Florida's Economy

By PAUL SULLIVAN | Highlands Today
Published: February 23, 2009

I am an enterprising taxpaying citizen. I am a farmer willing to diversify any way imaginable to continue paying my bills without borrowing money.

My governor Charlie Crist is faced with the same decisions I have to make. He has the option to research diverse revenue producing options for the State of Florida or pledge this taxpayer's assets to pay back Florida's bad debt.

Gov. Crist can choose to model the State of Florida after the failed fiscal policy of California, which is faced with firing 20,000 state employees and shutting down the government, or Alaska with a treasure trove of surplus funds to survive the undetermined years of government-created depression.

Gov. Crist opted to borrow money from the federal government following the failed model of California and add that debt service to Florida's existing deficit.

Florida is as diverse as Alaska. Gov. Crist has as many options as Gov. Palin. Florida can better survive its fiscal crisis debt-free, long-term, by farming its offshore oil resources.

Gov. Crist can farm our resources into a self-sustaining state or tax Florida into poverty to repay the debt. I remain a concerned citizen.

Paul Sullivan
Avon Park