So much for “conservative” support of local control

Corcoran touts Legislature as more responsive

Editor’s note: If House Speaker Richard Corcoran’s point is that through big spending in political campaigns corporate giants such as Florida Power and Light can gain control of local governments, as they have done in Vero Beach, he has a point. At the same time, though, FPL has poured so many millions of dollars into the campaign accounts of members of the Florida Legislature that one can now reasonably argue the Legislature is a wholly owned subsidiary of FPL.

ADAM C. SMITH/TAMPA BAY TIMES

Florida House of Representatives Speaker Richard Corcoran thinks Tallahassee knows best.

Florida’s Legislature is more responsive to Floridians and less susceptible to special interest influence than local governments, House Speaker Richard Corcoran asserted to a skeptical and occasionally hostile group of Tampa Bay residents Friday.

“If you are a special interest or you are somebody that wants to curry favor, it is generally much more difficult in a comparative scale to get something through in the state government that would affect the state than it is the local government,” the Pasco County Republican told about 100 people gathered for the weekly Cafe con Tampa breakfast in South Tampa. Continue reading…

2 comments

It sounds almost as though we are doomed. If the people lose the power to govern their home territory, we will be at the mercy of those who have the power and the money to end home rule. The everyone has one vote will be lost. Of course, many people have not participated and won’t miss it….until it is no longer a choice. Power to the people.

Rather than doomed, we are in jeopardy of ignorance, it is of concern that intelligent people just “ignore” what is going on before them. Tax Paying, voters do care, however, about their vote and voice but they may have to lose it first. What is blatantly clear in this world is the annhilation of millions of people every day while we sit in our cozy homes in ignorance. At least our community should give credence to those who have worked so hard to bring knowledge to us … I was part of the 750 assault in Florida and still many would not bother to do minimal reading … always best to criticize others making an effort. The time is here today to wake up!