Underhill Wins!!!!: (a Pyrrhic Victory)

"If we are victorious in one more such battle, we shall be utterly ruined" -King Pyrrhus of Epirus, 318-272 BC

A ruling in Federal Court was handed down earlier this week.  

It was a pyrrhic victory of epic proportion for disgraced former commissioner Doug Underhill in that he "Won" one aspect of a long brewing, long simmering and percolating case.  

Yes, a judge ruled for him (Underhill) in just ONE (1) aspect of this lawsuit. 

The suit was filed alleging Underhill violated the constitutional rights of constituent(s) by hiding comments and blocking comments on social media accounts he, Underhill, controlled--and the judge did side with Underhill on this.

But --even though the Judge ruled for Underhill on just this one aspect of the suit----another portion of the same ruling was simultaneously devastating to Underhill.

......Because the Judge also ruled for the plaintiff, David Bear, in the other, equally important part of the same suit-----and awarded $130, 425.50 to him (Bear) from Underhill for Underhill's failure to produce requested public records.

From the order:

"The Court previously found Bear entitled to an award of attorney’s fees against Underhill pursuant to the Florida Public Records Act, Fla. Stat. § 119.12, resulting from his failure to respond to a public records request for records within his custody.  The Court also determined that Underhill may be held personally liable for those fees as the responsible “agency,” within the meaning of the statute. ...The Clerk is directed to enter final judgment in favor of Bear and against Underhill on the Public Records Act claims of Counts I and III, including an award of attorney’s fees in the amount of $130,425.50 to Bear, and final judgment in favor of Underhill and against Bear on the First Amendment claim of Count VII, and close the file."

Read the full Ruling Here.

"If we are victorious in one more such battle, we shall be utterly ruined" -King Pyrrhus of Epirus, 318-272 BC

Is Florida "Full?"--Is Escambia County "Full?"

 

On member of the BCC publicly stated he feels the State of Florida and Escambia County are "Full" and by implication new citizens should not move here.  Seriously--I can't make this stuff up...

We had a very big agenda at our last BCC meeting on Thursday.  Lots of big issues, lots of important initiatives, and several interesting conversations.

One rather surreal exchange occurred when two of my items on the agenda were pulled for discussion by my counterpart on the board from D2.  These two items, which I think are important and which should not be controversial and which ulimately and eventually were approved by a usual 4-1 vote (with D2 voting against), involved the request for board support for a request to Triumph Gulf Coast for funding support to bring 122 new, good paying jobs to our area.  These jobs would be partially funded via the utilization of BP oil spill penalty funds provided to our area in the wake of the 2010 oil spill.

The wacky conversation was at it's heart built on an incorrect assertion that this Triumph Gulf Coast money is "taxpayer money."  It isn't--it's penalty money paid by British Petroleum for their negligent oil spill in the gulf which harmed our economy significantly in 2010-2011.  But the other part of the conversation that was equally wrongheaded, myopic, illogical, ignorant, and perplexing--was the vocalized assertion by D2  that Florida, Pensacola, and Escambia County are "Full!"  That's right, he actually stated that our state is too "full."

One of the craziest, most selfish things I have heard yet.  Not surprising I suppose, but really, insane.

Here's the thing:  Our state is fantastic--that's why we are the fastest growing state in the country and the third largest state, by population, in our nation.  Great weather, a great governor, great tax structure, plenty of jobs and an overall excellent quality of life.

I get the fact that growth changes things,  I get the fact that growth can be uncomfortable.  But when our nation's population nearly doubles in my lifetime--the growth extends outward and places grow.  That's a fact.  Add to this the reality that there are a lot of great citizens that languish in horribly-run blue states--places with high taxes, inept leadership, no good jobs, and horrible weather --- and these folks end up moving here in droves because Florida is the home of liberty and has the very things these other states lack.  To say we're full, or we shouldn't accept new arrivals, or to set up some bizzare binary choice construct thae crux of which is that current citizens who live here either accept no additional growth or they will totally sacrifice their current quality of life----- is ridiculous.  And inaccurate. And ludicous.   People are coming here because our nation is growing--and people have to live somewhere---and they want to live here.  Good--I'm happy for them.

To be so tone-deaf by having moved here from somewhere else yourself, to have "gotten yours" but now to deny that opportunity to others by saying "we're closed" is the absolute personification and illustration of rank hypocrisy.

Yes, growth must be managed.  Yes, the state and local communities can do better with managing growth. Yes, growth presents challenges.  But it also unlocks opportunity.   And without growth---taxes go sky high and that trend will continue and accelerate for the dwindling numbers of citizens who remain "trapped" in failing blue states.  By contrast--smart growth brings lower taxes, lower costs, diversity in entertainment options, dining options, and employment options, as well as quality of life enhancements.  It also brings new opportunities and new blood and fresh perspectives.

So in many respects it is a competition.  A competition for great, productive and motivated citizens, families, and companines.  Places like Florida (and Texas and Arizona) are winning this competition.  Places like New York, California, and Illinois---complete with dysfunctional state budgets, deficits, high taxes and ineptitude among leaders--are the losers.

And anyone that says we shouldn't take any new arrivals from these other dismal locations is living in la la land.

watch this exchange at 52:55 of this video.