Creating jobs and getting people back to work was the dominant theme of the 2010 state wide election (well, that and bashing President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and the health care bill). Yet curiously, most Florida Republicans said on the floor last week that it not raising taxes that they were elected to go to Tallahassee for, as they proudly took credit for the one thing they are constitutionally bound to do, which is balance the state's budget.
For Fasano, one of the most senior members of the Legislature who was first elected to the state House in 1994, this was one of his toughest sessions he says he can remember, because he says he and his staff were constantly on defense trying to block what he believed were more un-consumer friendly bills than he can ever remember.
Specifically, on the issue of insurance coverage, Fasano says he's pleased that he and others in the Senate were able to block some measures, such as increasing Citizens Insurance rates up to 25 percent, as well as allowing all home insurance policies to be raised an additional 20 percent above and beyond what was already approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation.
"It seemed as though we were playing defense in committee or on the Senate floor fighting off bad legislation that would have a negative impact on the little guy and gal," he told CL on Wednesday.
He said even victories, like getting a pill-mill bill passed, were particularly hard earned, referring to the fact that the House and Governor Rick Scott intended to repeal a prescription drug base database.
There have been rumors that Fasano, who will be term limited out of his Senate seat in 2012, may run for Congress in Florida's 5th District. When asked his plans, he gave out a hearty laugh before saying he hasn't made any plans to run for any particular office, and won't announce anything until later this year.
But he did say that he took himself off the Re-Districting Committee that he was assigned by Senate President Mike Haridopolos because he didn't want to be accused of helping create a seat for himself if he were chose to run for Congress or a Florida House seat.
