We will have the House District 3 race in front of us for two more weeks or so, but what is the next big issue?
Property tax caps – local governments are worried about the impact of a cap on property tax rates and how it will impact services. This is more a fight between county commissions,
city councils & school boards vs. legislature and Gov. Crist. We told everybody that they should have rolled back their rates last year.
Strong Mayor – John Peacock and his group are gaining momentum. The city council is split on the issue. Too early to tell whether council will allow a referendum or require Peacock to get petitions to force a vote.
Annexation – City needs to expand its boundaries to more natural borders – North to Nine Mile Road – West to Blue Angel Parkway – South to the Bay and NAS Pensacola. It’s ridiculous Baptist Hospital & Town & Country Plaza aren’t in the city limits. This will be a hard sell to county residents who have gotten the benefit of some city services without having to pay for them.
Consolidation – How can we save money by consolidating services between the county and city? Need a task force on this.
Healthcare: uninsured – The county won’t touch this until the property tax issue is settled but we have to do something. County, state and the hospitals need a plan. Need to look into more preventative programs and clinics.