Delivering his second State of the State speech at a new, made-for-TV-news time of 6 p.m. Tuesday, Gov. Charlie Crist gave a glowing assessment of life in Florida -- downplaying the pessimism of those worried about budget cuts, a stagnant real estate market and other problems. As he did in 2007, Crist utilized his bully pulpit not to dwell on Florida's problems, but to radiate optimism.
"The state of the great state of Florida is strong," Crist told a joint session of the Legislature, speaking from the House chamber in the Capitol. "Florida's families and businesses are faced with extraordinary economic times, like skyrocketing gas prices, the threat of foreclosure and a softening housing market. And, like Florida's families, these challenging times will require us to meet the demands of declining revenue. And how will we do this? By keeping taxes low, by creating jobs, and fueling an economy that ranks ahead of most nations on the face of the planet, we will set a model at which others can marvel."
Crist praised voters for their 64-percent approval of the Amendment 1 tax cut proposal on Jan. 29, and he urged the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission "to give the people the opportunity to vote for another tax cut" in November. The powerful panel is weighing a plan that would cut property taxes by more than 25-percent, while directing the Legislature to make up the money by other means, such as eliminating sales tax exemptions.
Crist got a rousing welcome from Democrats and Republicans alike as he strode into the chamber, a tribute to his broad popularity with Floridians. But despite the upbeat mood, serious differences exist between Crist and lawmakers on policy issues, including Crist's preference for expanding gambling and dipping into rainy-day funds as alternatives to budget cuts.
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