BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. -? The top Republican contenders for governor in Florida say Wednesday’s ruling blocking Arizona’s immigration law isn’t going to stop them from trying to get a similar law here; but others in the GOP are applauding parts of the ruling. “It slows down the process, but I’m comfortable in the long term, the right thing will happen,” said candidate Rick Scott, during a campaign stop in Bonita Springs.? The Naples businessman made immigration a key part of his bid for governor early on. “Just like its common sense you can ask for your ID, you should be able to ask if somebody is illegal,” Scott said. It’s been a contentious issue in Scott’s campaign for the Republican nomination against Attorney General Bill McCollum.? Scott’s campaign says McCollum switched his positions on immigration. McCollum called Wednesday’s decision to block parts of the Arizona law a blow to states rights.? The Attorney General says he’s working with state lawmakers to bring an Arizona-style law to Florida. Still, others in the GOP say blocking Arizona’s law is the right thing. “I think it’s a win for freedom,” said Congressman Connie Mack, who sent letters to Florida lawmakers and fellow congressmen, urging them to stand up against the Arizona law. He says his fellow Republicans need to be consistent when fighting for freedom. “I am for strengthening our laws and cracking down on illegal immigration,” Mack said.? “What I’m not for are laws that are written in such a way that are also going to destroy the freedoms of Americans.” Mack says he wasn’t pleased about everything in the judge ruling, particularly blocking a portion that made it illegal for undocumented workers to look for jobs in a public place. WINK News did not receive any statements on the subject from any Democrats in the fall campaign. Related Articles McCollum gets endorsement of chamber Will Cape Coral stop mailing sex offender notices? Deepwater Horizon next stop for Bonnie Rick Scott Promises to Cut Size of Government and Attract Jobs
July 29, 2010 | Posted in
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RSW – Southwest Florida International Airport is selling t-shirts that read, “Save the Gulf.” The airport has teamed up with Fish and Wildlife to raise money. All proceeds will go to conservation, clean-up, and restoration projects affected by the oil spill. Related Articles Dengue Fever confirmed in South Florida Lawmakers working to relieve pain oil spill caused Lightning strike causes a small oil spill in Naples lake BP refusing to give Florida more advertising money
July 16, 2010 | Posted in
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Chinese drywall repair bill proposed by Florida legislature By WINK News Story Created: Mar 24, 2010 at 10:54 PM EDT Story Updated: Mar 24, 2010 at 10:54 PM EDT CAPE CORAL, Fla. – Florida lawmakers are considering repair options for homeowners living with Chinese drywall, but some of those homeowners say the plan could actually hurt them more than help. Right now, there is no official government-approved method for removing Chinese drywall from a home. The plan in the Florida House would allow contractors to do what that can until that standard is set. But some homeowners say the plan also doesn’t hold the contractors accountable. “We already gambled when we bought these homes. We found that we had a defective product, and now we’re being asked to gamble once again,” said Richard Kampf. His Cape Coral home has been the center of federal investigations into the affects of Chinese drywall. The government is still trying to figure out the best remedy. Some homeowners have tried, which usually means gutting the entire house to remove the harmful corrosion. But without an official fix, Kampf says any repairs could fail. “If it doesn’t work after the remediation is done, then the homeowners have no recourse to sue. To recover any loss they have incurred,” Kampf said. “This bill does not in any way compel anyone to do anything, it just provides them with an option that doesn’t exist today,” said Rep. Gary Aubuchon (R-Cape Coral), who supports the measure. Aubuchon says while contractors would be protected from litigation under the bill, the plan isn’t a requirment for homeowners, it allows them to do something, if they want to. “They’re willing to use the best protocols established today, and willing to live with that result,” Aubuchon said. Kampf says even the health concerns and loss of value blamed on the defective drywall, he’s not willing to roll the dice on a solution. “I don’t think homeowners are willing to gamble anymore. We don’t have anything to gamble with,” Kampf said. The bill is currently making its way through committees in Tallahassee. Next article Mortgage mess could cost Port Charlotte man his home and business
March 25, 2010 | Posted in
