Barn Permitting to be investigate by State

Citrus County Sound OFF, County News, Politcs No Comments

Senator Charles Dean (R) didn’t like people questioning his authority when he was Citrus County Sheriff. Now as our Senator people will question him.

Enough people raised questions this week that County Commissioner Anthony Schembri has decided to have the state look into the matter of Sen. Dean’s New Barn.

Schembri said of the action he was taking, “In response to the questions being raised about the agricultural exemptions on Sen. Charles Dean’s barn, given the issues that have come up, I am taking what I consider an appellate step, and I am asking the Secretary of the Department of Community Affairs, Tom Pelham, to give us an opinion on the case.” County officials will forward details of the case to Pelham for review but do not expect an immediate response.

It’s about time that lawmakers found out that they are not above the law and can’t do whatever they like. If the state rules that this is not a barn but a residence I hope that they make him pay all of the fines that everyday citizens would have too.

Read the whole story here

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Live Inauguration Coverage

Politcs, Site Updates No Comments

We are covering the Inauguration Ceremonies. Please visit the main site to see streaming live coverage on the web.

Visit Here

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Amendmants to Florida’s Constitution

Politcs No Comments

Here in Citrus County we have 6 constitutional amendmants to consider when we vote on November 4th. These tend to be worded so normal people do not understand them. I am posting them all here now so you can read over them. Be sure to fully understand each one as best as you can before voting. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions from someone if you need help.

NO. 1
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE I, SECTION 2

Declaration of Rights Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to delete provisions authorizing the Legislature to regulate or prohibit the ownership, inheritance, disposition, and possession of real
property by aliens ineligible for citizenship.

NO. 2
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE I, NEW SECTION

Florida Marriage Protection Amendment This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized. The direct financial impact this amendment will have on state and local government revenues and expenditures cannot be determined, but is expected to be minor.

NO. 3
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE VII, SECTIONS 3 AND 4
ARTICLE XII, NEW SECTION

Changes and Improvements Not Affecting the Assessed Value of Residential Real Property Authorizes the Legislature, by general law, to prohibit consideration of changes or improvements to residential real property which increase resistance to wind damage and installation of renewable energy source devices as factors in assessing the property’s value for ad valorem taxation purposes. Effective upon adoption, repeals

the existing renewable energy source device exemption no longer in effect.

NO. 4
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE VII, SECTIONS 3 AND 4
ARTICLE XII, SECTION 28

Property Tax Exemption of Perpetually Conserved Land; Classification and Assessment of Land Used for
Conservation Requires Legislature to provide a property tax exemption for real property encumbered by perpetual conservation easements or other perpetual conservation protections, defined by general law. Requires Legislature to provide for classification and assessment of land used for conservation purposes,
and not perpetually encumbered, solely on the basis of character or use. Subjects assessment benefit to conditions, limitations, and reasonable definitions established by general law. Applies to property taxes beginning in 2010.

NO. 6
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE VII, SECTION 4 ARTICLE XII,
NEW SECTION

Assessment of Working Waterfront Property Based Upon Current Use Provides for assessment based upon use of land used predominantly for commercial fishing purposes; land used for vessel launches into waters that are navigable and accessible to the public; marinas and drystacks that are open to the public; and water-dependent marine manufacturing facilities, commercial fishing facilities, and marine vessel construction and repair facilities and their support activities, subject to conditions, limitations, and reasonable definitions specified by general law.

NO. 8
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE VII, SECTION 9
Local Option Community College Funding

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to require that the Legislature authorize counties to levy a local option sales tax to supplement community college funding; requiring voter approval to levy the tax; providing that approved taxes will sunset after 5 years and may be reauthorized by the voters.

COUNTY REFERENDUM
May the Board of County Commissioners relocate the principal office of any of the County Officers outside the city limits of the City of Inverness but within an expanded County Seat?

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Early Voting Begins Today

County News, Politcs 1 Comment

Early voting begins today for the 2008 Presidential Elections. Early voting is open Monday through Saturday October 20th through November 1st.

  • Early voting provides the voter an opportunity to vote in person prior to Election Day.

  • Early voting begins 15 days prior to each election.

  • Any qualified voter may vote in person at any of our designated early vote sites. (This is contrary to Election Day voting when you are required to vote in the precinct where you reside.)

