Metro Orlando Headlines

[spenser1058]

Actually, until SCOTUS ruled for "one man, one vote" in the 1960s it was the other way 'round. Florida's rural Pork Chop Gang ruled the state for decades and starved fast-growing urban areas of much needed resources, particularly in education. 

After Dempsey Barron and his ilk were finally sent packing, the Golden Era of Florida governance began, particularly under Reubin Askew, who hailed from the, ummmm, Gotham we know as Pensacola. It was also a period when the FL Legislature regularly was lauded as one of the most effective such bodies in the country (that no longer happens for a variety of reasons.)

Giants of public policy from both parties like Lawton Chiles, Bob Graham, Lou Frey and Jack Eckerd realized there was no way to run a rapidly growing urban state (today, America's 3rd largest) on a rural basis as if we were Wyoming. Sadly, we've lost that.

Miami's place in the sun legislatively was somewhat short-lived. Once the Pork Chop Gang was dispatched, Dade County prevailed for a time but it wasn't long before the "Urban Moderates" from the I4 Corridor and further up the Gold Coast steered us forward.

Things switched back to retrograde after the 1986 elections and the oddest of political bedfellows combining with Jeb Bush and a last hurrah of Pork Chopper Dempsey Barron being fueled by suburban voters newly retired to the Sunshine State. Today, Florida excels in almost nothing. My carpetbagger comment referred specifically to Gov. Rick Scott, a man with virtually no ties to the state he governs.

The result has been that any progress we make tends to happen in spite of Tallahassee, whether it be education, the environment, healthcare, etc. and almost never through wise planning because of it. Oddly, as the initial article noted, despite a complete lack of desire to govern, the state government refuses to give local entities the flexibility they need to keep Florida moving forward.

Edited June 13, 2017 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

^^

Yeah, I don't know anything much about Florida's political past from that era.  Aside from getting, like, the Turnpike to cut through the country up in these parts, just what huge benefit did the rural parts of Florida get compared to urbanized SoFla, for example?  I mean, most of the transportation and infrastructure money went to Miami metro for years and probably Jax and Tampa, all of the big urban centers.

Well, I didn't vote for Ricks Cott that first run.  I voted for his female opponent who was from North Carolina, oddly enough, and was brought in by John Morgan at his BBQ thingy at the Fairgrounds as a PR move.  Oh, but she was a Democrat, so that would have been ok.  I see how it goes.

[spenser1058]

"With 5B in investments, Downtown Orlando emerges as central Florida's top economic engine"

From Orlando Rising:

http://orlando-rising.com/with-5b-in-investments-downtown-orlando-emerges-as-central-florida-top-economic-engine/

[jrs2]

^^

What are the physical boundaries they are using when they say there are 16,000 residents and 200 dining options downtown?  Are the 12,000 residential units the apartments, condos, townhouses in Eola South, CBD, Uptown, or do they include a more vast area?  Do they go south past Lucerne?  Do they go west to OBT?  Do they include houses north of Robinson and just east of Summerlin?

[spenser1058]

My guess is to get 78K workers, they're including FL Hospital to Orlando Health and from Mills to OBT. 

That's the most inclusive definition that has been used over the years.

[jack]

On 6/13/2017 at 0:06 PM, jrs2 said:

Well, if the inverse were solely true, Miami would control every policy decision ever made in this state for the past hundred years.  You can't have State representatives solely in urban areas.

If they would relinquish power to city and county governments, this would not be an issue. Either way, it bugs me to have an in balance of power that tilts  towards less populated and less wealthy areas. Tax dollars and decisions should stay as local as possible. 

[HankStrong]

As a non-native Floridian, I'm amazed the Florida/South Florida 2 states concept doesn't have more traction.  Although, I'd honestly hope Orlando went with South Florida in that scenario.  Of course, I was down in the rural area near Lake Okeechobee and that's as North Florida as it comes and it's way down yonder. 

[spenser1058]

There have been a number of movements across the US in the last decade or so to split states or for outright secession. None really got very far, mostly because one of the big issues settled after the Civil War in addition to prohibiting slavery was that states entering the Union could not leave. To change that would probably require a constitutional convention which would open up a Pandora's box of other issues that would devolve into a free for all hardly anyone would like to see.

As a result, don't expect anything to change soon.

Florida, btw, almost joined the Union as two states: West and East Florida. West Florida would have been a slave state and East Florida (including all of peninsular Florida) a free state (the capital would likely have been St. Augustine). That didn't happen due to the national calculus at the time - Iowa came in as the free state with us.

Culturally, things might have developed much differently (the plantations that were most pro-slavery and traditional in their thinking were mostly in the Panhandle - due to much less population and a more laissez faire attitude by the Spanish, East Florida's thinking was relatively more casual initially.)

