Florida Legislators Raid CCW Trust Fund

[ericire12]

Florida - -(AmmoLand.com)-

In a last minute sneak attack on gun owners, the Florida Legislature raided the concealed weapons and firearms licensing trust fund. This not only effects resident CCW license holders, but non-resident Florida license holders as well!

They took $6 million from the Division of Licensing Concealed Weapons and Firearm Trust Fund that is intended, by law, to be used solely for administering the concealed weapons and firearms licensing program. (Read background information below)

Please Call, Fax, or Email Governor Charlie Crist IMMEDIATELY, and ask him to veto the $6 Million trust fund sweep from the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Division of Licensing authorized under Section 59 of the Conference Report of SB-2600.

Please send your email today!!!!!

And/or please contact the Governor’s office by phone or fax ASAP.
Phone number: (850) 488-4441 or (850) 488-7146
Fax number: (850) 487-0801

Send your email to the Governor at this address: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com

BACKGROUND:
Right now, the concealed weapons and firearms licensing program is backlogged and overloaded, due in part, to the refusal of budget officials and the Legislature to allow the Division of Licensing to use its own trust fund money to hire more employees and expand/upgrade equipment.

Crates of unopened mail containing license and license renewal applications sit in storage. The backlog of mail sitting unopened, at times, has extended beyond 90 days while existing licenses are expiring because renewal applications haven’t been opened and processed.

Currently (although the Division of Licensing has been working weekend shifts to clear the backlog), it is taking 13-14 weeks to process a “perfect” application once it has been opened. That is an unequivocal violation of the law that requires issuance or denial of a license by a specific time –– a violation of law that legislative leaders are condoning by their actions.

THE LAW REQUIRES THE DIVISION OF LICENSING TO ISSUE A LICENSE WITHIN 90 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF THE APPLICATION – or deny the license “for cause”, based upon the criteria set forth in the law. Theft of operating funds by the Legislature is not “just cause” for failure to issue licenses or renewals within 90 days.

While applications sit gathering dust, legislative leaders took $6 million of approximately $8 million held in the trust fund. That $6 million is supposed to be used to pay employees, buy upgraded equipment, upgrade or replace computers or software and to otherwise administer the concealed weapons and firearms licensing program.

BUT, feigning a desperate need for funds for education and health care, legislative leaders recklessly and ruthlessly confiscated trust fund money. Why? Because they were building a so-called “working capital” fund for the 2010-12 legislative term, reported now to be in the neighborhood of $1.8 BILLION DOLLARS. This so-called “working capital fund” is for the use of future legislative leaders.

They didn’t take that money for education. They didn’t take that money for health care. They didn’t take that money to save jobs. They didn’t take that money to avoid pay cuts, or budget cuts — they took the money to help build their own fund.

While Senate leadership reportedly fought to stop the ruthless raids on trust funds, in the end, they simply caved and let the House of Representatives prevail.

The bad behavior doesn’t end there.
Obviously fearing the Governor would use his line-item veto to stop trust fund raids, proviso language was inserted in the bill in a clear attempt to intimidate the Governor.

The proviso language, states that if any portion of the moneys swept from this and other trust funds does not become law (meaning it is vetoed), that portion of the money shall be deducted from the EDUCATION BUDGET. This is clearly designed to keep the Governor from vetoing trust fund sweeps, and prevent trust fund money from being taken back out the House leadership’s so-called “working capital” fund.

Money in the concealed weapons trust fund came from gun owners. No money to administer and run the concealed weapons and firearms licensing program has ever come from general revenue, or any other state fund or revenue source. The taking of these gun owner user fees is an unauthorized tax on the exercise of the Second Amendment.

http://www.ammoland.com/2009/05/11/florida-legislators-raid-ccw-trust-fund/

[Hazcat]

Here is what I sent

Dear Governor Crist,

Use must use your line item veto on this raid of the CCW trust fund.  The fund was created solely for the administration of the CCW program.

Currently there is a severe CCW processing backlog and this money is to be used to allay that backlog.

