Write Your Local Newspaper: Stop Secret Privatization in Florida

The Florida Legislature is back to its old tricks. Two destructive bills are being rushed through by Gov. Rick Scott and his cronies in the Legislature in an attempt to trample on every Floridian's right to know where their hard earned tax dollars are going.

SB 2036 and 2038 allow your state government to privatize any service without study or regard to costs, effectiveness, or performance. This could mean a delay of as much as two years before we even know if vendors are doing the jobs they're being paid to do. This would lay the groundwork for a whole sale giveaway of our tax dollars to the same big out-of-state special interests who gave huge campaign contributions to politicians in the Legislature and their allies.

Write your local newspaper using the easy form below to spread the word about the real danger of privatizing public safety with practically no oversight. Feel free to use our talking points to help write your letter.

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The Letter to the Editor Section is one of the most widely read sections of the newspaper and can reach a large audience. It allows community members to comment on the way issues are being addressed in the media and to influence the topics the local paper may choose to cover. Elected officials often monitor this section of the newspaper and take notice of constituents' opinions.

We've made it easy for you to contact your local newspaper with your views, but editors want to hear from you in your own words.

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SB 2036 and SB 2038 would allow the Legislature to privatize any state service with no substantive review and eliminate all transparency from the process, allowing legislative leaders to auction off Florida with no deliberation, no cost benefit analysis and no public input.

SB 2036 delays the receipt of key performance information on vendor contracts. SB 2038 exempts the privatization of correctional institutions from the competitive bidding requirements, bid disputes and rule challenges.

These bills essentially void all accountability and performance standards for state contracts. These exemptions apply to all state contracts in every program area of state government. This is a surrender of state government and the public treasury to special interests.

Legislators want to change the rules to hide the harmful economic impact of privatization from voters so they can reward special interests with contracts even when they cost more and are less efficient.

SB 2036 and SB 2038 would eliminate thousands of jobs at a time when Florida's working families need them most.

Both bills risk public safety by turning over prison security to the lowest bidder without any Governmental regulation or oversight!

Both bills lay the groundwork for a whole sale giveaway of our tax dollars to the same big out-of-state special interests who gave huge campaign contributions to politicians and their allies in Tallahassee. This is a clear attempt by the Legislature to return the favor by allowing contractors to make huge profits off of your tax dollars. That’s just not fair.

The safety of our communities is at risk with private prison operators. Private prisons have a history of poorly trained personnel and increased incidents of prison violence and escapes.

Legislators want to change the rules to hide the economic impact of privatization from voters so they can reward special interests with contracts even when they cost more and are less efficient.