Letters to the Editor

Community focus in 2011

Did you enjoy the Winter Park Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, Leadership Winter Park Pancake Breakfast or Ye’ Olde Hometown Christmas Parade? I hope so, and I hope they helped you get in the holiday spirit. The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce is proud to present these wonderful Christmas traditions, and I want to thank the staff, sponsors, members and volunteers (too many to mention) for their amazing efforts. This also includes the city staff, as well as the police and fire departments — we simply could not put these events on without their support.

In 2011, your Winter Park Chamber will continue with the 100-plus year history of not only being your Chamber of Commerce but also your chamber of community.

—Patrick Chapin

Winter Park Chamber of Commerce

President

Mayor is no administrator

In your Dec. 16 Our Observation, “Get to know new leaders”, you stated that Maitland’s new mayor “will spend the first few months learning the ropes of being mayor but, with several pressing issues in the city including redevelopment the downtown, the decisions he makes as mayor will set the course of the city’s future.” This is probably what a lot of people believe and is the reason that the city is in such a serious condition that will take a long time to fix. Maitland is a city manager-run city and not a mayor-run city. The city charter states, “… The mayor shall be a member of the council. In addition, he shall preside at meetings of the council, shall be recognized as head of the city government for all ceremonial purposes and by the governor for purposes of military law but shall have no administrative duties….” Learning the ropes should mean how to run a meeting. His only decision is the quality of the meetings, do citizens really have a voice, and one vote among five as to the direction to the city manager, period. There are no, “decisions he makes as mayor”.

—Bill Kahn

Maitland

Dogs hog front page

Multi-million dollar technology and advancement in medical and transportation are coming to the Winter Park/Maitland area. There is fabulous growth at the University of Central Florida. The No. 1 high school basketball player in the nation is from Winter Park. A total renovation of the city of Maitland is in progress. Yet, over half of the front-page stories in the Observer have been about dogs. Wow, where did my priorities get lost?

—Don Thompson

Winter Park

Obama’s drilling ban won’t stop threat to tourism

The Obama administration’s oil drilling ban announcement, though commendable, fails to grasp the scope of Florida’s oil drilling dilemma. The fact is that powerful out-of-state special interests are intent on adding Florida to the list of oil-drilling states, fundamentally changing its character in the process. The Obama administration’s seven-year ban will not prevent near-shore oil drilling in state waters and the inevitable industrialized coastlines from throttling tourism.

Other Gulf states long ago made the decision to be oil-drilling states. Florida never has. In 2006, impassioned Florida legislators pushed to keep oil drilling 230 miles from the Florida coast. Today, largely in part to the untimely passing of Jim King, the conscience of the Florida Legislature, we’re inundated with a rogue’s gallery of Sarah Palin wannabes pushing for oil drilling three miles off the Florida coast.

Never mind what just happened to Florida beaches, marine life and tourism in the wake of the BP disaster. Young bucks in Tallahassee see a way to make names for themselves by having the “courage” to seek a reversal of Florida’s 20-year ban on near-shore oil drilling in state waters. They act entitled … as if it were a rite of passage to be enjoyed by the closest of colleagues. Clearly, they’re under the influence. Awash in oil lobby dollars. And to think that the Carter administration laid the groundwork for their frontal assault on Florida’s priceless assets.

Jimmy Carter’s decision to return the Panama Canal to Panama set in motion a series of events that has Florida in the crosshairs. The subsequent widening of the Panama Canal has Tallahassee licking its collective chops. It’s all about shipping much more freight to industrialized coastlines. Several Florida billionaires are planning to open their own ports (and, yes, there is supposed to be an “s” following the word “port”.) along Florida’s pristine coasts. Oil drilling, oil storage tanks and beach overdevelopment complete the nightmare scenario.

Jeopardizing the mainstay of Florida’s tourism economy, its environment, puts our emblematic world-class beaches and coastal marine life at risk. They are Florida’s brand that brings our state great wealth. We are surrounded by hurricane-prone waters that preclude us from ever having “safe” near-shore oil drilling in Florida state waters. No oil rig could withstand a Hurricane Andrew. Finding the cause of Hurricane Andrew will be tough.

Even Washington shouldn’t need seven years to figure that out.

—Will Graves

Founder,

Friends of Florida’s Coasts

Program fosters small business

Looking back, 2010 was an interesting year. We have witnessed many changes in our community, state and country, and we are working on the road to recovery for our economy. It is certainly no secret that the world is changing and is becoming increasingly globalized. We are no longer competing with other counties or even other states, but rather other countries. We must meet this challenge in part by bringing new companies to Florida and by having Florida companies expand internationally. We can accomplish both with the right policies, the right investments and the right opportunities.

In terms of how we can facilitate and grow Florida’s companies into the international market, a key issue is the hurdles companies face in terms of access to foreign markets. A way to help these companies is with affordable working capital to expand.

The state of Florida, in partnership with the federal government and the bank community in the state are working to assist small and medium-sized businesses by providing access to direct loans up to $50,000 or loan guarantees up to $500,000 through the public-private partnership, the Florida Export Finance Corporation (FEFC). Created in Florida Statutes by the Legislature in 1993 as a not-for-profit corporation, the organization was charged with expanding employment and income opportunities to Florida residents by increased exports of goods and services. While other assistance is offered such as technical and consulting, financial assistance is the primary opportunity provided by the FEFC. There are many great features for financing provided by the FEFC for the small or medium-sized business looking to expand into exports such as no minimum size for financing package and flexible collateral requirements.

Fees are extremely reasonable and the major requirements for the program include that shipments must be from Florida and that the company must be a certain size to qualify, among others. Since its inception, more than $1 billion medium-term loan commitments have been arranged on behalf of small Florida exporters; $185 million in political and credit risk insurance to support sales for small Florida exporters has been arranged, with 100 percent of the companies being small businesses and approximately 72 percent are minority- and women-owned.

However, financing is only one part of the equation; making sure you’re ready for your intended market is the other. Enterprise Florida is another not-for-profit partnership between Florida’s government and business leaders and serves as the principal economic development organization for the state. Founded in 1996, Enterprise Florida has a similar mission to FEFC in that both organizations strive to create better opportunities and business climates in Florida. While Enterprise Florida has many programs in many business areas, it also has particular benefits for those companies looking to export from Florida. Most importantly, it has several international offices in key markets around the world such as Brazil, China and the United Kingdom. These offices not only provide valuable insights into the markets, but also can provide leads that are available for free online. Export counseling, educational events, and overseas trade missions and exhibits are just many of the opportunities provided to Florida companies.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming involved with international trade and exports, please feel free to visit Enterprise Florida’s website at www.eflorida.com. This website will provide information for all the services I’ve described as well as contact information for the FEFC. If you have further questions on this or any other state agency or issue, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 407-884-2023. As always, it is an honor to serve you. Happy New Year!

—State Rep. Bryan Nelson

District 38