On one side, we have Armando Christian Perez, the Miami rapper who performs under the nom d’artiste “Pitbull.” He was hired by the state to promote tourism, but that’s about all Visit Florida thinks you need to know about the arrangement.
Terms of his contract – like how much he gets paid or what, precisely, Mr. Bull does for it – are trade secrets.
On the other side, we have Richard Corcoran, the newly unleashed speaker of the House. He seems to think the public deserves to know how public agencies spend public money for public purposes.
It’s worth noting that Corcoran and his House leadership team will decide how much all agencies get in the 2017-18 state budget. That includes Visit Florida’s appropriation – not just how much it might wish spend on simple-minded rhymes about “Sexy Beaches,” but VF’s whole $78 million stake.
Judging by his two years as appropriations chairman and his first weeks as speaker, comparing Corcoran to a pitbull might be unfair to the tenacious terrier. As a wary watchdog, Corcoran will make folks forget the legendary Speaker E.C. Rowell of Wildwood, who was known as “the meanest man in the Legislature” a half-century ago. Rowell once called a vote on a bill, “All in favor say, ‘Aye.’ All opposed say, ‘I resign.’” [READ MORE]