The Congress feigning a desperate need for funds for education and health care, legislative leaders recklessly and ruthlessly confiscated trust fund money. Why? Because they were building a so-called “working capital” fund for the 2010-12 legislative term, reported now to be in the neighborhood of $1.8 BILLION DOLLARS. This so-called “working capital fund” is for the use of future legislative leaders.

They didn’t take that money for education. They didn’t take that money for health care. They didn’t take that money to save jobs. They didn’t take that money to avoid pay cuts, or budget cuts — they took the money to help build their own fund.

This is a despicable (but predictable) power and money grab for the good of Congress and no one else.

Veto this money grab of the CCW trust fund and reign in this out of control Congress.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

[tombogan03884]

Under the title CCW rip off I sent the "background" and added this short note:
Governor, I hope you realize that this type of THEFT is what sent Jimmy Hoffa to prison.

[Steyr M40A1]

So far I have sent a letter to Crist and the two reps. Now to hit each congressman too!

[twyacht]

Now wait just a damn minute,.... My 90 days is up May 17th. for my FL.  CCW permit. Charles Bronson,at the Dept of Agriculture that processes applications hired 62 extra employees to process the 2600 CCW applications PER WEEK in Jan.

I mailed my permit packet Mon. Feb. 16th, certified mail, they cashed my $117.00 check in March, BY LAW they have to notify me within 90 days that it either will take more time, or mail me my permit!

Here it is crunch time, and I have heard nothing. It is the one revenue stream in Fl. Gov't that has STEADY revenue to the State.

Crist is for lack of a better word: a RINO, now announced he's running for Senate. Endorsed the BHO porkulus package, ....

Either way, where's my damn permit after 90 days!

You can bet your bottom dollar I'll email him.....I am a news hound and haven't seen this on the local networks,.......

Hmmmmm,....

Bastards,,,,all of them....

[Sponsor]

[runstowin]

Politicians lie, and liars become politicians.

[fightingquaker13]

Politicians lie, and liars become politicians.

Its not just lies here. Its a combination of cowardice and inflexible ideology as well in Fl. The basic problem is this. Florida government, under both parties and for decades, but particularly the last twenty years, has been in the  pockets of developers.They permitted massive developments, with one or two access roads onto main arteries and didn't charge serious  impact fees. The result is that there is a huge demand for roads, schools, public safety etc. This expense is increased by the fact that so much of the population is made up of either the elderlly and lowpaid immigrants in the service industries. The thing is that the legislature (now GOP dominated) has drunk the reagan Koolaid and won't raise taxes to pay for the services that their own lack of planning made necessary. We're trying to get by with property taxes that people can't pay with the housing bust and sales taxes that hurt small business. They won't even talk about a state income tax. As a result, they're trying to paper things over with short term stunts, not caring that its just creating more problems. Yeah, we'll get you licence in 90 days, assuming the two guys in the office with manual typewriters can process the info. It is a classic case of politicians being in compete denial of reality.
FQ13

[runstowin]

You're right, every politician, as opposed to a statesman, has his price.

[Steyr M40A1]

They won't even talk about a state income tax.
FQ13

Man I hope NOT. That is a good reason to stay here in FL. No state income tax! I like GA but not the higher sales tax that applies to everything, and the state income tax.

But no matter how much is collected, it will be spent, and not wisely either!

[fightingquaker13]

Man I hope NOT. That is a good reason to stay here in FL. No state income tax! I like GA but not the higher sales tax that applies to everything, and the state income tax.

But no matter how much is collected, it will be spent, and not wisely either!

Yeah, but where's the money gonna from? The old days when we could get by with the "yankee tax" on hotel beds is long gone, property taxes are killing homeowners and sales taxes hurt the poor and business owners. Yet the roads need to be built, the schools improved, the cops need a paycheck etc. There isn't enough fat to cut. Its a problem that could have been prevented with better control over development but the cat has not only left the bag but is currently taking a dump on our bed.
FQ13