“Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties:

1.Those who fear and distrust the people and wish to withdraw all powers from them into the hands of the higher classes. 2. Those who identify themselves with the people, have confidence in them, cherish them and consider them the most honest and safe, although not the most wise depository of the public interests. In every country these two parties exist; and in every one where they are free to think, speak and write, they will declare themselves.” 

   ~Thomas Jefferson~ 

Donate to the Florida Disaster Fund

To contribute, please visit www.FloridaDisasterFund.org or text DISASTER to 20222. 

Space Force is Three Years Old on December 20th

America's youngest branch of the Military will celebrate its 3rd birthday on December 20th. In 2019, the U.S. Space Force (USSF) was created under the National Defense Authorization Act and signed by President Donald Trump, making it the first new branch of the armed services in 73 years.

On December 9, 2020, Vice President Mike Pence announced that Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base would be renamed as Space Force installations.

“Today we make history with the first two installations in the history of the United States Space Force to bear the name of this new branch of the service,” Pence said. “It is a great day for our military. It is a great day for Florida, it is a great day for America.”

The establishment of the USSF resulted from widespread recognition that Space was a national security imperative. When combined with the growing threat posed by competitors in space, it became clear there was a need for a military service focused solely on pursuing superiority in the space domain.

Florida Exceeds Revenue Estimates for October

State lawmakers will have at least $141.4 million than economists predicted back in August. The latest revenue report showed the state pulled in $3.23 billion in net general revenue in October. The overage came despite Hurricane Ian reducing state revenue collections by an estimated $67 million.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment to Allow School Board Candidates to State Political Affiliation

A proposed constitutional amendment filed last Tuesday by Florida State Representative Spencer Roach would allow school board candidates the option to appear on a ballot with their political party affiliation plainly labeled. The proposal needs to first gain approval from the Legislature, then voters would have the ultimate say. If passed, voters would get to decide the proposal’s fate in 2024, and if passed, would take effect in 2026

Opponents say the measure will make school board decisions too political.

Supporters say that school boards are already too political, and voters should be able to know which party a candidate belongs to.

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS

Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis Announce $25 Million to Purchase Building Materials

Last week Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis were joined by Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Director Kevin Guthrie to announce that up to $25 million in state funding to purchase building materials and up to $35.2 million in generous donations to the Florida Disaster Fund will be used to allow verified nonprofit organizations to conduct critical temporary repairs on homes damaged by Hurricane Ian. Funds from the Florida Disaster Fund will also address unmet needs such as transportation, food assistance, housing aid, clothing, and household goods. This announcement follows the federal government’s denial of Governor Ron DeSantis’ request to provide impacted residents and verified volunteers with materials to conduct temporary and permanent repairs on their damaged homes.

“We are providing building materials and supporting nonprofit organizations to provide repairs so impacted residents can move back into their own homes,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Floridians are resilient, and the state stands by them every step of the way as they continue their recovery.”

“It is not a matter of if people will get back on their feet, it’s when, which is why uniting communities to reduce red tape and break down bureaucracy to provide relief to Floridians is so important,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “The generous donations to the Florida Disaster Fund will go to organizations that are on the ground helping impacted residents recover. We are appreciative of the continued and overwhelming support.”

“I want to thank everyone who donated to the Florida Disaster Fund so impacted Floridians can safely begin returning to their homes,” said FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie. “The Division will continue our work to prioritize the needs of survivors and create innovative ways to support communities on their road to recovery.”

Up to $25 million from the State of Florida’s general revenue fund will be dedicated to purchasing building materials to conduct temporary or permanent repairs on homes damaged by Hurricane Ian. Materials that may be purchased under this program include, but are not limited to:

• Cleaning and sanitizing products 
• Concrete and cement products 
• Lumber and framing accessories 
• Doors and windows
• Electrical products and plumbing materials
• Roofing products required for weatherproofing 
• Tools for muck and gut 

Up to $25 million from the Florida Disaster Fund will be awarded to housing organizations for lodging for volunteers, protective equipment for volunteers, and other necessary supplies and commodities. Seventeen additional nonprofit organizations will receive a total of $10.2 million from the Florida Disaster Fund to address unmet needs identified through the Unite Florida portal, including:

