” said Fasano.

Progress Energy is volunteering to drop rates 11 percent, but that could be temporary. Fasano is seeking a more permanent reduction.