On March 10, appropriations committees in the Florida House and Senate adopted positions eliminating all funding for Florida’s State Aid to Public Libraries program. This devastating action will result in some Florida library branches closing and will seriously cripple libraries’ ability to serve Floridians. Libraries have already taken their share of local and state budget cuts. This will be especially damaging to libraries in Florida’s rural communities, as these libraries rely heavily on provisions in the program that help communities with lower tax bases.
ps – to commentators: would some of you jokers please add some jokes to our Librarian Joke Contest? thanks~
This is just nuts! Libraries
This is just nuts! Libraries have stepped in and stepped up during these bad economic times to help people look for jobs, learn computer skills, help their kids with homework, entertain their kids and let them take entertainment home (movies, books, CDs) all for free!
Now is a time to increase library funding, not decrease it.
This is like cutting off funding to hospitals during a medical crisis!
Different
Oh please. Libraries are not like hospitals. Letting people borrow movies is not the same as needed medical care.
And the books and DVDs all for free is also an irratating point. What magic source gives your library free DVDs? Oh you pay for them with tax dollars? Guess they are not free then.
In a down economy the library has to take some hits just like everyone else.
Not the same as hospitals, but…
…how much do you really think you pay in tax dollars to the library? In most cases, it’s little more than the cost of a single market value hardcover book. If you can’t see the value in having access to thousands movies, cds, and databases, as well as language learning classes, storytimes, computer access, ESL teachers and book clubs for $40, then I’m not sure that you understand the value of money.
And this is more than “just some hit.” You think that libraries haven’t had their county budgets slashed? Services discontinued? Sweeping layoffs? You’d be wrong. Libraries are already struggling on the county level. Cutting all state funding is a futher slap in the face to those who value the literacy of their communities.
Libraries are trusted institutions because they offer free information to all. Not everyone is wealthy enough to have the internet at home. In hard times, the libraries services are needed more than ever by job seekers. When the economy dives, library usage and circulation INCREASES, not decreases. I’m so sick of priviledged jerks with their iPhones and Kindles complaining about how libraries are useless because they’re too caught up in their own lives to realize how necessary these services are to people who aren’t well off.
well said
well said
You sir, are an idot.
You sir, are an idot.
An Idot?
Somehow I don’t think he’s going to be offended by being called an “idot”… 😉
BAHAHAHAHAHA
BAHAHAHAHAHA
When you have no further leg to stand on….
Name call!
wow
DVDS is not all the public libraries provide.People come to the public library when all else is depleated.Maybe you should take a walk through one an see for yourself before you go spouting off about not needing it.Lets take away a lil more of the education process of our children an grandchildren to come,yeah thats really healthy for our youth of America. I have so many points to list but really dont have the time or enegery for such ignorance.
http://smg.photobucket.com/al
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v412/LeafyGreens/?action=view¤t=eaglereading.jpg
some hits…
…is not what they’re proposing. They’re completely cutting out all state funding for public libraries.
Even in times of Depression and deep recession, my parents generation insisted on seeing that their children were properly educated and had access to the kind of knowledge that will last them a lifetime. We can’t leave our children and their children to fend for themselves.
Too many Republicans in charge of FL. Keep up the golf courses & swim clubs, and to hell with the less advantaged (immigrants, farm workers, rural poor).
Funding
The state aid is a supplement. Doing some looking I found that counties were paying around $20 per person for library services. The state was adding $1 to this. The state budget for aid was $20 million and the population of Florida is 18 million. The libraries are county institutions and need to be funded by the counties.
The State Aid is not always a supplement…
State Aid to Libraries consists of two types of funding. Operating grants are based on population, and in many cases you are exactly right, they are simply a supplement.
But the other type of State Aid is called Equalization. These go to more rural counties with less infrastructure. Look at the numbers.
http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/bld/grants/StateAid/Estimate2010-2011at$21253978.pdf
Large Counties like Miami-Dade or Hillsborough do not receives a penny in those funds. But Smaller counties like Baker, Calhoun, DeSoto, Dixie, etc. receive 10x-20x more funding through Equalization. Eliminate that and those counties, already struggling with property tax losses from the real estate crunch, just aren’t going to be able to make up the difference. That is going to mean either closing the libraries or just having volunteers open them up for a couple of hours a week and dust off the aging collection.