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Unemployment up sharply, Governor Crist seeks to create jobs By WINK News Story Created: Mar 10, 2010 at 8:46 PM EST Story Updated: Mar 10, 2010 at 10:21 PM EST FORT MYERS, Fla. – Getting Floridians back to work brought Governor Charlie Crist to Fort Myers on Wednesday. Crist made a series of stops across the state for a ceremonial signing of a bill that postpones payment of unemployment compensation taxes. His visit came the same day that staggering new unemployment numbers were announced for the state: 11.9% statewide in January 2010. The jobless rate was even higher in Lee County, at 14.1% (up from 13.4% in December); 13.8% in Charlotte County, and 12.7% in Collier County. But Crist says businesses can afford to hire again, after Florida lawmakers unanimously agreed to wait two years to increase the unemployment tax. “To save 474,000 businesses over a billion dollars in money they’d be paying in taxes, affecting 6.1 million people, that’s a great first step,” Crist said. Critics say it delays a big problem, but many of the unemployed in southwest Florida say they just want to work. “We were hiring up until September and all of a sudden the bottom fell out,” said Jeremiah Corbitt, out of work for the last six months after being cut from a job in the construction industry. On top of the difficulty in finding work, now he’s also facing with problems with his unemployment claims. “I’m caught in this system where everything in the future is just a big question mark,” Corbitt said. Corbitt is one of the nearly 70,000 people unemployed in Southwest Florida in the latest numbers that run through January, after holiday jobs ran out. Companies in health and hospitality have been hiring since, but career advisors say its not enough. “A lot of those numbers don’t make a dent in the unemployment rate because so many people are affected,” said Barbara Hartman with the Fort Myers office of the Agency for Workforce Innovation. The delay in the unemployment tax only lasts until 2012, when the planned increase will kick in. Crist says the state is also accepting $200 million new federal dollars to create up to 25,000 additional jobs. He says he’s also like to see additional cuts to help Floridians. “I’m advocating another $100 million dollar tax cut this year and a reduction in the corporate income tax in Florida, but also the back-to-school sales tax holiday, to reignite that so when families are going back to school for their children, they have chance to get the necessities they need without paying any taxes at all,” Crist said. “All of these things will add up.” Crist’s chief rival for the GOP Senate nomination, former House Speaker Marco Rubio, says the high unemployment numbers only show that Crist’s policies and support of the federal stimulus failed. Many of the unemployed, like Jeremiah Corbitt, are willing to take any job, just to get a paycheck again. “Anything right now, its all about survival right now. It’s all about dropping the pride, getting the bills paid,” Corbitt said. Previous article Punta Gorda 9-1-1 Investigation Next article Community comes together to help San Carlos little league
March 11, 2010 | Posted in
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Proposal would require mediation for homeowners facing foreclosure By Jeremiah Jacobsen Story Created: Feb 9, 2010 at 10:29 PM EST Story Updated: Feb 9, 2010 at 10:29 PM EST FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida lawmakers are considering whether the law should protect homeowners facing foreclosure. One prominent Southwest Florida foreclosure attorney says: it’s about time! Right now, foreclosure attorneys say one of the biggest problems is lenders aren’t communicating with homeowners. The proposal in Tallahassee looks to change that by forcing both sides to work together to keep people in their homes. “If I had a dime for every person who came in here and said, ‘I wish they would just work with me,” said attorney Carmen Dellutri, who says he’s seen plenty of frustated homeowners who wonder why its such a struggle to get help from their banks. “Look, let’s get these lenders together with the homeowners, across the table, with a neutral third party and get these issues hashed out. Let’s keep these people in their homes, let’s get them paying their mortgages again,” Dellutri said. A plan in Tallahassee would require exactly that: mediation between lender and homeowner. “This bill is to level the playing field. It is a homeowner’s bill of rights and it preserves the right of access to the courts for all Floridians,” said Sen. Dave Aronberg, who proposed the idea in the Florida senate. Aronberg wants to counter a plan by the Florida Bankers Association that would allow lenders to foreclose without a hearing. “The judges aren’t the problem here, the mortgage companies are foreclosing instead of trying to work it out with people,” Dellutri said. Aronberg’s bill would guarantee the judicial system would stay involved. Dellutri says anything would be better than the nothing he believes is happening now on behalf of homeowners. “This should have happened two and half years ago. And I don’t know why it hasn’t. I really don’t,” Dellutri said. Aronberg’s proposal also calls for re-appraising the homes facing foreclosure, to take into account lower property values. There would also be protection for renters whose landlords are being foreclosed on. The plan still faces a vote in both the Florida House and Senate. Previous article Snow causing local hotels to book up Next article Snowy mess felt in SWFL
February 10, 2010 | Posted in
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