COMMENTARY
MARK SCHUMANN
Florida Sen. Joe Negron, Stuart, the powerful chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, recently sent out a misleading political mailer taking some cheap shots at the Florida Municipal Power Agency, while greatly oversimplifying and mischaracterizing Vero Beach’s relationship to the FMPA.
Negron’s mailer was paid for by his political action committee, Treasure Coast Alliance, which, on Nov. 26, 2013 received a $50,000 contribution from Florida Power & Light.
Earlier this year, after an intense lobbying effort by FPL, the Legislature approved $200,000 for the State Auditor General to audit the FMPA. The appropriation was slipped into the state budget near the end of the legislative session by Negron’s committee.
Amazingly, while addressing the subject of powerful special interests, Negon made no mention of FPL, the state’s largest investor owned utility.
Can Negron be bought, and if so is the price just $50,000? That is a question voters will have to decide in August, when Negron faces Republican challenger, Brandon Cannon. If Negron wins the primary election, then voters registered as Independents and Democrat swill get to help decide if Negon is for sale?
See: Pandering for votes, Negron sends out misleading mailer
Indian River Guardian 
Does Joe Negron have a price? Of course he does as does most of the politicians…It’s called – keep me in office. And, FPL has the money to keep him in office and they have the money to fund a lot of people who will be running for office. Way to go Joe…..you have finally disappointed me.
I would like to quote the words sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford from his 1950’s hit tune 16 Tons. ” I owe my soul to the company store.” Be your own man and return the $50,000.