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The Florida Gov. JarJar Binks Thread...

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Howey
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« Reply #45 on: March 13, 2011, 09:22:13 am »

Scott's (Maxwell) right. Occasionally the people do win one! (Emphasis mine)

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-scott-maxwell-golf-parks-031311-20110312,0,3970040,full.column


Quote
Every once in a while, the people win one.

Such was the case last week when one of this year's goofiest pieces of legislation went down in flames.

The idea — to turn state parkland into golf courses, bars and hotels — went from being introduced by one of the most powerful senators in Florida on one Friday to dead the next.

Its ill-fated journey involved the media, the residents of this state and two of America's most famous golfers, competing again for the first time in years … only this time in the political arena.

It started March 5, when I got a text message from a legislator. "Did you see the bill from Thrasher to build golf courses on state park lands?" it asked.

"The state wouldn't even sell off the land to make money (a bad idea also), but literally issue bonds to build golf course resorts (hotel, clubhouse, etc.) on park lands!"

It sounded so silly, it was hard to believe. And yet, when I returned home and looked it up, there it was: Senate Bill 1846.

Veteran politician John Thrasher, former head of the Republican Party of Florida, wanted to develop golf resorts inside at least five state parks.

Never mind that Florida already has such a glut of courses that many have gone bankrupt. Never mind that others are struggling — and would've had to compete with these new ones.

The state senator from St. Augustine wanted more golf courses.

And he wanted his friend Jack Nicklaus to be the only one to design them.

The legislation specifically excluded other designers and PGA pros with a clause that said every course "must be designed by Jack Nicklaus."

So much for free-market enterprise.

But Thrasher didn't stop there. He also wanted to give the courses the right to have hotels and bars — even if local laws otherwise would have prohibited liquor sales.

And he wanted taxpayers to underwrite the whole thing by issuing bonds.

Yes, during a session where lawmakers are talking about cutting funding to veterans, schools, the disabled and the sick, they were also asking taxpayers to help Nicklaus finance fancy new golf courses.

It didn't look as if any media had reported on the bill. So March 6, I typed it up on my blog.

The reaction was swift. Everyone hated it.

Readers described it as a betrayal of the public trust. Environmentalists, led by the Audubon Society, called it an assault on what should have been protected land. And supporters of the free market blasted it as a painfully obvious attempt to rig a business deal in an already overdeveloped industry.

As the week wore on, the story gained momentum.

Several newspapers blasted the idea. The Sentinel wrote a particularly blistering editorial, simply headlined: "Worst. Idea. Ever."

Radio stations picked up the gauntlet as well. Here in Orlando, popular afternoon host Jim Philips was particularly worked up. The patriarch at 104.1 FM urged his listeners to write Nicklaus and tell him that, if he proceeded with this plan, he would tarnish his legacy.

The pressure was building.

But then on Friday morning, one of Nicklaus' oldest friends may have delivered the fatal blow.

It was Arnold Palmer — a hometown hero to many in Orlando.

I called Palmer, and his design company issued a statement saying that, although it likes the idea of using golf to promote tourism, "there are alternative options than using our state parks for 'new' golf course development."

And even if the state did proceed, Palmer's company didn't think much of the state giving Nicklaus a monopoly, saying: "We also would hope that all the well-respected golf course architects who call Florida home are given an opportunity to bid on design …"

That statement was published late Friday morning. By Friday afternoon, the proposal was dead.

Glad it's over.

With the balls of the entire state in the hands of an irresponsible legislature and criminal governor, I have to wonder how many more bills like this will be introduced this session?
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