Energy Bill – HB 7117 update
Posted by NCF912Project
In our last newsletter we asked you to call Governor Scott and ask him to veto the “Energy Bill” HB 7117. As of this writing (April 11, 2012), he has not taken any action. Someone suggested calling his office again and suggesting that if he doesn’t want to veto it; to please send it back to the Legislature for an impact study on the impact a hurricane would have on wind and solar operations.
The Governor’s number is 1-850-488-7146, press 2 and leave a voicemail.
You can read through this bill at: www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/7117/BillText/er/PDF and a summary is available at: www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2012/html/77
The Taxation That Our Founders Hated
Posted by NCF912Project
In light of all the distortions and half-truths that are constantly repeated, let’s be clear –what sparked the ire of our founders was not taxes; it was tyranny. Their theme was not simply Taxed Enough Already – it was Tyrannized Enough Already. Their tolerance for tyranny was taxed to the max – that’s the taxation the founders could no longer take.
The original tea party was not just about money and the driving force toward American independence was not simply taxation. At the crux of the matter were the PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT that created the taxation – taxation WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. It was about government eliminating the common rights of the people. The motivation behind the tea party event was Great Britain’s attempt to remove the people’s right to electively engage in trade, by mandating purchases only from the government…
This is the beginning of one of KrisAnne Hall’s latest blogs. To read the rest go to: www.krisannehall.com/index.php/blog/112-the-taxation-that-our-founders-hated. Visit her website often for current information and writings. We are so lucky to have someone like her in our area!
SB 1994 – Polytechnic University Bill
Posted by NCF912Project
Another bill that the Tea Party Network is asking us to call the Governor is SB 1994. You can read this bill at:
http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/1994/BillText/er/PDF
This bill appropriates $16,000,000 to create Florida Polytechnic University among other things. Is this what we need to be doing when we are being told that Florida is in a financial bind? You can read the summary at:
http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2012/html/246 and then please make up your own mind about whether the Governor should sign this bill!
Energy Bill HB 7117 – Good or Bad?
Posted by NCF912Project
The Tea Party Network is asking that we call Governor Scott’s office 1-850-488-7146, press 2 and leave a voicemail asking him to veto Energy Bill HB 7117. You can read through this bill at: http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/7117/BillText/er/PDF and a summary is available at: www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2012/html/77
After reading through this bill it seems to give unprecedented power to the Florida Dept. of Agriculture to decide who should receive Renewable Energy Grants; it authorizes local governments to use discretionary sales surtax proceeds to provide funding to residential property owners who make energy efficiency improvements to their residential property.
Please read through the information yourself and make your own decision. Agriculture Commission Adam Putnam thinks that Tea Parties lack good information in opposing this bill. You can read the article at: http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=27230342.
Americans For Prosperity is planning a Joint Press Conference in Tallahassee on Tuesday, April 10th. Here is the information about that and what you can do to become involved.
Subject: Energy Bill update and Press Conference
Dear Patriots and Grassroots Leaders,
As of this moment, more than 1800 emails and nearly 600 calls have been made to Gov. Scott asking him to Veto Florida’s Bad Energy Bill
Next step is a Joint Press Conference (Americans for Prosperity, the Heartland Institute and You) on Tuesday, April 10th at 9:30 AM in Tallahassee.
We’d like to show broad-based grassroots support for Vetoing this bill so we are hoping some of you will be able to make it up and participate in the Press Conference .
Please let me know if you can attend: AFP will pay for your hotel room Monday night so you will be fresh for Tuesday morning, and we would do a run through before heading over to the press building. We will also attempt to schedule a meeting with Gov. Scott as well.
Thanks so much and have a great Easter.
Slade O’Brien
Florida Director, Americans for Prosperity
561-441-5866
www.AFPFlorida.com
www.keepEmHonestFlorida.com
Septic Tank Inspection Update – March 24, 2012
Posted by NCF912Project
HB 1263, a bill which included an amendment to repeal the statewide septic tank inspection program was passed on the last day of the Florida Legislative session. It has been reported that this is a complete repeal, but Section 381.00651 (2) says: a county or municipality that contains a first magnitude spring shall, by no later than January 1, 2013 either adopt an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system evaluation and assessment program that meets the requirements of this section, or…adopt a resolution opting out of the requirements. This will require a 60% majority vote and “indicate an intent on the part of such local government not to adopt an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system evaluation and assessment program.”
Most of our North Central Florida counties have a first magnitude spring, including Alachua, Columbia, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison and Suwannee.
Please contact your County Commission, City Council, etc. and ask that they begin to work on this as soon as possible. A lady with our organization also found some information that may also affect septic tank inspections; this information will be coming soon!
