It wasn’t too long ago when gasoline here and nationwide was more than $4 a gallon and tourism agencies were handing out gas cards to offset fuel costs and entice out-of-towners to visit.

Things sure have changed.

Pump prices, despite the gradual bump in recent weeks, remain far lower than that historic figure, hovering below $3. Out-of-staters are no longer deterred from driving or flying to Florida for business or pleasure. And it’s paying headline-making dividends.

Just days into the new year, some members of the Florida congressional delegation unveiled a proposal to permanently ban oil drilling off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico to federal waters, dozens of miles offshore, far out of sight and away from any fishing or recreational activities. Supporters claim these steps, if approved, will help Floridians. We’re listening to our constituents, they say.