“I am grateful to House sponsor Representative Gary Aubuchon, Chairman Dave Murzin and the House Economic Development & Community Affairs Policy Council for recognizing the importance of SunRail to Florida’s residents, visitors and businesses. The Council’s unanimous approval today demonstrates a common-sense approach to job creation and economic development that will benefit our state for decades. This is a positive first step, and I look forward to continued legislative support for transforming Florida’s transportation future.
“I also want to congratulate Chairman Andy Gardiner for conducting an excellent workshop in the Florida Senate today. The thoughtful and thorough discussion will certainly further our understanding and appreciation of what the Sunshine State will gain from additional passenger rail.”
Showing posts with label Governor Crist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Governor Crist. Show all posts
Friday, December 4, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Governor Crist Announces Town Hall Meeting in Pensacola
Governor Charlie Crist today announced he will hold a town hall meeting at Pensacola Junior College to provide an opportunity for the citizens of Florida to voice their concerns about issues important to them.
“During these difficult economic times, we are faced with new and ever-changing issues that must be resolved,” said Governor Crist. “Town hall meetings provide an excellent forum for Floridians to express their concerns and offer suggestions for the future of our state.”
Details for the Pensacola town hall meeting are as follows:
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
12:00 p.m. – Doors Open, Participants Register
1:00-1:45 p.m. – Town Hall Meeting
1:45-2:00 p.m. – Media Availability
(All times CST)
Pensacola Junior College
WSRE AMOS Studio
1000 College Blvd, Building 23
Pensacola FL 32504
Contact: Sandy Ray
(850)572-3279
“During these difficult economic times, we are faced with new and ever-changing issues that must be resolved,” said Governor Crist. “Town hall meetings provide an excellent forum for Floridians to express their concerns and offer suggestions for the future of our state.”
Details for the Pensacola town hall meeting are as follows:
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
12:00 p.m. – Doors Open, Participants Register
1:00-1:45 p.m. – Town Hall Meeting
1:45-2:00 p.m. – Media Availability
(All times CST)
Pensacola Junior College
WSRE AMOS Studio
1000 College Blvd, Building 23
Pensacola FL 32504
Contact: Sandy Ray
(850)572-3279
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
RPOF Chairman Greer on Stimulus Package and Nancy Pelosi's Claims
The RPOF released the following statement last night.
Greer Says Stimulus Has A Way to Go, Crist Fighting for Florida
Tallahassee–Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer released the following statement regarding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s incorrect assumption that he is in support of the Democrat Spending Bill:
“I appreciate Speaker Pelosi inviting me to join in a discussion of the Democrat Spending Bill today as her official office issued a press release touting my support for this legislation. However, I would have been more grateful had she checked the facts first.
“Under my leadership the Republican Party of Florida fully supports Governor Crist in his efforts to ensure that Florida receives its full share and is able to use any federal economic stimulus dollars coming to our state to benefit all Floridians. Here in Florida, and across the nation, Governors, members of Congress and other elected officials are looking at this legislation from different perspectives due to their individual responsibilities. Charlie Crist is doing what he should be doing as Governor – FIGHTING FOR FLORIDA.
“As a Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, I support the idea that a plan is needed to stimulate the economy. I also support several facets of the current House and Senate plans including reducing taxes, creating jobs, and providing important funding for certain essential services.
“As this bill moves into conference, I would hope that the bipartisan tone demonstrated today in Florida results in the removal of the unnecessary pork barrel spending contained in the current House and Senate versions of this important legislation.”
# # #
Greer Says Stimulus Has A Way to Go, Crist Fighting for Florida
Tallahassee–Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer released the following statement regarding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s incorrect assumption that he is in support of the Democrat Spending Bill:
“I appreciate Speaker Pelosi inviting me to join in a discussion of the Democrat Spending Bill today as her official office issued a press release touting my support for this legislation. However, I would have been more grateful had she checked the facts first.
“Under my leadership the Republican Party of Florida fully supports Governor Crist in his efforts to ensure that Florida receives its full share and is able to use any federal economic stimulus dollars coming to our state to benefit all Floridians. Here in Florida, and across the nation, Governors, members of Congress and other elected officials are looking at this legislation from different perspectives due to their individual responsibilities. Charlie Crist is doing what he should be doing as Governor – FIGHTING FOR FLORIDA.
“As a Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, I support the idea that a plan is needed to stimulate the economy. I also support several facets of the current House and Senate plans including reducing taxes, creating jobs, and providing important funding for certain essential services.
However, what I do not support are the Democrats’ efforts to use this legislation as an opportunity to fulfill every spending promise they've ever made on the campaign trail.
