Representative Martin  David  "Marty"  Kiar  2009 Newsletter-- We made significant strides on some critical issues highlighted in this newsletter. I am pleased that I sponsored, and the Legislature passed, a number of laws to protect our children from sexual predators, strengthen government ethics, improve healthcare awareness and more.. +Read More

Representative Keith Fitzgerald's End of Session 2009 Newsletter -- The 2009 legislative session has ended, and it was one of the toughest on record. I am honored to represent you and our community in the Florida House of Representatives during this challenging time for our state. My priorities throughout the session were Florida’s economic recovery, creating new jobs, improving public education and fighting for working-class Floridians. +Read More

Representative Ronald Brise's 4-21-09 Newsletter -- After much effort by the Miami-Dade Delegation, Miami-Dade County Commission and City of Miami Commission, the Port of Miami Tunnel project has been revived. We will take a look at some of the specifics of this project, its benefits to our community and what will need to happen for the project to move forward. +Read More

Representative Joe Gibbons's 5-11-09 Newsletter -- I am very unhappy with this budget because, again, this budget does not reflect the values and priorities of our state and people. I continued to ask myself and my colleagues, “Does the bad outweigh the good? and in this budget, the bad clearly outweighs the good. I was opposed to a 2% cut to state employees who make over $45,000.00 annually; these individuals have not received a raise in four years, why would we deduct their pay? +Read More

Representative Keith Fitzgerald's 5-12-09 Newsletter -- The legislature finished up its work in an extended session last Friday, and I wanted to send my constituents a final update on what has happened in Tallahassee. Below you can read about next year’s state budget and the final status of some of the bills I sponsored this year. +Read More

Representative Rick Kriseman's 5-13-09 Newsletter -- It’s great to be home! The extended legislative session has finally concluded, and as you know, this has been a very difficult session for both our state and its citizens. Despite the fact that the budget dominated my time in Tallahassee this session, your District 53 office was able to claim a few victories for Floridians. +Read More

Representative Kelly Skidmore's 5-8-09 Newsletter -- The 2009 Legislative Session finally came to a close today with a final vote on the state budget. The $66.5 billion budget, which passed the Legislature today, raises taxes, fees and university tuition, drains trust funds, relies on federal economic recovery monies, cuts state employee salaries, trims vital programs, and fails to end inequities in the tax structure. +Read More

Representative Alan B. Williams' Post-Session Newsletter -- The 2009 Legislative Session has ended, and I wanted to give you an update on some of the issues addressed. The 2009 Session was extended for a week primarily to vote on the 2009-2010 Budget. I voted against the budget. I was disappointed that the legislature chose to cut funding for many important programs in order to balance the budget. +Read More

Letter to Governor Crist from State Representative Mark S. Pafford, District 88 -- I write to express my grave concerns about proposed severe cuts to the Department of Elder Affairs budget. As I have previously mentioned to you, I would hope that you veto the General Appropriations Act as it will adversely affect more than 29,000 frail and low-income elders throughout Florida.

Unless you take action, vulnerable Floridians will continue to be neglected and some will be left alone to suffer and die while on waiting lists for services. +Read More

In Case You Missed It -- A St. Petersburg Times Editorial "Cold-hearted Republican leadership JOBLESS LOSE AGAIN." The Times Says: "With Florida’s unemployment rate at a 30-year high, it’s impossible to fathom why state lawmakers may forgo collecting $444 million in federal unemployment compensation for those out of work. But that is what the Legislature’s cold-hearted Republican leadership is poised to do as the annual session winds to a dismal close."  +Read More

House Republicans Violate No-Tax Pledge -- After voting to cut education and healthcare and draining state funds for housing and transportation, several Florida House Republicans on Friday also violated their pledge to vote against increasing taxes.

Twenty-one Republican members of the Florida House signed a pledge to taxpayers created by Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform, and in an act of hypocrisy on Friday, those same members voted for almost a $1-billion in tax increases. Norquist’s organization has repeatedly stated that any increase in a fee that goes into a general fund rather than the cost of providing a specific service is a tax increase.

Floridians will not be fooled by House Republican attempts to disguise their tax-hike votes.

The House Republicans who violated their so-called “no new taxes” Norquist pledge include:
House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala;
Representative Janet Adkins, R-Fernandina Beach;
Representative Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park;
Representative Jennifer Carroll, R-Jacksonville;
Representative Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island;
Representative Clay Ford, R-Pensacola;
Representative Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City;
Representative Doug Holder, R-Sarasota;
Representative Paige Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda;
Representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami;
Representative Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland;
Representative Marlene O’Toole, R-Lady Lake;
Representative Steve Precourt, R-Winter Garden;
Representative Bill Proctor, R-St. Augustine;
Representative David Rivera, R-Miami;
Representative Julio Robaina, R-Miami;
Representative Ken Roberson, R-Port Charlotte;
Representative William Snyder, R-Stuart;
Representative Baxter Troutman, R-Winter Haven;
Representative Charles Van Zant, R-Palatka;
Representative John Wood, R-Haines City.

While Florida House Republican have raised taxes on working Floridians, House Democrats have proposed alternatives that would have balanced the state’s budget without making radical and reckless policy changes.
These Democratic proposals, which Republican leaders have blocked from being debated in the Florida House, include closing tax loopholes for the rich, collecting sales taxes on purchases made over the Internet, and deleting certain outdated sales tax exemptions.

