Crist Hauls In $3 Million; Scott Makes It Official
December 11, 2013
Charlie Crist put down his first marker. And Rick Scott made official what everybody already knew.
Crist, the former Republican governor who is trying to win back his old job as a Democrat, announced Tuesday that he had raised about $3 million in November after formally entering the 2014 gubernatorial race. Meanwhile, Scott opened a campaign account to seek re-election — a long-anticipated move that cemented his candidacy and provided another avenue to rake in millions of dollars.
The gubernatorial moves came as political candidates and committees rushed to meet a Tuesday deadline for filing campaign-finance reports for November. The reports reflect for the first time a new law that increased campaign contribution limits to $3,000 for statewide candidates and $1,000 for other candidates, up from a longtime $500 limit.
Crist’s exact fund-raising totals had not been posted to the state Division of Elections website early Tuesday evening. But he issued a statement indicating that he had raised about $3 million through his campaign account and through a closely aligned committee known as “Charlie Crist for Florida.”
In the statement, Crist acknowledged that he will not be able to raise as much money as Scott. While Scott only opened a campaign account Tuesday, a committee backing his campaign — known as the “Let’s Get to Work” committee — raised $5.87 million in November and has brought in nearly $20 million this year.
“Rick Scott says he will have more money than any politician in the history of Florida politics,” Crist said in the announcement. “But he doesn’t have the people.”
Campaign-finance reports popped up on the Division of Elections website throughout Tuesday and reinforced that Republicans will have a huge fund-raising edge over Democrats in key races next year.
For example, Attorney General Pam Bondi reported raising $104,875 in November for her campaign account, bringing the overall total to $526,451. Meanwhile, one of her Democratic opponents, George Sheldon, reported an overall total of $51,807, and another, Perry Thurston, reported a total of $21,500.
Meanwhile, Republican Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater raised $235,825 in November, giving him an overall total of $814,756. Republican Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam collected $158,604 in November, pushing his total to $1,008,693.
Big money also flowed to some Republican lawmakers. For instance, Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, collected $64,375 during November, increasing his total to nearly $200,000 for his re-election bid in Senate District 24.
Down the Gulf Coast, Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, raised $54,075 during the month, giving her a total of $491,812 to fuel her campaign in District 30.
Among House candidates, Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, reported raising $59,928 during the month, bringing his overall amount to $113,853. One of his challengers in House District 114, Democrat Daisy Baez, has collected an overall total of $63,388.
by Jim Sanders, The News Service of Florida
Escambia Man Cited For Hitting School Bus
December 11, 2013
An Escambia County man was ticketed after hitting a school bus in Navarre Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 61-year old Joseph A. Nunnari failed to notice a 2009 Thomas Bus driven by Alison Furber of Navarre was slowing as it approached an active school zone. Nunnari struck the back of the bus with his 2007 Ford Edge.
There were no injuries.
Nunnari was cited for careless driving, according to the FHP.
Santa To Visit Century, Molino Libraries For Christmas Programs
December 11, 2013
Get ready…Santa is planning visits to the Century and Molino branch libraries for a couple of a programs.
Molino — Christmas Pajama Storytime
Kids are invited to wear their PJ’s and enjoy a Santa visit with stories, carols, photos with Santa, hot chocolate and more on Monday December 16 from 6-7 p.m. at the Molino Branch Library. The program will be presented in conjunction with the Molino Mid-County Historical Society.
Century — Christmas Program
The Century Branch Library Christmas Program will be held Thursday, December 19 from 5-6 p.m. at the library, 7991 North Century Boulevard. Th event will include a Christmas story, craft, a tasty treat, a gift from an elf and a visit with Santa Claus.
Pictured: Santa Claus at the Century Branch Library last year. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Lawmakers Want Florida Students To Get Financially Literate
December 11, 2013
A bipartisan group of lawmakers joined with business organizations and others Tuesday to promote legislation requiring Florida students to take a half-credit course in financial literacy to graduate from high school.
Supporters hope the bills will lead to students graduating from high school better prepared to manage their money.
“While we now teach financial literacy as part of economics, this issue is much too important to relegate it to part of a particular course,” said Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, sponsor of the Senate measure.