“As this bill moves into conference, I would hope that the bipartisan tone demonstrated today in Florida results in the removal of the unnecessary pork barrel spending contained in the current House and Senate versions of this important legislation.”
# # #
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Crist - "As Popular as Barack Obama"
From Congressional Quarterly: Florida GOP Gov. Crist Riding High as Re-election Year Nears
“As popular as Barack Obama ” is a label coveted these days by any politician — and maybe even more prized by incumbents of the beleaguered Republican Party who face re-election contests in 2010, the first midterm election year of Democrat Obama’s presidency.
The survey of 1,370 Florida voters taken Jan. 14-19 showed 67 percent of respondents held a favorable opinion of Crist, who was elected governor in the 2006 race to succeed term-limited Republican Jeb Bush. Those who said they disapproved totaled 21 percent, with 10 percent saying they did not know enough to answer and 2 percent declining to state an opinion.
These numbers for Crist, two years into his term, were comparable to those enjoyed by Obama in Florida during his pre-inauguration national “honeymoon.” Obama scored a 66 percent favorable rating in the poll taken in the six days immediately before his swearing-in, well above the 51 percent of the vote he took in scoring a key electoral vote victory in Florida last November. While 48 percent of the state’s voters favored Republican John McCain for president, just 16 percent of the poll respondents said they disapproved of Obama, with 12 percent saying they didn’t know enough and 5 percent declining to answer.
...
But the partisan breakdown on Crist’s poll numbers show that his image as a Republican centrist, particularly on social issues, is helping him build support across party lines. A solid 58 percent of Democratic respondents and 68 percent of independents joined 72 percent of Republicans in approving of Crist’s performance as governor.
“As popular as Barack Obama ” is a label coveted these days by any politician — and maybe even more prized by incumbents of the beleaguered Republican Party who face re-election contests in 2010, the first midterm election year of Democrat Obama’s presidency.
And according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll in Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist is one of those Republicans who can wear Obama-like approval ratings as a badge of honor.
The survey of 1,370 Florida voters taken Jan. 14-19 showed 67 percent of respondents held a favorable opinion of Crist, who was elected governor in the 2006 race to succeed term-limited Republican Jeb Bush. Those who said they disapproved totaled 21 percent, with 10 percent saying they did not know enough to answer and 2 percent declining to state an opinion.
These numbers for Crist, two years into his term, were comparable to those enjoyed by Obama in Florida during his pre-inauguration national “honeymoon.” Obama scored a 66 percent favorable rating in the poll taken in the six days immediately before his swearing-in, well above the 51 percent of the vote he took in scoring a key electoral vote victory in Florida last November. While 48 percent of the state’s voters favored Republican John McCain for president, just 16 percent of the poll respondents said they disapproved of Obama, with 12 percent saying they didn’t know enough and 5 percent declining to answer.
...
But the partisan breakdown on Crist’s poll numbers show that his image as a Republican centrist, particularly on social issues, is helping him build support across party lines. A solid 58 percent of Democratic respondents and 68 percent of independents joined 72 percent of Republicans in approving of Crist’s performance as governor.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Crist's New Republican Leadership Style Evident in RPOF's Saltsman Response
Politico's Ben Smith examines Governor Crist's New Republican leaderhip style and the RPOF's response to the recent developments in the RNC Chairman's race:
Charlie Crist has, in the wake of the election, cast himself as a leader of the modernizing, more diverse Republican Party, and seems to be weighing in indirectly, via a statement from his state party chairman, Jim Greer, on the Saltsman flap:
As the GOP Chairman in one of our nation’s most ethnically and culturally diverse states, I am especially disappointed by the inappropriate words and actions we’ve seen over the past few days. I am proud of those party leaders who have stood up in firm opposition to this type of behavior.
In Florida we have worked hard to reach out to ALL citizens to promote the Republican Party’s principles and values while ensuring that our commitment to African Americans, Hispanics, and other minority communities is sincere and credible. Actions such as the distribution of this CD, regardless of intent, only serves to promote divisiveness and distracts us from our common goal of building our party.
Today, the GOP has an unprecedented opportunity to embrace change and inclusion, and we are either going to welcome this opportunity fully or watch it slip through our fingers. We can only achieve success if Republican leaders reject racial or any other acts that divide us and instead embrace what unites us as a nation.
Charlie Crist has, in the wake of the election, cast himself as a leader of the modernizing, more diverse Republican Party, and seems to be weighing in indirectly, via a statement from his state party chairman, Jim Greer, on the Saltsman flap:
As the GOP Chairman in one of our nation’s most ethnically and culturally diverse states, I am especially disappointed by the inappropriate words and actions we’ve seen over the past few days. I am proud of those party leaders who have stood up in firm opposition to this type of behavior.
