GOVERNOR CRIST SIGNS MILITARY SUPPORT BILL INTO LAW

Crist signs military support bill into law
Robbyn Brooks

June 18, 2009

EGLIN AFB - With a sharp move of a pen, it was official."It's a law," exclaimed Florida Governor Charlie Crist amid cheers from the crowd gathered at the Air Armament Museum Thursday afternoon.Crist came to Northwest Florida to sign House Bill 7123 to create the Florida Council on Military Base Mission Support. Eglin was chosen as the location the bill should be signed because it is the largest Air Force instillation in the world and Northwest Florida houses five of the 21 military bases in Florida.The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Dave Murzin and Sen. Don Gaetz and could have a significant impact on Florida's economy by helping keep the current military base infrastructure intact while promoting additional military assets moving to Florida."We're so military dependent," Gaetz said. "When the Pentagon catches a cold, Northwest Florida gets pneumonia."The military is the third largest driver of Florida's economy bringing in nearly $60 billion each year, Gaetz said, adding the legislation was important "considering the new administration" in Washington D.C.Gaetz also relayed how grateful he was to everyone who was involved in pushing the legislation through, citing there was a one-in-a-hundred chance of a bill becoming a law."We had to work through five different committees to get it here today," Gaetz said.The Florida Council on Military Base Mission Support with help in understanding the capabilities of all state military installations and act as a liason between local communities and the Legislature. The Council will guard against the closing of installations or realigning their resources to other states."The Council will help us maintain our reputation as the most military friendly state in the nation...," Crist said.Northwest Florida's military installations make up about one-third of the state's total economic contribution with $18 billion dollars and 220,000 jobs in our area."These (military) families build our communities," Gaetz said in support of protecting Florida's military instillations. "Their values lift our neighborhoods...Their friendship warms our lives."