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Since the state cigarette tax jumped by a dollar on the first of July, some North Florida convenience stores are seeing fewer cigarette sales. Floridians are streaming across Florida Georgia state line for cheap cigarettes.

At this convenience store a mile and a half north of the border, there were four cars with Florida plates. Jan from Tallahassee pulled in and made it five.

“I bet you came to buy cigarettes” we asked. Jan didn’t want to give us her last name, but responded  “Yes I did as a matter of fact” It’s the principle. They don’t need to single out smokers for tax”.

Kathy McKee started making the 40 from Crawfordville mile trip July first.

“We come at least twice a month”. She says she buys two cartons each time. That means she is costing Florida about forty dollars a month. “Could Be” she responds.

Jim Smith from the association of convenience stores says it is still early to pinpoint lost sales in Florida, but…“Close to Georgia and Alabama, my retailers are reporting a drop in sales”. “How big”? We ask. “Right now, ten to fifteen percent for some of them” says Smith.

Another threat to state revenues are internet sales. This site offers cheap smokes and promises no reporting. Marie Carpenter from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation says  you could get stuck for the tax if you get caught. The state has hired 7 new auditors to monitor sales.

“ If the companies don’t pay to us, we can go to the consumers to collect that tax”, says Carpenter.

Under Florida law, it is legal to possess 3 cartons of cigarettes without a Florida tax stamp, but it is illegal to buy them over the internet and not pay the tax.

If you feel guilty about not paying the state for cigarettes bought over the internet, you can download a form the Florida Department of Business on the internet at:     http://www.myflorida.com/dbpr/consumers.html

Legislation allowing oil drilling 45 miles off the coast of Florida is making waves in congress. The plan is just the latest in a series of efforts to open up Florida’s coast to drilling. As Whitney Ray tells us, Governor Charlie Crist says he’s open to the idea.

There are hundreds of oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Legislation has kept them 125 miles off Florida’s coast, but Congress will review a plan to allowing drilling just 10 miles out. Governor Charlie Crist says the legislation is worth discussing.

“I think there is an opportunity to find a middle ground that is appropriate; that is safe and clean and done right so I’m open to reviewing what those opportunities might be,” said Crist.

Drilling off Florida’s coast could create thousands of jobs but environmentalists say an oil spill could ruin the state’s tourism industry. Business groups in Florida say drilling and tourism can coexist.

“Here in Florida they wouldn’t even be visible they wouldn’t have to be that close to access these recourses,” said Jose Gonzalez, a spokesman for the Associated Industries of Florida.

Colleen Castille, the former secretary of Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, isn’t convinced. Castille says 10 miles is too close.

“Three years ago we should have implement that law where we were going to protect Florida’s shores all around Florida for 125 miles and it’s unfortunate we didn’t,” said Castille.

But gas was cheap back then. Any spike in the price of a gallon now will rally support for drilling and put pressure on Congress. The legislation would allow coastal states to receive 37 percent of the rent and royalties energy companies pay to lease the federal land.

The want ads will soon be filled with opening for police officers.

Florida is receiving 87 million stimulus dollars to hire 428 police officers. The money will cover the officer’s salaries and benefits for the next three years. Governor Charlie Crist championed the stimulus package in Florida and is glad the state will receive more officers.

“I think that Florida has been extremely successful in terms of support for our police officers, for our deputies across the state. I think as a large result of that we have declining climb as it relates to violent crime and I think people are very appreciative of that and we should always be supportive of our law enforcement officers of the great work they do and the tremendous risks they take,” said Crist

Attorney General Bill McCollum has concerns about what the state will do when the money to pay the officers runs out.

“There is a question mark whenever the federal government provides money for additional resources like police officers and only has a three year window. What do you do after three years? But if the police departments choose to employ these agents then they’ll simply have to deal with that when they get to it,” said McCollum.

Police departments that accept the money will be required to keep the officers on board for a fourth year without the help of stimulus dollars to pay their salaries.

A four million dollar settlement with defunct mortgage lender CountryWide will be used to hire legal aid lawyers to help fight foreclosures in Florida. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the cash couldn’t come at a better time.

