Florida Lawmakers To Consider Ambitious Property Insurance Rewrite
January 23, 2011
An ambitious Florida property insurance rewrite has been filed and will get its first public hearing this week as lawmakers try again to reduce costs for the industry.
From making it harder for public adjusters to re-open old claims to holdbacks of payouts pending proof of repairs, the bill (SB 408), sponsored by Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, bears many similarities to legislation vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist last year , who during his independent campaign for the U.S. Senate argued that part of it would raise rates in difficult economic times.
Richter, chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, said the bill is a template for a final product that may not emerge until well into the session. The bill is expected to get its first hearing on Tuesday before Richter’s committee.
“I’m sure we’re going to see many changes between the bill that’s filed and the bill that we finally come up with,” Richter said earlier this month. “This bill is a starting point in that discussion.”
Among the provisions are:
- Allowing insurance companies to hold back a portion of claims payments until the policyholder shows proof that repairs and replacements are indeed taking place. Insurers have argued that Florida is one of the few states that requires insurers to pay claims up front and does not require proof that claims are not simply being pocketed.
- Reducing to three years the length of time a policyholder can re-file a claim, down from the five year window now on the books.
- Shifting the burden of proof in contested sinkhole cases from an insurance company burden to prove damage wasn’t caused by a sinkhole to a policyholder burden to prove it was. It also would require sinkhole work to be under contract before full payment is made.
- Placing restrictions on public adjuster advertising and capping commissions public adjusters can take on re-opened claims.
- Allowing an insurer to cancel a policy within 45 days if state regulators determine the cancellation serves the public or policyholder’s interest.
The industry tried to push through a similar broad ranging bill last year, and were disappointed by Crist’s veto. Crist left office earlier this month, and Gov. Rick Scott is thought to be more sympathetic to the industry. Scott hasn’t specifically commented on the new legislation.
One notable omission in the new proposal from last year’s bill is a provision to allow insurers to raise rates up to 10 percent annually to adjust for inflation and changing reinsurance costs without having to go through full blown hearings before the Office of Insurance Regulation, which annually calculates increases in those cost drivers.
Learn How To Make A Rain Barrel At Upcoming Workshop
January 23, 2011
Want to help eliminate stormwater runoff, save on your water bill and give your houseplants a chemical-free drink?
Escambia County Extension will show you how with your very own rain barrel. The Extension service will host a Rain Barrel Workshop on Saturday, February 19, from 10:00. until 11:30 a.m. inside the Windstorm Mitigation Building located at the Extension office, 3740 Stefani Road, in Cantonment.
Materials are $55 per person if you would like to build your own barrel. Attending the event to learn how to build a barrel is free. Supplies are limited to 40 barrels.
Preregistration and prepayment are required by close of business Friday, February 4. Make checks payable to the Escambia County 4-H Foundation and mail it or drop it off at: Escambia Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment, 32533, Attention Rain Barrel Workshop.
For more information, contact Carrie Stevenson, ctsteven@ufl.edu or (850) 475-5230.
Poplar Dell Baptist, Woodmen Honor American Heros
January 23, 2011
Woodman of the World Lodge 001 and Poplar Dell Baptist Church saluted American’s heroes at a recent in-honor and in-remembrance ceremony.
Woodmen of the World Representative, Maxie W. Bondurant, performed the flag dedication for the ceremony which honored not only our fallen comrades, but those who continue to fight against terrorism and safeguard our nation and communities today as well.
Poplar Dell Baptist Church is located on Highway 4A, just west of Century.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Featured Recipe: Lemony Doodles
January 23, 2011
This weekend’s featured recipe from Janet Tharpe is “Lemony Doodles” — think lemon cookies and snickerdoodles.
To print today’s “Just a Pinch” recipe column, you can click the image below to load a printable pdf with a recipe card.
Anton F. Rimpf, Sr.
January 23, 2011
Anton F. Rimpf, Sr. went home to be with his Lord on January 20th, 2011.
“Tony” to those who knew him, and “Pop” to his family, grew up in Barrineau Park, FL. He served in the USMC and retired from Monsanto Corporation after 35 years. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Cantonment, FL.
