Rubio Offers Real World Solutions
Photos/Text By Renee Burrell
Captain Trevor Palledeno (blue shirt, center) and other charter boat captains and fishermen gathered at Latitudes Restaurant to meet with Rubio.
MADEIRA BEACH - U.S. Senate Republican candidate Marco Rubio made two stops in Tampa Bay Tuesday to present "Reclaim America's Future and Help The Gulf Coast Recover."
The first stop was to unveil 12 steps to grow the economy at Crabby Bill's restaurant in Tampa. The next to get input from charter boat captains and fisherman at Latitudes Restaurant in Madeira Beach and to lay out his 11 ideas for the Gulf Coast to overcome the economic caused by the BP oil spill.
Rubio accused other political leaders of being focused on photo ops and finger pointing. His 11 Simple Ways To Help The Gulf Coast Economy Recover Are:
- Make The Claims Process Simpler, Transparent and Efficient. The filing and payment of claims will not end when the leaking well is finally capped. Throughout the foreseeable future, businesses and individuals will be seeking to recoup losses and the process, as currently conducted, is broken. As a U.S. Senator, Marco will ensure that the claims process is simpler, transparent and efficient, and that when Gulf constituents leave the claims office, they will do so with clear expectations of when and what funding amounts they will receive from claims.
- Pass a Gulf Opportunity Zone. Similar to the GO Zone Act that followed Hurricane Katrina in 2005, this zone would provide targeted tax relief and authorize the establishment of bonds focused on recovery. Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) proposed this plan to President Obama last month and introduced legislation on July 1.
- Start an Economic Development Fund. The lack of tourists driving, flying, and spending money will cause seemingly unrelated businesses to fail due to the region's complex economy. As noted in the Pensacola News-Journal, it will be nearly impossible to "make it right" to all those who have been adversely impacted by the oil spill. This is why we need to call for the establishment of a Gulf region Economic Development Fund. BP should commit a significant amount of funds that, immediately and over time, will go toward rehabilitating and investing in the region as a whole. Delivered directly to county Economic Development Councils, these dollars would be used to recruit new employers, give residents an opportunity to start their own small business, develop incubation programs, and prompt existing businesses to expand.
- Sales Tax Partial Holiday. We should allow businesses in affected areas to keep a portion of the sales tax they generate. BP would be responsible for all lost tax revenues.
- Property Tax Relief. For homes and businesses that see their property values diminished, assessed values should go down as well. BP should reimburse all lost property tax revenue.
- Make Claims Checks Tax Exempt. The Gulf Oil Spill Relief Fund is designed to help those who's economic well being and revenue has been impacted. Similar to legislation after September 11, the federal government should act immediately so that Floridians and the people of the Gulf Coast receive a full gross relief check. BP should cover any tax losses.
- Small Business Administration (SBA) Reform. Through its disaster loan program, the SBA is accustomed to dealing in the shorter-term to assist in business recovery, but this oil spill response will be longer and much more involved than usual disasters. The SBA needs to recognize this and adapt its processes and policies. An example of a flaw in the process is the SBA offering one-year deferments on all approved loans to affected businesses. It is likely that the spill's clean up and response will be ongoing when loan payments start coming due. A common-sense alternative is for the deferment to begin, if requested by the lendee, when the spill is certified to have been cleaned-up.
- Support Bipartisan Relief Efforts. The Senate package of tax breaks would go towards those hit hard by the oil spill. Ranging from tax deferrals to the extension of the net operating loss (NOL) carryback period, these breaks would go a long way to helping the region rebound.
- Stop Foreclosures for Those Affected. People adversely affected by the oil spill should not have to worry about losing their homes. Congressmen Miller and Adam Putnam (R-FL) have put forth a bill that would allow for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide forbearance for those sustaining economic losses due to the oil spill and to evaluate what resources and programs available within the agency could provide further assistance.
- Relax Onerous Fishing Bag Limits and Seasons. Recreational, for-hire charter, and commercial fishing is an important driver to the Gulf economy. Beyond a robust commercial fishing industry, many businesses, hotels, and restaurants depend on the visitor traffic created by those seeking adventure off the Florida coast through deep-sea or back-bay sport fishing. Yet reckless, inflexible regulations imposed upon anglers by fishery oversight bodies have often served as a death nail to communities reliant upon sport fishing and related tourism. Last year, we witnessed the dramatic impact of an abrupt closure of the Amberjack fishing season right in midst of the economically important Destin Fishing Rodeo. We need to stop placing knee-jerk policies ahead of fishermen's livelihoods merely because well funded outside groups push for such policies to further their self-interested agendas. When it is safe to do so for the next two years, we need to focus on opening our waters with relaxed quotas for all fishing.
- Tourist Development Council (TDC) Reserves. We should access TDC reserves to provide local businesses with tax relief or credits. BP would reimburse the TDCs for used reserves. In addition, any money given by BP for TDC advertising should have spending deadlines that are flexible and long-term.
Rubio unveiled 23 ideas to help the country Tuesday and spoke in Madeira Beach about the government's extraordinarily poor response to the Gulf oil spill.
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