Developers win big in Tallahassee, and which Hillsborough lawmaker voted to support them? Well, for one the now State Sen. Victor Crist, who has an eye on Ken Hagan’s county commission seat in a game of musical sprawlers and just voted to throw Hillsborough under the bus by gutting what meager growth management laws we do have..........here
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Victor Crist Throws Hillsborough County Under The Bus
Developers win big in Tallahassee, and which Hillsborough lawmaker voted to support them? Well, for one the now State Sen. Victor Crist, who has an eye on Ken Hagan’s county commission seat in a game of musical sprawlers and just voted to throw Hillsborough under the bus by gutting what meager growth management laws we do have..........here
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3 comments:
Jeffrey Huggins Says:
May 5th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Always good to double-check the facts
As a former community news editor, I know how hard it is to gather information for a news story on a deadline, especially the deadline for today’s immediate source for information and opinion, the weblog. The problem with blogs and the push to get your “story” out first is it often compromises the product with entries that are long on opinion and short on facts.
In the race to get the “news” out, corners may be cut and facts can be missed because there’s not always enough time to confirm sources, to double-check facts, and to research multiple sources. Blogging is different than reporting in this way, and the medium has few checks and balances of its own.
In this case Ms. Cornelius missed some important facts that would have more accurately portrayed Senator Crist’s vote on an important issue. Senator Crist was actually one of the eight NO votes on what you referred to as the “deplorable bill SB 360.” While his NO vote was recorded after the electronic vote, it reflected his concerns with the bill; some of which were brought up in discussions with former county commissioners who currently serve in the legislature.
When she wrote: “I didn’t know anything about Crist one way or the other before this, but voting YES on SB 360 tells me all I need to know,” she seems to admit that she judged a 35-year community activist and 17-year state legislator based on one incorrect YES vote. It would have been helpful to learn something about the Senator first, check out some of the work he has done in the community and check out some of his previous votes on other issues of concern for Hillsborough County.
As far as the land purchase for the library site in Hillsborough County, the Senator serves as the volunteer Chairman of the Board for the University Area Community Development Corporation, which has been spearheading the revitalization of the blighted area formerly known as “Suitcase City” on the west side of the University of South Florida Tampa campus. In fact, Senator Crist does not run the non-profit organization that she incorrectly referred to as an “agency that Crist runs.” This is the responsibility of the Executive Director, Julian Garcia, and the full-time paid staff.
I’m all for getting the scoop and being the first to put out information on the blogs, but facts should be checked first and reported accurately. No matter what the subject is, the readers of her blog entries deserve a well-researched opinion. Accountability is important when it comes to being a watchdog on public officials, but accountability works both ways in journalism and op-ed writing.
(In full disclosure, I currently am a legislative staffer for the Senator and have worked on staff in both the House and Senate several times since 1994)
Kelly Cornelius Says:
May 5th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Thanks for the comments and clarification on Crist’s most recent vote on this issue. I am currently working on an updated post on that and several other activities surrounding SB 360 which fellow activists are telling me might be a walk on issue for the Wednesday’s County Commission meeting.
By Kelly Cornelius
PoHo contributor & R-LAND activist
Well, my earlier post on who voted in support of SB 360 (a gutting of growth management laws) caused quite a stir, and as Wayne already reported and corrected on that post, State Sen. Victor Crist actually changed his last vote on the growth management bill from yes to no. I do apologize that I did not find that change online before submitting that post. I spoke with Crist himself Tuesday afternoon regarding the issue. He wanted to make sure I understood the process so I will share his explanation with you as well. Crist explained that as this bill went through committees he supported it but with some concerns, one of them being transportation concurrency. He supported it to move it along “in the spirit of debate” but assured me that he made it clear that he would vote NO on the floor if his concerns were not resolved. He explained that it is only the final vote on the floor that actually counts. He explained that when that final vote came he was not on the floor and that an overzealous member voted his button. Yep, evidently they can push each other’s buttons. He explained (stressed really) that this is a common practice on the floor as legislators are often up and running around getting information on issues and that their neighbors can and often do vote their buttons for them. (I am thinking to myself at this point wouldn’t it be great if Commissioners Al “the New Blair” Higginbotham and Jim Norman just stayed home and asked Commissioner Kevin Beckner to vote their buttons for them?) Ok, enough dreaming and back to the issue at hand, Senator Crist explained that when he returned to the floor and saw that this overzealous member voted his button incorrectly on this bill that he changed his vote within an hour. This updated page indeed shows the change from a yes to no vote.
According to the bill’s history on the floor he did vote yes on 4/30/09. He also voted Yes on 4/02/09, according to the Senate’s website.
I did ask him how long lawmakers have to change their vote on something. He explained that if it was in committee they have until the end of the day but if it is on the floor then they have until the end of session. So, again I do apologize for not having the most updated information on that bill. To clarify Sen. Victor Crist’s final vote on SB 360 was changed from Yes to NO because somebody voted his button YES incorrectly. While I don’t like the fact that he ever supported it (thus moving it along) and only said NO after the fact, I do give him credit for taking the time to contact me to clarify and explain his NO position on it now. And he was right, I didn’t understand … supporting something you are really against in hopes that it will change later still escapes me. Crist also told me that he had been contacted by Commissioner Mark Sharpe who relayed his concerns to him on the bill as well.
The bill is now headed to Gov. Crist. Our only hope to stop it is a veto.
Word on the street from several activists is that Sharpe is going to try and walk on the 360 issue on today’s County Commission agenda so we will see if it makes it. To give you an example of what concerned citizens fear will be the result of this bill is that future DRI’s (like Fishhawk) will not only be exempt from the review process but that arrangements made previously regarding transportation concurrency may no longer be in enforceable when they ask for exemptions under this bill. For example, all those road widenings that Lake Hutto will have to foot the bill for may be rescinded giving developers a free ride on transportation issues and tying the hands of local officials. Perfect - if you are a developer.
Also interesting is this email from House Member Rachael Burgin telling a constituent she intended to vote NO on 360 (dated April 27th) yet days later………..she voted YES. See for yourself:
From: Burgin, Rachel [mailto:Rachel.Burgin@myfloridahouse.gov]
Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 11:06 AM
To: Dee Layne
Subject: RE: SB 360 on 3rd Reading in House
Dear Denise,
Thank you very much for your email regarding HB 7127 and SB 360 - Growth Management. As your State Representative, I appreciate learning of your thoughts and concerns on legislation that comes before me. Like you, protecting Hillsborough County, and state of Florida, is very important to me.
I do plan to vote No when this bill come before me on the House Floor.
Again, thank you for writing to me, please let me know if there is ever anything I can do for you.
Sincerely,
Rachel V. Burgin
State Representative, House District 56
I wonder if somebody voted her button incorrectly, too?
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