EDITORIAL: For Florida CFO, Jeremy Ring the better choice over Jimmy Patronis | Editorial
Patronis has had the job since
Patronis had been serving on the
The commission regulates utilities, notably power companies. Patronis had no background in energy or law. Scott justified the appointment by saying that Patronis is a small businessman who works at his family's famous seafood restaurant in
On
During his interview with the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Ring said his challenge is "to convince people that the job exists."
It certainly does. In some ways, the chief financial officer is the most important member of the Florida Cabinet, which also includes the governor, attorney general and commissioner of agriculture.
Ring proposes that the state create a program to shift risk from insurers to private investors in the form of financial instruments. His premise is that if insurers bear less risk of catastrophes, rates will come down. The premise is similar to what former
Ring's plan might require legislative approval. It would be complicated and might not work. But Ring at least acknowledges that steadily rising homeowner insurance rates threaten the state's economy. That's more than we've heard from Patronis.
The CFO also has responsibility for state pensions. In 2015, on his third try, Ring successfully sponsored legislation that reformed police and fire pensions. That compromise between unions and local governments helped cities and counties and protected employees.
Before moving to
In an email from his campaign, Patronis criticized Ring for having "no real experience dealing with major financial decisions." Patronis also claims credit for
Patronis, though, has been in office for just 15 months. He never had to deal with the worst of the Great Recession, when pension funds crashed. As the
Patronis calls himself "a public servant at heart" and notes the number of arrests for insurance fraud since he started, but his record suggests that he would not be the tough regulator the office needs.
As a legislator, Patronis sponsored bills that eased environmental regulations. On the
More recently, Patronis appeared to carry out Scott's dirty work by forcing out the state's top financial regulator. The governor had tried to run off
Patronis has pitched his campaign especially hard at firefighters. First responders, he said, have more access to mental health benefits. Now Patronis wants full disability payment for firefighters who get cancer. The concern among cities and counties, though, is that such coverage would include cancers that aren't linked to the job and will boost insurance costs.
As with other races that involve members of the Florida Cabinet -- who serve on the Clemency Board -- we note the difference between Ring and Patronis on rights restoration for ex-felons. Ring favors the constitutional amendment that would grant automatic restoration except for those who committed murder or sexual assault.
Patronis does not, saying. "I've said from the start that I will always side with the victims." But the amendment is not an attack on victims. It seeks to free
Patronis is the go-along candidate with outdated ideas.
Editorials are the opinion of the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board and written by one of its members or a designee. The Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor
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