• Feeding Florida
• Harry Chapin Food Bank
• Hope Hospice
• Safe Children Coalition
• Senior Connection Center
• Senior Friendship Centers
• Senior Resource Alliance
• Mothers Helping Mothers
• NU-HOPE Elder Care Services Inc.
• One More Child
• Osceola Council on Aging
• All Faiths Foodbank of Sarasota
• Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida
• Bridge a Life
• Children’s Network of Southwest Florida
• Community Legal Services of Mid Florida
• Elder-Source – Area Agency on Aging for Northwest Florida

To apply for temporary or permanent housing repairs and to connect with other important recovery resources, impacted residents can visit the Unite Florida Hurricane Ian Recovery Portal at IanRecovery.fl.gov/Unite.

The Florida Disaster Fund, spearheaded by First Lady DeSantis, has raised more than $57 million to help with recovery in communities impacted by Hurricane Ian. The Florida Disaster Fund is the state’s private fund overseen by Volunteer Florida established to provide financial assistance to our communities as they respond to and recover from times of emergency or disaster. In partnership with public, private, and other non-governmental organizations, the Florida Disaster Fund supports response and recovery activities. To contribute, please visit www.FloridaDisasterFund.org or text DISASTER to 20222.

Donations to the Florida Disaster Fund are made to the Volunteer Florida Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and are tax-deductible. Donations may be made by credit card on the secure website www.floridadisasterfund.org or by check to the below address. Checks should be made payable to the Volunteer Florida Foundation and should include “Florida Disaster Fund” in the memo line.

Governor DeSantis Announces Statewide Springs Restoration

On Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced nearly $75 million for 30 statewide springs restoration projects to aid the recovery of and provide additional protection for Florida’s springs. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and four Florida water management districts have identified a broad suite of projects that include land acquisition, septic to sewer conversion, and water quality improvement efforts intended to increase aquifer recharge, improve spring flow, and protect springs and their spring runs. A list of projects funded today can be found here.

“Florida’s world-renowned springs are important to both our economy and environment,” said Governor DeSantis. “Our state is home to more large springs than any other state in the nation, and the projects announced today continue our mission to restore and protect them for current and future generations.”

“Governor DeSantis has championed water quality across the state,” said DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton. “As a result, Florida is better positioned to meet its water quality challenges, including nutrients in our iconic springs. We look forward to working with our partners in the water management districts, local governments, and other community leaders to implement these projects that will augment our ongoing restoration efforts.”

“Florida’s springs are among our most precious water resources,” said Chief Science Officer Dr. Mark Rains. “This diverse selection of projects will be complemented by existing DEP initiatives to increase facility inspections, water quality monitoring, and enforcement to restore this resource that defines our state.”

The selected projects reflect a collaborative effort with the DEP water management districts, community leaders, and local stakeholders. The contributions and cooperation of these agencies and individuals have been crucial throughout the development process. Combining and leveraging resources from various agencies across Florida allows for a more efficient and comprehensive restoration effort.

Recipients include St. Johns Water Manage District with $894,500. 

St. Johns River Water Management District

$894,500 for the Orange City Volusia Blue Spring Septic-to-Sewer Program to benefit Volusia Blue Spring. The project includes building two lift stations with collection systems and connecting 27 septic tanks in the springshed (area of land that contributes groundwater to a spring) and Priority Focus Area of Volusia Blue Spring. This project provides water quality and water supply benefits.

“Springs are one of Florida’s greatest resources, and in addition to being essential to our environment, springs provide world class recreational opportunities to our residents and visitors,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Mike Register. “We appreciate the support of Gov. DeSantis, along with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, for their continued focus on providing critical funding to protect our springs and water resources.” 

Since 2019, under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, Florida has invested $275 million to protect Florida’s iconic springs. This investment supports 118 projects with an estimated more than 599,135 pounds of Total Nitrogen (TN) reductions, per year. The projects announced today will provide an additional estimated 243,000 lbs/yr TN reduction.

Lists of the recent spring’s protection projects and projects funded in previous years can be found here.

ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHLEY MOODY 

Massive, Statewide Child Safety Initiative Launched by AG Moody

This week, Attorney General Ashley Moody launched the Child ID Kit program at One Buc Place in Tampa for all Florida kindergarten students. The kits will be available for the parents of all kindergarten students in Florida and will help in the event of a missing child by giving law enforcement more identifying information.

On average, more than 800,000 children go missing nationwide every year—with FDLE reporting more than 25,000 incidents of missing children statewide in 2021.

When a child goes missing, time is one of the most crucial factors in locating and reuniting them with their family. In these nightmare scenarios, it’s vital that law enforcement quickly receives accurate identification information.

That is where a Child ID Kit can be beneficial. These kits allow parents to record fingerprints, DNA, photographs, and other information about their children. Parents can then safely store these kits and hopefully never use them but should something go wrong—these kits can be quickly provided to law enforcement to help speed up search efforts.

We wanted to make sure parents have this tool at their disposal, and I am excited that we are bringing 250,000 Child ID Kits to Florida—one for every kindergarten student in the state. These kits will soon be given to school resource officers to distribute at schools in all 67 counties in Florida.

More information about the Child ID Kits can be found here.

Attorney General Ashley Moody Issues Consumer Alert on Google Voice Scam

Attorney General Ashley Moody is issuing a Consumer Alert warning Floridians about a Google Voice scam that appears to be on the rise. According to some reports, Google Voice scams are a top scam of 2022—and the Identity Theft Resource Center reports nearly 4,000 complaints about the scam in 2021, even reporting a preliminary increase this year. Attorney General Moody is warning Floridians about Google Voice identity theft and offering tips to avoid falling prey.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Scammers are preying on users who post in online marketplaces—posing as buyers in an effort to access a victim’s authentication code. If the scammer accesses the code and is able to set up a Google Voice account in a victim’s name, they may execute additional schemes that can cause great harm to the original target and potentially many other unsuspecting consumers. To avoid Google Voice identity theft, check out this latest Consumer Alert.”

CONSUMER ALERT: Google Voice Identity Theft is On the Rise - YouTube

VIDEO: Attorney General Moody Releases Scams at a Glance: Gift Card Grifters

Attorney General Ashley Moody is releasing a new Scams at a Glance resource to help Floridians spot and avoid gift card scams. As holiday shoppers search for the perfect present, gift cards are often a popular option. One study suggests that consumers plan to spend nearly half of holiday budgets on these items. However, the Federal Trade Commission reports that gift card scams account for more than a quarter of the cases the agency investigates. Attorney General Moody is releasing Scams at a Glance: Gift Card Grifters to help consumers avoid falling for scammers’ tricks during the holiday season.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Gift cards are the most common present given during the holiday season, so it is no surprise scammers devise schemes in an attempt to exploit these popular gifts. Before you buy or use a gift card, check out our new Scams at a Glance resource to be better prepared to spot and avoid these schemes.” More.

AG Moody Files Court Action Against Miami Company Sending Foreign Robocalls Around US

Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a court action to stop the flood of foreign-based robocalls that a Miami company, Smartbiz Telecom, LLC, routes into the United States. The Florida Attorney General’s Office is seeking injunctive relief, consumer restitution and civil penalties pursuant to the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and the Telemarketing Sales Rule.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The defendants helped facilitate the transmission of millions of foreign-based robocalls into the United States. They were warned multiple times about these harmful actions but refused to stop. Now, we are asking a court to shut them down and force them to pay restitution to consumers harmed by scams associated with these foreign-based robocalls.” More.

Attorney General Moody Takes Action to Shut Down Massive Moving Scam

Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a legal action against three individuals, two holding companies and multiple fraudulent moving brokerage businesses doing business under a variety of names, including Gold Standard Moving and Storage.

According to Attorney General Moody’s Consumer Protection investigation, the businesses acted as a common enterprise to deceive more than 400 Floridians into believing the company professionally handled moving services and promised to provide refunds if anything went wrong. Instead, the companies hired third parties to complete the moving services at subpar quality and refused to provide refunds.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The defendants promised top-quality moving services, but instead provided shoddy work, higher-than-advertised prices and loads of headaches for people simply trying to relocate. We are taking legal action to shut down this moving scam and recover funds for the hundreds of consumers harmed by this company’s deceptive practices.” More.