300 firefighters rally against cuts

The Capitol courtyard swarmed with firefighters this afternoon during a rally against the property tax cuts. Bob Carver, president of the Florida Professional Firefighters, warned the cuts could lead to higher insurance costs for homeowners and longer response times. "People will die as a result," he said as about 300 people looked on. "The fires will burn longer."

A number of Democratic lawmakers joined the protesters (Rep. Luis Garcia, a former Miami Beach fire chief, is at the podium) and at least one Republican, Rep. Ed Hooper of Clearwater, also a firefighter.

Afterward, the men and women took to the halls, stopping legislators and taking front row seats at House and Senate committee meetings. "Make sure you are seen," said Capt. Shayne Stewart of the Okaloosa Island Fire Department. "If we lose," he said, "then we really have to attack that constitutional amendment. That is the killer."

Carver said all the firefighters were off duty.

Comments

I thought firemen were supposed to FIGHT fire, not fan the flames...What a bunch of flamers!

Crist says no cuts to fire and police. Crist has no idea what the hell he's talking about.

I support the men and women who protect us… but “"People will die as a result," is a disgusting and reprehensible tactic.

Btw… Hooper’s wife doesn’t even care what he thinks…

[Will]

These firefighers are nothing more than govt educated morons. They follow their liberal unions call to keep the govt coffers overflowing.

The Florida Professional Firefigthers have 22,000 members.

They could only round up 300 for their "rally."

The other 21,700 are sitting at home, waiting for the Legislature to cut their property taxes.

I was jogging on Bayshore Blvd. last night and counted no less than 4 engines roar by...Seemed kind of wasteful

“I was jogging on Bayshore Blvd. last night and counted no less than 4 engines roar by...Seemed kind of wasteful”

… unless of course they’re heading for your burning house… idiot.

Firefighter's in Florida do nothing more than attend to people with bloody noses. It's about time they are told to shut up.

2:39

it was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek

ease up my friend

Who paid for all of these firefighters to get up there? I sure hope it wasn't done by tax dollars. It is also pretty sad that the cities and counties are forcing them to do this.

uh, 2:42...what about this:
http://www.fl-dof.com/wildfire2007/daily_report.html

Total active fires: 115 wildfires on 130,466 acres

Hey all you bloggers like Will here - why don't you post your full names so that any time you may need a fire put out, the firefighters will drive right by your house. These people put their lives on the line for you jerks.

Florida isn't Manahattan or Chicago. That's where Firefighters put their lives on the line.

I support our fire fighters all the way! Keep up the good woks, and thank you for your service.

Pay no attention to these elitist, self-absorbed, anti-union fascists… no, I mean it… pay no attention to them when their 2-million dollar home and Mercedes is on fire.

I'd say 300 non-government people at a rally in Tally is pretty good.
It's not an easy place to get to from most of the state---and most people have to do real work, which does not include watching legislators.
And I can say this from experience: when my building caught on fire and a neighbor had a heart attack, there were a lot of people very happy to see those firemen show up.

[mike]

What utter drivel. Most 8 year olds could cut enough pork from city budgets without touching emergency services. These union members are parasites.

I support firefighters and all of their hard work. Having said that, the increase in municipal spending over the last five years has been obscene. It's time to cut property taxes now.

who is putting out the fires while these 300+ firefighters are lobbying in Tallahassee?

Being a firefighter in Florida is about a s dangerous as being an accountant.

Hey, my insurance costs can't go up much more so why not cut taxes, firefighters, education...whatever At least my taxes will go down :). I figure with a 16,000 dollar tax bill each year I should have a personal firefighter sitting in my yard for 1/2 a year.

[voxpop]

4:19 and 4:48 damned funny.

I always invite people who get the 'real picture' of firefighters to read my blog. People are FINALLY catching on to this hijacking. I'd like to hang around with a bunch of guys all day -- grilling, having my wife stop by for a few --- dealing with no responsibility, having no real education, raking in the big bucks, intimidating women and children. Frankly though, knowing all of this, they never bothered me at all until they started stalking me for the county of hillsborough city of tampa.
The City of Tampa firemen stalk women and children. And they get paid big bucks and drive county vehicles to do so.
http://tampasbackdoor.blogspot.com

[Gary]

Let's count each fire unit and how many house fires they put out in a year. Last year Safety Harbor Fire fighters or sleepers did not put out one house firs all year and the town gave them 3.6 Million dollars. Think about the things the school system could have done with some of that money.

Gary,

I’m betting you’d pay the 4-million to put a fire out if it was your ass that was on fire, you freaking moron.

The lack of intellect of some of you idiots is freaking amazing. No wonder we elect a bunch of freaking corrupt monkey-nuts… the majority of electorate are intellectually corrupt monkey-nuts.

The independent special fire control districts in Pinellas County will be severly impacted by this legislation. There is no other money to cut to make up for loss revenues except for jobs. As for the number of firefighters in attendance, most of them drove up this morning and left as soon as the rally was over. I'd rather pay a few hundreds dollars more to make sure that I receive a great response time if my house is on fire.

[Paul D. Harvill]

300 firefighters is a lot more than those tax revolt/citizens initiative organizations have been able to bring out.

[mike]

Sorry 8:30, but we have teachers taking kids on field trips to meet bums in the "tent city." We have part-time employees driving $400 a month city-leased vehicles and charging the city for gas used to visit the in-laws. I could go on and on and on and on. There's so much room for spending cuts it would make a rational persons head spin. Now get back to your union meeting and complain that you're not paid enough to sit around playing pinball at the firehouse.

500 firefighters according to another article.