There were 41 thousand new foreclosures filed in Florida last month alone.  The state ranks second only to California. Kent Spuhler of Florida Legal Services says the Foreclosure boom is stretching legal aid lawyers thin, just when they are needed most.

“We are tremendously swamped. I mean it’s probably ten fold greater than what we saw when this crisis began” says Spuhler.

But help is on the way. Attorney General Bill McCollum presented a two million dollar check to the Florida Bar Foundation.

The check is part of a four million dollar settlement with former mortgage lender Countrywide. Two million dollars is for this year, another two million next year fund attorneys in legal aid offices to help those facing foreclosure.

“Well, we hope we prevent foreclosure, but most importantly we hope we prevent scams from occurring, but either one” says McCollum. “If we prevent foreclosures that’s even better because people save their homes”.

The bottom line is this: if someone is trying to take your money and promising to save your house…you’re likely to lose both.

New federal legislation means homeowners facing foreclosure have new legal rights that Spuhler says are almost impossible to navigate without a lawyer.

“If it has been filed in court, they can file a response” Spuhler says of Legal Aid attorneys. “And under the new federal program, it the family qualifies, that response is supposed to stop the foreclosure filing”.

The money will be spread across the state based on the percentage of foreclosures in the area.

If you just lost a job or fear going into foreclosure, you should contract:
Florida Attorneys Saving Homes program with an on-line intake form or by calling the toll-free hot line from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at 1-866-607-2187.  If you are already in foreclosure, call the local legal aid office.

Former House Speaker Ray Sansom is asking legislative leaders to push back a scheduled ethics hearing against him.

Sansom also faces criminal charges for funneling 25 million state dollars to Northwest Florida State College. Six million was to be used to build an airplane hanger for a political contributor. Before Sansom faces the court he’s scheduled to face a House committee that could vote to remove him from office. House Speaker Larry Cretul was asked if Sansom’s situation was causing a distraction.

“’Do you think that he should resign and spare the House all this trouble,’ saked a reporter ‘There’s a process in place right now. The panel has been appointed. Chairman Galvano has scheduled a meeting on August 4th I think. And I won’t comment any further than that,’ Cretul replied. ‘Would you prefer not to do this,’ the reporter asked. ‘Well again there is a process in place. We will follow the process,'” said Cretul

The House Committee is scheduled to meet August 4th. Sansom’s court case is scheduled for September 29th.

An internet safety group is joining forces with Florida’s Attorney General to protect kids from online predators.

Tuesday the state cabinet recognized the group Stop Internet Predators for its efforts to inform parents and teachers about new technology helping predators target kids. The group says predators can use Google StreetView to prey on kids. Google StreetView is a program that shows pictures of people’s homes and yards. Stacy Rumenap, Executive Director of Stop Internet Predators, said it’s important for parents to be aware of what technology predators are using.

“Technology is constantly changing and we as parents and as educators need to make sure we are keeping up with changes to the technology,” said Rumenap.

The group says Google StreetView is a good tool when used properly, but they want parents to know they can ask Google to take picture of their property off the program.

The governor’s office sent a letter to a white supremacist thanking him for sending an anti-Semitic DVD. In the letter the governor promised to share the movie with others. As Whitney Ray tells us, the governor says the thank you letter was an inexcusable mistake by his staff.

Thousands of letters and emails pour into the governor’s office every day, more than half a million in 2008 alone. Governor Charlie Crist can’t read everyone, but his staff tries.

Last month a white supremacist sent Crist a copy of this anti-Semitic DVD. The governor’s staff responded with this thank you letter bearing the governor’s automated signature. Crist is calling the response an inexcusable mistake.

The governor’s office refused our request for an on-camera interview to discuss the mistake. Alia Faraj-Johnson worked as communications director for Governor Jeb Bush. Johnson says it’s hard to keep up with every letter and request.

“When I used to work there we would get hundreds of hundreds of pieces of mail, emails, phone calls, so it is very easy to over look something like this,” said Faraj-Johnson.

But if the governor’s office can mistakenly send a thank you letter to a racist… then who’s to say your letter will be taken seriously.

Mary Smith isn’t sure her letters get read, but she sends them anyway.

