100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future, by Marco Rubio: on Environment

Marco Rubio: Partner with private companies for transportation system

Improving Florida's Roadways through Private Sector Involvement
Partner with private companies to build a model transportation system.
Lease existing toll roads to private companies.
Privatize the Division of Drivers' Licenses
Allow private companies to operate the Division of Drivers' Licenses
Offer multiple-year vehicle registrations

Source: 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future by Marco Rubio Nov 1, 2006

Marco Rubio: Hurricane Savings Accounts for homeowners' insurance

Increase funding of home inspections and grants to upgrade homes to better withstand hurricanes by creating a recurring source of funding
Ensure all insurance companies provide discounts to homeowner engaging in hurricane mitigation
Adopt a uniform statewide building code
Allow the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to give companies the option to buy more reinsurance and charge near-market rates
Allow homeowners policies with higher hurricane deductibles
Permit policyholders to reduce their hurricane deductible if they implement verifiable mitigation measures
Ensure that insurance companies expedite payments for damages and consider expanding the short-term, no-interest bridge loan program
Advocate for the federal government to establish a Federal Natural Catastrophe Reinsurance Fund, allow insurers to accumulate tax-deferred reserves for catastrophes, and create "Hurricane Savings Accounts"

Source: 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future by Marco Rubio Nov 1, 2006

Marco Rubio: Utilize toll revenues to widen & improve expressways

For many years, Florida has leveraged toll facilities including Florida's Turnpike, Miami-Dade County Expressways, Orlando-Orange County Expressways, and Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressways, utilizing toll revenues to widen and improve these expressways and to build new expressways. The toll rates, while not at market rates, have been increased periodically to help fund these improvements.

Florida has numerous un-leveraged toll facilities that currently have comparatively low toll rates. These include Sunshine Skyway and Alligator Alley, both part of the interstate system. Florida should examine its existing toll practices and policies and explore opportunities for privatizing roads to help fund needed transportation improvements.

Source: 100 Innovative Ideas, by Marco Rubio, p. 81-82 Nov 1, 2006

Marco Rubio: Increase funding for making homes hurricane-resistant

Safe construction is the best way to protect homes from hurricanes. Ensuring safe construction would require repairing many older homes. This would create large up-front costs ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, but would result in long-term payoffs. If homes could incur only minimal to moderate damage in hurricanes as opposed to total destruction, insurance payouts would significantly decrease, thus reducing premiums, allowing more companies to enter the market, creating competition, and lowering prices. In 2006, the Legislature appropriated $250 million for home inspections and grants to make homes hurricane-ready. On the program's first day, over 30,000 people called to inquire if they were eligible. Florida should increase funding of home inspections and grants to upgrade homes to better withstand hurricanes by creating a recurring source of funding. Hurricane-ready homes would further drive down insurance prices and ensure greater preparedness for future storms. Source: 100 Innovative Ideas, by Marco Rubio, p. 90 Nov 1, 2006

The above quotations are from 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future, by Marco Rubio. Click here for definitions & background information on Environment. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Marco Rubio on Environment. Click here for more quotes by Chris Dodd on Environment.
*Candidates and political leaders on Environment:*
*Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:* GA:Chambliss(R) IA:Harkin(D) MI:Levin(D) MT:Baucus(D) NE:Johanns(R) OK:Coburn(R) SD:Johnson(D) WV:Rockefeller(D) *Resigned from 113th House:* AL-1:Jo Bonner(R) FL-19:Trey Radel(R) LA-5:Rod Alexander(R) MA-5:Ed Markey(D) MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R) NC-12:Melvin Watt(D) SC-1:Tim Scott(R)	*Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:* AR-4:Tom Cotton(R) GA-1:Jack Kingston(R) GA-10:Paul Broun(R) GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R) HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D) IA-1:Bruce Braley(D) LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R) ME-2:Mike Michaud(D) MI-14:Gary Peters(D) MT-0:Steve Daines(R) OK-5:James Lankford(R) PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D) TX-36:Steve Stockman(R) WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)	*Retired House as of Jan. 2015:* AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R) AR-2:Tim Griffin(R) CA-11:George Miller(D) CA-25:Howard McKeon(R) CA-33:Henry Waxman(D) CA-45:John Campbell(R) IA-3:Tom Latham(R) MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R) NC-6:Howard Coble(R) NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D) NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R) NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D) NY-21:Bill Owens(D) PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R) UT-4:Jim Matheson(D) VA-8:Jim Moran(D) VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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