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Governor, Mayors Iorio And Baker Tout Bill

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By WILLIAM MARCH

wmarch@tampatrib.com

Published: February 14, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG - In the face of mounting criticism from within his own party, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist continued his push for the economic stimulus bill Friday, appearing in St. Petersburg with Mayor Rick Baker and Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio.

Crist said he thought the state would get about $10 billion from the package, which would substantially lessen the need to raise taxes or further cut state programs to cover a $5 billion-plus deficit in the coming state budget.

He acknowledged he had drawn criticism from Republicans, particularly for his appearance with President Barack Obama in Fort Myers on Tuesday.

But he said, "I really haven't thought about politics; I'm thinking about people."

The stimulus package, he said, is "about jobs, jobs, jobs."

Iorio and Baker showed up with lists of road projects they said are ready and waiting for money, including, in Tampa, a connector between Interstate 4 and the Selmon Crosstown Expressway to carry trucks to the port without having to go through Ybor City.

"There are some Republicans who support it," Crist said of the bill. "We're in a crisis. I think everyone understands that."

Baker, also a Republican, is a longtime political ally of Crist, and Iorio is a Democrat, but both hold nonpartisan offices. Crist is one of four Republican governors nationwide who backed the bill, but not a single Florida Republican in Washington voted for it.

Crist has angered Republican conservatives before with moderate stances on issues such as the environment and restoring voting rights for former felons, but his high popularity ratings have kept criticism muted.

Now, however, signs of disaffection, at least among GOP activists and insiders, are getting easier to find.

In Palm Beach this week, a Republican Party executive committee member moved that the county party should censure Crist for his friendly appearance with Obama in Fort Myers.

County party Chairman Sid Dinerstein ruled the motion was out of order because it had not been placed on the agenda beforehand, but it could be put forward again, and Dinerstein said there is significant support in the county party.

"It's a great bill if you hate your grandchildren," he said, referring to the national debt increase that critics say the bill will cause. "Obama has no problem selling out the next generation, but Republicans ought to know better."

Even Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, a political ally of Crist, took a swipe at him in Senate floor discussion of the bill, saying, "I don't know that my governor understands all the details in the package."

Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761.

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