He is survived by his wife and best friend of 56 years, Carrie B. Rimpf. One son, Anton F. Rimpf, Jr. & wife Cindy and three step-children, Jeannie Rutherford & husband Jim of Molino, John Barbaric of Pensacola, Randy Barbaric of Seminary, MS. Grandchildren, Angela Neal, Andrea Ontiveros, Scott Barbaric, Brian Rimpf, Bridget Rimpf, Nathan Rimpf, & Kevin Rimpf. Six great-grandchildren, April, Brian, Rachel, Bailey, Carter & Greyson. A seventh great-grandchild is due on Jan 31st. Also survived by one sister, Helen Clark and one brother, Steve Rimpf & wife Carol.
Tony is preceded in death by his parents, Anothony Rimpf and Julia Engle, 2 sisters; Theresa Martin & Agnes Freeman, 2 brothers; Frankie & Joey and grandson, Shane Barbaric.
The family will receive visitors on Sunday, January 23, 20100 from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North-Cantonment. Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM on Monday, January 24, 2010 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North-Cantonment. Interment will follow the service at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church Cemetery, Barrineau Park, FL.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to First Baptist Church Cantonment and Covenant Hospice.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 Highway 29 south Cantonment is in charge of arrangements.
New Numbers Show Over 24,000 In Area Unemployed
January 22, 2011
The latest job numbers released Friday show about 24,000 people out of work in the North Escambia area.
Escambia County’s unemployment dropped slightly — from 11.5 percent in November to 11.2 percent in December. That represented 524 people no longer seeking employment, for a total Escambia County unemployment of 15,761 people. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 11.1 percent.
Santa Rosa County also recorded drop in unemployment— from 10.3 percent in November to 9.7 percent in December. Santa Rosa County gained 453 jobs during the period, with a total of 6,902 persons still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 10.0 percent.
The unemployment rate in Escambia County, Ala., increased slightly — 10.5 percent to 10.6 percent — between November and December, representing 1,522 unemployed. Last year’s unemployment rate for the same period in Escambia County was 12.5 percent.
Florida’s unemployment rate in December remained unchanged from November at 12 percent and remained 0.2 percentage points higher than the year before.
The report did show continued job growth in the state, a sign some economists say shows the seeds of recovery are germinating , despite the fact that 1.1 million jobless Floridians were actively looking for work. That figure, however, doesn’t take into account the under employed and those who have just stopped trying to find work.
Some sectors saw a little good news. Health care services and private education accounted for nearly 35,000 new jobs year over year, and the tourism industry also rebounded a bit, adding 33,000 jobs from the year before. Tourism officials are hoping that with the summer oil scare over, and with a particularly brutal winter up north and improving consumer confidence around the country, increased visitors may help blunt the state’s economic slump. Whether that would be enough to put a significant number of people to work, especially for any length of time, remains another question.
The dismal housing sector is the elephant in the unemployment line. Florida’s construction continued to contract in 2010, with construction employment dropping by 20,000 workers.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 9.1 percent in December, was up slightly from November’s rate of 9.0 percent but was below the year-ago rate of 10.9 percent.
The national employment rate was 9.4 percent.
Today: Sheriff’s Office Offers Free Fingerprinting For Children
January 22, 2011
Free fingerprinting for children will be available today at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Substation in Century.
The fingerprinting will be offered from 10 a.m. until 2 pm. at the substation located at 7500 North Century Boulevard.
The event will be hosted by the Sheriff’s Office Explorers, a voluntary program that educates and involves young people in law enforcement operations whether or not they choose to enter a career in law enforcement. Members gain a working knowledge of police work and have the opportunity to serve their community.
Explorers receive training in patrol procedure, first aid, honor guard, criminal law, crime prevention, finger-printing, arrest techniques, drug abuse prevention, firearms safety, crime scene techniques and more.
Another Really Cold Night
January 22, 2011
Old Man Winter just isn’t giving up along the Gulf Coast. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Clear, with a low around 24. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 57. Wind chill values between 25 and 35 early. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
- Sunday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 34. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Monday: A 20 percent chance of rain before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 37. East wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. North wind between 5 and 15 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. North wind around 10 mph.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 52. North wind around 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 54.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 56.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 60.
Weekly State Gov’t Roundup: Scott Opens Up To The Press, Tweets
January 22, 2011
After being maligned for his first two weeks in office for not being accessible enough, Gov. Rick Scott opened up this week – to the press and the World Wide Web.
