Mike Haridopolos and Mike Bennett Look to Increase Government Efficency

Cutting government waste and improving efficiency will be the chief topics of a forum hosted by incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, and Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, on Friday afternoon at the State College of Floridas Lakewood Ranch campus in Sarasota.

All over the state, we are hearing from businesses, employers and the public about the impact government intrusion and red tape has had on their ability to run their business and employ Floridians, said Haridopolos in a statement on Friday.It will be a priority of my presidency to lessen the regulations, reviews and duplications put on businesses by state and local governments.It is time to get Floridians back to work, and the first step to doing this is to help businesses through incentives and less regulation. Our businesses are on the front lines in the battle to combat unemployment, and we need to help them in any way we can.

In my area alone, I have heard of charter boat companies leaving Florida because of the length of time for permits and licensing, added Bennett. This is a real problem in our community, and I am sure my other colleagues around the state have heard the same from their local businesses.In a time of economic uncertainty, it is the local businesses and employers who can help put Floridians to work and stimulate our tourism-driven economy and tax base. I encourage all business advocacy groups and businesses in our area and across the state to join Senator Haridopolos and I at this forum so that we can hear firsthand what we need to do as state lawmakers to stimulate businesses and cut the red tape.