Florida Fines Leon County $3.57 Million for Its Arrogance

 

Businesses and governmental organizations are about to learn that Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn’t make idle threats. He backs up Florida law. Leon County, in an effort to protect its lawless and inconsiderate employees, passed a vaccine mandate and will pay the price:

Leon County’s vaccine mandate required more than 700 workers to be vaccinated or be terminated by Oct. 2. Two days later, 14 county workers who refused the vaccine were fired.

At $5,000 for each violation of a state law prohibiting vaccine mandates by government employers, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) Thursday fined the county $3.57 million and gave it 30 days to pay.

According to the DOH’s violation notice mailed to Leon County Administrator Vincent Long, the county is being fined for ‘714 counts of violating state statute’ established under Senate Bill 2006, which bans businesses from requiring ‘vaccine passports’ for customers and government employers from mandating vaccinations for employees.

I don’t know why Leon County went ahead with its mandates and then fired employees. DeSantis was clear on his expectations and his insistence on protecting Florida’s citizens, including its employees. It just seems like a foolish way to initiate a power struggle:

‘It is unacceptable that Leon County violated Florida law, infringed on current and former employees’ medical privacy, and fired loyal public servants because of their personal health decisions,’ Gov. Ron DeSantis said. ‘We will continue fighting for Floridians’ rights and the Florida Department of Health will continue to enforce the law. We’re going to stand up for Floridians’ jobs, stand up for Floridians’ livelihoods, and stand up for freedom.’

It seems to me that once again, DeSantis is one of the few government executives who will stand up for our rights.

Orange County and the city of Gainesville were going to require vaccinations of their employees. In response to the Florida Department of Health, both organizations have modified their positions. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings (yes, Sen. Val Demings’ husband) will only deliver a written reprimand to the county’s 541 firefighters instead of firing them; the city of Gainesville, after being warned that it was in violation of the new bill, rescinded its employee vaccine mandate.

These actions might be summed up in a statement from state Sen. Loranne Ausley, a Democrat who represents Leon County:

‘Florida has lost more than 56,000 lives to COVID-19, and the governor is spending his time punishing counties working to keep their citizens safe,’ she said in a statement ‘Unbelievable! We don’t need the state bullying our communities or private businesses who are simply trying to serve the people and get on the other side of this pandemic.’

I’d like to ask Ms. Ausley sincerely who is playing politics and bullying the communities in Florida.

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There are 19 comments.

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  1. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    Oathbreakers. They swear an oath to uphold the federal and state constitution. Those constitutions are a contract with the people that secure individual liberty and only general safety and security. The cops have no specific duty to protect you. The nation has no specific duty to keep your house from being bombed. But it does have duty not to interfere with your rights. And yet these petit tyrants persist. 

    • #1
  2. Fake John/Jane Galt Coolidge
    Fake John/Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt

    It is all show.  The guys got fired and other will step in line because to not bend knee will be to be sanctioned.

    The government agencies do what they want because the penalties do not personally bother them.  So what if there is a money penalty to their agencies that will be either ignored or negotiated down?

    I once had a tax dispute with the county.  They increased the property tax on my property by 300%.  I took it to their board and lost.  I took it to the state board and won.  So that year I got my money back, eventually.  Next year the same thing and the following and the following until I got tired and sold it.   On the repeats I would ask them why are they doing this if they know they will lose.  The answer was basically.  Because I can.  I get paid either way so it does not bother me.  The state guy will move on soon enough.  Electected officials come and go but we will be here.  They were right.  The year I lost was the year I sold.  All that, even though the state law said they were wrong.   The government basically has unlimited money and unlimited time and a great deal of apathy.  The game is rigged in their favor and they know it so they can do what they please.

    • #2
  3. Goldgeller Member
    Goldgeller
    @Goldgeller

    Leon county is extremely “good ol’ boy” network– not necessarily on the basis of race anymore, but the money making networks are very deep. Most school boards and many administrative aspects of running the local government are technically elected positions so it isn’t actually that clear whether Desantis has the power he is claiming since Florida makes reasonably firm distinctions between elected officials (including unelected subordinates) and bureaucrats.

    I am happy Desantis isn’t backing down, and I disagree with the rebellion against his rule but it isn’t unusual. It is fairly generic for Florida. 

    • #3
  4. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Goldgeller (View Comment):

    Leon county is extremely “good ol’ boy” network– not necessarily on the basis of race anymore, but the money making networks are very deep. Most school boards and many administrative aspects of running the local government are technically elected positions so it isn’t actually that clear whether Desantis has the power he is claiming since Florida makes reasonably firm distinctions between elected officials (including unelected subordinates) and bureaucrats.

    I am happy Desantis isn’t backing down, and I disagree with the rebellion against his rule but it isn’t unusual. It is fairly generic for Florida.

    This is very helpful information, @goldgeller. I didn’t know the difference between elected officials and bureaucrats. We’ll need to watch whether that’s addressed. Thanks!

    • #4
  5. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    This is part of an article published in the Orlando Sentinel today (behind a paywall):

    TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday vowed to sue President Joe Biden’s administration over a mandate on businesses to vaccinate or test workers for COVID-19, but he also suggested the state might need to pass its own law to prevent businesses from imposing their own mandates.

    ‘We are going to contest that immediately. We think the state of Florida has standing to do it and we also know businesses that we’re going to work with to contest it,’ DeSantis told reporters in Lee County. ‘I think the mandate is going lose in court.’

