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Rep Evers: About Consolidation, Newspaper Editorial
February 26, 2010
The following opinion piece was submitted by Rep. Greg Evers in response to a recent editorial in the daily printed newspaper.
Much has been said in the print media about my position on consolidation of Escambia County government. The Pensacola News Journal, in particular, has been on the attack against me in response to my vote against moving forward with the consolidation plan. Instead of attacking me for my lack of support for a fundamentally-flawed plan – which has the impact of further diluting our northern county representation in Escambia government while at the same time expanding our tax exposure, the PNJ went so far as to characterize these criticisms and arguments of the plan as “babbling” in an attack on me that now accuses me of wanting to deprive citizens of their voting rights.
I thought some of my friends, constituents and colleagues in the North who don’t read the PNJ might be interested in my response to a recent PNJ editorial berating me for depriving citizens of their right to vote by refusing to move forward on consolidation in the absence of further study that guarantees the input and participation of members of our community outside of the City Limits of Pensacola.
As an elected representative to the Florida Legislature, it’s my duty to make decisions on issues that reflect the very best our representative form of government has to offer.
The issue of consolidation is one that requires a great deal of consideration and, far more importantly, deserves the people’s input prior to any consideration of whether to move forward on a public referendum.
We required the study commission to conduct comprehensive public hearings throughout our county, and unfortunately, more than 98 percent of the meetings were held in or near downtown Pensacola.
This effectively excluded the taxpayers of unincorporated areas, in particular in north Escambia, and the Town of Century from real, meaningful input.
The “babbling” to which the editorial in Wednesday’s Pensacola News Journal referred was my line of questions concerning the “taxation without representation” scheme that the consolidation plan was destined to establish.
While talking about taxpayer rights and the wisdom of our Founding Fathers may sound like a foreign language to the editorial board of the PNJ, from my calls, e-mails and letters, it is plain to me that the taxpayers I represent comprehend the message clearly. And they are relying on me to carry that message on their behalf.
Supporters of the plan claim that consolidated government is more efficient, but the current plan will increase taxes, not cut them. I believe with more time we can come up with a plan that creates efficiencies and reduces taxes. This plan doesn’t do either.
I offered what I had hoped was a reasonable compromise that would have postponed the vote on any plan to allow for more public comment and input. That was voted down.
While others have chosen to play politics with this issue, I have supported the citizen’s right to vote on a plan that is fully vetted in our community. This plan, rushed onto us, does more harm than good. And it is anything but vetted.
Instead of taking a plan to the public for review and input, the consolidation proponents set forth a plan with major flaws, disbanded six months early in an apparent attempt to avoid further responsiveness to public concerns and then drew a “take-it-or-leave-it” line in the sand daring the people’s representatives to step across.
No compromise. No input. No deference to peoples’ desires for participation.
That is, in my opinion, an unacceptable and flawed process with an unacceptable and flawed result. I oppose both.
More unresponsive, big government is not what we need in Northwest Florida, in Escambia County or anywhere else. The Escambia County consolidation plan in its current form is fatally flawed.
Any vote that will change our community by establishing a new, bigger government with unprecedented power and vast taxing authority must be called on high moral and legal grounds. Not on grounds that no one can or wants to explain.
We have had enough change for the sake of change.
State Rep. Greg Evers, R-Baker, represents House District 1 in the Florida Legislature.
Comments
14 Responses to “Rep Evers: About Consolidation, Newspaper Editorial”
■Oversight on February 26th, 2010 8:21 pm posted
At least we’ll cancel each other out, so it’ll be a zero vote for Evers!
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I think it will be a zero vote for your choice. I think there will be a lot of zero votes for your choice, whoever that might be.
The only good way to consolidate is to dissolve Both the City of PENSACOLA and Century. We already have a complete country infrastructure in place. See how the Pensacola News Journal and their downtown crowd like that! If anyone wanted the City of Pensacola to run their lives they could move to Pensacola somehow. Pensacola has always come up with these great ideas FOR THE CITY, and then gone begging to the County Commissioners to get the COUNTY RESIDENTS to pay for it. FORGET THEM! All they want downtown is T-shirt shops and hobby businesses for rich peoples wifes to run from 11 am to 3 p.m. Forget it! Let them eat SAND and old Pensacola News Journals.
