FL Gov. Rick Scott blocking taxpayers from watching him sign state budget at The Villages

[seafan]

It's time to run this criminal out of town on a hot, tarry rail.




Scott shrugged off his poll numbers. "My job is to get our state back to work," he said.



AARON SHAROCKMAN | Times
The governor signs Florida's 2011-12 budget Thursday in the Villages, but not before using his line-item veto authority to cut $615 million in spending.


Deputies move Democratic protesters away from Scott speech


May 26, 2011

From Scott Powers in The Villages:

Shortly before Scott’s scheduled 1 p.m. appearance, Sumter County sheriff’s deputies ordered about 20 Democratic sign-carrying protesters to move across a street from where the governor was to speak.
Lt. Tim Nordle said that the public square at The Lake Sumter Landing had been “leased” – he said he didn’t know by whom – and that the sheriff’s office had been advised to move protesters to a designated area about 50 yards behind the stage where Scott was to appear.
One protester, Charlene Walker of Lady Lake, who carried a “Support Teachers” sign, told Nordle that she would not leave and said she’d have to be carried out.
“Don’t make me do that,” Nordle said. “I’m six-foot-six, and if these camera crews see me carrying you out, I’m going to make national news.”
Walker laughed – and left voluntarily.

Michael C Bender reports from Tampa Bay's The Buzz:


May 26, 2011

Gov. Rick Scott said this morning that he was going to The Villages to sign the state budget to give people a chance to "answer their questions." But Aaron Sharockman reports from Sumter County that some people aren't allowed into the event.

A group from The Villages Democratic Club was kicked across the street, told by Florida Republican Party staffer Russ Adams that the event was private. The event space was leased by the Republican Party and sheriff's deputies are escorting from the property people with Democratic-leaning signs.

The move raises questions about whether taxpayer money was used for the private event and why Scott would sign a budget that affects all Floridians at a private event.

"We came here to say what we support," said club president Lawrence Shipley, 68. "We support the police. We support public education."

The club claims 275 members and about 20 came to Scott's event.

"Signs that support the governor are allowed to stay, signs that don't are told to leave?" said Bud Webber, 73, of Orlando, who watched the event unfold. "Come on. That's ridiculous."

We'll update this blog as this story develops. In the meantime, follow Sharockman on Twitter @asharock.

The Villages preparing for Gov. Rick Scott’s budget signing , May 26, 2011


Poll: Rick Scott one of the nation's least popular governors

May 26, 2011

Gov. Rick Scott is one of the least popular governors in the United States, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll that shows 57 percent of Florida voters disapprove of his job performance.

Only 29 percent favor the job Scott is doing, the poll of 1,196 registered voters shows.

Scott's job-performance numbers mirror public sentiment about the state budget, which cuts spending on schools, health care and programs for the environment. Scott plans to cut even more and is expected today to veto more than $350 million in spending, mulling whether to break predecessor Charlie Crist's 2007 veto record of $459 million.

The poll finds that 54 percent of voters say the budget is "unfair" to someone like them, while 29 percent favor it.

"The data on the perceived fairness of the governor's budget is crucial. When voters by almost 2-1 say his approach is unfair to them, that's a giant flashing political warning sign for Scott," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "When voters don't think they are being treated fairly, they tend to react negatively."

....

Florida, have we had enough of this GOP?


It cannot be more clear that the GOP does not consider the people as a priority.



The time has come to banish all of these regressive, greedy occupiers of our governmental power centers.

[yellowcanine]

1. So a public signing of the public budget is a "private event.?" I don't think so.

I would also like to know what the cost of that "lease" was? Was it fair market value or some nominal fee such as $1? In other words, nothing.

And isn't it illegal to conduct public business at a private partisan event? If not it should be.