Edited June 15, 2017 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Vera Carter, the first woman on the Orange County Commission, has died at 86.

Although her politics in general drove me crazy, she was a tireless champion for preserving OC's environment when very few other elected officials, especially at the county level, were.

From the Sentinel:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/obituaries/os-vera-carter-obituary-20170614-story.html

My most heartfelt condolences to her friends, family and supporters.

[JFW657]

I had completely forgotten about her.

RIP to her and condolences to her family.

[Urban Mail Carrier]

I'm also surprised that Florida hasn't split into two.. There is nothing in common economically, socially, politically and you can maybe even argue linguistically with the pan handle area. I know that many of us are frustrated with the decisions Tallahassee makes on our behalf. Seems unfair that about 70% of the revenue the state makes is generated by Orlando and the cities to the south. Yet Orlando can't expand the commuter rail or Miami can't address the Global climate change affecting its shores without the state getting in the way. 

[JFW657]

We should give the panhandle to Alabama and Georgia.

[John Hargrove]

Unlikely to ever happen but I support this. 

[jrs2]

On 6/18/2017 at 11:48 AM, Urban Mail Carrier said:

I'm also surprised that Florida hasn't split into two.. There is nothing in common economically, socially, politically and you can maybe even argue linguistically with the pan handle area. I know that many of us are frustrated with the decisions Tallahassee makes on our behalf. Seems unfair that about 70% of the revenue the state makes is generated by Orlando and the cities to the south. Yet Orlando can't expand the commuter rail or Miami can't address the Global climate change affecting its shores without the state getting in the way. 

Better for the Coffee House, but what is happening to Miami's shores that doesn't also affect every county north of there along the coast?

"Linguistically?"  Please...explain...

Panhandle economy:  military, education, agriculture, some mfg., tourism...  Sound familiar to other parts of the state?

If you want to argue "nothing in common ... politically," there's not a whole lot in common even between Orlando and other parts of the same county.

[spenser1058]

While there is erosion ongoing in most of our coastal counties (including Palm Beach County and The Donald's precious Mar-A-Lago estate), it's most acute right now in Miami-Dade since a major population center is cheek by jowl with the ocean, and, unlike, say Daytona Beach, does not have a significant drop between the barrier island and the Atlantic.

As to differences between the regions of the state, the Panhandle is relatively less urban than the peninsula and the military has a significantly larger presence. Other than Duval and Brevard, the only major bases left on the peninsula are Homestead (Dade) and MacDill (Hillsborough). Those are mere drops in the bucket relative to the population of the counties they're in. Contrast that with Eglin or Pensacola where it makes up a lot of the population. That's also true of NAS Jax/Mayport in Duval (although it's diminishing even there) and Patrick AFB/Cape Canaveral AFS in Brevard. 

We know it makes a difference. When OC had two military bases, we were one of the most conservative places on earth (yep, we voted for Goldwater and Nixon considered FTU one of the few "safe" campuses he could visit.) Today, we're as blue as blue can be. The only blue county in the Panhandle of any size is Leon, thanks to the state government and FSU/FAMU.

The saying (not at all recent) that "everything north of Daytona is southern and everything south of Daytona is northern" is true for a reason. Miami, meanwhile, is often referred to as "the 6th borough", a reference to its similarity to NYC. No one has ever said that about Pensacola and probably never will.

To me, an Orlando native and whose roots in the South go back to the 1780's (not a drop of Yankee blood in the family tree, thank you very much), I find South Florida to be culturally a world apart. Politically, however, my hometown no longer has anything in common with the Panhandle, either. The peninsula is increasingly urban and, despite St. Joe Paper/Arvida's best intentions, the Panhandle is not.

The bottom line is that it's not going to change for reasons I've noted elsewhere. We also have to recognize that SW Florida and places like The Villages don't fall at all into the bipolar calculus above. But if the state is to be governable, we can't ignore those facts, either.

Edited June 20, 2017 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Orlando could repeal, replace panhandling restrictions 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/political-pulse/os-orlando-panhandling-rules-vote-20170703-story,amp.html

From the Sentinel 

A kinder, gentler approach moves us more in touch with the diverse image the City is attempting to live up to. At the same time, new rules regarding the solicitation of captive audiences and reinforcing that "no means no" will be welcome. No word if 7-Eleven will be a "free form zone!"(yes, I'm kidding about that - please don't hate.)

Meanwhile, of course, this all goes hand in glove with working on the underlying causes of homelessness. There's been progress but we have a ways to go. The fact that Orlando has more opportunities for entry-level employment and some of the most flexible education schedules in the country should make us a leader in developing solutions for this if we just have the will.