Geoff Simon, senior vice president of investments with Simon and Associates of Raymond James and chair of the Florida Council on Economic Education, said recent waves of foreclosures and bankruptcies show the need for the state to place more emphasis on financial literacy.
Establishing the course requirement would “reverse the cycle of failure that so many young people are having when they get out into the workforce,” Simon said.
by The News Service of Florida
One Year Later: Search Continues For Suspect In Pen Air Robbery
December 10, 2013
The search is continuing for a suspect just over a year after the armed robbery of the Pen Air Federal Credit Union in Century. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said they have investigated a few new, unspecified leads since the robbery.
The credit union on North Century Boulevard was robbed about 1 p.m. on November 27, 2012, by a man demanding all of the money while claiming to have a gun.
The male suspect fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. He was described as a thin white male with wearing a hooded jacket and sunglasses. There were no injuries. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office quickly surrounded the bank with multiple units as they searched for the suspect. K-9 teams searched around the bank, including an area behind the U.S. Post Office next door.
After the robbery, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office released photos from a car wash in West Pensacola showing persons wanted for questioning in connection with the robbery. Photos were also released by the Sheriff’s Office of a shopper at CVS in Century, but deputies later determined the Century man in the photos was not connected with the Pen Air holdup.
Deputies also named a Century man as a person of interest in the robbery. He was later arrested in Santa Rosa County on unrelated outstanding warrants, but was not charged with the Pen Air robbery.
Surveillance photos and video from inside Pen Air, as well as surveillance photos from a West Pensacola car wash are below.
For a photo gallery from the scene, click here.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured top: The Pen Air Federal Credit Union in Century was robbed by a man claiming to have a gun in November 2012. Pictured inset: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office crime scene technician processes the front door of the credit union for fingerprints. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Scott: New Revenue Means Tuition Can Stay Flat
December 10, 2013
Rosy budget numbers are prompting a new push by Gov. Rick Scott to hold down tuition at state universities.
In his first statement on new revenue figures released last week, Scott on Monday highlighted both his $500 million tax-cut proposal and the possibility of continuing to push for level tuition at state schools.
“Additionally, we are confident that we will be able to hold the line on tuition for another year, as we encourage colleges and universities to graduate students in high-demand job areas by again investing in targeted performance funding,” Scott said. “Performance funding for higher education means we will reward those schools who graduate students with degrees that help them start a career.”
Scott’s insistence on holding down the rising costs of a college education has rankled some university presidents. The governor vetoed a 3 percent tuition hike at state colleges and universities in this year’s budget and pressured universities not to take advantage of a section of state law that seemed to provide for an automatic increase tied to inflation.
The House pushed for a tuition increase in negotiations for this year’s spending plan, but a spokesman for House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said in a email Monday that it was “too early to know for sure” whether the chamber would look for another boost in the budget year beginning July 1.
At a meeting Friday, state economic forecasters added $324.3 million to expected tax revenues during the current budget year, which ends June 30, and the fiscal year that begins the next day.
Lawmakers were already expected to have a windfall of $845.7 million next year, even after anticipated spending in areas like education and $1 billion in reserves was taken into account. The new estimates would push that close to $1.2 billion, though a firm number likely won’t be available until after meetings this week to determine whether public schools and health-care programs will need more money.
Scott also used his statement Monday to push for his election year plan to reduce taxes and fees by $500 million in some combination.
“Florida’s improved economic forecast means we are in an even better position to give $500 million in taxes and fees back to Florida families,” he said. “After all, it’s their money.”
Scott has not released details on his plan. Democrats have argued that the state can’t afford both the tax cuts and increased spending on schools.
“Voters deserve to know just how much education funding will suffer because the Governor wants a new talking point for his reelection campaign,” Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant said in September.
by The News Service of Florida
Northview High School Releases Semester Exam Schedule
December 10, 2013
Northview High School has released their first semester exam schedule.
Semester exams will be given Wednesday, December 18 through Friday, December 20. Students will be dismissed at 12:10 each day.
The exam schedule is as follows:
Even With No Opponent, Greg Evers Raises $128K In Campaign Contributions
December 10, 2013
Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, collected $29,200 in campaign contributions during November, bringing his overall total to $128,100, according to newly filed reports on the state Division of Elections website.
