DeSantis program means Florida received’t take such a toll on drivers

NEWS AND OPINION:

Some information of a brand new coverage from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — and one which may convey him help from drivers within the Sunshine State and probably set an instance for different states with a number of freeway tolls and plenty of cash-strapped drivers.

Mr. DeSantis’ workplace reveals the small print:

“Now in its sixth month of providing savings to commuters, the Toll Relief Program signed by Governor DeSantis has saved customers more than $227 million since it launched on January 1, 2023. In June alone, $37.2 million of account credits were posted to 1.1 million customer accounts,” advises a information launch from the governor’s workplace.

“The year-long program automatically gives frequent users with at least 35 monthly toll transactions a 50% toll credit to their account. The Toll Relief Program builds on the successful SunPass Savings Program that concluded in December and resulted in approximately 384,000 Florida drivers saving over $18 million,” the discharge mentioned.

“With rampant inflation caused by years of bad decisions by politicians in Washington, I am proud that we have put Florida in the position to provide year-long savings to families,” Mr. DeSantis mentioned in a press release.

AN EAGLE OF NOTE

Could this be a brief state of affairs?

An observant passerby within the North Courtyard of the State Department’s Harry S. Truman Building notes {that a} sizable cover has been added to the nice outside area, which additionally contains chairs and tables for these passing by way of.

But wait. There can be one other member of that area known as “Soaring American Eagle,” an 11,600-pound, 17-foot-tall bronze sculpture of the heroic chicken and patriotic image, created by artist Greg Wyatt. It has been there for some time. The statue was formally unveiled at an Oct. 20, 2000, ceremony, in response to a State Department account of its historical past.

The sculpture “may remind us of our unique mission in the world,” remarked then-Undersecretary of State for Management Bonnie Cohen.

It additionally took a herculean effort to convey the fantastic chicken to his federal roost.

“The sculpture was trucked to Washington, D.C., then lifted by helicopter over the Harry S. Truman Building and gingerly lowered into the building’s north courtyard as it dangled from a 150-foot cable,” the aforementioned account famous.

But our observer frets that the brand new cover now infringes upon the eagle’s territory. Canopy and eagle are certainly very, very shut. It is a dilemma which is, maybe, distinctive to Washington, D.C., the place the noble design of federal buildings should additionally accommodate public areas.

FROM THE BUSINESS WORLD

4C Digital Health — a healthcare-data analytics firm primarily based in Virginia — reveals that former Rep. Robert Hurt of Virginia will probably be becoming a member of the 4C crew as common counsel.

The firm gives expertise that self-insured organizations equivalent to for-profit and not-for-profit firms, states, and native governments can use to scale back lofty health-care prices.

“Having been involved in policy making in Washington and Virginia over the past 20 years, I am convinced, now more than ever, that market-oriented private sector solutions are critically needed to help reduce the cost of healthcare for all Americans,” Mr. Hurt mentioned in a written assertion shared with Inside the Beltway.

He additionally praised the corporate’s transparency and market self-discipline, and their goal to help organizations, their staff, taxpayers. The firm, in flip, returned the reward.

“Robert has been a great asset to 4C over the last several years as a member of our advisory board and has a real passion for the work we do. He brings a wealth of legal, market, government, and financial services experience to our 4C team, and he will be instrumental in helping promote the 4C message to those who need our services. We are delighted to have him on board full-time and look forward to working with him to continue the growth and success of our company,” famous 4C CEO Ron Templeton, additionally in a press release.

Since stepping down from the U.S. House of Representatives in 2017, Mr. Hurt was dean of the Helms School of Government at Liberty University. He represented Virginia’s fifth Congressional District in Washington from 2011 to 2017, serving on the House Financial Services Committee. His public service profession has additionally included three years as a member of Virginia’s state Senate and 6 years in its House of Delegates.

Mr. Hurt’s brother Charles Hurt is opinion editor at The Washington Times.

FOXIFIED

Fox News Channel completed out the month of July as cable tv’s most-watched community — besting the information and non-news competitors throughout daytime hours and thru primetime, in response to Nielsen Media Research.

Fox News drew a each day common of 1.6 million primetime viewers and in addition aired 92 of the highest 100 cable information telecasts for the month.

Standout applications throughout July included “The Five,” which has remained prime canine for seven consecutive quarters, securing a each day common of two.6 million viewers. Late night time providing “Gutfeld!” loved an viewers of two million and “The Ingraham Angle” rounded out the record with an viewers of 1.9 million.

POLL DU JOUR

• 36% of U.S. adults suppose that the congressional investigation of the Jan. 6 occasions was extra “a serious attempt to find out what really happened”; 12% of Republicans, 30% of independents and 65% of Democrats agree.

• 32% of males and 39% of ladies additionally agree.

• 32% total suppose that the investigation is extra “a politically-motivated attempt to embarrass former President Donald Trump”; 67% of Republicans, 28% of independents and 5% of Democrats agree.

• 39% of males and 26% of ladies additionally agree.

• 20% total say the investigation was “equally motivated by both of these factors”; 15% of Republicans, 26% of independents and 17% of Democrats agree.

• 20% of males and 20% of ladies additionally agree.

• 12% total aren’t positive; 6% of Republicans, 16% of independents and 13% of Democrats agree.

• 9% of males and 15% of ladies additionally agree.

SOURCE: An Economist/YouGov ballot of 1,500 U.S. adults carried out July 22-25.