FreedomWorks

When states are faced with a budget deficit, the fiscally prudent solution is to tighten spending and cut waste before increasing taxes. Florida is currently facing a $2.3 billion budget gap, and State Representative Jim Waldman is calling for a $1 per pack jump in the state cigarette tax.

Representative Waldman is trying to fool voters by calling the tax hike a ‘user fee,’ knowing that tax hikes are unpopular.

FreedomWorks Florida and it’s grassroots army of over fifty thousand citizen activists is working to help bring real, lasting, and fundamental property tax reform to Florida by signing and gathering signatures for the "1.35 percent solution."

FreedomWorks Florida Field Coordinator Tim Gaitens commented:

Florida State Director John Hallman made a presentation on TABOR to the Palm Beach County Commissioners annual budget hearing on September 8th. Palm Beach county government has enjoyed increased revenues over the last several years due to the increased property values, currently an 80 million dollar increase over last years property tax revenues.

On Tuesday Feb 5th, Florida FreedomWorks VCL Tom Gaitens met with Congressman Adam Putnam (12th) to discuss various issues concerning the members of FreedomWorks.

Congressman Putnam agreed to be part of a future Social Security Reform Forum or Debate that FreedomWorks is planning for Sun City, Florida, sometime in the near future.

On Thursday, April 14th, FreedomWorks Florida State Director John Hallman met with Matthew Hunter, who serves as Florida Director for Senator Martinez.

John Hallman discussed the 2005 FreedomWorks Freedom Agenda issues, such as the Asbestos Trust Fund, Social Security Reform, Tax Code Reform and other Tort Reform issues. John Hallman reported that the meeting was successful and John was pleased with the response from Matthew Hunter.

FreedomWorks sponsored an event with John Stossel of ABC news show "20/20" on March 29th in Boca Raton, Florida and 275 people showed to hear John Stossel's presentation entitled "Freedom and its Enemies". John Stossel is currently the co-anchor of ABC News weekly news magazine "20/20". Early in John's career, he believed that government was the best defense against greedy wrongdoers. But after repeatedly witnessing our economic and political leaders expensive, ineffectual solutions firsthand, John Stossel had an epiphany: free markets are actually the consumer's best friend.

FreedomWorks sponsored an event with John Stossel of ABC news show "20/20" on March 29th in Boca Raton, Florida and 275 people showed to hear John Stossel's presentation entitled "Freedom and its Enemies". John Stossel is currently the co-anchor of ABC News weekly news magazine "20/20". Early in John's career, he believed that government was the best defense against greedy wrongdoers. But after repeatedly witnessing our economic and political leaders expensive, ineffectual solutions firsthand, John Stossel had an epiphany: free markets are actually the consumer's best friend.

Please join us this Tuesday to hear John Stossel!

Tuesday, March 29, 2005
7 p.m.
University Theatre
Florida Atlantic University
777 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL

In his talk, Freedom and its Enemies, libertarian journalist John Stossel will point to the extraordinary benefits of individual liberty and free markets and what he has learned in his 30-year journey from his job as a Portland, Oregon, consumer reporter to his current position as ABC’s in-house contrarian.

FreedomWorks has endorsed the following bill and needs your assistance for it to become law.

Florida State Director John Hallman continues to travel around Florida attending Social Security Townhall meetings and distributing literature promoting Personal Retirement Accounts. On March 1st, John attended a debate between Congressman Clay Shaw and Congressman Robert Wexler in West Palm Beach.

On March 18th, John attended President Bush's Social Security Townhall meeting in Orlando and on March 21st, John attended Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart's Social Security Townhall meeting in Miami.