South Florida Wants to Secede

[kutter]

Miami-area lawmakers are proposing adding a 51st star to the American flag. City of South Miami commissioners have approved a resolution that calls for splitting Florida in half. The resolution outlines a new state, made up of 24 counties in the southern part of the peninsula.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/22/us/south-florida-secession-new-state/

I live in Broward County so I guess you could say I have an interest in this. The whole thing is a load of crap because they claim it is about rising sea levels and climate change, specifically the fact that portions of south Florida are not much above sea level. Ok, I will sort of buy that, but if that is the case, then, you do not need to go any further north than Palm Beach County if you wish to address this, but they suggest specifically including Orlando and Disney but not Daytona which is even lower than south Florida. Really? How the hell is this about rising sea levels when you exclude coastal areas lower than you and include something that will never be threatened but is the largest revenue stream for the state?

It is such a thinly veiled agenda to simply control the revenue stream of Central Florida, which does not even share the political views of the southern portion of the state, having more in common with the panhandle than northern Cuba.

[Gelston]

Without reading the article, how can Miami vote to take over all that land?

[kutter]

Without reading the article, how can Miami vote to take over all that land?

They cannot, it is the idea of a few people in south Florida. they feel like Tallahassee is not responsive to their demands; and since probably 1/3 of the states population is in the 3 counties that really make up south Florida they feel they should have more say. Even the current person driving it admits it will never happen. I would see central Florida forming their own state before they joined south Florida.

[Gelston]

Ah okay. They are just trying to be heard by doing something wacky.

[Viekn]

I also live in Broward. The revenue thing is definitely part of it, but a big factor is that no one in Tallahassee really ever seems to take seriously what anyone says in the bottom half of the state. This applies to revenue, rising sea levels, sports stadiums, etc. Plus splitting the state in two would mean that when I finally become too conservative to bear living in south Florida, I can just move to the new North Florida instead of having to move out of the state all together.

Regarding Miami taking control of the land, they wouldn't. They're just trying to bring the issue more to light and maybe get more people interested so that it actually ends up on a statewide ballot; which I'd like to see.

[kutter]

I also live in Broward. The revenue thing is definitely part of it, but a big factor is that no one in Tallahassee really ever seems to take seriously what anyone says in the bottom half of the state. This applies to revenue, rising sea levels, sports stadiums, etc. Plus splitting the state in two would mean that when I finally become too conservative to bear living in south Florida, I can just move to the new North Florida instead of having to move out of the state all together.

Regarding Miami taking control of the land, they wouldn't. They're just trying to bring the issue more to light and maybe get more people interested so that it actually ends up on a statewide ballot; which I'd like to see.

Not sure anyone in south Florida, especially Miami has anything to say about sport stadiums after the debacle of the Marlin stadium and now no one attends the games.

As for the other issues, I admit the northern and southern parts of the state are very different, so consequently they have very different viewpoints, but it is not as if south Florida is not represented, they just do not think they are represented enough, but that is true of almost every group that is not in power, isn't it?

If I did not have a job that pays what it does, I would never live here, and I am actively trying to find one somewhere else. I have been down here since 1997 and it has changed so much it is amazing, instead of dividing it into another state, the should just build a wall at the northern Palm Beach County line and let it become the Banana Republic it wants to be.

[Jace Solo]

I grew up in the panhandle. I went to school in Tallahassee. I spent time in Tampa, Ft Myers, Orlando and other spots all over. We, who don't primarily reside in South Florida, have an anectdote about the state. "Anything south of Tampa is New Jersey". Usually, even when brought to the attention of South Floridians, the response I get is the person opening their mouth to retort, their eyes shifting to the side in thought, then a shrug and a "pretty much".

As far as I'm concerned, they can have everything south of St Pete. I'd just feel bad for anyone not in a major city to have to be ruled by that group. What it really comes down to, is that Tallahassee knows that Miami, et al., doesn't make up the vast majority of the people that would cause a major headache in this succession, it's the swamplands. Think there's no one out there? Start poking those people with Miami centric legislature and see what happens.

[Parkbandit]

I grew up in the panhandle. I went to school in Tallahassee. I spent time in Tampa, Ft Myers, Orlando and other spots all over. We, who don't primarily reside in South Florida, have an anectdote about the state. "Anything south of Tampa is New Jersey". Usually, even when brought to the attention of South Floridians, the response I get is the person opening their mouth to retort, their eyes shifting to the side in thought, then a shrug and a "pretty much".

As far as I'm concerned, they can have everything south of St Pete. I'd just feel bad for anyone not in a major city to have to be ruled by that group. What it really comes down to, is that Tallahassee knows that Miami, et al., doesn't make up the vast majority of the people that would cause a major headache in this succession, it's the swamplands. Think there's no one out there? Start poking those people with Miami centric legislature and see what happens.

You could take from Naples over to West Palm Beach.. and let it sink into the ocean.

[kutter]

You could take from Naples over to West Palm Beach.. and let it sink into the ocean.

For the most part is really only 3 counties, Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade, I know, Miami-Dade, but I refuse to call it that. Monroe county which makes up the keys, is another part of the state that is completely different from the other 2 and I am not certain would buy off on being lumped in with either of the other parts. They tend to be a lot more independent sort in the keys, not really beholding to the rest of the state. Well except for maybe Key West which has gone totally commercial, I miss what it was in the mid 80's, it was a far more interesting place.

[Ardwen]

a bunch of cities and states want to do this, its usually the wealthier portions that want to splint from the poorer areas, so the have a say in how their taxes get spent locally instead of way off in the other part of the state/town/city. its ridiculous beyond belief usually