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Talk of the bay

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 21, 2006

TOURISM AD DOLLARS? LET'S HAVE A DOUBLE

You can't accuse Florida tourism boosters of thinking small. A group called the Partnership for Florida's Tourism launched a campaign Wednesday to more than double public funding for Visit Florida, the state's tourism marketing arm, from $24.7-million to $59-million a year. The coalition of local tourism bureaus, tourist business groups and attractions will lobby legislators to give Florida more resources - like network television ads - to battle other states for tourist dollars. The partnership doesn't have a funding source in mind, but is working with industry leaders on "a creative funding solution," said Betsy Couch, a Visit Florida spokeswoman. The agency's public money now comes from a slice of the state's $2-a-day tax on rental cars.

We're here for that insurance relief

If state lawmakers have somehow forgotten how dire the property insurance crisis is, a group of bay area residents plans to jog their memories. With signs, banners and bullhorns. Pasco County-based H.A.C., an advocacy group of more than 1,000 Central Florida homeowners, is organizing a protest rally in Tallahassee on Jan. 16, the first day of a special legislative session that will focus on insurance. Formerly known as Home- owners Against Citizens, the group has changed its name with its acronym now standing for Having Affordable Coverage. Round-trip bus fare for the one-day event is $30, and buses are scheduled to leave from the Gulf View Square mall in Port Richey. For information, visit www.hacfl.org or call (727) 967-8220.

It's tough being a Florida female

The Institute for Women's Policy Research gives Florida a dismal D+ in its report card of best and worst state economies for women, which it released Wednesday. Florida scored low in labor force participation among women (47th place, with 55.4 percent) and median annual earnings (29th, at $30,000), among other criteria. But there were bright spots. The state ranked seventh in earnings ratio between women and men: Women here earn 80.6 percent of what men earn. (Of course, in no state did the typical female worker earn as much as the typical male.)

[Last modified December 20, 2006, 23:08:02]