Crist's first controversy

As they struggle with high property tax bills and soaring insurance premiums, some people are steamed about the top-tier donation of $500,000 to Gov.-elect Charlie Crist's inaugural committee. More here in Steve Bousquet's column.

Comments

This isn't a problem; this is a newspaper trying to sell more papers. No matter what donation amount the Crist team asked for the St Pete Times could find someone who objects. The truth is this is like the hurricane preparation stories that are written every year. The story never changes just the people quoted. This newspaper can do better than this.

$25k won't get Colodony's firm out of the grave he has dug for himself...

Get over it Steve

This election cycle showed the true colors of the press. So sad.

[Mindy R.]

Look, people expect Republicans to have a country-club style. If the Democrats would have won they would probably have served Vegan treats and baloney and cheese.
The fact is that since the hurricanes swept away so many seedy little mobile home parks we now have a better class of people in Florida. These people would not like a down market party.
Jeb spent a lot getting tax-cuts for the wealthy class and made the state a better place for them...now Charlie can fete them the way they expect to be feted.
Get a life, DEMOCRATS and go eat your vegan treats elsewhere.You expect the money should be spent on health care for the poor? Whiners.

We now have a better class of people in Florida b/c the hurricanes swept people away?! Are you delusional? This has to be a Dem posing as a Rep to make a point. No person in their right mind would think or SAY that. Come on back down to earth...

[Mindy R.]

Just read this little excerpt from Insurance Journal. The hurricanes got rid of low-income housing. These people will be gone. The state now has lots more people who can pay higher taxes. Maybe better class was the wrong choice of words. I just meant that sure, people like those described in the Insurance Journal article might think that Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist are spending too much on events for their supporters, but do you REALLY expect someone with out a car to understand?

---FEMA likely will have to go through the local or state courts to evict people, a process that could take weeks, he said. Many remaining residents said they had been looking for somewhere else to live but couldn't find anything affordable. Hurricane Charley in August 2004 destroyed much of Charlotte County's low-income housing stock. Other trailer park residents are elderly or disabled.

"I can't even imagine what we're going to do,'' said Heather Badgwell, 26, who shares a trailer with her fiance and their infant son. "We don't have a car. We can't even afford a phone. How can we come up with first and last month's rent plus a deposit for water and electricity?'' --from the November 2, 2006 issue of "InsuranceJournal."

Way to go Steve. I suppose if they didn't raise any money and just charged at all of the events you would have blasted Charlie for that. This is a non story that will be gone in less than a week.

[peggy arvanitas]

The newspapers are feeling a forboding. You see, they believed all that crap about Crist and his populist message. In less than a month of Crist's victory, a 6% win with four times the money, Crist is having Rubio say NO to insurance fixes. And then McCullum saying NO to clemency gets Crist off the hook.
When you make campaign promises, then that is your contract with Florida. if you are not a man of your word, then what you are hearing the Press signal? It is that the honeymoon is over before the wedding begins!

Some of the above comments are attacking the messenger rather than the Governor-elect, who is the one responsible for the fundraising idea to begin with and the one who decided that it was ill-advised.

This election cycle showed the true colors of the press. So sad.

Posted by: | December 09, 2006 at 09:50 AM
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What do you mean? Your comment can be understood in more than one way?