In the Sunday edition of the News Journal, an article on our local state legislative delegation listed their proposed bills for the 2008 session. Sen. Don Gaetz had the most impressive list: managed healthcare, illegal immigrants, truth in government, school grading systems. Rep. Clay Ford: seniors, airline refunds. Rep. Dave Murzin: state song, inspection fees. Sen. Durell Peaden and Rep. Greg Evers: allowing employees to have guns in their cars while they are parked in company parking lots.
No one has economic development on their list of bills or initiatives. We need our legislative delegation to convince the state to help us compete with South Alabama and Mississippi. Yes, it is an almost impossible task given the state’s budget crisis, but they have to try. We are getting our tails kicked by Baldwin, Mobile and even Escambia counties of Alabama….not to mention the millions that Mississippi pumps into its Gulf Coast.
Where are our lawmakers? Fighting for state songs, airline refunds and guns.
Economic development and jobs are the top priorities of Escambia County citizens according to the county survey last November. Counties like ours that must compete with three Alabama counties, as well as the Mississippi Gulf Coast, need help from the state. Mobile, Gulf Shores, Biloxi, etc. all get financial help from their state governments.
As with local elected offices, we keep electing nice people to go to Tallahassee, but they play it safe and provide little help for our real needs.