Scott addressed the annual Associated Press Florida Legislative Planning Session this week, meeting a press corps with whom he has had a rocky start. Later in the week, Scott tested the waters of non-traditional media, by holding an online town hall on Twitter.
In his appearance before media executives, editors and reporters, Scott covered topics ranging from a state budget he called “bloated” to tax cuts to plans from his transition team to merge three state agencies. On each, the new governor basically said it would be his way or the highway.
“First off, I’m the governor,” Scott said when reporters asked him about the new Department of Children Family Secretary’s position on gay adoption. “So whatever my position would be would be the position that would be enforced.”
So it was in plenty of other ways during Scott’s roughly 40 minute availability this week. He tackled the issue of whether his administration was too inaccessible to reporters with some humor, saying his wife has argued that he has spoken with reporters more than her during his first weeks in office.
He then announced Vision Airlines would expand its air service with several new routes from Fort Walton Beach/Destin, calling it a “big deal.” The flights will begin in April and most of the flights would only take off on certain days of the week. Scott said the deal with translate into 4,000 jobs.
“If I could do about 150 of those, then I get to my 700,000 jobs,” Scott said in reference to his campaign promise. “The oil spill had a big impact on the Panhandle last year, but it’s going to come back.”
Scott also said he has yet to make up his mind on proposals to merge the Department of Community Affairs with the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation, though the suggestion came from his transition team. Scott has appointed heads of two of those three agencies, though he continued his critiqued of DCA.
“We clearly need growth management but we’ve got to do growth management in a way that is not merely slowing things down and killing jobs,” he said.
On tax cuts, two of the other AP Day speakers, House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, and Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, both suggested that with a $3.6 billion budget hole looming, lawmakers might be doing their best just to not raise taxes. Cutting taxes further may be a reach.
But Scott, who campaigned vigorously on a$1.4 billion property tax cut and a first-year rollback of more than $800 million in the state’s business tax, promised they would happen.
“I’m going through every line item in the budget,” Scott said. “But I don’t think we should be spending this much money. I don’t think we do a good enough job of how we buy things.”
During a Twitter town hall meeting, a new milestone for a Florida governor, Scott’s message was largely the same, though the questioners were definitely different. The first question he took was from @BOILING_SKIES: “What are your core policies to attract EMPLOYERS to Florida? #FL.”
@FLGOVSCOTT replied: “call ceos each day and talk to them about moving fl #flgov”
The give-and-take on Twitter was not without tension. Some tweeters accused the governor of taking soft questions, including one observer who poked fun at Scott for taking a question on what he liked about living in Tallahassee. The tone of some of the tweets also reflected the more boisterous nature of the emerging social media. Scott, for example, retweeted (apparently by accident) and then deleted a comment from @PrettyTwister, who said, “So what, are you gunna fire everyone and hire Walmart (sic) employees? Yeah, that’s great… you jackass.”
Kathy Burstein, a Delray Beach resident who works for the Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller, tweeted that 140 characters simply weren’t enough for serious answers.
PARTY LIKE ITS 2012
Elsewhere this week, the first two candidates to announce they’re running for U.S. Senate next year appeared at the same event for the first, giving Sen. Bill Nelson and Senate President Mike Haridopolos to talk about a race that could see them face each other next fall.
Each avoided criticizing the other much, saying instead that voters would judge them on their records. But while Democrat Nelson said he “didn’t know anything about” Haridopolos forming a committee to allow him to begin raising money for the race, the Republican Senate President criticized Nelson for focusing too much on high speed rail and not responding to a letter he sent him last summer asking for his position on controversial national issues like health care.
For the most part, however, Nelson used his Associated Press Florida Legislative Planning Session speech to tout his record in the Senate.
“In the Senate, I have had the privilege of accepting the mantle from Bob Graham to help restore one of the state’s great treasures….the Florida Everglades,” he said. “After decades of delay, we have now gotten the first meaningful chunk of federal money and it is happening as we speak. And then as many of you have reported, we’ve been able to get more than $2.4 billion on the table for a high speed rail system.”
Haridopolos, the first declared candidate to challenge Nelson in what figures to be a hotly-contested election, similarly spoke highly of his own work in the Florida Senate.
“I think when people look at my track record and how we’ve transformed the Florida Senate, and I think they’d like us to go that way in the United States Senate,” he said. “As you know, I’m a candidate, but the way I’m going to be judged is not how much money I raise, it’s how I perform as Senate president, and that’s why I’m keeping my focus on the Senate presidency.”
