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Florida Issues
Florida's New CEO
Shortly after his election, Gov. Charlie Crist spoke with Florida Trend about his priorities as he enters office.
On insurance companies ...
Some of them set up these, and State Farm's done it too, I believe, Florida subsidiaries. We allowed that, I guess like 12 years ago. But it gives them the opportunity to then go to regulators in Tallahassee and say, 'Hey here's our story of woe: During the past two years we've had a lot of hurricanes. So we want you to give us rate increases of 70, 80, 90% or even more.' But ignoring the reality that they're part of a national company that is reaping billions in profits. I'm a free-market guy, and I'm all for that, and I want them to profit. But I don't want them to profiteer on the backs of Floridians. I think that's what they're doing when they set up these Florida subsidiary companies.
On making the Save Our Homes caps on property taxes "portable" for homeowners who move ...
I think you would have to do it by constitutional amendment. If you bring about portability, all of those people who currently feel trapped, and there are an enormous number of them and I hear from them every day, then that would open a market that would end up benefiting the treasury. Benefiting most importantly the people. Reduce the burden upon them. And the complaint I hear about it is from local government. And I just don't think they're thinking over the horizon enough. Because if we bring that about, not only will people buy those new homes and move. But we've had a boom in Florida real estate lately. We'd have a sonic boom if this passes. And I believe like Reagan or Kennedy and like the president that if you reduce that tax burden on people, you end up benefiting not only the people but the treasury as well.
On constitutional caps on growth in local government spending ...
It is something we ought to look at. There is a frustration I think on behalf of the people as to how local government is spending money.
On property tax reform ...
This is complicated. We have to think about businesses and renters and new residents. What I don't want to do is see us do something that might have unintended consequences. I think what's going to happen, if government doesn't move to do that and maybe have a cap, the people will. They will rise up. Their frustration will reach a boiling point. It's close to it now. If something isn't done, they'll unelect some people, and they should. If we need to have a constitutional amendment to address this property tax issue, I'll lead the charge. And it'll be fun doing it.
On tort reform -- and the support he received from both lawyers and businesses in his campaign ...
We've done so much I don't know what there is left to do. I think what needs to be done is, you need to preserve the rights of individuals who have truly been aggrieved. I don't know what callous person might feel that someone whose wrong leg is amputated doesn't deserve to be compensated for that. Conversely, I supported tort reform modification that would say if you're only 1% culpable, you shouldn't be 100% liable -- joint and several. Again, it comes down to a level of fairness. You ought to have to pay for your mistake, but you shouldn't have to compensate for somebody else's mistake.
On his economic development priorities ...
Biotech is great. I support what the governor's done there, and I think it's a real panacea for our state. I also think the film industry is something we need to be much more aggressive about recruiting to Florida. Film and television. We ought to be much more aggressive about bringing this industry to our state, embracing it. It's high-paying jobs, doesn't hurt the environment and, by the way, it promotes the state. When it's on the big screen and people see it, or it's on some television show, it's an augmentation to the tourist industry in Florida.
On whether he would attempt to both replenish biotech funding and support incentives for the film industry ...
Yes I would. I'm for stem-cell research, which not all in my party are. But some of what we do in biotech is going to go there. And I just think it's a compassionate way to allow for healing.
On alternative energy ...
When you think of ethanol development, usually people think about corn as the primary crop to develop it. There are much more efficient crops to use to develop ethanol, two of which, the most efficient, are sugar and citrus waste. Guess what we have a lot of in Florida? Sugar and citrus waste. Tropicana is already developing some. There is a new ethanol plant under development in Hillsborough County. So I think pushing forward on ethanol, and maybe mandating some requirements as to emissions, is something we ought to look at in Florida. I'm very serious about that. It's good for our environment; it's good for our state; it gets us off oil; it reduces the push for offshore oil drilling if we have alternative fuels.
On whom he turns to for advice ...
Gov. Bush, Gov. Graham. I have enormous respect for Gov. Graham because he's a gentleman. And he's very civil -- in addition to being very bright and caring a lot about Florida. I think Connie Mack also has (that civility), and he's another one I seek counsel from in addition to my father. I just think it's important to strive to surround yourself with good, honest people who care about Florida.
On what it feels like to succeed Jeb Bush as governor ...
They are big shoes to fill, there's no question about it. Gov. Bush has been an exceptional governor. There's good agreement about that across the board, especially how he handled the hurricanes. What he's done in education is phenomenal. I told him that I'm going to call on him often for his advice and counsel. Fortunately, he's willing to give it. But we have different styles.
On continued state support for commuter rail initiatives like that in Orlando ...
I don't know about the scale. But I know we have a transportation issue in this state. There's a lot of things I think we could do to expand our infrastructure to accommodate our people. And we'd better do it. And it's not like we don't have the dough. We do.
On his main priorities in his first legislative session ...
I want to pass an anti-murder bill that protects Florida's children and lowers the murder rate. I want to do everything we can to reduce property insurance for our people. I want to do everything I can to aggressively reduce property tax burden on our people. And I want to make sure that we continue to improve education.
On immigration reform ...
Federal issue. I'm the grandson of an immigrant. That's not just a trite statement. It's who I am. It's what our country is. I think we need to stop illegal immigration to continue to have the promise of legal immigration in our country. I think earned citizenship is a good thing. I go back to my grandfather. He came to this country when he was 14 years old from Greece, and he very much wanted to be an American. So much so that he joined the military to earn his citizenship rapidly and fought in World War I. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I think it's the right approach. I am concerned with the zeal by some to send 11 or 12 million people back to other countries. It concerns me what the motivation really is. I think the emphasis should be on stopping illegal immigration going forward, understanding that many people here already have families here, probably a lot of people are helping Florida industry in jobs that others may not have an interest in doing. So I think we have to do what Sen. Martinez advocates, and that is we give them the opportunity to earn their citizenship. It's a more compassionate view.