In Florida we have worked hard to reach out to ALL citizens to promote the Republican Party’s principles and values while ensuring that our commitment to African Americans, Hispanics, and other minority communities is sincere and credible. Actions such as the distribution of this CD, regardless of intent, only serves to promote divisiveness and distracts us from our common goal of building our party.
Today, the GOP has an unprecedented opportunity to embrace change and inclusion, and we are either going to welcome this opportunity fully or watch it slip through our fingers. We can only achieve success if Republican leaders reject racial or any other acts that divide us and instead embrace what unites us as a nation.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Governor Crist Launches Cover Florida
To launch the Cover Florida Health Care Access Program available January 5, 2009, Governor Charlie Crist today witnessed the signing of contracts between six health insurance providers and Secretary Holly Benson of the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and Commissioner Kevin McCarty of the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR). The new health insurance plans will make affordable, quality health insurance coverage and access to health care available to Florida’s 3.8 million uninsured applicants age 19 to 64, with four of the six carriers insuring children of applicants.
Read more here.
Read more here.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Governor Crist Announces Chief of Technology
Governor Charlie Crist today appointed David W. Taylor of Tallahassee as executive director of the Agency for Enterprise Information Technology and state chief information officer. The Florida Cabinet unanimously approved the appointment. He will oversee the state agency responsible for developing the State of Florida’s enterprise strategic information technology plan. Taylor has been serving as interim director since July 2008, while continuing to serve as chief information officer for the Florida Department of Health since March 2003.
Click here for more information.
Click here for more information.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Governor Crist Announces $11.5 Million to Help Florida Homeowners
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today announced that Florida has received nearly $11.5 million to continue providing statewide foreclosure prevention counseling and legal assistance to homeowners in foreclosure. The boost will enable 77 counseling agencies and organizations across the state to provide foreclosure counseling. The funds also will allow legal services groups to counsel area homeowners at risk of foreclosure.
“These dollars will go a long way toward helping Floridians stay in their homes, and we are grateful to the federal government,” said Governor Charlie Crist. “By working together, Florida and Washington, D.C., are providing the advice and counsel to help residents here in the Sunshine State retain the dream of home ownership.”
The grant to support Florida’s foreclosure counseling intervention efforts comes from funds provided through the Housing and Economic Recover Act approved by Congress in July of 2008. Congress appropriated $180 million to be distributed nationally through a competitive application process administered by NeighborWorks® America, within guidelines defined by federal legislation. NeighborWorks America is an independent, congressionally-chartered, non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., that provides access to homeownership and affordable rental housing. In March 2008, Florida received nearly $1.3 million to support statewide foreclosure prevention counseling efforts. Those funds enabled approximately 50 counseling agencies/organizations to provide more foreclosure counseling than ever before to homeowners in danger of foreclosure.
The federal dollars for Florida come as Governor Crist and his administration continue working to help Florida homeowners. According to RealtyTrac, Florida has the nation’s third-highest state foreclosure rate, with 166,600 households statewide being impacted by foreclosure activities in October 2008.
Earlier this month Governor Crist joined representatives of the banking and mortgage lending industry to announce a voluntary agreement to provide foreclosure relief to Florida homestead property owners for 45 day, through the holidays and New Year. Also, the Florida Department of Community Affairs recently submitted to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) its proposed plan for distributing $91.1 million in federal funds to smaller urban and rural communities to respond to rising foreclosures and falling home values. In September 2008, HUD announced that targeted Florida cities and counties would receive $541 million in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for this purpose.
In February 2008, Governor Crist created the Florida Home Ownership Promotes the Economy (HOPE) Task Force to review Florida’s foreclosure rate and its impact on Florida’s economy. In April, the task force submitted recommendations, including urging loan services and investors to pursue all workout options and to dedicate resources to foreclosure prevention. To learn more about foreclosure prevention resources, please visit www.FloridaHousing.org and click on “Foreclosure Prevention Resources Now Available!”
# # #
“These dollars will go a long way toward helping Floridians stay in their homes, and we are grateful to the federal government,” said Governor Charlie Crist. “By working together, Florida and Washington, D.C., are providing the advice and counsel to help residents here in the Sunshine State retain the dream of home ownership.”
