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Change Of Plans: Consolidated Government Will Pay For City Pensions
SW, I appreciate your comments. You referenced Jacksonville. 40 years ago, Jacksonville/Duval was just a little larger (25,000) in population than we were. They said that consolidation and a Mayor/Council form of government is what allowed them to be where they are today. Clearly they have progressed and we haven’t. I am not indicating that I want to be like Jax, St. Pete or anyone else. I do however want my vote to count of the direction of our community. The collective “we” the voters shoud decide which direction we want to go. The current system prevents that. I am unclear on why you think consolidated government necessarily means bigger government. This system would force candidates to run on the budget, etc. When was the last time one of our elected officials ran on a platform of significant issues. They don’t because ulitmately the have no ability to effect that change individually. Instead we get candidates that run on platforms such as “I’m less nuts than the guy I am trying to replace”. We can do better. Whether we ultimately consolidate or not, the single member district have to be complimented with an elected executive that runs at large and is responsible for completing the agenda he/she lays out to the voters.
New Florida Mortgage Rules Kick In Friday | The Jacksonville Observer
Starting Friday, companies that provide loan modification services must be licensed or face a fine under a law that kicks in to further protect consumers from fraud when they refinance or renegotiate a loan.
Facing a rash of complaints from already cash-strapped consumers, lawmakers earlier this year made changes to the Florida Mortgage Brokerage and Lending Act, which regulates the industry, at a time when renegotiations, foreclosures and other loan modifications are at an all-time high.
“Our goal, along with the many other fine organizations who helped pass this legislation, is to ensure Floridians only pay for loan modification services that are a true benefit; not an unrealistic promise to solve their financial problems,” said Tom Cardwell, commissioner of the Office of Financial Regulation.
Florida now licenses mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders, but does not regulate individuals who renegotiate terms for new and existing mortgages.
The law says individuals and companies may not provide loan modification services without an active license. The new law further enhances the Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Prevention Act, which prohibits individuals and businesses from collecting up-front fees for loan modification services related to foreclosures.
Specifically, the law prohibits the payment of upfront fees for loan modifications. It also requires that brokers meet minimum standards to ensure financial stability. Brokers whose licenses have been previously revoked would be barred from renegotiating loans. Violators would face fines of up to $25,000 per incident.
The law comes in response to an upheaval in the real estate and mortgage lending industries prompted by a crash in the home market. Florida’s foreclosure rate in November was the second highest in the nation as one out of every 165 homes was in some stage of foreclosure proceedings.
The law was one of the Financial Services Commission’s priorities to protect Florida’s consumers, and as a result, Attorney General McCollum’s office has filed 17 civil lawsuits on behalf of Florida homeowners.