“I feel better about it when I do it, I don’t know if they feel better about it because sometimes there are nasty comments on it but At least they know how I feel, if they look at them, which I hope they do,” said Mary.

But for many without direct access to their representatives, the odds their letters will be read by their elected officials are very slim. After the mistake was discovered the governor’s office asked the white supremacist to take the thank you letter off his website. He hasn’t taken the letter down.

Last night State Senator Jim King lost his battle with pancreatic cancer.

King began serving in the Florida legislature in 1986. He was senate president from 2002 to 2004. King’s diagnosis came just days after the end of the 2009 legislative session. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson served in the state legislature with King in the late 80s. Bronson says King was never afraid to speak his mind.

“The state of Florida is losing a great legislator and someone who was willing to stick his neck out on issues and follow through. Sometimes in the world of politics today people like to lick their finger and stick it in the air and see which way the wind blows. If it was an issue he felt strong about, even if he was the only person standing, which the way I am on certain issues, then that’s the way he was,” said Bronson.

King was most famous for fighting legislation that would have allowed the state to reinsert Terri Schivo’s feeding tube in 2005. The move led to the death of Schivo who had been in persistent vegetative state for more than a decade. King also blocked changes to the class size amendment.

17 million dollars in rebates for Florida consumers who purchase energy efficient appliances has been in limbo since the stimulus package became law in February. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, it may be the end of the year before the money starts flowing.        

Nationwide, the appliance business is off 21 percent. Yet nearly 300 million dollars in stimulus money for appliance rebates nationally…17 million of it destined for Florida consumers alone, remains in limbo. Jeremy Susac of the Governor’s Energy Office says it will be late this year before any money flows.

“The first step in the equation is to go to the Federal Government with a plan”, says Susac. “In that plan we are going to recommend during our workshops of having the rebate at the point of sales to participate customer participation”.

Savvy customers have been asking about the rebates, which could run as much as 20 percent on a refrigerator or washer.

Right now there are more questions than answers. Retailers don’t know how much the rebate is going to be, when it will start, or if it is retroactive. Mike Monroe of May Monroe Appliances in Tallahassee says the delay is frustrating for businesses.

“ Very frustrating. Yeah, it would be nice because in these economic times it would be nice to generate a little revenue”, says the proprietor of a store in business since 1936.

By making the switch to energy saving appliances, especially refrigerators, Monroe says consumers can save twice. 

“Now we are looking at a national average of about fifty dollars a year…and they say ones that are ten plus years old probably cost about two to three hundred dollars a year to operate”.

Florida has already appropriated 150 thousand dollars to administer the rebates…which will hopefully begin before your old appliances give out.   

A meeting August 10th in Tallahassee will take testimony from businesses and consumers about what products should be included in the rebates and how the money should be given to customers.

Hundreds of Floridians who were promised reimbursements through the state’s solar rebate program will have to wait longer. The state owes seven million dollars to people who installed solar panels on their homes and businesses. As Whitney Ray tells us, a lack of funds and a backlog of rebate applications are slowing down the process.

Bill Minion installed 50-thousand solar panels on his home a year ago. The solar panels knock a hundred bucks a month off Bill’s electricity cost. He also received a 20-thousand dollar rebate from the state, although he waited months for the reimbursement.

“I think it is very important if the state is going to come out and give us a commitment to pay that rebate that they need to pay it quick,” said Bill

The state still owes seven million dollars to Floridians who’ve invested in solar, and the program shows no sign of slowing. There is a million dollars in rebate requests coming into the energy office every month.

Jeremy Susac is the director of the Governor’s Energy Office. Susac says rebate checks will begin going out in early August.

“We have five million dollars to begin rebates for the 7.2 million dollar back log. We are awaiting federal approval for the next 9.4 million dollars,” said Susac.

News of the delayed rebate checks hasn’t stopped the demand for solar. Al Simpler sells solar panels and business has never been better.

“Once people started calling the governor’s energy office and they said yeah we are going to have some money, then the flood gates opened,” said Al.

And for those hundreds of people who are now depending on nature for their electricity, they’ve found the sun more reliable than the state. The federal government has until October 22nd to approve the state’s request for the extra 9.4 million dollars to use for reimbursements.