Because they won practically every race last year, and because of the middling approval ratings in Florida for President Barack Obama, Republicans feel pretty confident they’ll be able to knock off Nelson. But the two-term senator told reporters this week that he has won elections despite a national political pendulum that has swung both ways since he first won a state legislative seat in 1972, the year Richard Nixon trounced Democrat George McGovern.
“Richard Nixon won my legislative district by 75 percent,” he said. “I carried in my race 75 percent. So I run my own races.”
Despite all the 2012 talk, Haridopolos actually sought to downplay talk of the burgeoning Senate race, turning repeated questions about his candidacy back to state legislative issues.
“I hope that you will all show up after session for my press conference about the U.S. Senate,” he said in exasperation at one point. “I hope that you focus on what I’m focused on, which is the budget. I know the politics part of it is more exciting to write about, but I think you’ll see from our already-hard work in the Senate that we’re focused on doing the job that I have right now.”
It was clear this week however that there will also be focus on the job he is seeking.
HOUSE SALES WERE UP, UNEMPLOYMENT WAS NOT (BUT IT WASN’T DOWN EITHER)
There was some good news in the numbers this week, but there was also some not-so-good news. Existing home sales in 2010 were up 5 percent in Florida from the dismal year before, still a welcome sign that bodes well for homebuyers and sellers in 2011, Florida Realtors said this week.
But Florida’s unemployment rate in December remained unchanged from November at 12 percent and remained 0.2 percentage points higher than the year before, the Agency for Workforce Innovation reported Friday.
On the home front, existing sales rose 4 percent in December from a year ago with 12 of 19 metropolitan areas showing gains, the statewide association said. Condominium sales were even stronger, with sales rising 12 percent in year-to-year figures.
Median home prices remained soft in December, falling to $133,000 from $139,800 a year earlier, a drop of 5 percent. Condo prices experienced a 17 percent reduction in median price to $88,100 in December. Median price means that half of homes sold above that price and half below.
For the year, existing home sales totaled 170,848 homes compared to 162,873 homes sold in 2009. Statewide existing home sales in 2010 also were 37.5 percent higher than 2008.
But unemployment remained stubbornly high, closing the year where it began at 12 percent. The number of Floridians employed in non-agricultural jobs approached 7.2 million in December, up 0.2 percent from December 2009. For the year, the state’s economy added about 45,000 jobs, a glimmer of hope that state officials hope will continue in 2011.
“Although 12 percent unemployment is too high, a sixth straight month of job gains over the year is a positive sign, and with Gov. Scott’s emphasis on strategies to spark and support job creation, we anticipate continued improvement in our economy,” Agency for Workforce Innovation Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo said.
That optimistic wasn’t necessarily shared by the get to work governor though. Scott, in a statement, called the 12 percent rate “unacceptable.”"The numbers reaffirm my commitment to getting Florida back to work, and prove that we must put job creation first by making Florida the best place to do business,” Scott said.
There are more than 1.1 million jobless Floridians who probably really hope so.
Elsewhere this week, Gov. Scott named CIGNA senior director Jack Miles as the new secretary of the Department of Management Services and Attorney General Pam Bondi named Richard Lawson as her economic crimes director.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Gov. Rick Scott opened up a bit this week, speaking to the traditional media and the very new media in equal parts.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I know some of you think it’s always hard to get enough access with me. I can just tell you the other side, my wife thinks I talk to you guys more than I talk to her,” Scott, acknowledging complaints from the Tallahassee press corps that he does not talk to them enough.
By Keith Laing
The News Service Florida
Seized From Abuse, ‘Lil Momma’ Needs A Home
January 22, 2011
Volunteers are looking for a good home for “Lil Momma” — a dog that was seized by Escambia County Animal Control from a Century home back in December.
The owner surrendered and released the dog, and she is being housed at a kennel. She had three nursing pups. One died, and the other two have been adopted.
Panhandle Equine Rescue is working to find a home for the three-year old dog, and they say she has a sweet temperament and has shown no aggression towards humans, dogs or cats. For more information, call (850) 587-2754.
For more information on the animal cruelty arrest and the seizure of the dog, click here for a previous NorthEscambia.com story.
Pictured above: “Lil Momma” needs a home. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.