And that isn’t doesn’t even address the whole e-government issue. The State has deliberately cut back on service locations and moved more and more things to the Internet. For people without access otherwise, the libraries are the only source of Internet Access they have. This isn’t just about cutting a few dollars in spending in the state budget – it is creating a permanent Digital divide between residents of more affluent and less-financially able counties.
Democrats
Of course it is all the fault of the Republicans. Couldn’t be the fault of the Democrats for spending like drunken sailors and having nothing for a rainy day. Then when a recession comes around the state was already tapped out.
In regards to golf courses and swim clubs. I would be glad to see the golf courses gotten rid of privatized but in regards to pools don’t you think poor kids like to swim as much as rich kids? Pools keep kids off the streets an out of trouble. The Republicans know this and that is why they fund the pools.
Spending like Drunken sailors?
Last time I checked the economy was tanking because of tax cuts for the rich and deregulation of our finacial institutions. These are conservative values….sheesh, you are so in need of a library.
>>Last time I checked the
>>Last time I checked the economy was tanking because of tax cuts for the rich and deregulation of our finacial institutions.
Does there need to be some more oversight of financial institutions? Sure. Do some research and you will see that both parties in Congress were pulling out the safeties on this issue.
Tax cuts for the rich did not cause any of our current economic problems. Explain what was cut and what problem it caused.
Tax cuts
Here’s the theory behind tax cuts; if we give rich people more money, then they will invest in the economy and create jobs. And these workers will pay taxes and we all profit.
Great theory.
Here’s reality.
Tax cuts cost 1 trillion dollars, by removing that amount of revenue from our taxes. That’s the government saying we will spend more, at the same time take in less revenue, but the rich people will spend this money and the economy will boom.
Jobs were not created. Jobs were lost. Rich people kept their money or invested it, lost it, and asked the taxpayer to please bail them out.
That’s why tax cuts hurt the economy.
Look at income tax as the governments paycheck, and they volunteered to cut their pay, and instead of reducing spending to offset the loss in income, they spent like drunken sailors.
Deficit is the result.
jobs were created…
just not in the US, investments are all overseas.
Wrong. The cut in tax RATES
Wrong. The cut in tax RATES resulted in MORE revenue, not less. Your claims of “1 trillion” lost are just lies.
no subject
If I remember correctly, the Bush-Gore debate with what to do with a surplus was that Bush wanted to give tax cuts (with a large percentage going to the upper eschelon) and Gore wanting to put it into a lockbox for a rainy day. Not to mention the conservatives have spent billions on a war on terror, deregulated financial institutions that led to practices that caused the mortgage crash.
Both sides have their faults but you clearly are someone that prescribes to the Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin line of thinking. That what liberals do is wrong and what conservatives do is right even if they do the same thing.
Amazing.
I’m going to assume
Amazing.
I’m going to assume you’re a stereotypical American. And because you’re a stereotypical American, I will explain why the last three sentences of your post were the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read; I will try to do this in a way that you might understand.
Number of movies where reading helps kids get off the street: 50+
Number of movies where being able to join a swim club helps kids get off the street: 1? Perhaps a sequel?
Also, the OP mentioned “swim clubs”, which are not the same as “public pools” which is apparently what you’re thinking. “Swim clubs” are essentially a country club that focuses solely on teaching children how to swim. I can’t imagine swim clubs are doing much to curb unnecessary violence by keeping upper-middle class children off the streets. Whereas libraries, which are available to everyone regardless of income and ability to purchase memberships are most likely doing a great deal more.
tl;dr: Your argument sucks, but you could be a millionaire if you wrote a movie about a swim club getting under-privileged youths off the street.
Swim clubs
The accusation was that Republicans were keeping golf courses and swim clubs open. If these are not paid for with tax dollars and are just rich private institutions I do not care about them.
I concede the point. ^_^
I concede the point. ^_^
…
Didnt a swim club actually boot the minority kids out onto the street some months back…
Books
Its not like Floridians read anyway…
Books
Its not like Floridians read anyway…
Florida – America’s poorly
Florida – America’s poorly educated wang.
Libraries
Pity we don’t know the details of the fall of ancient empires. It would be interesting to see if Libraries were the first to go.
The easy way to solve the problem
There is an easy way to fix this:
Only keep the one book that matters: The Holy Bible
Everything you need to ever read is right there in one volume.
about that bible
is there a proverb about finding and killing you?
