By ROBERT TRIGAUX, Times Business Columnist
Published August 23, 2006
Political campaigns may be the last place to look for real answers to sticky state problems. But last night's televised debate between Republican candidates-for-governor Charlie Crist and Tom Gallagher offered a brief hint that Florida's economy will be a mainstream issue in the fall election.
In a fast-moving hour, Crist, the state's attorney general, and Gallagher, the state's chief financial officer, touched on a range of economic hot buttons for Floridians, yet both largely failed to make convincing arguments that they have any breakthrough answers.
On the state's property insurance woes - perhaps Florida's biggest crisis - Crist deviated from the status quo, delivering the more cogent populist punch by directly criticizing insurance companies. He condemned the creation of Florida-only insurance subsidiaries - that then claim they are losing money from storm losses - by the same nationwide insurance parents that report big profits.
Gallagher argued too many Floridians are selling their homes because their insurance bills are too high, claiming insurance companies created their Florida-only affiliates when he was not around to stop them.
"Now the genie is out of the bottle," Gallagher said during the debate. "We are stuck with it."
It was a telling moment of resignation in an evening when economic issues from oil drilling to property taxes to tourism were cited as critical challenges that will confront the next governor when he takes office early next year.
Tonight's debate between two Democratic contenders, U.S. Rep. Jim Davis and state Sen. Rod Smith, may also shed some small light on Florida's economic future. The state primary is Tuesday, Sept. 5.
