Statement by RPOF Chairman Jim Greer on Special Session Conclusion

Tallahassee—Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer released the following statement today regarding the conclusion of the Special Session:

“The Florida Legislature has made some very tough decisions over the past few days, but under the leadership of Governor Crist and Republicans in the House and Senate, Florida’s lawmakers stood firmly against any new taxes on Florida’s families and businesses. Republicans believe the best way to get our economy back on track is to put more money back in consumers’ pockets, not force them to pay more in taxes. Though the challenges facing our state are immense, I am proud of the Legislature’s work to cut the budget and protect taxpayers while ensuring that we continue to provide services to the state’s most vulnerable citizens. “

Photos of Governor Crist’s Visit to Workforce Plus Job Fair

Governor Charlie Crist’s visit to the job fair organized by Workforce Plus, the regional workforce board that serves Gadsden, Leon and Wakulla counties. Featuring businesses from the Big Bend Area, the job fair provides an opportunity for job seekers to connect with employers recruiting qualified personnel. Workforce Plus provides businesses and prospective employees with employment information and training services tailored to local workforce needs.

For more information, visit www.EmployFlorida.com . Employ Florida is the network of state and local workforce system partners – including Workforce Florida, the Agency for Workforce Innovation, 24 Regional Workforce Boards and nearly 90 One-Stop Career Centers.

Margaret Spellings to Arne Duncan

The following letter, written by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings to the nation's next Education Secretary, ran in today's Washington Post. Here in Florida, Republicans have long advocated for accountability in our classrooms and providing a first-class education to all students, regardless of their background. We have seen major gains among Florida's African American and Hispanic students, and we have an effective method of tracking students' progress.

A Word To My Successor
By Margaret Spellings

Dear Arne Duncan,

Congratulations! I am so pleased that President-elect Barack Obama has asked you, a fellow reformer, to serve as the next U.S. secretary of education. Your experience as chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools will be invaluable in continuing the work we in the Bush administration began doing to close the achievement gap and provide all children, regardless of race, income level or background, the skills needed to succeed.

This is an important and hopeful change from the past...Thanks to the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act, we now measure student achievement annually so that we can take an honest look at our problems -- the first step toward solving them.

Is it working? Yes. Test scores in reading and math have reached record highs. And the children once left behind -- African American, Hispanic, those living in urban areas -- are driving these academic gains.

...I urge you to resist calls to dismantle the core accountability provisions that give the law its power to identify and help children in need. Without it, we're back to doling out dollars and crossing our fingers...

Annual Meeting News Highlights

Photo Courtesy of Bill Cotterell

Here's how Florida's illustrious political reporters covered the RPOF's Annual Meeting and Chairman Greer's re-election over the weekend. Highlights are below, but we'd be remiss not to note that each reported on the challenges facing the RPOF, including the importance of voter registration, especially among African Americans and Hispanics, and the need to better utilize technology.

The St. Pete Times' Adam Smith got it right, saying "Florida Republicans overwhelmingly re-elected Jim Greer to another term as state party chairman Saturday, in an election that served partly as a referendum on the GOP leadership's focus on moderation and inclusion."

Tallahassee's own Bill Cotterell, who covers both the RPOF's and FDP's inner workings with gusto, notes, "The party's annual meeting drew an unusually heavy turnout of big names — not just for Greer, but for the 2010 U.S. Senate race, as Sen. Mel Martinez of Orlando is retiring and ex-Gov. Jeb Bush has said he will not run for the seat. Despite the loss of two U.S. House seats, one state legislative post and the state's 27 presidential electoral votes, the mood was upbeat as a succession of GOP leaders said party prospects in Florida are far better than in most other states that President-elect Barack Obama carried on Nov. 4. 'Jimmy, I love ya, you're a great man,' Crist said at a reception before the big meeting. 'This is a celebration.'"

The AP's Brendan Farrington reports, "Greer said he will create a 'registration action team' to immediately begin registering voters rather than waiting for the 2010election."

The Miami Herald's Beth Reinhard, who conducted one of the Chairman's first interviews when he was elected at the annual meeting two years ago, notes, "...the party fared better in Florida than in other states in 2008, losing only one seat in Congress and another in the Legislature. Gov. Charlie Crist remains popular, despite the tanking economy," and gets an exclusive quote from The Maestro.

The Herald-Trib's Jeremy Wallace sums up the clear start of the U.S. Senate campaign: "Though GOP quarterly meetings are rarely scintillating events, the buzz from the looming U.S. Senate seat had everyone talking for the two days in Orlando."

"...Apparently Greer’s version of The Kings last No. 1 hit went over alright. On Saturday when the party faithful gathered to vote on a new chairman, Greer won 169 votes to 52 votes for Eric D. Miller, a Martin County Republican."