Holy Bible
Ah.. So true and why would anyone ever want to learn about those pagans anyway. One book libraries might just be the American way. Before the Fall that is.
…
that and PC for Dummies for that is the only explanation I have to your ability to operate the one you are sitting in front of.
Internet
Internet is becoming your source for information. Maybe when i was young in grade school i NEEDED to go to a library to get information. But obviously that’s not the case anymore. Most the kids are on the PC looking at facebook all the time. Might as well teaching them how to access ebooks. Libraries are a old tech that got replaced. Thats it.
So…
…where do poor people go to use this awesome “internet” when libraries are shut down? Your house? Because that can be arranged.
You win. Seriously. If every
You win. Seriously. If every jackass who says “The information is on the internet so libraries are obsolete” had to let at least 10 people who can’t afford internet access use theirs as a condition for being connected to the internet we would all go back to funding libraries as the only source of information.
library closing
When the Library of Alexandria “closed” it set humanity back a thousand years!
Good idea, lets try it again.
The Library of Alexandria
The Library of Alexandria did not close. It burnt to the ground. And why did it burn to the ground. Because the budget for the local Fire Department was slashed by 80%. See, when you slash a budget in one area, it will have a negative effect in another area. Point: Slashing the budget for a library will have a negative effect down the road. Short sighted fools only think in terms of today, or the next election, or the next quarterly stock report….
support Florida librarie with this email wizard link
http://capwiz.com/ala/fl/issues/alert/?alertid=14792616&queueid=%5Bcapwiz:queue_id%5D
So…the Library at
So…the Library at Alexandria was a place where Alexandria’s homeless populations hung around all day, smelling of urine and alcohol? Was it also a place where parents dump off their children as a place of free daycare?
The Internet has changed how information is gathered, stored and supplied. Sadly, libraries are expensive to maintain, and serve very little purpose to their local communities, other than what I said in the first paragraph. They have become “fat” on the budget of a state that is facing some SEVERE budget shortfalls.
How often does the average taxpayer actually use a library? Or do they even know where their local library is located?
FU buddy
I am in my local library twice a week borrowing books. In between my 8 hour job, I read two books yesterday. Maybe some people are just a little too slow to handle information services at that speed.
Read two books
Do comic books count?
What is your job, anyway? Book editor?
two books
You sir,are an idiot. I know many many many people that can read more than that in a day, – they hold reading as a VALUE. To those of you who do not seem to care about this, I can understand. But most of my local population here, and I live in a suburb of ORLANDO, FL (so not some backwater town – though I suppose that can be argued 🙂 ), visit the library regularly. I myself am there many days a week (and yes, I have a full time job and go to school). I pay taxes, my tax money goes to fund public services, such as the library. So why would I go to a store like Barnes and Noble and pay AGAIN for something I’ve already paid for – I go to the library where there is a wealth of knowledge waiting to be accessed. I can’t go online and read the books I want – not without PAYING for another service – so the :use the internet, libraries are obsolete” argument is invalid and poorly though out. If you had any fiscal sense at all, you would realize this, but instead we live in a wasteful society.
Ah…ignorance as proof?
Using “the average taxpayer’s” behavior as proof libraries are unnecessary is pure genius. How many taxpayers know a great many critical things, like the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, the name of their local government representative. How many know what’s in the state budget? How many know how much Federal money gets spent on what? Strangely, all this information can be found in your local library AND there will be someone to assist your finding it.
huh, If I dont’ know it and
huh, If I dont’ know it and use it, I don’t need it and that include that Constitution thing you keep talking about. To think they used paper to write that on, you know how expensive paper was back then? Seems like a waste to me.
There is no where on earth
There is no where on earth where libraries have grown “fat” on a state budget. Definitely not the libraries in Florida, which are already underfunded and ignored compared to library systems in other states.
If you are concerned that libraries are only a place for the homeless and daycare crowd, maybe you should do some thing to channel some of that “fat” you seem to be concerned about into programs that would serve the homeless and those in need of daycare. After all, the majority of the reason that they are in the library is because of cuts to THOSE programs. Or do you think that there’s too much funding there? Maybe we’ll just bus them to your neighborhood and let them take residence on your lawn. The kids would enjoy having the space to run around in. They can borrow your computer so they can do their homework and chat with their friends and you can serve them cookies.
