Santamaria blames scaled-back Crist meeting for skipping Tallahassee lobbying trip

Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria blamed a perceived slight by Gov. Charlie Crist for keeping him away from the county’s lobbying trip to Tallahassee this week. Santamaria has been a past critic of county commissioners spending taxpayers’ money to travel to Tallahassee for meetings and receptions with lawmakers, especially since the county already invests in a team of lobbyists. Santamaria, however, was going to make an exception and join in on this year’s trip to get a meeting with the governor to discuss The Acreage cancer cluster. Santamaria’s western district includes The Acreage and he thought he had arranged to meet with the governor to discuss getting more state money to help pay for the response to the cluster. Santamaria wants the state to help pay for residents to switch from well water to county water lines. But after planning to travel to Tallahassee, Santamaria said he was told that Crist was busy and the county contingent would instead meet with representatives of the governor’s office. The possibility that Crist would “drop in” on the meeting for a few minutes was not worth the trip, considering other county representatives would already be there, Santamaria said. “It was basically an insult,” Santamaria said about not getting a full-fledged sit-down with the governor. County Commission Chairman Burt Aaronson still considers the meeting Wednesday with the governor and his representatives an important chance to push for more state help with the cancer cluster and other issues,

such as help for residents stuck dealing with defective Chinese drywall. The “Palm Beach County Days” lobbying trip is an annual event timed with the start of the 60-day state Legislative session. The registration list this year includes 130 local politicians, business leaders and representatives of interest groups that will host parties, put on exhibits and meet with legislators to draw attention to a host of issues. “It’s 80 percent just social, hobnobbing with the legislators, but I can meet with them here,” Santamaria said. “What’s the use of me spending three days there to have some fun? … I can spend my three days more productively here.” Instead of tagging along on the Tallahassee trip, Santamaria said he has turned his attention to reaching out to the federal government to try to get financial help to deal with The Acreage cancer cluster. Santamaria said when he needs to lobby state legislators, he can call them or talk to them when they come home. Aaronson had urged all commissioners to make the trip to Tallahassee. Along with Aaronson, commissioners Karen Marcus, Priscilla Taylor and Jeff Koons were scheduled to attend this week’s lobbying trip. Commissioner Shelley Vana had a prior commitment and Commissioner Steven Abrams said he didn’t need to go because he felt the other commissioners attending would ensure the county was well represented.

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Santamaria blames scaled-back Crist meeting for skipping Tallahassee lobbying trip

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