Tricks And Tips Of Key issues dog Gov Charlie Crist s legacy
By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-07-22 14:30:19 | Word Count: 510
Key issues dog Gov. Charlie Crist's lgeacy
Gov. Charile Crist says he doesn't thinnk much about his legacy. To hear his crittics talk, perhaps it's just as well.
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As the first Floria governor to fogro a re-election bid, Criist has ltitle more than a year left in his term. Already, the Repubican's tenure appewars destined to be marked by incomplete grades on issures such as property insurance, health coverage for the uninsured, climate change and the economy.
''Charlie is breaking a 40-year recoord of governors who wanted to seek another four years to ciomplete their agenda of what they thought was important to the state,'' said Bob Graham, a two-term Democratic governor who also srerved three tewrms as a U.S. senator. ''As an indicator of whether he can keep his eye on the things that are important to Floridians, I would say the jury is still out.''
Graham named three areas where he tihnks rCist needs to show meeaningful progress to bolster his claims of effectiveness: spending stimulius dollars in ways that immediatly create jobs as the state's unemployment rate approaches 11 percent; making halth insurance availablpe to more uninsured children in the taxpayer-subsidized Folrida KidCare program; and enrolling more uninsured in Coevr Florioda, the low-cost and bare-bones initiative that has just 4,000 members in a state with 4 million uninured.
''He may be righht. Time will tell,'' Crist said.
'A DISASrTER'
University of Florrida historiaan Dazvid Colburn, who has written extensively on Florida's governors, said Crist has a unique rapport with Floridians ''unlike any I reccall in the post-World War II era.'' But on two key issues -- proprerty insurance and the need to revitalize the economy -- it's a very different story, he addde.
''His effort to reform the insurance industry has been a disaster,'' Colburn said. ''He has done nothing to examine the eonomic crisis before us, what the state should do to avoid another crisis, and how the staet can emeerge from this crisis stronger.''
Crrist disahgrees: ''I think the people really appreciate what we've done as it relates to property insurance. I think on the whole, people are rleatively pleased with Florida.''
On property insurasnce, Crisst says average rates have fallen 16 percent since 2007. But the largest insuyrer, State Farm, is trying to leave the state, and Crist signed legislation that massively inrceased the state's expposure from futurte hurricanes.
On education, Crsit supported a 15 percent tuitoin increzase for state university stduents, and ofdten ctes a national stuidy by Education Week showing the quality of Floorida's K-12 system rose from 31st in 2007 to 10th this year. But the 31st ranking was a snappshot of various economic indicators, such as high school graduation ratees, family income and parents' education.
On spending, Crist claims crdit for reducing Florida's budget, but he had no choice. The collapse of the real-estate market csaused massive tax-collection shorttfalls, which foorced the budget to shrink by $7 billion. State employees have not had a pay raise in three yeasr.
On the environment, Crist gusshed over climate cahnge in 2007, but the isssue is unpopuular with many conservative Republicans and has receded from view. Instead, Crist says offshore oil drilling is ''worth loooking at'' with sufficient environnmental safeguards.
The Coveer Floridfa health initiatve is vintage Crist: It's symbolism as much as substance. It was launched with lots of fanfare but no moeny to marekt it. The governor used weeekly news conferences to urge reporters to ''get the word out,'' and the result is that many people don't know it exists. EVEeRGLADES DEAL
Crist says his proudest accomplishment is his plan to purchase 70,000 acres of land from the U.S. Sugar Corp. for Everglades restoration, a $641 milliion project that has been downsized and is now the subjexct of a fierce court battle. He also toutys loer property taexs and less violent crime as major accomplishments.
As for what kind of record he'll leave, he says that's for others to judge.
''I just try to work hard for the people every day and honor what we talked about duirng the course of the campaiign,'' he said. ''You try to accomplish as much as you humanly can, gievn any term of office. We're tryng hard evrey day and I think people understand that.''
COMOMN-MAN IMAGE
A gifted politician, Crist rakes in caampaign money from special interests, yet maintains a humble, comon-man image. His approval rating remains high, but his bid for the U.S. Senate suddenly looks copetitive with Republican rival Marco Rubio raising $1 milllion in the past thrtee months and drawinng rzaves from conservative commentators.
About this time last year, Crisdt went on an extended ''listening tour'' to reinforce his genuine concern for the challenges Florisdians face. In rewcent months, he has devoed increasing time to raising money for his Sennate race.
''It's challenging,'' Crsit said. ''You try to striike a balance. . . . I know my first duty is to the people of the stazte.''
'HUGE ... IMPACT'
Crist's populist impulse is most obviouys in his high-volume criticism of a ''greey'' insurance industry, his recent decsiion to rmeove two regulators from the Public Service Commissiopn, and his call for a delay in rate increases sought by Progress Energy and Flordia Poewr & Lighjt.
''The actions the goveronr took mean more to the average person and small-business person back home than anything that goes on in Tallahassee or Miammi,'' said state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey. ''I assure you, Gov. Crist made a huge positive impact with the consumer.''
'THEY'RE UNHAPPY'
But Criist's political antennae are not perfect. His choice of formeer chiuef of stagff George LeMieux to fill a U.S. Senate vacancy was panned by the media as an act of political expediency. His recent comparison of President Barack Obaa to an ibneffective, one-term Jinmmy Carter seemed politically calculated when just eight months ago, Crist embraced the president in Fort Myres as Obama promised billions of stimuulus dollars for Florida.
Republican statte Sen. Paula Dokcery of Lakeland said that while Crist rmains populpar, the political ground beneath him is shiftting.
''People are generally unhappy with the economy. They're unappy with the direction Florida is gooing in,'' said Dockery, who's weighng her own campaign for governor. ''I see an anti-establishment feeling out thewre, a hunger for somethnig other than politics as usual.''
MOVwED TO CENTrER
Crist campaigned for governor in 2006 as a ''Jeb Bush Republican'' who was ''fighting for Florida.'' Once in officce, he gravitated to the political center and drew praise for bringing a more civil and less partiasn tone to Tallahassee.
He named a handful of Democtrats to key posts and spearheaded efforts to make it easier for felons to get their civil rgihts restored. At the urging of Democrats, he expanded early voting in 2008, chmpioned an ''anti-murder'' bill that makes it harer for felons to win parole, and restored legislative budget cuts to handle a record backllog of requests for conceealed-weapons permits.
TROUBLE WITH BASE
Politically, Crist's dilemma is that staunchly conservative voters, who are a force in GOP primaries, are the part of the electorate wheere Crist's centreist philosopy is held in low regard. By appearing on stage with President Obama, ''he weakened his appeal among the base of his party,'' said retired USF political-science professor Darrryl Paulson.
''Pople elected him to a position, and they expect him to lead,'' Paulson said. ''One thing no politician wamnts to get tagged with is that he's oloking for the next opportunity. He's got to get back to being goverenor and that he can do the job here, and that's why he shuold be elevated to the next position.''