Homes sales in Florida continue to climb while the average sale price continues to fall.

Florida seen an increase in home sales for 10th straight months. June sales were 28 percent higher than home sales a year ago and prices are down 28 percent from last year. Vani Ungapen, a spokeswoman for the Florida Association of Realtors, said qualified shoppers can get a good interest rate on a loan if they buy now.

“The mortgage rate is so low and it is the best time to buy. Home prices are still incredibly affordable when compared to national home prices. The national median home price is 172-thousand and in Florida it is 148-thousand,” said Ungapen.

Realtors also attribute the uptick in sales to the 8,000 dollar first time homebuyer tax credit.

By this time next year Florida could see five million cases of the swine flu.

The estimate is from a doctor at the state health department and is based on patterns from past pandemics. The state has confirmed 3,000 cases so far. Susan Smith, a spokeswoman with the department of health, said the prediction of a five million Florida swine flu cases is just that, a prediction.

“It’s hard for us to predict how virulent swine flu is going to be in the fall, but we are certainly working with state and federal partners to prepare and we are continuing to educate Floridians on good hygiene practices, such as washing hands frequently, covering cough and sneeze and keeping sick at home which is extremely important to slow the spread of the virus,” said Smith.

Swine flu has claimed the lives of 22 Floridians so far this year. 14 of those deaths occurred this month.

A study financed by independent oil companies claims drilling in state waters would help reduce Florida’s double digit unemployment rate.

The study was financed by Florida Energy Associates. According to the report drilling in state waters could pump seven billion dollars a year into the state’s economy. Economist Hank Fishkind said drill would also create jobs.

“We are talking about over 40-thousand jobs. We are talking about a new industry that would be developed in the state of Florida and tremendous support to government jobs because the oil revenues are so significant that they would support the state and support many jobs that the state supports,” said Fishkind.

Opponents of offshore oil drilling continue to highlight the environmental risk. Senator Bill Nelson is one of the biggest opponents of drilling off Florida’s coast. Friday Nelson’s office emailed articles to members of the media about oil being found on Texas beaches.

Homeowners who strengthen their homes may lose hundreds of dollars in insurance discounts. The state mandates discounts to encourage people to replace their windows, roofs, and doors but as Whitney Ray tells us, many insurance companies say large discounts could make it hard for them to pay claims.

Storm shutters, hurricane resistant windows, and a metal roof can cost a pretty penny, but the upgrades can also save homeowners money. The state requires insurance companies to offer discounts to customers who strengthen their homes, but the amount saved could soon change.

“Our members believe that the discounts are excessive in a lot of cases,” said Sam Miller, Florida Insurance Council

A committee of hurricane and insurance experts is discussing a change in the discount rate. Representative Brian Nelson says most insurance premiums are too low and giving customers huge discounts could make it harder for companies to pay claims.

“We just want them to be actuarially sound and I think there is a lot of speculation that where we are at right now isn’t actuarially sound on rates or discounts,” said Nelson.

If strengthening doors and replacing your windows will no longer save you as much money, fewer people may choose to make the changes. The Office of Insurance Regulation says despite the size of the discount making your home more wind resistant is a good move.

“Mitigation is a win-win for both the homeowner and the insurance company because when the consumers hardens the home it protects it from possible damage when the storm comes along,” said Ed Domansky, an OIR Spokesman.

Any recommendations the commission makes will be discussed by lawmakers during next year’s legislative session. State Farm listed discounts as one of the main reasons their company isn’t making money in Florida.

A Florida family that adopted twins in January is livid over medication the girls were given while in foster care.

When Mirko and Regina Ceska adopted the girls, they were on the drug Seroquel. According to Seroquel’s website, the drug hasn’t be approved for kids. Regina said the drugs were affecting the girl’s behavior.

“To tell you the truth, when we received those two children, when we saw them the first time, and they were on all those medications, their behavior was absolutely terrible and almost, you could almost not control them,” said Regina.

A recent report found that hundreds of foster kids are being wrongfully prescribed psychotropic drugs. The Department of Children and Families is researching the problem. DCF has asked the Ceskas to help them with their research.