Get Lean

Florida CFO Alex Sink unveiled the web site Get Lean. The web site allows citizens to report Florida government waste and fraud.

Florida Get Lean is a 24-hour anonymous Web site and phone system that gives you the chance to make government more accountable for your tax dollars. Your input will provide lawmakers and state agencies critical insight on how we can improve government services and be more efficient with your tax dollars.

This is a great idea that more state and local governments should pick up on. The number for Get Lean is 1-800-GET-LEAN (438-5326).

Sports Subsidy Dead

Jim Johnson is right. $100 million sports subsidy for the Florida Marlins, Orlando Magic and Tampa Bay Lightning is dead.

The Florida Marlins’ attempt to get tens of millions of dollars in a second state subsidy for a new baseball stadium may have to wait yet another year, with Senate Majority Leader Daniel Webster pronouncing Wednesday: “I think it’s a dead issue.”

He noted that the Marlins’ supporters latest proposal — a one-time, $100 million payment to be shared by the venues hosting the Marlins, the Orlando Magic basketball team and the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team — was taken up but then postponed in a Senate committee this week.

“I don’t expect it’ll be back up,” Webster said. He said the total dollar figure would have been a tough sell in a tight budget year.

The bill was written by Carlos Lopez-Cantera.

Revises certification of professional sports franchise facilities provisions; allows certain persons who have received funding for professional sports franchise facility to receive additional funding; increases number of current certifications to accommodate facility for Major League Baseball franchise; provides that certain franchise is deemed basis for specific prior certifications.

Read my previous post on how tax dollars for sports teams never has a positive long term impact on local communities.

Let the Voters Decide on Sports Franchise Pork

Finally, a voice of moderation against pork spending for sports franchises. Sen. Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) deserves kudos for this proposal.

"Every person who thinks their property taxes are high right now should be contacting their legislature and the governor’s office and demanding that we not use their hard-earned money to support a professional sports franchise. If they want to have that taxpayers money, then let the taxpayers vote on it."

Amen. Sports arenas do not put money back into the community.

Hat tip to Jim Johnson for sending this to me.