By Susan Hardee Steger
June 8, 2017 10:09 a.m.
Florida Politics is reporting a bill brought forward by State Representative Cord Byrd to expand the reach of the Ocean Highway and Port Authority into Georgia has been vetoed by Governor Rick Scott.
In AG Gancarski’s article titled “Another day, another veto for Cord Byrd,” “Scott’s objection was that the bill authorized construction of infrastructure outside of FDOT Work Program’s scope, pushes for infrastructure in Georgia, and authorizes the Authority the ability to issue bonds.”
Just curious if anyone in the community heard of these proposed changes before they were introduced by Byrd? Did the Port Authority ask for these changes in a public meeting? Perhaps the Governor’s vetoes reflect a lack of local input. I would appreciate any insights on how these proposals were made and carried forward.
Ditto, Mike Spino.
The proposals came from the citizens committee I believe and then filtered through the port commissioners and were ultimately brought to the delegation members not once but twice. There was no opposition and no “nay” votes on the bill anywhere along the way. I suspect that the fact that the high speed internet provision was in the bill made the telecommunication companies a bit uneasy as right now they can control where it goes and how much enterprise grade access will cost. Sometimes in Tallahassee “any excuse will do” is an old saying, they do not need a good one, just an excuse to exercise the veto. Take a look at the Stewardship District bill, that will transform the landscape at warp speed with its $100 million bonding, they can now lease schools to the school district, have sovereign immunity, no responsibility for any environmental damage from storm run off or if the water table drops. This bill has transformed the book value and should improve the stock price and valuation overnight as the property is now worth a great deal more. Maybe the super pac that is supporting Rick Scott got some help as well, we will just have to see.