  • Early voting results will not be released until after 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

  • Bring a photo and signature ID to vote at an early vote site. (Lack of photo and signature ID will require a voter to cast a provisional ballot. F.S. 101.043(2))

Early Vote Locations:

Citrus County Courthouse

110 N. Apopka Ave.

Inverness, FL 34450

Hours 9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.

Inverness City Hall

212 W. Main St.

Inverness, FL 34450

Hours 8:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m.

Central Ridge Library

425 W. Roosevelt Blvd.

Beverly Hills, FL 34465

Hours 8:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m.

Crystal River Elections Office

801 SE Hwy. 19

Crystal River, FL 34429

Hours 9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.

Homosassa Public Library

4100 S. Grandmarch Ave.

Homosassa, FL 34446

Hours 8:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m.


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Response from Ginny Brown-Waite

Citrus County Sound OFF, Opinions, Politcs No Comments

While Congress was contemplating the $700 billion Bailout package I wrote to our Congresswoman, Ginny Brown-Waite expressing my anger about the package. Today I have received a response from her in regards to my comments, and I wanted to share them with you. Please read her letter below and comment on them here when you are done. Remember she is running for re-election this year while you read it.

Dear Paul:

Thank you for contacting my office with your thoughts on Congress’ recent efforts to address the faltering credit markets.  As you may know, I voted and spoke out against the bailout package both times it came before the House of Representatives.  The first time around, a majority of my colleagues joined me to defeat the bill.  However, by adding pork, the Senate was able to persuade enough of my colleagues to switch their votes and pass the bailout.

Read the rest…

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Political Forum Last Night

Citrus County Sound OFF, County News, Opinions, Politcs No Comments

I was unable to attend the Political forum held at the Armory in Crystal River. I was hoping to go and report back to everyone what the different candidates said. If any of my readers was able to attend, please click on the comments above and let us know what was said.

Thank you,

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Sad Day in the USA as House passes Bailout Bill

Citrus County Sound OFF, Opinions, Politcs No Comments

The House of Represenitves have passed the Wall Street Bailout bill 263 to 171.  This is a sad day in our country that the middle class has to bail out the wealthy upper class. They got themselves into this mess and they should have figured out how to get themselves out.

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House vote today on the bailout bill

Citrus County Sound OFF, Opinions, Politcs 1 Comment

Today is the day that the House will vote on the new version of the bailout bill. The Senate passed it the other day after filling it with tax cuts and other sweeteners.  The process could be a long one today, for more information about that process please see the Fox News Report about today’s session in the House.

The heart of the bill, and the opposition to it, remained the same. It would enable the government to spend billions of dollars to buy bad mortgage-related securities and other devalued assets held by troubled financial institutions. If successful, advocates say, that would allow frozen credit to begin flowing again and keep the economy from a deep recession.

As revised by the Senate, the package would extend several tax breaks popular with businesses. It would keep the alternative minimum tax from hitting 20 million middle-income Americans, and provide $8 billion in tax relief for those hit by natural disasters in the Midwest, Texas and Louisiana.

Another addition, to extend the deductibility of state and local taxes for people in states without income taxes, helps Florida and Texas, among others.

That said the bill would be great for the economy if it were that simple. The lawmakers expect this to have the “trickle down effect” to help out the average citizen.  In my personal opinion I feel that this trickle down would be too slow to affect individuals and small businesses. If you are not trying to get a loan right now and you don’t own stock – this bill will do nothing for you.

On top of that the additional “sweeteners” that the senate added in making the bill actually cost $850 billion is what I have the problem with. A couple of things that they added into the package are tax breaks for companies that make wooden arrows for children, to help litigants in the 1989 Valdez Oil Spill,  and also ones that import Puerto Rican Rum.

What in the world does this have to do with our economy? These items are by far the dumbest things I have ever heard of. Politicians hard at work as normal I guess. Things like that are what put our economy in this position in the first place. We need to write our Congressman immediately and tell them not to vote for something stupid like that, or we won’t vote for them ever again.

Something needs to be done I agree with that, but politicians need to wake up and figure out the correct way to do it. Help the population out – not the companies who caused our economy to decline  by doing stupid things. Put this money into our hands and the economy will turn around. Lower gas prices substantially and it will help the economy.

It’s time to Wake Up America.  Here is a link to Ginny Brown-Waite’s website tell her to vote nay!

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