Towards a more normal Florida

Fitzgerald: Florida must do 360

By RICHARD DYMOND - LAKEWOOD RANCH — The Florida of 1946, known for its pristine beaches, East Coast tourist traps, cheap, plentiful real estate and magic carpet-like roads, is a model that won’t work in the future.

The Florida of 2046, if it is to rank among the nation’s successful states, must “become that cool place” where major cities are interconnected by rail and autos are no longer king, where “the Silicon Valley of the 2000s” is the unofficial state motto and “living green with renewable energy” is the official one.

In a word, Florida must do a 360-degree “pivot,” said state Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota, who spoke before about 50 who attended the Tampa Bay Partnership’s Chair’s Leadership Breakfast at Northern Trust Bank Tuesday. more...