Officials: Florida more prepared for disasters than ever before

Florida is more ready for a hurricane and other disasters than ever before, Gov. Charlie Crist and top emergency-management officers said Wednesday.

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Officials: Florida more prepared for disasters than ever before

Statement on Governor Sarah Palin

Tallahassee - Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer released the following statement today regarding Alaska Governor Sarah Palins decision to not to seek re-election and to resign her position as Governor. On behalf of the Republican Party of Florida and Republicans across the state, I would like to thank Governor Palin for her service to our Party. She worked tirelessly to defend Republican principles throughout her service in state and local government and demonstrated tremendous courage as a historic candidate on the Republican presidential ticket in 2008. We respect her decision and wish Governor Palin and her family the very best as she moves forward.

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Statement on Governor Sarah Palin

Proposed amendment would put limits on local taxes, tax hikes

A proposed cap on local and state taxes at 2010-11 levels and a limit on future increases tied to population growth met with quick and loud opposition in its first Senate committee hearing Tuesday.
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Ethics complaint filed against Sansom

Pressure continues to mount on House Speaker Ray Sansom, who now faces an ethics complaint filed by a Clearwater man.

“Somebody’s got to say something,” David Plyer, a retired electrical engineer, said Monday. “Those elected officials all seem to be quiet, and they seem to be part of the same club.”

Plyer alleges in his complaint that the powerful Destin Republican improperly steered $24.5 million in taxpayer dollars to Northwest Florida State College before accepting a $110,000 job as a school vice president. The complaint cites an ethics law that prohibits a public official from “corruptly” using his or her authority to, “secure a special privilege, benefit, or exemption for himself, herself or others.”
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Crist weighs moratorium on foreclosures

Continues to give Republicans a bad name

US Constitution, Article 1, Section 10:
“No State shall… pass any… Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts…

Gov. Charlie Crist said Monday he is considering ordering a moratorium on home foreclosures, “especially during the holidays.”

In an informal gathering with reporters following a news conference, Crist was asked what he thought of copying California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 90-day moratorium on home foreclosures.
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Secretary of state continues to review fraud complaints

While Wakulla County election officials waited Wednesday to certify razor-thin victories, the state’s top elections chief continued to weigh fraud complaints.

Secretary of State Kurt Browning is still considering a complaint filed last week by a Panacea resident against Wakulla County Elections Supervisor Sherida Crum, alleging that voting rolls contained the names of people who listed vacant lots and nonexisting street addresses.
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Gay-marriage ban in constitution

Neither side was ready to concede late Tuesday in the vote over Amendment 2.

Early this morning, Amendment 2 was passing with 62.2 percent of the vote, above the three-fifths required for passage. Here’s the count:

Yes: 4,616,271
No: 2,810,313

Both sides said the final results would be close.
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Polls suggest Florida too close to call as McCain, Obama work on final push

With both presidential candidates making final appearances today in Florida, polls are showing the state is too close to call.

A poll released this morning by Quinnipiac University gives Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama a razor-thin 47-45 lead over Republican John McCain in Florida, but impressive leads in the other key swing states of Ohio, (50-43) and Pennsylvania, (52-42.)
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Florida early voters favor Dems; GOP leads state in absentees

Nearly 2 million Floridians cast ballots in the first week of early voting, and the partisan breakdown gives a slight edge to Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
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Florida officials: Sell state jet to save big money

The Legislature’s fiscal watchdog said Monday taxpayers could save big money by unloading the state’s executive jet and letting many of Florida’s top officials contend with Tallahassee’s notoriously bad commercial air service.
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