I read the Evers piece in the PNJ. The best description I can come up with is the old Indian saying. GREG EVERS SPEAK WITH FORKED TONGUE! Does he think the voters of Escambia County are so brain dead that we have forgotten who introduced the consolidation plan in the first place. He was for it, now he is against it. Wishy washy, incompetent, crooked?? You decide. Vote for anybody, except GREG EVERS!!!
“Thinker” just think….
At least we’ll cancel each other out, so it’ll be a zero vote for Evers!
Greg Evers is the only one who is standing up for the taxpayers!
That wingnut that’s running against him – Hill – had a news conference today and endorsed consolidation.
Trying to keep track of Murzin is like watching a weathervane in a hurricane.
Evers stands for us.
And we’re all watching.
Oversight got it right with the first post.
Evers is just another politician telling you what you want to hear when you want to hear it and his flip-flop actions on this consolidation issue are questionable. Since when does Greg Evers care about North Escambia? When it’s an election year!
Thank You northescambia.com for providing a platform for the North End’s voices to be heard. This time I think a few people “heard” us!
.
■Oversight on February 26th, 2010 5:18 am
(Excerpt form post)
No thanks-I’ll be voting for someone else for state senate.
Please let us all know how that works out for you.
I think you are going to be sadly disappointed.
Evers represented his district well as usual.
He will definitely have my vote.
.
Greg I take it all back call ford tell him your changing your vote push this crap threw we are a ungratefull lot for sure you have to march 2 to do this tell ford to read the laws…….today is not the last day tell ford to call the meeting, 30,000 isn’t enough money for the cr***p….Damed if you damed if you don’t!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Agree with many here, Mr. Evers can take his side-show on the road elsewhere…..as an unelected former-representative. Covering your back is a sure sign of involvment in a previous wrong.
Sorry! Too Little Too Late! Next Case!
To all politicians and businessmen. We the people of North Escambia are watching and listening.
Thank You NorthEscambia.com
Oversight wrote:
No thanks-I’ll be voting for someone else for state senate.
That makes two of us!!!!!!!
I agree about the PNJ crying about wanting a “re-do” on the process, like the BCC on the Maplewood bid fiasco; but – North Escambia said “On Monday, Rep. Greg Evers and and Ford voted to give the Consolidation Commission until 2011 to rework their document . . . ”
Why has Mr. Evers “danced” around this issue so much? And why the sly “RE-DO” effort?
NOW… THAT’S what I’m talking about! This says it all. Political games by the downtown crowd in the name of “democracy” is about it low as it goes. Since when has the downtown crowd ever cared to hear what we think. They want to have it their way or no way. And this time … our delegation was brave enough to just say no to their money and their special interest bill. A bill that we would have been stiffed with at the end of the day.
All I want to know is why did we have this consolidation effort forced upon us in the first place? Folks are now moaning and complaining that they’re not getting the chance to vote on this issue, but where was our opportunity for public input at start this process? That being the public hearings the legislative delegation should have had with us before they went off to Tallahassee with their support of a consolidation commission study. In my opinion, the early stages (in which Evers supported) were back room dirty deals with the downtown crowd. Our boy here, Greg Evers, needs their support (that is their dollars) for his senate bid and he sold us out to the “All for One” bunch, Bell, and all their cronies. But wait just a minute here now, the people have gotten angry and voiced their opinions on this shady deal of a consolidation plan with all of its cryptic wording which leaves loopholes for the “good ol’ boys.” And here comes Evers waving his “Look at me and how great I am” banner making it look like he’s saved the day for North Escambia. Greg, you supported consolidation and it blew up in the final hour, so now you’re trying to save face. No thanks-I’ll be voting for someone else for state senate.