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Aug 4, 2008
For Immediate Release 

 

 

Broad-based Initiative Challenges Candidates, Legislators to Provide New Thinking, Bold Leadership for Difficult Times
Four Town Hall Meetings Planned for Key Regions; Series Kicks Off Aug. 16

 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Groups representing millions of Floridians of all types – from children’s groups to AARP and all taxpayers in between, including businesses – announced a broad-based initiative Monday to encourage state elected leaders and legislative candidates to find fresh solutions to the state’s darkening revenue picture and long-term challenges.

 

The new initiative – “Florida’s People, Florida’s Promise” – will conduct four Town Hall meetings across the state before Nov. 4 in key areas, inviting legislators and legislative candidates to consider and discuss forward fresh solutions that preserve vital services during an unprecedented period of budget woes. In announcing the initiative, the group laid out potential cost-saving ideas and revenue options to ensure funding for core services while simultaneously benefiting the business community and Florida’s economy.

 

“Floridians of all ages, in many walks of life, are worried and hurting,” said Lori Parham, AARP’s Florida state director. “Floridians are looking to their leaders for new approaches. Faced with a sharp drop in revenues, we need new ways to sustain critical programs for Florida’s most vulnerable citizens.”

 

Groups founding the initiative are: AARP; the Children’s Home Society of Florida; the Florida Coalition for Children; Florida TaxWatch; and Community-Based Care (CBC) of Seminole.

 

Founders of the initiative also are inviting other organizations and private citizens to go to its web site (www.floridaspeople.org ) and sign its “Declaration of Interdependence,” asking elected officials for bold leadership and innovative ideas to ensure a bright future for Florida.

 

“Never in Florida’s history have so many previously independent groups joined together to implement change,” said Dave Bundy, CEO of Children’s Home Society of Florida. “Together, we hope to set an example for our legislative leaders by setting aside differing priorities. We call on them to ensure that the Sunshine State will never leave its most vulnerable citizens in the dark.”

 

“Previous legislative budget investments in programs have resulted in many positive outcomes for Florida’s children and seniors” said Mike Cusick, President and CEO of the Florida Coalition for Children. “Not only is this good for Florida’s citizens but investing in Florida’s people is good business.

 

Dominic M. Calabro, president and CEO of the nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog and research institute Florida TaxWatch, explained his group’s involvement in the coalition. “Florida TaxWatch is proud to join with these prestigious groups, each of which has a rich history of ensuring that our state fulfills its obligations to provide needed services to our state’s most vulnerable citizens. It is our role to represent all the taxpayers of Florida and we will work with this coalition to reach out to elected officials and offer alternatives to indiscriminate and across-the-board budget cuts that negatively affect Florida’s citizens and our state’s economy. This coalition will promote civic engagement and citizen participation while simultaneously assisting and encouraging the legislature to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money. Now is the time for creative, bold, and innovative leadership that can streamline bureaucracy, reduce duplication, and eliminate waste in order to ensure that core services are being funded and that Florida’s global competitiveness is being enhanced, not harmed.”

 

Founders of the initiative are suggesting prudent, well-researched, cost-effective savings and revenue options that could generate hundreds of millions of dollars, benefit Florida’s economy and avoid damaging vital services. The initiative also will work to encourage civic engagement and to enhance citizen understanding of the real-world impact of the state’s current budget difficulties. Finally, Florida’s Promise – Florida’s People will provide lawmakers and other policymakers valuable, innovative ideas on how to weather the state’s fiscal storm. The group will be active through the 2009 legislative session.

 

Founders noted that the group’s revenue options are meant to jump-start a conversation about preparing Florida for challenges that all acknowledge are coming. Enacting the cost-savings ideas recommended by the group also will save millions of taxpayer dollars and could help the state’s struggling economy.

 

“We expect those who would be our leaders to tell us their concepts to address the problems we have today, and those looming in the future,” Parham said. “A state seen as chaotic and callous – unwilling to help families in crisis – unable to sustain an appealing quality of life – shrinking from the challenge of the future – cannot inspire confidence in the businesses, future retirees or newcomers who could help us rebuild Florida’s future.”

 

Calabro added: “The taxpayers of this state rightfully expect and deserve to have an efficient and accountable government in good times when the government coffers are bulging. But it is absolutely necessary that the government try to be as efficient as possible in bad economic times when core services are being cut.”

