The Sad State of Affairs...by the Numbers

Glenda, I know you are really, really unhappy about the present legistature and Governor Scott. It is what it is and it is really too early in the term to make all the outrageous statements made by the likes of the St. Petersburg Times, Orlando Sentinel and all those other leftist organizations you so freely quote. I, and others, will wait to see what the leaders we have now bring us. So far, I think they are doing just fine and what they were elected to do. Sorry some of us are so lacking in the "vision" area. All we managed to do was hold this nation together since the late '40's and before. We noted which way we were going, didn't like it and proceeded to do something about it. We may be wrong but at least we will get a chance to find out.

Beautiful beaches, lovely weather, friendly people...

and...
The best Legislature money can buy - Carl Hiaasen - MiamiHerald.com

It?s astounding that so many voters were suckered into thinking that this new generation of Republicans was going to fight for the common man instead of the fats cats and their special interests.



Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/02/2147592/the-best-legislature-money-can.html#ixzz1IacqV0ol

and...
The best Legislature money can buy - Carl Hiaasen - MiamiHerald.com

Love Carl Hiaasen. I think he tells the ugly truth, but at least he had one positive thing to share.

It?s hard to know whether to laugh or vomit.


On a faintly positive note, at least one terrible scheme that took seed in the Legislature will not become law, at least for now.
A few weeks ago, Sen. John Thrasher of St. Augustine and Rep. Pat Rooney of West Palm Beach launched legislation that would have let Jack Nicklaus build golf courses in several state parks, starting with the beautiful Jonathan Dickinson tract near Stuart.
No one is a bigger Nicklaus fan than I am, but this truly was one of the nuttiest ideas of all time. Naturally, Gov. Rick Scott loved it.
Florida already has more than 1,000 golf courses, many of them losing business. Meanwhile our state park system draws 16 million visitors annually and is recognized as one of the country?s finest, a reputation that would disintegrate with the intrusion of driving ranges, fertilized fairways and golf carts (not to mention hotels, which the bill idiotically allowed).
The outcry was loud and instant, and within days both Rooney and Thrasher bailed. The golf-in-the-parks bill got shelved.

Read more: The best Legislature money can buy - Carl Hiaasen - MiamiHerald.com
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http://www.fcfep.org/attachments/The%20State%20of%20the%20State%20of%20Florida.pdf

If ever we needed leaders with vision, it is now.

this is horribly depressing. I did not realize Florida's extreme negative rankings in so many critical areas. Especially education.:( Is there any good news?

Poverty
? 33rd in percentage of residents in poverty (18 states have higher poverty rates)1
? Floridians below poverty level: 2.7 million people, including 850,000 children. The number of Floridians living in poverty increased 550,000 in two years2

Residents Without Health Insurance
? 4th-worst in the nation in the percentage of uninsured3
? 3rd-worst in the percentage of children under 18 without health insurance4

Well-Being of Children
? 35th in the nation, 2010 Kids Count5

Child Health System
? 47th in the nation, Commonwealth Fund State Scorecard on Child Health System Performance, 20116

Unemployment Rate
? 3rd-highest in the nation, 11.5%7

Unemployment Compensation
? 49th among the states in the percentage of unemployed who receive benefits8
? 46th among the states in the maximum weekly benefit ($275)9

Foreclosures and Delinquent Mortgages
? Highest in nation, total of delinquent mortgages and mortgages in foreclosure, 23.4%10

Per Capita Income Growth
? 46th in the nation, 2.2% growth between 2009 and 201011

Food Stamp Clients
? 3,092,459, February 2011, up 530,000 since February 201012

Medicaid Clients
? 2,553,766, February 2011, up 240,000 since February 2010

Teacher Salaries
? 37th in 2009-10, 47th (estimated) in 2010-1113

State Tax Revenue
? 43rd among the states in state tax revenue per capita14
? 46th in state tax revenue as a percentage of personal income
? State taxes in Florida constitute a lower share of Floridians? personal income than at any time in the last 40 years15
? Hundreds of exemptions, exclusions, credits, and deductions to Florida?s sales and corporate income taxes go unreviewed year after year.
? The state has forgone billions of dollars in potential revenue in the last decade through the elimination of the intangibles tax paid almost entirely by the wealthy, and continues to lose hundreds of millions in intangibles tax revenue year after year.16

State Tax System
? 2nd most regressive in the nation17

Number of State Employees
? 2nd-lowest in the nation in the number of state employees per 10,000 population18
? Lowest in the nation in state government employee payroll per resident19

Education Expenditures
? 50th in per capita state government expenditures for all education20
? 50th in state government expenditures for all education per $1,000 of personal income21
? 47th in per capita state and local government expenditures for all education22
? 47th in state and local government expenditures for all education per $1,000 of personal income23

Higher Education Expenditures
? 46th-worst in the change in higher education appropriations per full-time equivalent student, 2005-201024
? 41st in state and local government funding for higher education25
? 40th in state and local government funding for higher education per $1,000 of personal income26

It would complacent to sit back and just see what happens. Knowledgable voices like Donna's and others need to be heard in the hopes people will pay attention, so they can make informed decisions as to whether they also want to be heard or not.

We still have work to do! We can be 1st in the nation in lowering the tax burden on our people if we cut spending just a little more and then reduce some of the terrible fees the state has imposed.😀

And we might want to look at the education budget because obviously liberals do not know geography and/or math:

? 33rd in percentage of residents in poverty (18 states have higher poverty rates)1

33+18= 51 since there are 50 states..........

We still have work to do! We can be 1st in the nation in lowering the tax burden on our people if we cut spending just a little more and then reduce some of the terrible fees the state has imposed.😀

And we might want to look at the education budget because obviously liberals do not know geography and/or math:

? 33rd in percentage of residents in poverty (18 states have higher poverty rates)1

33+18= 51 since there are 50 states..........

you might want to check the footnote. the report includes the District of Columbia...

you might want to check the footnote. the report includes the District of Columbia...

A good example of figures don't lie but liars figure.....DC is NOT a state.

I have a feeling if I spent the time necessary to research each bullet point I would find simular liberties would be taken with the facts.