SB 820 Passes Budget Committee – on to the Full Senate
Posted by NCF912Project
Thanks to everyone who made phone calls to Senator Alexander and other members of the budget committee in order to get SB 820 on the agenda. It was passed by this committee (March 1st) by a vote of 19 – 2. We will have to watch carefully to be sure that it makes it to the floor of the Senate (a problem last year). This bill is not a total repeal of the Septic Tank Inspection part of SB 550 which was passed 2 years ago. It will require counties that have a first magnitude spring to opt out of an inspection program. We will have to work with our individual counties when the time comes.
You can read this bill at: http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/0820/BillText/c2/HTML and
Track the bill at: http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/0820
Septic Tank Inspection Repeal Alert
Posted by NCF912Project
SB 820, which is the closest bill we have had to repeal the Mandatory Septic Tank Inspection law has made it through all of its committees except for the Budget Committee. They will be meeting on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 3:45 p.m.
Please contact Senator J. D. Alexander (850) 487-5044 and ask him to please put SB 820 on Tuesday’s agenda in the Budget Committee for the 2.5 million people in Florida who own septic tanks.
For more information on this bill, go to:
http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/0820; read the full context of the bill, sign up to track it so that you can see where it is at any given time in the legislative process.
Constitutional Convention Bill Introduced in Florida
Posted by NCF912Project
On Tuesday, January 10, 2012 House Concurrent Resolution 8005, was introduced to the Florida State House of Representatives. Bill HCR 8005 applies for the Congress of the United States to call a convention for proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to provide for a balanced budget amendment (BBA).
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION by Ahern
Balanced Federal Budget Amendment; Urges Congress to call convention for purpose of proposing amendment to U.S. Constitution to achieve & maintain balanced federal budget.
However noble this proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution may be in its attempt to balance the federal budget, grant the President the power of a line-item veto, and the adoptions of budgets to be submitted and adopted every two years rather than every year, the calling of a general Article V convention is not the proper route that should be taken to make or propose such an amendment to the Constitution.
The last time that such a convention was convened was in Philadelphia in 1787 when General George Washington, James Madison, and the various delegates from the thirteen United States assembled to propose amendments to the Articles of Confederation — the law of the land at the time.
Although called to strengthen and centralize the national government, the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 was convened to amend the Articles of Confederation rather than replace them. We were lucky then, seeing as the convention resulted in such an excellent Constitution. We were also fortunate to have had enlightened statesmen and drafters, such as James Madison, who understood the Lockean virtues and principles of individual liberty and limited government. Looking back, who among us today comes close to exemplifying the virtues of our Founding Fathers?
The answer is too few and far between, if any at all. The proposal for a second Constitutional Convention (Con-Con) promoted by so-called conservatives would likely result in a runaway convention in which extremist or revolutionary elements could hijack the convention and alter the Constitution to include harmful amendments, such as “second generation” or “positive” socialist rights while curtailing our nation’s traditional negative rights that protect our liberties from the government.
What we need is not for the States to revise the Constitution, but rather to restore and enforce it as our Founding Fathers originally intended. We should not risk the passage of a Con-Con call no matter how appealing it may be. You now have the ability to help stop Florida from calling upon Congress to authorize such a convention. Contact your State Representative and State Senator now and urge him or her to oppose the passage of HCR 8005, H 499 and S 1142, and if it does come to a vote on the floor to vote NAY on the bill.
Florida Redistricting Update
Posted by NCF912Project
Proposed Redistricting Maps to be Considered on January 9
The Florida House’s Redistricting subcommittees officially noticed meetings for Monday, January 9, 2012 – at which time they will consider proposed committee bills (PCBs) for the State House, State Senate and Congressional maps.
If you have not already, you can check out the proposed maps and related information via the Redistricting Bills button at www.floridaredistricting.org The maps are identical to those that were released on December 6 and workshopped in the subcommittees on December 8, 2011.
The Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee and Senate Redistricting Subcommittee will both meet from 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The House Redistricting Subcommittee will meet from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Want to watch the meetings live? Make sure to visit The Florida Channel at http://thefloridachannel.org/ on January 9. Want to catch up on redistricting committee meetings you may have missed? Visit The Florida Channel’s redistricting committee meeting archive at http://thefloridachannel.org/featured-stories/redistricting/.
Septic Tank Inspection Repeal Bill
Posted by NCF912Project
There are several bills in committee that may Repeal the Septic Tank Inspection part of SB 550. Please take a few minutes to look the bills over, especially the one sponsored by Senator Dean, and let the appropriate Senators/Representatives know what your opinion is!
Go to: http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/178 to view the information on these bills.