Two things
One: Democrats spending “like drunken sailors.” How long has it been since Florida had a Democratic governor? Democrat-controlled house and senate? I’m just asking because I’d like to make sure I have my own facts straight on the different parties’ fiscal policies.
Two: “Internet is becoming your source for information.” This assumes a family has enough money to purchase a PC and pay for internet service on a monthly basis. It also assumes parents are able to teach their children how to effectively use the Internet for information search and retrieval. In addition to hard-copy books, movies, and magazines, libraries also house newspaper and magazine archives, computers, volunteers and Librarians, many of whom are trained to teach others how to gather and interpret information. For example, a librarian might be able to point out your assumption based on your own experience is vulnerable to being a false corollary. Notably, just because it’s true for you doesn’t mean it’s true for everyone.
Libraries also have places where kids can go to enjoy a safe, quiet environment. There they can read books, use educational software or play with other kids in a place that has a certain set of unwritten rules and assumed civility. Yes, kids swim, but the environment at a public pool is very different than in a library.
Sincerely,
Greg Turner
http://steampoweredmedia.com
Greg, good points.
Greg, good points. Following the logic of the original poster, local baseball fields were places where kids could go to play ball. But now they have video games, and can play games in the comfort of their homes. Public schools have football stadiums, but now we have Madden football. We don’t need to go to the stadium, we can sit at home and play football. Let’s sell off all the public parks. Sit home on the internet, or play video games. It’s so much more convenient and safer.
Re: Two things
Agreed and excellent points. One thing I’ve always found about the Internet; no matter what you believe (Flat Earth, 9/11 theories, HAARP caused the Haiti earthquake) you can find a site that “proves” that you were correct.
Dear Greg Turner
We love you.
Sincerely,
Librarians Everywhere
…
if only they taught research methods in High School…
It’s part of “change”.
Traditional libraries are being supplanted by internet resources. Resources that are often more current, specialized and widely available at an astonishingly low cost.
The brick-and-mortar building with attendant upkeep, and stock maintenance and personnel costs, are simply not competitive with a computer and internet access.
Even CD’s and DVD’s provide enormous storage at a huge cost savings. And they’re portable.
It’s as sad as the end of the horse and buggy, but it’s going to happen.
Wow, I heard that same
Wow, I heard that same logic back in the internet bubble of the 90’s and 2000. Brick and mortar stores are things of the past. Everyone will shop on line. I guess Walmarts didn’t get the memo. Libraries are more than places where books are stored and loaned. They are a place of local interaction. A place of lectures. A place of education. A place of town meetings. A place of discussion and a place for debate.
“The brick-and-mortar
“The brick-and-mortar building…are simply not competitive with a computer and internet access.”
That is, if one can afford a computer and the cost of internet access. Where do people go if they can’t afford this…the public library. A brick and mortar building. If that building is not there, where do they go? Sure, wi-fi is available in an increasing number of places, but if you have no computer what do you do? Or if you do have a computer, but you live in a rural area where it’s nearly impossible to get dependable AND affordable internet access, what do you do? If you truly believe ‘print is dead/dying rapidly’, then surely you must realize that it goes from the top (the rich) to the bottom (the poor). There is no instantaneous digital switch to flip. Assuming that print will die (and I’m not), then as long as there are those issues with internet access and more and more services move online, there will be a need for the public library.
… sure I can afford those
… sure I can afford those multi-thousand dollar research database subscriptions for my personal use.
libraries should…
start collecting, catagorizing, and distributing porn.
Then they could charge a (not so) modest fee and because self sufficient.
In that, they could even become competetive with the internet.
Think outside (your) box.
Huh.
That should make for interesting storytimes…
Crist’s Legacy
Destroying the library system would be consistent with Charlie Crist’s other wrongheaded initiatives. He’s gutted the public schools (Florida now aspires to Mississippi), destroyed development (SWFWMD is a regulator’s wet dream), and socialized criminal defense (because the first public defender office works so well, why not try two).
Good bye, Charlie. The very few of us who still have jobs will stick around and clean up your mess.
This is hard to believe!!