 

Florida’s People, Florida’s Promise coalition will hold these Town Hall meetings:

Central Florida: 9 a.m. to noon, Aug. 16, Conference Center, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1217 Trinity Woods Lane. Maitland, FL 32751. Call 1-877-926-8300 for reservations.
Palm Beach County: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 20, West Palm Beach; venue to be announced
Hillsborough-Pasco-Pinellas: Sept. 24; time and venue to be announced.
South Florida: Oct. 11; time and venue to be announced.
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Added: August 4, 2008
Views: 47 | Comments: 0 | Bookmarks: 0

For Immediate Release

July 23, 2008                                      
 
 
AARP:  Floridians 50+ Outraged at Failure to Protect Mortgage Buyers
AARP Florida Calls for New Leadership in Office of Financial Regulation
 
TALLAHASSEE, FL – AARP’s Florida State Director Lori Parham issued the following statement Wednesday on controversy regarding oversight of Florida mortgage brokers by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation:
 
“On behalf of AARP’s 3 million members statewide, AARP is deeply disappointed in the state’s lax oversight of mortgage brokers.  It is outrageous that Florida regulators have allowed convicted criminals, including felons found guilty of financial crimes, to be allowed to hold sensitive mortgage-broker licenses or to work as loan originators.”
 
“Faced with rising fiscal pressure and fixed incomes, older Floridians and those living with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to mortgage fraud.  The state clearly has failed in its obligation to protect these citizens.” 
 
“Since 2004, Florida property insurance rates have tripled, housing costs are high, food and fuel costs are skyrocketing, prescription drug costs are rising twice as fast as overall inflation, and millions of older Floridians are one serious illness away from financial ruin.  Now the state is issuing licenses to steal to convicted felons.”
 
“It is time for new leadership in the Office of Financial Regulation and a new approach to protecting Florida consumers of all generations.” 
 
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole.  AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates.  We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 33 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 39 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org.  AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors.  We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
 
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Added: July 23, 2008
Views: 90 | Comments: 0 | Bookmarks: 0

 Recently AARP sent out an e-mail giving members in Florida the chance to respond to this question and here are some of the responses to this question.

 

I would like to know when they are going to finally check into lowering the cost of health insurance.
Sharon Garaffa,
Summerfield

 
I’m diabetic and have a serious heart condition. I do not qualify for social security disability or Medicaid. I’m not old enough for Medicare. There are a large number of us out there in our country. What as president can you do for people like us?
Richard Armstrong
 
We are a middle class retired couple, 7 years away from being eligible for Medicare. We currently pay over $8000 per year for medical insurance; it goes up significantly every year and is our largest single expense.  I have great empathy for the uninsured, however many middle class families are suffering from the cost of insurance.  If you are elected president, what will you do to make health insurance more affordable for middle income families?
Fran & Howard Lubell
Deland
 
My question to the Presidential candidates would be:  Do you intend to fix Medicare Part D so that people like me who have ongoing medical problems don’t fall into the Donut Hole?
Trudy Miner
Oldsmar
 
As a fifty-something teacher, who has worked for 32 years expecting to be able to count on Social Security in retirement, I am concerned about both its solvency and proposals to privatize. What will you do to assure that the “rules,” under which we’ve functioned our entire working lives, don’t change for those of us approaching retirement in the next ten years?
Larry Simon
 
With the enormous amount of promises being offered by the candidates to solve a myriad of national problems, how can you expect to achieve your goals with the continuing lack of bi-partisanship among our congressman coupled with the relentless influence of 30,000 plus lobbyists in Washington?
Ron Armillei
Orlando
 
What will you do to remove the financial ruin that most of us face, if responsible for long term nursing home care?
JW Jones
Fort Pierce
 
As our population is aging, how do you plan to ensure that social security benefits will not only be continued, but that they will increase with the cost of living so that social security is a viable source of income for the elderly/retired population? 
Dave Watts
St. Petersburg  
 
Since many Baby Boomers had their contributions deducted from their pay checks in their working years to comply with the number of quarters necessary to fulfill retirement payout, what new betterment are we to expect as an increase in Social Security for those who qualified by necessity out of our own pockets?
JoAnne Varco
Miami Beach           
 