    Biden last month said he would require businesses with more than 100 workers to require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine or show negative test results on a weekly basis. Also, health care facilities that receive funds through Medicare or Medicaid would also be required to have their workers vaccinated.

    The text of the mandate hasn’t been made public. It will be issued through a rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a branch of the federal government regulating workplace safety. National news outlets have reported the rule will be published in the coming days.

    DeSantis said Biden doesn’t have the authority to issue such a rule without Congressional approval.

    DeSantis also said he’d back state legislation to allow workers to sue businesses if they are fired or face retaliation for not getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

    We’re all still waiting for the OSHA rule, since everyone is issuing a federal mandate that doesn’t exist.

    • #5
  6. Goldgeller Member
    Goldgeller
    @Goldgeller

    I just wish I knew what laws/orders I can choose to break. If the governor says “no mask mandates without an optout,”  then that should be obeyed. I hope people understand that one day a democrat will be governor and that many people would like to disobey their orders. 

    • #6
  7. Buckpasser Member
    Buckpasser
    @Buckpasser

    I hope my faith in Gov. DeSantis is justified and not just because I came from CA and was too used to gruesome Newsom.  It seems that TX and FL are some of our only options.  CA seems like such a lost cause.

    • #7
  8. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    I hope my faith in Gov. DeSantis is justified and not just because I came from CA and was too used to gruesome Newsom. It seems that TX and FL are some of our only options. CA seems like such a lost cause.

    I shake my head at Newsome, thinking it just can’t get worse. And then he orders something new. Sheesh!

    • #8
  9. EHerring Coolidge
    EHerring
    @EHerring

    Leon county walked point for the other lefty counties and DeSantis was the sniper.

    • #9
  10. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    EHerring (View Comment):

    Leon county walked point for the other lefty counties and DeSantis was the sniper.

    Images of Bradley Cooper drift through my mind . . .

    • #10
  11. David Carroll Thatcher
    David Carroll
    @DavidCarroll

    The only way the fines could really be effective is if there were levied on the county administrators personally.  Otherwise, it is taxpayer dollars jumping from one government pocket to another.

    • #11
  12. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    David Carroll (View Comment):

    The only way the fines could really be effective is if there were levied on the county administrators personally. Otherwise, it is taxpayer dollars jumping from one government pocket to another.

    That’s true, David. But somebody’s pet projects are going to be cut when the money is taken away.

    • #12
  13. David Carroll Thatcher
    David Carroll
    @DavidCarroll

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    David Carroll (View Comment):

    The only way the fines could really be effective is if there were levied on the county administrators personally. Otherwise, it is taxpayer dollars jumping from one government pocket to another.

    That’s true, David. But somebody’s pet projects are going to be cut when the money is taken away.

    Maybe, but color me skepical.

    • #13
  14. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    I’m glad DeSantis is not providing aid and comfort to mandates, but I prefer government where local governments can govern themselves, whether wisely or bad, so long as they don’t allow things like involuntary servitude. 

     

    • #14
  15. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    I’m glad DeSantis is not providing aid and comfort to mandates, but I prefer government where local governments can govern themselves, whether wisely or bad, so long as they don’t allow things like involuntary servitude.

     

    Ordinarily I’d agree. But this is pretty close to servitude.

    • #15
  16. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot) Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot)
    @ArizonaPatriot

    I really hope that the title of this post is not correct.  I don’t think that it would be a good thing if people could be fined for being arrogant.

    On the other hand, if people are fined for violating a state law that prohibits employers from mandating vaccinations, that would be OK with me, though such people should be fined whether or not they are arrogant.  :)

    • #16
  17. CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill Coolidge
    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill
    @CarolJoy

    Good for DeSantis.

    I have no idea how much prayer it will take to put someone like him in the WH. 

    But whatever amount of prayer is needed, I hope God helps give the nation a chance to return to a path that edges away from CCP rule.

     

     

    • #17
  18. CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill Coolidge
    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill
    @CarolJoy

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    I’m glad DeSantis is not providing aid and comfort to mandates, but I prefer government where local governments can govern themselves, whether wisely or bad, so long as they don’t allow things like involuntary servitude.

    Govermental entities on every level are supposed to provide for our health and safety. What they are not supposed to do is to insist we risk our lives and our health so those we have elected can receive payments for making us take that risk. (And for achieving more power than they ever ever dreamed of due to the hype surrounding a two bit infection that would have been history by July of 2020 had we used actual remedies for it.)

    Getting jabbed and risking a slew of health effects for the sake of an infection that is over 99% survivable is involuntary servitude.

    Or at least it ends up being involuntary  servitude for those whose transverse myelitis will keep them bound to a wheelchair for the rest of their days.

    Anyone who ends up with any of the numerous adverse effects like myocarditis, early onset rheumatoid arthritis, or having limbs amputated because of blood clots and who knows the only reason they underwent the jab was to keep their job will have a lifetime to regret their bowing to oppression. As well as a lifetime to resent whatever employer or governmental entity had insisted on it.

    Here is what one concerned mom found out about the Vandalia School System in terms of monies to come to that school system for ignoring the science-related to masks and experimental injections:

    https://rumble.com/vmz0gx-vandalia-school-board-meeting-hear-about-the-money-they-receive-to-follow-a.html

    • #18
  19. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill (View Comment):
    Govermental entities on every level are supposed to provide for our health and safety.

    Oh?  Where is that in their job description? 

    • #19
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