Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/143399
OPINION MONEY FOR NOTHING EDITORIAL Gov. Rick Scott and his Republican cohorts in the Legislature like to crow often and loudly about what good guardians they are of the taxpayers' pocketbooks. Yet they duplicitously use political sleight-of-hand to pick the taxpayers' other pockets. drivers … only it will not be doing anything to earn that money. Instead, it forces county tax collectors — and the county taxpayers they serve — to pick up the tab for any extra capital investment and personnel expenses, so state drivers essentially will end up paying double. There is no better example than their require- In a recent appearance before the County ment, passed in 2011 and signed into law Commission, Sarasota County Tax Collector by Scott, that all county tax collectors take Barbara Ford-Coates estimated it will cost her over complete responsibility for all driver's office millions of dollars over the next several license testing and isyears as she prepares suance no later than to take on the extra Sarasota County Tax Collector duties. June 2015. Barbara Ford-Coates estimated it will cost Of course, the state her office millions of dollars over the next will continue to re- several years as she prepares to take on the ceive the funds it al- extra licensing duties. ways did for providing this service to Florida In addition to extensive renovations of her existing offices in the Terrace Building in downtown Sarasota,