Would you be willing to approve AARP creating a grade card for you, listing 12 of what it believes to be your key campaign "promises", and would you candidly respond to the grades given by AARP, each January after your inauguration?
Eugene K. Pool
Lutz
 
I don’t want to know what you’re opponent is not going to do. What is your plan to make health care affordable to all elderly persons without first forgoing all their hard earned assets?
Hugh & Barb Brisson
Cape Coral
 
 

 

Added: July 22, 2008
Views: 4503 | Comments: 21 | Bookmarks: 0

 

 AARP Thanks Congress for Keeping Medicare Fair, Overriding White House Veto
 
Bipartisan Bill Improves Low-Income Help and Boosts Quality through National E-Prescribing, Helps Ensure Access to Doctors
 
SUMMARY: Today the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate voted overwhelmingly to override a White House veto and pass important Medicare legislation. The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act will improve Medicare’s low-income programs, boost health care quality with a system of national e-prescribing, and help ensure the access of patients to their doctors.
 

FLORIDA
VOTED YES TO PASS MEDICARE BILL
VOTED NO ON MEDICARE BILL
FL
Bilirakis
X
 
FL
X
 
FL
X
 
FL
X
 
FL
Buchanan
X
 
FL
Castor
X
 
FL
Crenshaw
X
 
FL
X
 
FL
X
 
FL
Feeney
X
 
FL
X
 
FL
Keller
X
 
FL
Klein
X
 
FL
Mack
X
 
FL
Mahoney
X
 
FL
Martinez
X
 
FL
Meek
X
 
FL
Mica
 
X
FL
Miller, Jeff
X
 
FL
Nelson
X
 
FL
Putnam
X
 
FL
X
 
FL
Stearns
X
 
FL
Wasserman Schultz
X
 
FL
Weldon
 
X
FL
Wexler
X
 
FL
Young, Bill
X
 

 
*Did not vote
** How a legislator votes on issues is only one factor in evaluating his or her legislative performance, which should also include such things as constituency services and committee work.
 
“Yesterday’s vote is a victory for the 44 million Americans who depend on Medicare,” said AARP Florida State Director Lori Parham. “This bipartisan legislation will help more Americans afford their health care bills while bringing doctors offices and pharmacies into the 21st century with e-prescribing.”
 
Parham added, “We applaud Senators: Nelson, (D); and Martinez, (R); and Representatives: Bilirakis (R-9th); Boyd (D-2nd); Brown (D-3rd); Brown-Waite (R-5th); Buchan (R-13th); Castor (D-11th); Crenshaw (R-4th); Diaz-Balart (R-21st); Diaz-Balart (R-25th); Feeney (R-24th); Hastings (D-23rd); Keller (R-8th); Klein (D-22nd); Mack (R-14th); Mahoney (D-16th); Meek (D-17th); Miller (R-1st); Putnam (R-12th); Ros-Lehtinen (R-18th); Stearns (R-6th); Wasserman Schultz (D-20th); and Wexler (D-19th); Young (R-10th) for their continued support,”
 
“We are disappointed that Representatives Mica (R-7th) and Weldon (R-15th) voted against this important legislation,” Parham said. “This bill would begin to bring down health care costs for millions of Americans, while reducing dangerous drug interactions with electronic prescriptions.”
 
AARP has been advocating for several months to ensure that lawmakers keep Medicare fair for the people who depend on it when Congress addresses physician payment cuts. AARP has also been advocating for this bill’s improvements to Medicare, particularly the low-income programs and electronic prescribing.
 
Since launching the “Keep Medicare Fair” initiative in April, AARP’s grassroots volunteers and activists have sent more than 1.2 million messages to Congress and the White House.  As part of this effort, an AARP survey released May 19 found that of adults 50-plus, 81 percent oppose additional increases to Medicare premiums and 66 percent are less likely to vote for a Member of Congress who supports those increases.
 
AARP notified the 110th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on key legislation important to its 39 million members and reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its members.
 
“We believe people make the right choices when they understand the issues and positions taken by their elected officials. AARP intends to ensure that its members get that information,” Parham concluded.
 
 

 

Added: July 17, 2008
Views: 118 | Comments: 0 | Bookmarks: 0