News Articles
Rep Evers: About Consolidation, Newspaper Editorial
NorthEscambia.com, February 26, 2010
Our View
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.
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