Crists team released the plan, claiming property insurance rates went up during Scotts time in Tallahassee.
Charlie Crist knows that the high cost of property insurance can drain household finances and stifle business growth, the Crist camp claimed. As the Peoples Governor, Charlie Crist always put the interests of Floridians before big corporations, lobbyists, and other special interests. During his first term, Charlie took on the insurance companies to lower the cost of insurance and protect Floridians policies. Rick Scott, in a sharp contrast, has used the power of the governors office to help his insurance industry donors and their wealthy cronies, while forcing Florida property owners to bear the brunt of anti-consumer policies. Under Rick Scott, property insurance costs have risen and coverage has been reduced. In other words, Floridians are paying more money for less coverage.
Crists plan calls for working to lower premiums, working with the Legislature to undo some of Scotts policies despite both chambers expected to remain under GOP control after November, increase transparency, increase funding for the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (Cat Fund) and advocate for a federal Cat Fund.
Scotts team quickly fired back, dismissing Crists record on property insurance and his new proposals.
Charlie Crist has already tried the Obama playbook of bigger government and skyrocketing debt to deal with property insurance rates, said Matt Moon, a spokesman for the Scott campaign, on Thursday. Unsurprisingly, Florida taxpayers were left on the hook for billions and homeowners were left with fewer options to protect their property. Under Gov. Scott, Florida has done the exact opposite, reforming and shrinking Citizens Insurance while giving consumers more choice and competition to protect their home. Florida cant afford four more years of Charlie Crist using President Obamas playbook in Tallahassee."
Scott also attempted to link Crist to Obama at a campaign appearance in Miami on Thursday to promote the governors call for more tax cuts.
Four years ago, Florida was going through some tough times, Scott said. Charlie Crist ran the state into the ground and ran up spending and debt when we could least afford it. He called his tax hikes the right thing to do. Charlie Crist and Barack Obama think that government creates jobs and money grows on trees because theyre both career politicians who have never run a business or created a single job. We threw out Charlie Crists Obama playbook and cut taxes 40 times, cut spending, and paid down our debt for the first time in decades. And now were going to continue Floridas turnaround with a $1 billion tax cut commitment to Floridas families over the next two years.
For his part, Crist will be trying to show off the support of another Democrat who sat in the White House, in former President Bill Clinton. Crist and Clinton will be campaigning together in Miami on Friday.
President Clintons been fighting on the front lines for years on the issues we care about: equal pay for women, raising the minimum wage, expanding health care to everyone who needs it, and making sure that everyone has a fair shot at success, Crist insisted last week when his campaign announced the appearance with Clinton. Hes better than anyone at explaining why what were doing matters. Im looking forward to kicking off the final two months of this campaign with him.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
