A pandemic is not the best time to find out your governor lacks leadership [View all]

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A pandemic is not the best time to find out your governor lacks leadership
John Romano | Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has confused, confounded and pretty much ignored local leaders during the coronavirus crisis.
By John Romano
Published Apr. 3


Two weeks ago, the mayor of St. Petersburg called Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez to talk about coronavirus preparations.

Rick Kriseman asked his former colleague in the Florida House of Representatives if she could pass on his concerns and maybe arrange a conversation with Gov. Ron DeSantis to talk about logical solutions.

Since then, Kriseman has gotten two phone calls from U.S. Sen. Rick Scott.

He has participated in an urban mayors conference call arranged by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.

He has talked a couple of times to U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist.

And he still has not heard back from the governor’s office.

Maybe it was an oversight. Maybe DeSantis is working tirelessly and doesn’t have time for individual phone calls or even a group chat with the mayors of Florida’s largest cities.

Or maybe there is a disconnect between the Governor’s Mansion and the rest of the state.

Because, right about now, that’s what it feels like. It feels like DeSantis has been indecisive and out of touch. In a time of crisis, it feels like the governor of Florida is holed up in an ivory tower with the doors locked tight.

“It’s frustrating when you hear that he’s sitting down and having meetings with the Florida Chamber (of Commerce) and Associated Industries (of Florida). These are two of the largest business and industry-related lobbying groups in Tallahassee," said Kriseman, who added that DeSantis also failed to respond to a March 20 letter from a group of mayors asking for relief for homeowners and renters facing financial hardship.

“He has time to talk with the lobbyists, but he doesn’t have time to talk to any of us on the local level. That’s frustrating."

This isn’t about policy decisions, either good or bad. In these unfamiliar times, there are few perfect answers.

This is about leadership. In the end, that’s what Floridians want from their governor. Most of us are probably willing to follow in whatever direction the governor chooses, but we’d like to know that he has arrived at these decisions in a logical and thoughtful manner.

Instead, DeSantis spent a great deal of time ceding authority to local municipalities. He said he was reluctant to act because he was awaiting further instructions from the White House. And then, boom, he issued an executive order on Wednesday that seemingly took authority away from local governments. Hours later, he issued another order that specifically said his orders trumped the locals.

And then during a Thursday news conference, he backed away from that, too. Except, he suggested, when it comes to churches.

So are you clear on all that? Yeah, neither are local officials.

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https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2020/04/03/a-pandemic-is-not-the-best-time-to-find-out-your-governor-lacks-leadership/?fbclid=IwAR31w2Y-gqhbF43fizf1M7SJObJEchE_fbCZk_t8ScRc63V9-TUFBJrX0Tg