The grant to support Florida’s foreclosure counseling intervention efforts comes from funds provided through the Housing and Economic Recover Act approved by Congress in July of 2008. Congress appropriated $180 million to be distributed nationally through a competitive application process administered by NeighborWorks® America, within guidelines defined by federal legislation. NeighborWorks America is an independent, congressionally-chartered, non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., that provides access to homeownership and affordable rental housing. In March 2008, Florida received nearly $1.3 million to support statewide foreclosure prevention counseling efforts. Those funds enabled approximately 50 counseling agencies/organizations to provide more foreclosure counseling than ever before to homeowners in danger of foreclosure.
The federal dollars for Florida come as Governor Crist and his administration continue working to help Florida homeowners. According to RealtyTrac, Florida has the nation’s third-highest state foreclosure rate, with 166,600 households statewide being impacted by foreclosure activities in October 2008.
Earlier this month Governor Crist joined representatives of the banking and mortgage lending industry to announce a voluntary agreement to provide foreclosure relief to Florida homestead property owners for 45 day, through the holidays and New Year. Also, the Florida Department of Community Affairs recently submitted to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) its proposed plan for distributing $91.1 million in federal funds to smaller urban and rural communities to respond to rising foreclosures and falling home values. In September 2008, HUD announced that targeted Florida cities and counties would receive $541 million in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for this purpose.
In February 2008, Governor Crist created the Florida Home Ownership Promotes the Economy (HOPE) Task Force to review Florida’s foreclosure rate and its impact on Florida’s economy. In April, the task force submitted recommendations, including urging loan services and investors to pursue all workout options and to dedicate resources to foreclosure prevention. To learn more about foreclosure prevention resources, please visit www.FloridaHousing.org and click on “Foreclosure Prevention Resources Now Available!”
# # #
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Back in Tallahassee, Crist keeps eye on GOP's national outlook
Josh Hafenbrack | Tallahassee Bureau
November 13, 2008
TALLAHASSEE
After a wild ride of an election season that took him from John McCain's Arizona ranch to Old Europe, Gov. Charlie Crist is in the midst of a quick rise to the national stage, proposing a distinctive blend of sunny, pocketbook-driven politics as Republicans plot a way back to power. Could it be the right message for a party demoralized in the election?
With the Republican Governors Association meeting in Miami today, the potential future faces of the GOP, from Crist to Alaska's Sarah Palin, will be on hand weighing how to regain Republican footing in an era of Barack Obama's presidency.
Crist's centrist message, though, might appeal more to independents and Democrats than some Republicans, especially in light of quiet grumbling that's spread through conservative ranks over whether he did enough to help the presidential ticket carry a crucial swing state.
"We just need to be inclusive, we need to reach out, and do a better job leading by approaching issues with a common-sense view," Crist told the (Fort Lauderdale) Sun Sentinel in an interview Wednesday.
"What people care about, first and foremost, is their pocketbook."
The new national profile comes at a dicey time for Crist, with unprecedented challenges waiting in Tallahassee. After cutting $6 billion in state spending in the past year, Florida's budget is leaking billions more.
And the governor's personal life is a public curiosity. A month from now, Florida's first bachelor governor in four decades is planning to marry Manhattan businesswoman and philanthropist Carole Rome, in a small ceremony in Crist's hometown of St. Petersburg. The honeymoon is set for southwest Florida.
Crist, who was on the short list for McCain's vice-presidential slot that went to Palin, has tried to project himself as a leader with reach beyond Florida's borders. During the summer, he took his third trip overseas with a trade mission that included stops in Paris, London and Russia. Last month, he quietly met for dinner with Gen. David Petraeus, mastermind of the Iraq troop surge.
"The governor's not looking to be a national figure," said Brian Ballard, a lobbyist and close adviser. "It comes or it doesn't come based on performance" in the Governor's Mansion.
Still, Crist has a clear vision for a new GOP national strategy, one that pushes divisive social causes to the side and embraces diversity. The party needs to do a better job reaching out to black and Hispanic voters, Crist said. He noted the Republican rhetoric on illegal immigration was "less than friendly, shall we say" -- an assessment that hardly will endear Crist to the party's right wing.
"As the grandson of Greek immigrants, I'm very sympathetic that we're more inclusive, that we embrace others with open arms and continue to lead with a caring heart," he said. "That's what the Republican Party -- the party of Lincoln -- should be all about."
The ever-optimistic governor said the bipartisan spirit he has tried to foster in Florida could be emulated on the national stage, noting that he consulted Wednesday with a leading Democrat, state Sen.-elect Dan Gelber, on education funding.
Florida's budget woes present Crist with difficult choices. He has resisted new taxes; yet without new revenues, public schools could face damaging cuts. Either route carries political risks.
