A newly published Sunshine State Survey released by Leadership Florida identifies "deep concerns about prolonged economic hard times."
The Survey finds that:
--- 65% of Floridians say their state government spends tax revenue in a relatively wasteful manner, up from 54% in 2010 and 45% in 2008.
--- 69% of Floridians believe community business leaders do what is right for the state only “some of the time” or “never.”
--- 71%, 77% and 77% say the same thing about their local, state and federal government leaders respectively.
Here in Miami-Dade County, our political leaders continue their utter disregard for taxpayers in wasting tax revenue as Jackson Memorial Hospital continues to bleed red ink with no end in sight.
Their internal auditor is investigating payments made to the Jackson Foundation Health Services (FHS) including 10 airline tickets over $1,000 and expenditures on computer equipment delivered to the home of the FHS CEO.
And yet, while receiving criticism from the Board of County Commissioners, County Manager George Burgess continues to bureaucratically explain away Jackson's problems.
Mr. Burgess should honor the intelligence of taxpayers and the $422,000 salary we pay him by proposing concrete measures on how he would fix the mess at the Public Health Trust.
Instead, all we get are platitudes.
Burgess tells commissioners there is a solution, but that it is "complex."
For $422,000 a year, Mr. Burgess is paid to do the complex.
If anyone wonders why over 70% of Floridians surveyed don't trust their local government leaders, the unaccountable George Burgess gives them good reason.