From Ontario Canada… Visit your local library.. Florida politicians should know that Andrew Carnegie would turn over in his grave. If you don’t know why visit your library. Canadians are increasing their funding to libraries and renewing their Carnegie Libraries and traffic is way up due to people improving themselves in their own communities. In Florida those communities with culture will prevail.
The death of intelligence
Well, this should finally finish the dumbing down of Florida residents. With no more access to books, magazines, newspapers, and such, it should be no time at all before Florida is an even dumber state than Kansas.
Can’t burn the internet…
Three cheers for the State of Florida. Books are such rubbish. And vastly over valued. The internet is the place for reading. Each user can be closely monitored, and his readings evaluated for the overall good of society. Books are for thrill seekers and scalawags. They best be kept behind closed and locked doors. Close down there arenas of knowledge, and make my life easier.
Captain Beatty
Local Fire Brigade
Sadly…
Sadly, most of the people here don’t get the Fahrenheit 451 reference.
The internet is NOT an
The internet is NOT an adequate replacement for actual libraries. Anyone who has ever used both the internet and a library for actual research would know this from simple experience. Most of the information available in library books and periodicals is NOT available through the internet; you need to go and purchase or borrow the actual books and periodicals. But I guess we can’t expect sensible comments about the value of libraries from those who obviously rarely or never use them.
This posting has been Farked
And by that I mean that someone, probably one of you anonymous commenters, submitted this posting to Fark.com with this headline:
“In a novel and long overdue attempt to preserve the Florida tag for future generations, Florida moves funding for public libraries from non-fiction to fiction section of the state budget ” Thread here
Comments there are similar and possibly nsfw (no guarantees)
wow
way to go florida. go red state go!
a little further and you may as well secede. What’s next, funding for christian schools only?
I guess Florida doesn’t like education. then again, who needs to be smart when you have, um, gators?
Home schoolers and public libraries
Home schoolers, which tend to be a very Christian bunch, use public libraries to supplement their home schooling. So using public tax dollars they are able to conduct Christian, anti-homosexual, anti-diversity education.
To maintain the separation of church and state we need to close all public libraries to prevent this from happening. The only place that should have libraries is public schools and if you don’t go to public school you should not be allowed to use the library.
Totally agreed.
What do people over the age of 18 need with books? We all forgot how to read around that time anyway, am I right? Sure, sometimes I wish that I knew how to read that deer skinning manual, but the pictures will do until I have a kid who can read it for me.
book store lobbyists?
shit like this just shouldnt happen… There has to be a cause not from lack of public funds but organizations such as barnes maximizing their profits
Speaking of Republican tax cuts…
Here’s a related consequence:
Starting during Gov. Jeb Bush’s reign, our Republican legislatures have been busy decimating Florida’s social service programs. Most of the state offices where people used to apply for government assistance, with the help of trained state employees, have been closed. People who need to apply for welfare have been told to go to the public library and use the computers there to apply.
Of course, when they arrive, they expect library staff to answer questions about welfare forms and sometimes get angry when we don’t know all the answers and can’t sit with them during the entire application process.
And now, after the Florida legislature sent that huge eGov burden to libraries, they want to cut library funding. Tax cuts for the rich aren’t working for me.
Stupid
The dumbing down of America.
Everyone should remember that the more ignorant we become, the more likely we are to accept our fate. Slaves to the Man.
Proof
This article is proof that every single comments section on every single website available online will degenerate into a pointless argument between internet tough guys within the first several posts.
As a Canadian who really has nothing to do with this, I’d like to pipe in and suggest that reducing access to learning materials in a state with a global reputation for containing uneducated people is fairly ridiculous. Of course, it makes sense when you consider that Florida-born government officials all went through the same education system themselves, so you can’t really fault them for their idiocy.
As an American…
…this is exactly why I often wish I were Canadian.
Let’s do it
http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLish/immigrate/skilled/assess/index.asp
-An intelligent Floridian (there are a few of us down here)
We don’t need libraries!!
We don’t need libraries, or even the public education system! It’s all so overrated really, all we need are teabaggers and talk radio!
Seriously, Florida, this is what you get when you vote republican.
🙁
You’re going to make an intelligent, Democrat-voting Floridian cry now.
Surprising
I’m always surprised by the number of posts on this libraries and librarians-centered blog, that are completely anti-libraries. What an interesting phenomenon.