Floridians "want us to work together and do what's right," Crist said of his budget strategy session with Gelber, of Miami Beach. "They don't really care who wins the political battle of the day."
"We might be getting close to 10 percent unemployment in Florida," added Gelber. "We've never had the declining revenues we've had. I think this is really going to be a test for the state."
At the Capitol, Crist faces some tough tests, from fixing Florida's economy to mending a few fences among his party's conservative ranks to positioning for his 2010 re-election bid.
While the governor's loyalists are dismissive of unrest in the party, conservative activists think Crist hurt McCain's chances at key moments in the campaign, like when he extended early voting.
"There's a perpetual struggle between being the governor for everyone and pleasing the base," said outgoing House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, a conservative who battled Crist on issues from gambling to taxes.
If Crist manages the minefield ahead, what about a 2012 run for the White House? The governor demurred. "My job is to think about the people of Florida every day when I get up," he said.
November 13, 2008
TALLAHASSEE
After a wild ride of an election season that took him from John McCain's Arizona ranch to Old Europe, Gov. Charlie Crist is in the midst of a quick rise to the national stage, proposing a distinctive blend of sunny, pocketbook-driven politics as Republicans plot a way back to power. Could it be the right message for a party demoralized in the election?
With the Republican Governors Association meeting in Miami today, the potential future faces of the GOP, from Crist to Alaska's Sarah Palin, will be on hand weighing how to regain Republican footing in an era of Barack Obama's presidency.
Crist's centrist message, though, might appeal more to independents and Democrats than some Republicans, especially in light of quiet grumbling that's spread through conservative ranks over whether he did enough to help the presidential ticket carry a crucial swing state.
"We just need to be inclusive, we need to reach out, and do a better job leading by approaching issues with a common-sense view," Crist told the (Fort Lauderdale) Sun Sentinel in an interview Wednesday.
"What people care about, first and foremost, is their pocketbook."
The new national profile comes at a dicey time for Crist, with unprecedented challenges waiting in Tallahassee. After cutting $6 billion in state spending in the past year, Florida's budget is leaking billions more.
And the governor's personal life is a public curiosity. A month from now, Florida's first bachelor governor in four decades is planning to marry Manhattan businesswoman and philanthropist Carole Rome, in a small ceremony in Crist's hometown of St. Petersburg. The honeymoon is set for southwest Florida.
Crist, who was on the short list for McCain's vice-presidential slot that went to Palin, has tried to project himself as a leader with reach beyond Florida's borders. During the summer, he took his third trip overseas with a trade mission that included stops in Paris, London and Russia. Last month, he quietly met for dinner with Gen. David Petraeus, mastermind of the Iraq troop surge.
"The governor's not looking to be a national figure," said Brian Ballard, a lobbyist and close adviser. "It comes or it doesn't come based on performance" in the Governor's Mansion.
Still, Crist has a clear vision for a new GOP national strategy, one that pushes divisive social causes to the side and embraces diversity. The party needs to do a better job reaching out to black and Hispanic voters, Crist said. He noted the Republican rhetoric on illegal immigration was "less than friendly, shall we say" -- an assessment that hardly will endear Crist to the party's right wing.
"As the grandson of Greek immigrants, I'm very sympathetic that we're more inclusive, that we embrace others with open arms and continue to lead with a caring heart," he said. "That's what the Republican Party -- the party of Lincoln -- should be all about."
The ever-optimistic governor said the bipartisan spirit he has tried to foster in Florida could be emulated on the national stage, noting that he consulted Wednesday with a leading Democrat, state Sen.-elect Dan Gelber, on education funding.
Florida's budget woes present Crist with difficult choices. He has resisted new taxes; yet without new revenues, public schools could face damaging cuts. Either route carries political risks.
Floridians "want us to work together and do what's right," Crist said of his budget strategy session with Gelber, of Miami Beach. "They don't really care who wins the political battle of the day."
"We might be getting close to 10 percent unemployment in Florida," added Gelber. "We've never had the declining revenues we've had. I think this is really going to be a test for the state."
At the Capitol, Crist faces some tough tests, from fixing Florida's economy to mending a few fences among his party's conservative ranks to positioning for his 2010 re-election bid.
While the governor's loyalists are dismissive of unrest in the party, conservative activists think Crist hurt McCain's chances at key moments in the campaign, like when he extended early voting.
"There's a perpetual struggle between being the governor for everyone and pleasing the base," said outgoing House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, a conservative who battled Crist on issues from gambling to taxes.
If Crist manages the minefield ahead, what about a 2012 run for the White House? The governor demurred. "My job is to think about the people of Florida every day when I get up," he said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
