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Yeah. Cigar. This three 16. Yeah. Thank you. Hey. Mhm. Yeah. Mhm. Mhm. Yeah, We've been ready about 10 or 15 minutes, but I figured you all wouldn't you know? Uh huh. It wouldn't be right if we started off on time in 1990 when Buddy and I declared for governor.

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We had a vision for Florida, and that vision was the state that took care of its Children, cared for its pregnant women, looked and listen to our senior citizens and tried to provide for them a state that reflected the color pattern of our state, the diversity pattern of our state.

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A state in which parents and teachers had some say so in their schools. And we didn't just have rules and regulations that came down from Tallahassee. We saw state government as a partner and not a bastard, really a resource rather than a regular regulator. We wanted to give power to people and let them make decisions that would affect their lives in their communities.

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And we wanted to make the state of partner with business, who, as we were seeking to develop a new economy in Florida and a highly skilled, well paid workforce, We wanted to protect the quality of life, the essence of Florida that we all love so much.

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And we envisioned a Florida where special interest in the status quo wouldn't call the shots. We knew to do that, that we'd have to get elected without being obligated to those interests. So we limited our contributions, and we trusted that the people would respond. Uh, they did, and we entered into our partnership with the people unencumbered by any political debt.

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Today, three years later, we see a state that is beginning to seize its own destiny. A state that doesn't have its prisons run by federal monitors. A state that doesn't have each of its social services systems have to be under some kind of a federal monitor, a state that doesn't have to be sued by the federal government in order to do what's right about its environment, a state that is not just lagging behind, but literally setting the pace and leading the nation.

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Uh, in election reform, we've been called the national model. Uh, in that reform, health reform were the first state to really step forward and start providing the model that will allow us to have health care for all of our citizens, our worker's compensation reform, the idea that up to a 20 to 25% reduction, that's a huge capital infusion that's going to continue to help our economy and provide jobs, uh, and provide growth and really unshackle small business.

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Florida today is leading the nation in the creation of jobs, and this is going to add to that momentum. We talked about hrs we talked about it. Needed to be, uh, we needed to blow it up. We blew it up. And Buddy set the charge in that, uh, Now we see local health and human service boards out really calling the shots.

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We see accountability in education with every school now meeting with its parents and teachers deciding what they say, what they think should be the fate of their schools, how they should deal with dropouts, how they should deal with those kind of problem areas. As we look across the state, were beginning to see a state that is more again reflecting the color scheme of the state.

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Uh, the diversity as you look to courts now you're not seeing courts, uh, with no black judges no women judges, no Hispanic judges. We're seeing that in the other boards and jobs of the state. Criminal Justice recalled a special session for Safe Streets, and we have laid the foundation to have criminals serve at least 70% 75% of their sentences.

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We know now and we have agreement with the Legislature. And what are the number of prison beds that we're going to need over the next few years? We were able to provide additional beds for some of our juvenile justice, and certainly more needs to be done in that healthy start.

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Florida again is the first state in the nation to screen and provide care for every pregnant woman and every newborn in the state. And we have 30 local, uh, coalitions on Healthy Start that are putting together the healthcare providers, the doctors, the nurses, the hospitals, uh, to make sure that no one falls through the net trying to take care of our Children.

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Health care reform is called a national model, and our chips, which are purchasing boards, have been appointed. They will begin to look at contracts as we go into the next year. We have a department of elder affairs. Uh, this is something that people had said that they wanted.

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Uh, and yet the last administration in legislature, uh, didn't see why that was necessary. We have Enterprise Florida again, part of our public private partnership in trying to reinvigorate our our economy. Buddy has been working with all of our agencies and government reorganization. We have merged, uh, a number of our agencies.

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Uh, we're continuing. Uh, that, uh, that effort, we see feedback again, a cooperative public private partnership to try to establish Florida's place in trade. And we're seeing now many of the new jobs that we're creating coming from trade. We have the Government Accountability Commission and Gap to have a group that will actually monitor and look at what we're doing, right.

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Be able to assess what we're doing. Right, uh, again, uh, an outside group to monitor and see what we're doing to change the course of a battleship. It's not easy. And we found to change the course of the ship of state is not hey, easy. Either We didn't try to we weren't able to do that sort of in a vacuum.