Really, now… So only rich
Really, now… So only rich counties will have libraries and the poor will be left to languish in their own poverty. Not being able to afford to read a book and open their imagination and ask the question “why?”. It’s a terrible thing.
I personally hate doing research over the internet because, quite honestly, there is so much crap out there by nitwits who think they know what they’re talking about. In order to conduct proper research over the internet, you need to join a college library (which costs you) or a site which has reference materials on file (again, will cost you).
Aside from that, it’s impossible to find some resources on the internet unless they are popular sources. But what about someone who wants to study Assyrian sculpture and bass relief? Yeah, not too sure you’ll get too far for free on the internet. And good luck finding those books written by the original archaeologists inthe 1850’s. Well, I suppose that’s an extreme example.
Sure, the internet is great for games and Facebook and all that, but serious research? Wikipedia? Really??
At a time where we are struggling economically, educationally, scientifically, mathematically and in almost every coneiveable way we measure 1st world civilization, now is not the time to cut funding to libraries, but to ensure that this resource is available to all people and all ages.
Excuse me?
I’m a novelist who lives in Florida and I for one am mad as can be at this. It’s time to show how you feel by voting someone ELSE into office instead of the 90 year old republicans who’s been in there since the 1950s.
Why won’t they
Funny, how come I never read about funding to the police being cut. It’s all a ruse people. The government wants to forever increase its police powers. For instance, it is law that every person ARRESTED on a felony charge have a DNA swab taken and put on file. That is for arrestees, not convictions. The police can use force to get the swab from you. And there is no provision for if you are wrongfully arrested. (So even if they clearly arrest the wrong person, or there was no crime being committed, the DNA sample stays on file forever.)
Police don’t stop crime. The only way to prevent crime, is for every person to be monitored at all times, ala 1984.
So why isn’t finding for cops cut back too?
Volunteers need for demonstration
Looking for people who would be willing to hold “Save out Libraries” signs at the Capitol on Tuesday 3/16/2010. If interested contact me at [email protected] or visit my new blog about State Aid in Florida at http://flstateaid.blogspot.com/ Thanks
Libraries serve an important role in the community
I for one am for the funding of public libraries and other community based resources in which children can learn and grow. Literacy is a very important to me and my family. I only wish that everyone could realize how much of a role that a public library can play in a community.
A public library offers a variety of educational outlets for its community.
Libraries are not just buildings housing books and computers. Many educational materials are offered at libraries. Chances are if you have a child or go to school at some point in the near future you will need to use a library. Libraries offer: books, CDs, DVDs, periodicals, micro-fiche, magazines, newspapers, vertical file, maps, brochures, e-books, computers, and educational literacy based software, community history, genealogy materials, reference materials, and other community/educational materials.
Some of the services that libraries offer are: Story time, community literacy outreach to schools and dare cares, adult literacy, books for shut-ins, materials for visually impaired people, e-library services, computer classes, some libraries offer car registration renewal, voter registration, voting precinct, meeting rooms, test proctoring, material loan services, and many other valuable services.
Library computers are more than just free internet access to casually surf the web and check your Face book account. You need the internet to file for unemployment; public assistance, social security, as well as many jobs require an online application to be submitted. Not to mention job searching is no longer something to be pursued using a newspaper. If you are seeking gainful employment you will most certainly need internet access because a large number of companies exclusively post ads online.
A library is a building of knowledge and never ending information.
If you have not been in a library lately, then maybe now is a good time to get a library card.
Not to mention cutting all state funded library assistance and potentially closing libraries in communities in rural areas will cost even more people their jobs which means more people on unemployment and public assistance which really won’t fix any budget problems at all.
Overall, I wish everybody would just try to not be so political about everything and stop straying so far away from the main topic here, (saving our libraries).
Please help in any way you can. Please email, call, or write letters to the state of Florida before it is too late! This will be voted on March 19th.
