In Local News

After a week of overtime the Florida Legislature finds a way to balance budget, says the Miami Herald, which is technically true, but leaves out the part about how this is dependent on revenue forecasts being accurate and the economy not dropping further, so we are going to see a special session to deal with the shortfall. They raised all of the “fees” they could think of, because paying the state for your license plate isn’t really a tax on your car and as long as it isn’t called a tax, you can raise it. They did raise the tax on cigarettes to pay for additional medical costs of smokers, [except that the cigarette manufacturers already did that as the result of a law suit, and smokers actually cost less than non-smokers due to a shortened life span, but don’t let facts interfere].

They also cut the salaries of some state employees, who haven’t seen a raise in over three years, which might put some of the Federal stimulus money they are counting on in jeopardy.

At least we don’t have to worry about any stupid laws being enacted while they are shut down. The only thing they are required to do is pass a budget. The Republicans have a 65% majority in both houses, and the governor is a Republican, but they needed extra time to pass a budget. When they say “government doesn’t work”, they really mean, “we don’t know how to govern”.

It turns out that special elections can’t be used to fill vacancies below the state level, so It’s official: Interim Sheriff Spooner here through 2010. He seems to know what he’s doing, and has no ties to the local good ol’ boys, so it’s probably a good thing.

Pat Rice, who is the “director of content” for the company that owns the Local Puppy Trainer and several other papers in the area has a pseudo-blog on which he opines: Calling Valp mayor a redneck cracker insults redneck crackers!.

The mayor of Valparaiso [Val-P] claimed that an Air Force Major General referred to the citizens of his city as “redneck crackers” in a memorandum. The document in question was rather obviously altered, with the comments added below the real text, and a signature added.

Mr. Rice takes offense not only at this blatant political move on the mayor’s part, but on the fact that he spent nearly $750 tax dollars to mail it to everyone in town.

For those who are wondering: I work outside when I can so I don’t lose my tolerance for the local temperatures, so I have a red neck, but I’ve never herded cattle, so I’m not a cracker. [Florida cowboys have traditionally used short whips to herd cattle, and are thus called crackers.] Locals refer to this area as the “redneck riviera” without rancor.

FYI: Major Generals in the Air Force actually sign almost nothing. This particular Major General already had orders for his new assignment when this problem with Val-P came up, so he couldn’t care less. He has already turned his command over to a new Major General, who will actually have to deal with this.