Coral Gables Government Needs a New Code and Culture of Ethics

February 4, 2011 1 Comment

Strengthening ethical standards in Coral Gables is a prime need of a new commission.  There has been a total lack of interest in transparency and too much of a tolerance of unethical behavior and indifference to community participation.  What passes as transparency is a weak system of one way communication with the community.

“There is an atmosphere that is a pressure-bubble building,” said Roy Rogers, CEO of Lighthouse Point and chairman of the commssion. Across the state, there “is a need as expressed by the community to do better ethically.”

He warned that amid the ethics scandals in local communities, many local governments have  been “coming up with their own interpretation of how ethics shold be dealt with” and absent a strong state standard that “haphazard” approach to ethics reform could have a unintended result: repressing people with “the right stuff” to seek public office.

via Ethics Commission tells legislators ‘do better ethically’ | Florida politics blog: The Buzz | tampabay.com & St. Petersburg Times.

Filed under Community, Coral Gables, Justice

Natural Gas is Not Such a Great Solution: Not That Much Cleaner than Coal

February 3, 2011 Leave a comment

ProPublica recently published a report that challenged assertions that natural gas was much cleaner than coal. Reporter Abrahm Lustgarten found out that “gas may be as little as 25 percent cleaner than coal, or perhaps even less.”

via Abrahm Lustgarten Answers the Question, “How Clean Is Natural Gas?” – ProPublica.

Filed under Climate Change, Environment

Employee Unions and Governments are Fully to Blame

February 3, 2011 Leave a comment

The state and local governments are fully to blame for having accepted the constitution and operation of pension plans, salaries and other benefits that are totally dependent on unrealistic economic circumstances.

Did they expect the economy of Florida would keep increasing forever and that people will keep moving to Florida irrespective of the environmental, social and economic conditions here?  Did they think that governments can function without realistic reserves and revenues? Did they think that taxpayers will keep subsidizing irrational pensions, salaries and other benefits?  Do the firefighters and police think that they are so indispensable that societies will pay them outrageous salaries and pensions?  Did the unions think that they could keep their friends in power to protect their salaries and pensions?

Time has run out on these games.

Time has come for the city of Coral Gables to correct a terrible injustice to its taxpayers.

“I want to have a pension plan that people can rely on,” Scott said. “That’s my whole focus. It’s only fair that if you’re going to have a pension plan you’re going to do just like the private sector does.”

The previous day, the governor unveiled a proposal to save $2.8 billion over two years through a number of measures aimed at the state’s retirement plans. Among them: the requirement that employees who participate in the Florida Retirement System contribute 5 percent of their salaries toward their benefits.

via Florida pension overhaul: Unions will fight, but expect Gov. Rick Scott to get his way on pensions – South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com.

Gov. Rick Scott’s plan to chop into the state’s budget by requiring state workers to pay into their pension plan is a good idea, according to the majority of Sunshine State voters interviewed in a recently released Quinnipiac University poll.

The governor has said he would require workers to pay 5 percent of their salaries into the pension plan. Currently, the state is the only contributor to the pension, and Scott said that requiring the employee contributions would save the state $2.8 billion over the next two years.

But those on the giving end think it stinks.

via Scott’s pension plan popular with public, not with employees.

Gov. Rick Scott’s plan to chop into the state’s budget by requiring state workers to pay into their pension plan is a good idea, according to the majority of Sunshine State voters interviewed in a recently released Quinnipiac University poll.

The governor has said he would require workers to pay 5 percent of their salaries into the pension plan. Currently, the state is the only contributor to the pension, and Scott said that requiring the employee contributions would save the state $2.8 billion over the next two years.

But those on the giving end think it stinks.

via Scott’s pension plan popular with public, not with employees.

Filed under Coral Gables, Florida, Pensions, Taxes and Fees

Banks in Florida are mostly Weak

February 3, 2011 Leave a comment

Many local Banks in Florida have questionable capital ratios.  This is product of outrageous housing loans and practices.

When it comes to strength and solvency, Florida is among the worst states for banking, according to a new report released by Weiss Ratings.

Nearly 80 percent of the 532 banks and thrifts in Florida are considered weak and have received a D-plus or lower Weiss Financial Strength rating.

via Weiss: Florida among worst for banking | South Florida Business Journal.

Filed under Business and Commerce, Florida, Housing

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