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We had a little weather part of that was called Hurricane Andrew. Part of it was called Florida's worst recession. So we saw also that tremendous resistance to change that comes from the special interests those that are benefiting, uh, by exactly what is going on now. But today I can tell you that Florida's ship of state is coming around.

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It is taking a new heading, and I'm very excited about the new direction of our state buddy and I or today offering ourselves for re election so that we can continue to guide, uh, and steer our state. We have a great staff, and we feel that the direction is right.

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But at the same time, we know that much remains to be done. Juvenile justice is an area that encompasses an awful lot. Uh, we think that it is not just dealing with those bad kids that are out there that we know we have to deal with.

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But it is trying to deal with those kids at risk, the ones that are going to turn into bad kids and and are doing that now without any kind of help or assistance. Uh, we intend to tackle that in the next session of the Legislature along with safe schools.

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We think it's ridiculous that as many as 20,000 kids have brought weapons to school that we know that something has to be done where teachers are free to teach and Children are free to learn. We see a criminal justice system that still, uh, needs additional help.

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Uh, and we intend to try to provide that we see, uh, education, Uh, in the accountability, Uh, much remains to be done in spite of the fact that we've done away with a large number of our categorical programs. Uh, we're still seeing too much money siphoned off that is not going to the classroom.

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And we want to see more money for training for teachers and certainly the lottery. While we have some of the money now going to individual classes, individual teachers and parents that can decide where it should be spent, we intend to continue to try to see that we keep the commitment and the promise of the lottery that the money be used for enhancement of education.

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The economy is again a major area that we will continue to work on as we're bringing forth the fruits of enterprise Florida, uh, of some of the deregulation that we're doing ethics again. Florida has, uh, much to be done in that area in the area of Children.

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We want to extend the lifeline while we're now taking care of Children. Uh, that are, uh, at birth. And we're taking care of those mothers. Uh, we want to see that same care being given to every child and especially every disadvantaged child should be able to get into a developmental day.

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School should be able to get into the head. Start pre kindergarten in those areas. Uh, were determined to stop babies from having babies. Uh, we see the teenage pregnancy rate, uh, is an area that is still extraordinary high. Uh, and we have to do something about it.

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And our elders. Uh, long term care is one of the frightening things that is out there for any of our senior citizens. We know that Florida leads the nation in our elderly. Uh, we know that again. We must be the leader. And how we're going to try to keep people out of nursing homes, how we're going to be able to assist them in their homes.

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Uh, trying to find that permanent funding source for P 2000 and the additional work that we need to do, uh, in our environment continues to be on our plate. Health care for every Florida's family. Uh, that's our goal. Uh, that's one that I would hope that, uh, we could see happen before our term would would extend, extend, extend.

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Uh, I think that I've been a pretty darn good governor. I know that really has been a great first lady, and I know that an has been a tremendous assistance. Uh, as a helpmate to Buddy, I've enjoyed the last three years, Uh, much more than any job that I've ever had.

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I think part of that was the way we got elected. We were free to serve. We were free to face up to the problems every day. I don't think we dodged any of them. Uh, we might have hit a few too many, but, uh, I don't think we missed any.

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I've I've said that Ah, I think we've spent about three years in the bowels of the ship or state, but he's been in the in the boiler room or the engine room, and I've been sort of close there. I feel like we're on the quarterdeck now, Uh, it's a heck of a lot better when you can see, uh, a little bit where you're going.

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But I know the reason that, uh, that I have enjoyed this last three years. It's because I've had Buddy Mackay as a running rate running mate and he has been willing and has taken on every task that I have given him. Uh, buddy, I think you've totally redefined the role of Lieutenant Governor.

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Uh, I want to introduce my partner, Buddy Mackay. Well, I said at the outset, Governor Child's I'm proud to be part of this team. I'm very much proud of what we have accomplished. I think the campaign is where you're held accountable and we are ready to be held accountable.

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People are going to ask, Did you do what you said you would do? The answer is yes. People are gonna ask. Have you learned from your mistakes? The answer to that is yes. And people are going to ask, Do you have a plan for the future?

