New Governor’s Web Page Evolves

Posted Jan 2, 2007 by Cheryl Segal

Updated Jan 2, 2007 at 05:09 PM

Charlie Crist is officially governor. This we know, not only by today’s inauguration but by the Web page now up for the new governor. The page has been evolving over the day from Jeb Bush’s presence to Charlie Crist’s. Still to be changed is the MyFlorida.com page that still has Jeb as governor.

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Another Party Heard From

Posted Jan 2, 2007 by Cheryl Segal

Updated Jan 2, 2007 at 04:44 PM

From political reporter Michael Fechter: Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman issued a statement this afternoon wishing Gov. Charlie Crist well in office. While Crist’s inaugural speech struck a unifying theme that “We are all Floridians,” the opposition party hopes “he is able to keep politics at arm’s length from his office.”

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink is the state’s highest ranking Democrat. Thurman called her “a leader in the effort to reduce burdensome property insurance rates” and urged Crist to work with here to return balance to state government.
“Floridians are hurting, and they need leaders - not partisans - now. There is no time to waste,” Thurman’s statement said.

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Swearing in brings mixed feelings for Tom Lee

Posted Jan 2, 2007 by Cheryl Segal

Updated Jan 2, 2007 at 03:25 PM

From Tallahassee reporter Catherine Dolinski: Former Senate President Tom Lee of Valrico was smiling and shaking hands this morning as he made his way to his front-row seat at the swearing in of – among others – Alex Sink, the Democrat who beat Lee in the Chief Financial Officer race. 

Afterward, Lee acknowledged that the day generated “a lot of mixed emotions” for him.

“I feel really good about the decade I spent up here in public service,” he said. “Not just the opportunity to represent the people, but how I went about it, what I accomplished. You know, you just reflect on the fact the we all really are just passing through. You can’t take yourself too seriously.”

Lee has not ruled out future office, but has no such ambitions at present, he said. Asked what’s immediately in his future, he said:

“Flu shot.”

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So Much for the “Sunshine” State

Posted Jan 2, 2007 by Cheryl Segal

Updated Jan 2, 2007 at 03:26 PM

From Tallahassee reporter Catherine Dolinski: Blue skies gave way to clouds on Inauguration morning, churning an increasingly icy wind through the crowd. Children shivered; adults stared longingly at the spare few who brought hot coffee with them.

“What a wonderful day to be a Floridian,” Charlie Crist began his inauguration address, looking out at the chilled audience. “The sun shines upon our faces … pretty much ….”

Undaunted, Crist returned to the Sunshine State at the end:

“So today we begin; the sun is shining on our faces,” he said – and with a deadpan:  “You feel it?”

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Crist pledges help to relieve insurance, property tax crises

Posted Jan 2, 2007 by Cheryl Segal

Updated Jan 2, 2007 at 02:42 PM

From Tallahassee reporter Kevin Begos: Gov. Charlie Crist took the oath of office on a chilly day in Tallahassee, but promised a warm and bright future. Crist called rising property tax and insurance rates the greatest threat to prosperity in Florida, and pledged to introduce and support a constitutional amendment that would give taxpayers a means of lowering their taxes.

The state “must be to reduce the burden on our people from the spiraling costs of property insurance and property taxes,” he said.

“I have traveled the state, and everywhere I go I hear from our people that escalating property taxes and insurance premiums are each day taking more from our wallets; diminishing bit by bit our opportunity to enjoy what Florida has to offer…. We need action and our people deserve relief. And most of all we need comprehensive reform. No stop-gap measures, no Band-Aids, no finger in the dike. We need permanent, real solutions. “

Crist also highlighted a new office of Open Government, to give citizens better access to public records, and called for government business to be written in
clear language that everyone can understand.

Crist was attracting cautious support from some unexpected sources on his first day in office.

“I hope he’ll be more compassionate and less directed toward the well-to-do,” said Michael Weddington, one of three people at the inauguration holding signs protesting the war in Iraq and urging that American troops be brought home.

Crist has nothing to do with Iraq policy, but Weddington noted that “Jeb Bush is on the platform,” too, and claimed he had a role.

In his speech, Crist called Bush “America’s greatest governor.”

In his speech Crist promised to lead a series of global trade missions to attract business to Florida, starting with Israel.

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