Evers does not currently face opposition in Senate District 1, which includes Escambia and Santa Rosa counties and part of Okaloosa County.
Evers received 10 separate contributions of $1,000, reflecting a new law that boosted the contribution limit in legislative races from $500 to $1,000.
Candidates and political committees face a Tuesday deadline for filing campaign-finance reports for November.
by The News Service of Florida
Bill Would Provide Released Inmates With State ID Cards
December 10, 2013
A Senate panel Monday unanimously passed a bill that would require state agencies to waive their fees to provide inmates being released from prison with the identification documents necessary to get and hold jobs.
The measure by Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, would require the Department of Corrections to provide every Florida-born inmate with a certified copy of his or her birth certificate and a state ID card before release. It would also require the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to waive the fees for ID cards and the Department of Health to waive fees for copies of birth certificates.
“This is a very important bill,” said Bob Dillinger, the public defender for Pinellas and Pasco counties. “Without an ID, you cannot get a job.” Dillinger said the problem was exacerbated about two months ago when the U.S. Social Security Administration started requiring ID cards to provide the print-out that Dillinger’s office had used to establish an inmate’s work history.
“It’s the true government Catch-22,” he said. “We’ve found some ways to work around that — but that’s a big impact on poor people. We have to get them an ID.”
The bill is also backed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association. A more far-reaching version of the measure, which included mental health and substance abuse treatment, failed last spring.
“If they get a job, they’re not likely to recidivate,” said Barney Bishop, president and CEO of the Florida Smart Justice Alliance. “Because when (you) go to a place to work, they want to know where you live, and when you go to a place to live, they want to know where you work — and you can’t do either without a state ID card.”
by The News Service of Florida
Florida Ranks 15th In Protecting Kids From Tobacco; Alabama Is 49th
December 10, 2013
Fifteen years after the 1998 state tobacco settlement, Florida ranks 15th in the nation in funding programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit, according to a national report released today by a coalition of public health organizations. Alabama ranks 49th.
Florida currently spends $65.6 million a year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is 31.1 percent of the $210.9 million recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other key findings for Florida include:
- Florida this year will collect $1.6 billion in revenue from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend just 4.2 percent of it on tobacco prevention programs.
- The tobacco companies spend $562.6 million a year to market their products in Florida. This is 9 times what the state spends on tobacco prevention.
In recent years, Florida has taken significant action to reduce tobacco use. In 2006, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment requiring the state to spend 15 percent of its annual tobacco settlement revenue on tobacco prevention programs. This has allowed the state to conduct a well-funded, sustained tobacco prevention program. In 2009, Florida increased its cigarette tax by $1 per pack.
As a result, Florida recently reported that it reduced its high school smoking rate to just 8.6 percent in 2013, far below the national rate.
“Florida’s strong commitment to tobacco prevention is paying off with large declines in youth smoking that will save lives and save money by reducing tobacco-related health care costs,” said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “But Florida’s fight against tobacco isn’t over. To continue making progress, Florida must sustain its investment in tobacco prevention as required by the state Constitution and further increase the state tobacco tax.”
In Florida, 8.6 percent of high school students smoke, and 14,500 more kids become regular smokers each year. Tobacco annually claims 28,600 lives and costs the state $6.3 billion in health care bills.
Alabama currently spends $275,000 a year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is 0.5 percent of the $56.7 million recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other key findings for Alabama include:
- Alabama this year will collect $223.1 million in revenue from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend just 0.1 percent of it on tobacco prevention programs. This means Alabama is spending less than a penny of every dollar in tobacco revenue to fight tobacco use.
- The tobacco companies spend $196.9 million a year to market their products in Alabama. This is 716 times what the state spends on tobacco prevention.
“Alabama is one of the most disappointing states when it comes to protecting kids from tobacco and needs to increase its investment in tobacco prevention,” said Myers. “Tobacco prevention is a smart investment that saves lives and saves money by reducing tobacco-related health care costs. States are being truly penny-wise and pound-foolish when they shortchange tobacco prevention programs.”
In Alabama, 22.9 percent of high school students smoke, and 6,800 more kids become regular smokers each year. Tobacco annually claims 7,500 lives and costs the state $1.5 billion in health care bills.