4/20/09 Resolution

RESOLUTION passed unanimously by the Levy County Republican Executive Committee on April 20, 2009

WHEREAS, the economic condition of our state and our nation is in recession and Floridians are struggling everyday to make ends meet; and

WHEREAS, the state government must live within a budget by cutting waste and expenditures; and

WHEREAS, Florida will receive more than $12 billion from the Federal government in stimulus funding;

WHEREAS, the Republican Party is fundamentally opposed to tax increases and supportive of fiscal restraint and discipline; and

WHEREAS, the Florida state legislature is considering massive tax and user fee increases that will severely harm the economic well-being of already struggling Floridians;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Executive Committee of Levy County opposes all efforts to raise taxes in Florida currently underway in the Florida State Legislature.

Respectfully submitted,
Michelle L. Finnen
Chair
Levy County Republican Executive Committee

Levy County Tea Party

Levy County Courthouse

April 15th at 12:00pm today

Thank you to Juanita Melchior with the Local Christian Coalition for the planning of the local Levy County T.E.A. (Taxed Enough Already) Party!

A good crowd turned out today to speak out and show support against the taxes being levied by the county, state and federal government.

Chairman Greer speaks to Chairmen

RPOF Chairman Jim Greer - April 2, 2009

Florida House of Representatives

 

Greer said...It's an exciting time.  The party is in good hands.  Chairman Steele is a breath of fresh air.  But we can not eat our own. 

Lt Governor Kottkamp speaks to Chairmen

Lt Governor Kottkamp - April 2, 2009 Florida House of Representatives

Lt Governor Kottkamp said, we are in unchartered territory in Florida. He read some headlines from a 1926 session of the Florida House of Legislators and they were dealing with some of the similar issues currently facing Florida today. But he said encourage your Legislators. "Govern with the principles we believe in."

Commissioner Bronson speaks to Chairmen

Commissioner Charles Bronson - April 2, 2009 at the Tallahassee Center 

http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/

 

In speaking to some of the Chairmen and guests at the Luncheon for the RPOF Quarterly Meeting.

Bronson said, ...before President Obama was elected last year they had approximately 45000 applications for Gun Permits for the entire year.  The month after Obama was elected there was approximately 70,000 new applications by December for Concealed Weapons permits.

 

On a positive note, Commissioner Bronson said the Agriculture industry in Florida is still showing positive on the money side for the State of Florida.

 

Former State House Speaker meets with local Republicans

Marco Rubio (second from left) is joined by other Republican officials. From the left are Dennis Baxley, leader of the Christian Coalition of Florida, Rubio, Michelle Finnen, chairwoman of the Levy County Republican Executive Committee, State Sen. Steve Olerich, State Committeewoman Edith McCrimmon and State Committeeman Charles (C.W.) Gilbert.

Story and photo by Levy County Journal Terry WittStaff Writer
Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, 37, now exploring a run for the U.S. Senate, told local Republicans Friday the country needs to return to its founding principles that encourage self-reliance rather than dependence on expanded government programs..
Rubio was critical of President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package because he said the country cannot spend itself out of debt, and he said the package also promotes an expanded role of government in the country.
"I think the government policies that are being pursued now are not what Americans expected or wanted," Rubio said. "They didn’t vote for raising the debt. They didn’t vote for higher taxes or giving government a greater role."
He said a small Laundromat in a small town like Chiefland can’t access the money from Obama’s stimulus plan because the small business owners don’t have the lawyers to lobby for them like the big corporations.
Rubio said he would prefer to live in a country where someone can start a business and make it grow by their own efforts.
"I want to live in a country where a guy can start a small store in a town like Chiefland and put a Wal-Mart out of business," he said.
He expects a great "awakening" in 2010 when he believes people will realize the country is headed in the wrong direction and demand change.
Rubio, a Miami lawyer who specializes in real estate and land use, spoke at the annual Lincoln Reagan Memorial Dinner in Chiefland. He speaks fluent Spanish. He confirmed this by talking to a Spanish speaking couple for several minutes after the dinner.
He said his parents were among the two million Cubans who left their homeland to escape Fidel Castro’s socialism. He said his life as a first generation American demonstrates what self-reliance, hard work and taking advantage of opportunities in the United States can achieve.
Other countries have freedoms and a Democratic form of government, Rubio said, but America is the land of where everyone has the potential to access economic success. This is known worldwide. He said you don’t see boatloads of Americans traveling to Venezuela or thousands of Americans crowding the Mexican border to enter that country.
Rubio left the Florida House due to term limits and is campaigning for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez. He said he has raised a little money and is continuing to travel the state.
If Gov. Charlie Crist runs for the U.S. Senate instead seeking re-election as governor, Rubio said he would re-evaluate his situation and determine where he goes from there. For now, he said he views the U.S. Senate seat as an opportunity.
After his speech to the Republicans, Rubio, in light of his criticism of Obama’s stimulus package, was asked how he would address the downturn in the national economy. He responded that he believes a 21st Century educational system is needed to give young people the tools they need to compete for good jobs.
He believes green technologies and energy efficiency and diversity will generate many new jobs in the years to come, and he said reforming the federal tax code would be helpful. He would support the "fair tax" that would repeal the federal income tax and abolish the Internal Revenue Service. If that were too radical, Rubio said he could support a flat tax that would eliminate the complicated tax system that now exists.
"And we need to stop spending money we don’t have. That’s what got us into it," he said.