“Republicans apparently think that balancing the state budget by taking money from the pockets of hard-working Floridians is preferable to having an open and honest discussion about alternative revenue sources,” said Representative Ron Saunders (D-Key West), the House Democratic Ranking Member on the Full Appropriations Council on Education and Economic Development. +Read More

Taxpayer Dollars Wasted Under House Republican Leadership -- “Our Republican colleagues have lost focus and have lost sight of the middle class,” Democratic Leader Franklin Sands said. “Floridians would prefer that the Legislature enact solutions to economic woes that have been exacerbated by Republicans’ failed `trickle-down’ tax policies.

“Floridians are worried about the economy,” Leader Sands said. “More than 8 percent of Floridians are unemployed and minorities are suffering considerably higher levels of joblessness.

“It’s essential that Republican leaders stop posturing and start writing a new state budget that takes into account the difficulties facing Floridians.” +Read More

The Florida House Republican Anti-Worker Secret Ballot Plan: It’s a Trojan Horse -- House Joint Resolution 1013 is the Florida House Republican’s newest Trojan Horse. Like the Trojan Horse of Greek legend, HJR 1013 seeks to catch people off guard by creating a distraction from the Legislature’s top priorities.

When will House Republicans focus on the priorities that concern Floridians, like how to resolve Florida’s budget crisis, improve the economy, grow new jobs, and improve schools and health care for all Floridians? According to the ancient story, the Greeks built a giant hollow horse and hid soldiers inside.

The Trojans thought it a gift and wheeled it into their city. When the city was asleep, the Greek soldiers emerged and attacked the defenders from inside. Instead of HJR 1013, Florida House Democrats would prefer to address: THE STATE BUDGET CRISIS +Read More

Jim Greer Should Just Read the State Constitution -- Representative Oscar Braynon, the Democratic Ranking Member of the Florida House Governmental Affairs Policy Committee, issued the following statement in response to today’s Republican attacks on Democratic lawmakers who voted to defend workers’ rights to organize:

“Chairman Jim Greer’s frothing today over Representative Adam Hasner’s anti-worker legislation exposes fundamental flaws and deep misunderstandings about the real agenda behind House Joint Resolution 1013.

“Despite today’s hostile Republican rhetoric, this resolution is not about the secret ballots that voters rely upon on Election Day. Secret ballots at the voting booth are already secure under Article VI, Suffrage and Elections, of the Florida Constitution.

“Perhaps Chairman Greer can put his press releases on hold until he studies the state constitution.

“Leader Hasner’s proposal is a smoke-and-mirrors game that doesn’t add any real protections for voters. Rather, his plan puts voters’ rights at risk by subjecting constitutional protections to potential new legal challenges.

“Today’s deliberations raise a question: Is Representative Hasner’s resolution an attempt to boost his political career by getting state lawmakers drawn into a debate on federal issues?

“This resolution doesn’t protect workers and it doesn’t protect voters. It’s nothing other than an anti-worker campaign. +Read More

Rep. Mary Brandenburg (D-Lake Worth) and Alonzo Mourning of the Miami Heat Fight for Floridians with Kidney Disease -- Roughly 11,000 Floridians under the age of 65 need kidney dialysis to stay alive. Because they have limited insurance options, kidney disease can easily bankrupt a family.

House Bill 675, which is co-sponsored by Representative Mary Brandenburg (D-Lake Worth) and supported by former NBA/Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning, aims to alleviate the financial burdens of these Floridians.

“Zo” Mourning joined the Miami Heat in 1995 and was named a NBA All-Star seven times and the Defensive Player of the Year twice. He played on the US Olympic basketball team in 2000. He was diagnosed in 2000 with a degenerative kidney disease, underwent a kidney transplant, and then returned to play with the Heat, where he continued as a star performer.

Today, Mr. Mourning met with legislators in the State Capitol, where he advocated for passage of HB 675. +Read More

Florida House Democrats Elect Representative Ron Saunders as House Speaker Designate -- Members of the Florida House Democratic Caucus elected Representative Ron Saunders (D-Key West) to serve as Speaker-designate for the 2010-2012 term of the Florida Legislature.

“The election is over, and we are a united team,” said Representative Saunders. “Thank you, thank you. I look forward to working with each one of you.”

Representative Saunders served in the House of Representatives from 1986 to 1994. He was elected again to the House in 2006 and 2008. He served as House appropriations chairman from 1990 to 1992. He presently is the Democratic Ranking Member on the House Full Appropriations Council on Education & Economic Development. +Read More

Leader Franklin Sands Applauds President Obama's Reversal of Restrictions on Stem Cell Research -- Florida House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands today endorsed President Barack Obama’s expected signing of an executive order reversing restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

President Obama’s executive order is expected to be signed on Monday.

Long a strong proponent of stem cell research, Sands (D-Weston) has proposed creating a fund for Florida to invest in embryonic stem cell research. He has fervently argued that such a fund would deliver an economic boost to Florida and allow nationally-recognized research firms to draw investment capital as well as National Institutes of Health monies. +Read More

HOUSE DEMOCRATS WELCOME PRESIDENT OBAMA -- Florida House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands joins the House Democratic Caucus in warmly welcoming President Barack Obama to the Sunshine State on Tuesday for a discussion about the nation’s economy.
The economic recovery plan that Congress is set to finalize will create and save jobs in the near future. Just as important, the plan addresses long-neglected needs that are crucial for building a foundation for a strong economic future.

“It is time for our national leaders to move swiftly and to end the political rancor for the good of our state and the nation’s economic recovery,” said Democratic Leader Franklin Sands.

"Florida House Democrats are pleased that President Obama is coming to our state to highlight the purpose for this bold economic measure." +Read More