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Top Three Takeaways – November 10th, 2021
- Florida’s booming. But you already knew that...It’s true of our housing market, economy and population generally. Some of what you might not have known however, is now available due to the details of the 2020 Census now being made available. It’s the Census, so the conversation starts with population and we’ve certainly added a lot of it over the past decade. 14.6% more people in Florida to be exact. 64 of Florida’s 67 counties gained population over the past decade, naturally including all of South Florida. That’s as illustrative of Florida’s growth as anything. While almost every county gained population in our state, that wasn’t true of the country as whole, where 42% of counties actually lost population last decade. And that’s just the jumping off point for what’s different here as compared to there (with there being just about anywhere else). You might say that Florida’s now growing from the middle out. That’s because, as expected, Orange County added the most people of any county over the past decade - with the Villages ranking as the fastest growing metro...not just in Florida but in the country. But Florida’s also growing from the bottom up. Nationally, the under 18 population actually decreased by 1.4% over the past decade. In Florida, we have the fastest rate of growth for the under-18 crowd adding nearly 200,000residents (2nd in total number only to Texas). So, for those who’ve suggested the future of the country looks a lot like Florida. They’re right, and somewhat literally. Of course, all of this is also currently being digested and considered as the state legislature is working on drawing new maps to reflect these changes. Speaking of what’s happening in our state...
- Yes, I am serious, I want the money back. Those are the words of Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis as he issued a warning to the Biden administration regarding migrant policy. On back of the news that the Biden administration intends to allocate $1 billion of taxpayer money to “settle” with migrant families who experienced child separation under the Trump administration, as is required by law (and has occurred under every administration since the Clinton administration due to a Supreme Court ruling in the Flores case), Patronis warned Floridians won’t pay for it. Patronis cited Florida accounts for 6% of the federal tax revenue and should the Biden administration issue the proposed DOJ payouts - he intends to withhold Florida’s share of the funding - $60 million. He also made clear he’s willing to litigate the matter in court if necessary. Once again quoting Patronis... So, if it is the Department of Justice’s intent to use dollars from Florida to both subsidize and incentivize illegal immigration to the United States, then I am demanding the federal government return those dollars back to Floridians. Yes, I am serious, I want the money back. Does anyone disagree with him? But once again about the Flores case and the rule of law regarding child separation at the border...
- It’s long been settled. I discussed this at length over two years ago as part of the debate regarding the very Trump administration policy being “settled” by the Biden DOJ today. Child separation isn’t a choice. It’s the law. For the same reason we don’t lock minors who’ve broken the law up with adults, we don’t do it for border detention centers either. The origin of the policy from a legal perspective derives from action taken during the Clinton administration. It stems from a 1997 Supreme Court judgement in “The Flores Case”. The case involved a 15-year-old girl who was detained with adults for those who lacked immigration status in the US. She was at the facility for approximately two months prior to being processed. During her time being detained with adults there were a series of issues/concerns/vulnerabilities she was subjected to that were later litigated. As part of a federal settlement in the Flores case this agreement was reached: The government cannot hold minors in adult detention centers for more than 20 days and must use the least-restrictive means necessary for that detention. After 20 days, federal authorities must transfer custody of children either to their legal custodians or to facilities that are licensed by state child-welfare organizations to care for children. The Trump administration adhered to the law with child separation policy, same as every president before him starting with Clinton. Now the Biden administration is bent on using your tax dollars to pay for those who’ve broken our country’s laws. So yes, I’m with Jimmy Patronis. I want our money back. That’s the least the feds can do. Especially as they’re continuing to fly illegal immigrants into Florida at night which is a whole other issue but yet another way, they’re using your tax dollars to pay for those who break our laws. It’s simply stunning.