Matt Walsh: A new name for our gov :'Checkbook

Matt Walsh: A new name for our gov :'Checkbook

The Democrats have their empty suit, Sen. Bill Nelson. And the Republicans have theirs, Gov. Charlie Crist.

Ten years ago, that was the editorial boards' knock against Crist: There wasn't a whole lot of depth or substance. He was always quick to take big swings at the fat, populist melons - remember "Chain Gang" Charlie? And as Florida's attorney general, no AG touted himself more as Mr. Consumer Advocate than did Crist (although current AG Bill McCollum is certainly trying).

The one thing conservatives and business people thought they could count on with Crist as governor, however, was that he understood the three most fundamental things about government and taxes: Government doesn't create wealth; government should be strictly limited; and government should let taxpayers keep as much of their money as possible.

We thought he got that. After all, he had a great conservative mentor. In the late 1980s, he served as U.S. Sen. Connie Mack's state director. And for the past eight years, he had another role model, his predecessor, Gov. Jeb Bush.

But Gov. Crist apparently has forgotten all of Mack and Bush's limited-government lessons. That, or the real Charlie Crist has come out. Nowhere was that more apparent than in his State of the State address earlier this month. It was deflating to read the press accounts and editorial boards' rave reviews - Florida's first "black governor" ... Democrats giving him standing ovations ... all the talk in his speech about "global climate change."

"I am persuaded that global climate change is one of the most important issues that we will face this century," Crist told lawmakers, never citing what evidence he had to make this broad claim and conclusion.

And then he proceeded to talk of wanting to spend almost $70 million of taxpayer money on subsidies "to foster the development and use of alternative energy sources" and wanting Florida - drum roll, here - to be "at the forefront of a growing worldwide movement to reduce greenhouse gases. Florida will provide not only the policy and technological advances, but the moral leadership, to allow us to overcome this monumental challenge."

Oh ... my ... gosh.

Once you looked further into the contents of Crist's speech, it got much worse. Chain Gang Charlie? How about Checkbook Charlie?

Here's how Crist wants to limit government:

• "I have proposed that we spend almost $300 million to increase the pay for our teachers. Under our proposal, we would increase teacher pay by 10% for the top 25% of our teachers."

• "I ask the Legislature to approve another $26 million to recruit and employ an additional 400 reading coaches statewide. By bringing the number of coaches up to 2,400, we will be able to provide one reading coach for every 20 teachers. I am confident that the ability of our students to read will continue to rise as a result."

• "Our budget proposal also includes $10 million to fund Pathways to Success - a virtual tutoring program. This tool will provide a way for every student to have access to teaching at a time that is convenient for him."

• "I am proposing that we continue the state's commitment to restoring America's Everglades by appropriating $100 million, as well as $40 million to clean up the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers and $50 million for Lake Okeechobee."

• "I also ask for your support of my proposal to establish $20 million to make Florida a national leader in the research of adult, amniotic and umbilical cord stem cells."

• "I have proposed $75 million of tax credits to enhance Florida film making."

Whoosh! A total of $691 million of taxpayer money spent in 15 minutes.

In Crist's 3,327-word speech there was not one utterance of limiting government or controlling spending.

As they go, State of the State addresses are often dismissed as wishful rhetoric. But they also establish a tone. And Crist's tone in his first S-O-S was important. Here's why:

The governor has much to do with setting the business climate in his state. He is the chief economic development officer. And the climate he establishes has a lot to do with whether companies move in, move out or expand.

Crist set the stage for the wrong climate. In spite of his Republican label, he apparently is all about expanding the scope of government.

Meanwhile, Rome's business climate burns. The lack of a competitive insurance market continues to hinder economic growth.

And the lines of traffic on Florida's highways grow longer and longer. Spend a morning and an afternoon on Interstate 75 anywhere near Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers or Naples. It's clear our state's methods of addressing transportation are not working.

Climate change is indeed a big issue. Let's hope our governor refocuses on changing the right climate.

+ Millage rates to rise?

The word from Tallahassee is we can expect residential and commercial property-tax relief of some sort, but don't expect passage of House Speaker Marco Rubio's scheme of eliminating county property taxes and raising the sales tax.

The elements of Rubio's proposal are far too complicated for lawmakers to comprehend while trying to manage all of the other bills at the same time.

So, as always, expect more government in the margins - nothing too dramatic.

Promising, likely possibilities:

• "Portability" for homesteaded homeowners, allowing them to keep the majority of their low tax assessments when they move. This would help the economy.

• A requirement of county appraisers to assess properties at their current use, not the land's potential highest use - a boost for commercial property owners.

• And possibly a 3% assessment cap on non-homesteaded properties. This is probably the longshot of the reforms.

Don't be surprised if lawmakers give Gov. Crist his $25,000 increase in the homestead exemption. As we said: government in the margins.

All of these measures are good news for property owners, but it's likely they all will be offset when municipalities and counties start releasing their fiscal 2007-08 budgets. Watch for big increases in property-tax/millage rates.

It's not difficult to figure out why that's in the offing.

With residential real estate sales down and slower-rising valuations, city and county property-tax collections won't be increasing at the rates of the Fat & Happy years. Be prepared to listen to big helpings of doom from local government officials about the pressures of providing high levels of services but not having the revenues to do so.

As we all know, in years past, governments have been able to lower or maintain their tax rates while taking in millions of extra dollars because of rising valuations.

But now that that spigot has been shut off, we'll see how many locally elected government officials are willing to do what every Realtor has done in the past two years - cut his expenses.

Our prediction: None.

+ They won't cap spending

Don't expect this, either: the Legislature to mandate caps on state- and local-government spending.

This should be the unequivocal focus of Florida's legislative leadership. All of the changes in property-tax assessments will amount to squat unless the spending side is capped.

But it won't happen. Again, it's complicated. As one lawmaker put it:

What does that mean to cap spending? Would that cap only operating budgets? Or would it include capital budgets? How about fees? If you tie operating spending increases to the combined growth in inflation and population growth, could the same be done with impact fees and other fees?

But here's the real reason we'll never see caps on spending: "They don't have the courage," said Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton.

Phil Handy, where are you? The man who pushed through the term-limits amendment should come out of retirement and lead a constitutional-amendment drive to cap spending.

Such a measure will never make it through the Legislature. It'll only happen when Floridians can vote on it.

The Taxpayer Bill of Rights worked in Colorado. We should do it in Florida.

• "I also propose an increase in funding for our state universities and community colleges - without raising tuition."