Governor, Legislative Leadership & Key Committees
You can also use Cap Wiz to Contact legislators and leaders – http://capwiz.com/ala/fl/home/
Governor
Governor Charlie Crist – [email protected] / (850) 488-7146
House
House Leadership
Larry Cretul (r) – Speaker – Represents parts of Alachua, Levy, & Marion Counties – [email protected] / District (352) 873-6564 / Tallahassee (850) 488-1450
Rep. Dean Cannon (r) – Represents part of Orange County – Speaker designate 2011-12 – [email protected] / District (407) 623-5740 / Tallahassee (850) 488-2742
Rep. Will Weatherford (r) – Represents parts of Hillsborough & Pasco Counties – Speaker designate 2013-14 – [email protected] / District (813) 558-5115 / Tallahassee (850) 488-5744
Rep. David Rivera (r), Chair of the Full Appropriations Council on Education & Economic Development – Represents parts of Broward, Collier, & Miami-Dade Counties – [email protected] / District (305) 227-7630 / Tallahassee – (850)-488-7897
House Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee (TED)
Rep. Rich Glorioso (r), Chair – Parts of Hillsborough & Pasco Counties –[email protected] / District (813) 757-9110/ Tallahassee (850) 488-0807
Rep. Mike Horner (r), Vice Chair – Represents parts of Okeechobee, Orange, Osceloa, & Polk Counties / [email protected] / District (407) 943-3077 / Tallahassee (850) 488-8992
Rep. Evan Jenne (d), Ranking Democratic Member – Represents part of Broward County – [email protected] / District (954) 321-2760 / Tallahassee (850) 488-0245
Gary Aubuchon (r) – Represents parts of Charlotte & Lee Counties – [email protected] / District (239) 344-4900 / Tallahassee (850) 488-7433
Re. Esteban L. Bovo, Jr (r) – Represents part of Miami-Dade County – [email protected] / District (305) 364-3113 / Tallahassee (850) 487-2197
Rep. Jennifer Carroll (r) – Represents parts of Clay & Duval Counties –– [email protected] / District (904) 573-4994 / Tallahassee (850) 488-5102
Rep. Joe Gibbons (d) – Represents part of Broward County – [email protected] / District (954) 893-5006 / Tallahassee (850) 488-0145
Rep. Audrey Gibson (d) – Represents part of Duval County – [email protected] / District (904) 353-2180 / Tallahassee (850) 488-7417
Rep. Dorothy Hukill (r) – Represents part of Volusia County – [email protected] / District (386) 322-5111 / Tallahassee (850) 488-6653
Dave Murzin (r) – Represents part of Escambia County – [email protected] / District (859) 494-7330 / Tallahassee (850) 488-8278
Jimmy Patronis (r) – Represents parts of Bay & Franklin Counties – [email protected] / District (850) 914-6300 / Tallahassee (850) 488-9696
Hazelle Rogers (d) – Represents part of Broward County – [email protected] / District (954) 497-3367 / Tallahassee (850)488-8234
Maria Sachs (d) – Represents part of Palm Beach County – [email protected] / District (561) 266-6645 / Tallahassee (850) 488-1662
Rep. Robert Schenck (r) – Represents parts of Pasco, Hernando, & Sumter Counties – [email protected] / District (352) 688-5005 / Tallahassee (850) 488-6641
Senate Leadership
Senator Jeff Atwater (r) – President – Represents parts of Broward & Palm Beach Counties – [email protected] / District (561) 625-5101 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5100
Senator JD Alexander (r), Chairman, Policy and Steering Committee on Ways and Means – Represents Hardee, Highlands and parts of DeSoto, Glades, Okeechobee, Polk, and St. Lucie Counties – [email protected] / District (863) 679-4847 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5044
Senator Mike Haridopolos (r) – President designate, 2011-12 – Represents parts of Brevard, Indian River, Osceola, & St. Lucie Counties – [email protected] / District (321) 752-3131 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5056
Senate Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee (TED)
Senator Mike Fasano (r), Chairman – Represents parts of Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, & Pinellas Counties / [email protected] / District (727) 848-5885 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5062
Senator Tony Hill (d), Vice-Chair – Represents parts of Duval, Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, & Volusia Counties – [email protected] / District (904) 924-1646 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5024
Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla (r) – Represents part of Miami-Dade County – [email protected] / District (305) 643-7200 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5109
Senator Paula Dockery (r) – Represents parts of Hernando, Lake, Osceola, Polk, & Sumter Counties – [email protected] /District (863) 413-2900 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5040
Senator Andy Gardiner (r) – Represents parts of Orange, Osceola, & Seminole Counties – [email protected] / District (407) 428-5800 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5047
Senator Chris Smith (d) – Represents parts of Broward & Palm Beach Counties – [email protected] / District (561) 650-6801 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5112