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And the answer to that is we very much have a plan for the future We've made great progress. I think you should be held accountable. By your results were the number one economy in America. In job creation, we're almost number one. And increases in per capita income were the most improved in all kinds of measures, all the way from daycare to management in government.

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Believe it or not, that comes as a surprise to some people were considered the most improved in government management. We've merged six agencies to three. Those mergers are working. We've got a lot further to go. I believe this is the time now to follow up on these long term programs.

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Some of the results are not yet fully available. This is the time to make it happen to institutionalize this. So government in Florida really does work less really does serve the people better and really, really does cost less and work better. Uh, this is the time to do it.

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I've been proud to be part of this. I'm gonna be proud to be part of it in the future. Thank you very much. Yeah, Yeah. Mhm. Well, Governor, you left Washington because you said you were turned out. Why didn't you burn out in this job or what?

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Mhm. I think part of it is you could see results. I know a lot of it was because we were We could initiate the things that I was trying to do in Washington dealing with the budget. I couldn't get anybody to help in my party. In the other party, people did not want to tackle that problem.

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Uh, here we've been free to tackle problems and and we've been trying, and we have taken them on. You made part of your 90 campaign One of the benchmarks you're limiting. Yeah. Uh huh. This time we will hold our contribution limit to $100. Uh, the same as we did last time.

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No governor recitation of goals. I didn't hear you talk about tax reform. When you see Central, we will. Yes. That certainly is a goal that remains out there, uh, to try to have a fair tax system for Florida, and we will attempt to do that. I know that there's any way that we could attempt to get that done in the 94 2nd Legislature wasn't receptive on workers comp reform for a while, and they found out they wanted to do that.

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Legislature didn't want to campaign in the fact that you were taking medication says your health. Now, are you gonna release your medical records? And are you under any type of treatment for anything? Well, I just get up every day, and I struggled. And, you know, I I invite you to go with me every day.

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Uh, let's see him. You know, it looks like I might make it through this term without any of the crutches or things that people had. You know, what we said then was people would get a chance to see what I was healthy and not by what I did.

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I think we've shown that very clearly mhm workers stop came about because people like Sean, she able in the business community, wanted Cuban justice. Because tourists, what's going to prompt? Actually, first the Yeah, well, I think that the people want to see a fair tax system.

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I think the problem has been again special interests. Those that have an advantage. Now I don't want to give it up. We've been taking them on. We've been more successful as we have been taking them on, and we'll look forward to continuing to do that. Uh, if I might say, you do learn on where you separate the issue of tax increases from the issue of fairness is something that we can part of it want to see it?

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I think there's a significant part of the business community that knows we've got to do that, that you can broaden debate, Governor, you have accomplish several. Okay, Allstate, what he really face, right? Yeah. You know, I don't know what you mean about, uh, the state spending, uh, and and growth being up.

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I think if you look at the population growth of Florida, I think you will see and then, you know, compare us with the last four years. With what? What happened in a new revenue? New taxes, employment all in the last four years. I think you will find that we compare very well.

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We never said that right sizing meant that you were going to have smaller. We said it was going to be more effective. You're gonna be getting more for your money. I think that's true. And then look to see where there is any growth in state jobs.

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I think you'll find their prison guards and their hrs caseworkers. And the the case burden is still too high on case workers, and we still probably are undermanned in the criminal justice system. As we're trying to bring these additional bed zone 1990 you were able to mhm number of prison band.

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If you look at the asset we have place with this, the changes Yeah, and do it out of the waste, fraud and abuse. Build all these. Treasurer, we will have some kind of our office and we will be putting in some this announcement. So reason for just Well, I don't for Christmas mhm and after Thanksgiving.

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So you know, it's not always, well, what is agreed to run with me. And that's the basis of which I'm accepting this challenge. But as I say, we won't really be doing that till after the legislative session. Problem. Do you feel mhm for Republicans after attacks?

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Well, you know, I don't know what's different. I I wonder, uh, Tom, whether there's going to be a survivor of this circular firing squad that we have out there going in the Republican primary now. Yeah. So if there's a survivor well, we look forward to getting in the ring with I don't have any idea.

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Do you have any preference? Uh huh.