7/7/08
Topic 1…Gaming Compact…
A gaming “compact”…means a contract between to “sovereigns”…in this case the State of Fl. and the Seminole Tribe….
This topic covers the Governor’s go ahead to the Seminole Tribe to have Las Vegas style gambling….and its abrupt court decision that pulled the rug out from under ….
Limieux …..former Chief of Staff for Crist was in on the negotiations during the Crist transition …and informs his readers that the Gov. was notified repeatedly by the Dept. of the Interior to negotiate this deal…a deal that spanned 16 years….caught between a rock and a hard place…Lemieux says Crist would have been derelict in his duties if he did not comply….and furthermore the Gov. fully informed both Fl. Houses…with no objection from their leaders….and no action taken by them while in session……..until…after the deal was done….then House Speaker Rubio brought suit…and the Senate joined in…followed by the Fl.Supreme Court deciding the Gov. had no authority to make such a deal…
Bottom Line…Lemieux says …it should be quite interesting since the State Court has no right to make decisions on Indian owned land….resulting in a loss for Florida…which would come from a return to gaming for the Seminoles…without the “deal” made by Crist for billions coming into the State over the next 25 years…and having the right for State oversight….to protect consumers….
For another view on this and other items concerning Gov. Crist …. check out Bob Norman …www.browardpalmbeach.com
Topic 2…Powerball….Florida will no longer be the only state not playing along….starts in 2009….Floridians purchase $4 billion each year in lottery merchandise….giving $18 million to education…as decided in 1986…with the Powerball….a huge increase…$1.32 billion!…
BCbythesea…Will the Teachers unions still be complaining…or will it all be eaten up by the ever-growing pensions?…
Bottom Line…Lemieux says it will help make up for the gaming debacle above….
Topic 3….Cat Fund….The State Board of Administration (SBA) made an agreement with Warren Buffet’s company Berkshire Hathaway…to secure $4 billion in bonds for a purchaser price of $224 million from the State’s Cat Fund….to secure immediate cash for the State if we have a major event that results in over $25 billion in claims this hurricane season….
Bottom Line…Limieux says it’s the right thing to do….Bob Norman …link above ….thinks otherwise…
BCbythesea…Buffet is big in the reinsurance business…….but his company had its worst year in last 18 years…
Topic 4….Travel to Cuba….6/23/08 Gov. Crist signed into law Senate Bill 1310 ….which requests travel companies to post a bond of $250 thousand and pay a $2500 annual fee in order to offer tourist related travel to Cuba/Iran/North Korea/Sudan/Syria…….it was to take effect on 7/1/08….but due to a U.S. District Court ruling last week it is delayed until 7/11/08…pending further review of the new law’s constitutionality…
Bottom Line…Limieux says….Proponents look at this law as a part of Homeland Security…but such travel to foreign countries falls under Federal jurisdiction….beyond the State’s reach…look for the Federal Court to come to that decision….
BCbythesea…Why does the State even waste its time on such cases….is there no one who can explain their jurisdiction to them?….
Topic 5….Better for Business….Gov. Crist signed legislation last week “streamlining” regulations administered by th Dept. to Business and Professional Regulations…
Bottom Line…Limieux says….it was the right time to review the regulations that made it hard for those who without “connections” to special interest groups….who enacted the “hurdles” to keep entry into those licensed professions …
BCbythesea…the State actually “streamlined” a process….YIKES!….
Things to Watch….
No Guns at Disney…despite the Supreme Court ruling last week…
Ethanol at Turkey Lake….more places for fuel alternative vehicles…
Tight timetable for CSX Project…see previous Limieux reports…on this ongoing process…which now has one more chance in a session or special session…to convince the Legislators…
Florida Forever Until 2018…Gov. Crist signs legislation this week for extending the program that has been in place since 2001…to 2018….it has thus far protected 535,643 acres of land….
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Tags: State Politics