[jrs2]

On 7/9/2017 at 0:18 PM, spenser1058 said:

Orlando could repeal, replace panhandling restrictions 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/political-pulse/os-orlando-panhandling-rules-vote-20170703-story,amp.html

From the Sentinel 

A kinder, gentler approach moves us more in touch with the diverse image the City is attempting to live up to. At the same time, new rules regarding the solicitation of captive audiences and reinforcing that "no means no" will be welcome. No word if 7-Eleven will be a "free form zone!"(yes, I'm kidding about that - please don't hate.)

Meanwhile, of course, this all goes hand in glove with working on the underlying causes of homelessness. There's been progress but we have a ways to go. The fact that Orlando has more opportunities for entry-level employment and some of the most flexible education schedules in the country should make us a leader in developing solutions for this if we just have the will.

NYC buys people that are strains on their medical system and buses them to Florida.  Believe it.  I know.  So, the Orlando homeless problem is not organic; it's partly the result of northern cities dumping their homeless on us.  Thanks, Bloomberg.

[UngaBungalow]

On 7/9/2017 at 0:18 PM, spenser1058 said:

Orlando could repeal, replace panhandling restrictions 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/political-pulse/os-orlando-panhandling-rules-vote-20170703-story,amp.html

From the Sentinel 

A kinder, gentler approach moves us more in touch with the diverse image the City is attempting to live up to. At the same time, new rules regarding the solicitation of captive audiences and reinforcing that "no means no" will be welcome. No word if 7-Eleven will be a "free form zone!"(yes, I'm kidding about that - please don't hate.)

Meanwhile, of course, this all goes hand in glove with working on the underlying causes of homelessness. There's been progress but we have a ways to go. The fact that Orlando has more opportunities for entry-level employment and some of the most flexible education schedules in the country should make us a leader in developing solutions for this if we just have the will.

Also not all panhandlers are homeless. 

[jrs2]

Port Canaveral news:

So, they approved going forward with a new Terminal 3.  $150M range.  Near Jetty Park.  A lot like Terminal 1.  Still growing...

http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2017/06/30/port-canaveral-moves-forward-new-cruise-terminal/442227001/

Also, NCL is starting Port Canaveral to Cuba cruises.

Cargo-wise, I think they are looking to make a deal for two more container cranes.

Also, the Auto Terminal...if you look at Google satellite view, the former location for that terminal was due east of Terminal 1.  Now, it's near the container terminal.  If you see the number of cars there, it looks like they outgrew their space.  Renderings had shown a large parking deck as park of the terminal.  I haven't found any articles on the subject lately, but I wonder if they are going to build a large garage there in the interim and them move the cars back over.

Edited July 13, 2017 by jrs2

[spenser1058]

I have been expecting great things of recently elected OC Comptroller Phil Diamond and it looks like he is diving in and bringing his office kicking and screaming into the digital age by bringing the county's auction of surplus equipment online.

From Orlando Rising:

http://orlando-rising.com/orange-county-comptroller-phil-diamond-taking-auction-on-line/

Phil was always one of the hardest working Orlando commissioners, with an admirable sense of integrity. His only real misfire was an ill advised decision to take on Mayor Buddy for reelection (which led to District 1 going to the GOP in an overwhelmingly blue city.) Nevertheless, I viewed him as the perfect replacement for longtime comptroller Martha Haynie.

So far, so good.

[HankStrong]

I don't care much for politics.  I haven't talked to him in many years, but he was always a very nice person as well.

[Dale]

Is Buddy Mayor-for-Life ?

[spenser1058]

11 hours ago, Dale said:

Is Buddy Mayor-for-Life ?

If he wants to be, there's a very good chance. He seems to have lost interest in running for governor. It has been widely assumed he would have an interest in becoming UCF president when John Hitt retires but Dr. Hitt is well on his way to becoming President-for-Life so who knows?

Buddy, meanwhile has found the perfect balance of going all out for big projects, keeping the Chamber types happy, while going "full blue" on social issues, thus insuring most of the citizens are supportive.

Also, unlike Bill Frederick or Glenda Hood before him, he seems to really LIKE being mayor, not just the power that goes with it. Why leave a job you love?

Edited July 18, 2017 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

I don't think Buddy will leave; never did.  He's just too "Mayor" to do it. 

^^

You'd be surprised at the types of stuff you can find at these auctions.  My buddy does it in Alachua and he has gotten so many IT related items for pennies on the dollar it's sick.  And Orange is way bigger than Alachua.

[JFW657]

Orange County Public Schools does the same thing.

Out behind the big school bus depot at Oak Ridge and JYP.

Lots of good stuff cheap.