another Florida thought

Andy, the courts will quickly decide who will set those standards. After a few major boundary disputes, I believe they will default to the newly certified Federal Surveyors.

> Sorry for fire bombing the board with all this Florida stuff ...

I don't see this as being strictly Florida stuff. This is clearly part of a coordinated attack upon the licensed professions that is also being waged by the Republicans in Texas.

Both parties are doing it. It's the Democrats that sold the Surveyor grade GPS frequency bands to the highest bidder, Lightsquared Inc. Deep pockets...

We can't be thinking about that. The parties won't solve this problem for us, we have to.

> Both parties are doing it.

Uh, look again and this time tell us who is running things. In Texas, it ain't Democrats.

It affects our profession as a whole, Andy. I wish you folks well in your fight.

I think it's curious that the third largest contributor to Subcommittee Chairman Bovo's 2008 campaign was the Associated Builders & Contractors East Coast Chapter. You have a swimming poll contractor (Ahern), a developer (Artiles), a real estate broker (Crisafulli), an Association of Builders and Contractors, Legislator of the Year (Eisnaugle), a paving contractor (Goodson)and the husband of a realtor (Patronis).

Realtors and developers are stacked on the subcommittee. It's hard to believe that the inclusion of FSM's in this legislation is by accident.

Rick

It is irrelevant and distracting as to which party is initiating this, IMHO. Look at the group of trades that we were lumped in with in Florida: Athlete Agents, Auctioneers, Body Wrappers, Hair Braiders, Water Vending Machines, Dance Studios, TV Tube Labeling?!?! The fact that these jobs are regulated and certified by any state government body is absurd and people should be PO'd about it and they should vote that the state gov't get it's nose out of them.

But not Land Surveying! Land Surveying in the stat of Florida requires a 4 year degree, imparts it's practioners with a quasi-judicial role, and revolves around the disposition of what is the highest value possession for most citizens.

The point is not that the above listed "professions" among others are under attack. The point is that land surveying was grouped in with them. Our focus should be getting us out of the group!!!

Stephen

I agree Steven.. While this is clearly a Republican talking point, the fact is that this whole bill is an end run to do away with legal surveying in Florida. I am talking to friends in the media right now about getting some airplay on this. I'll keep you posted.

Andy

These folks seem to have their act together.

> It's the Democrats that sold the Surveyor grade GPS frequency bands to the highest bidder, Lightsquared Inc. Deep pockets...

That's not entirely true - most of the groundwork for LightSquared acquiring that spectrum was all laid during the Bush Administration, and its' owner, Falcone, is a huge exclusively Republican donor. He's more recently trying to ply Democrats with campaign contributions, but meanwhile, it's also Democrat congressmen like Edolphus Townes who are looking to investigate Falcone and LightSquared.

Andy

James,

Yes, and for comparison, let's look at the Florida Surveyors and Mappers webpage...

http://www.fsms.org/FSMSnews.cfm

I'm sure the Geomatics department at UF has something, Right? I mean why would we have a degree program for something any schmo with a compass and tape can do... let's see..

http://sfrc.ifas.ufl.edu/geomatics/geomatics_news.htm

here is the latest (summer 2010) newsletter from the board..

http://www.800helpfla.com/psm/newsletters/pdfs/Summer2010.pdf

and a pertinent quote..

Florida Board of Professional Surveyors and Mappers (The Board) transition from
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) to Florida
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DOACS)
History - When I was first appointed to the Board in 2001 there were already ongoing
discussions regarding the Board moving from DBPR. Efforts were being made at that
time to privatize the Board’s administrative functions. The need to change the Board’s type of organizational base was for the following important reasons:

1. To materially improve the prosecution of unlicensed surveying and mapping
practice.
2. To minimize constant Board staff turnover.
3. To have meaningful input on budget priorities and to better understand
the Board’s financial position.
4. Greater involvement with the National Licensing organization, National
Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).

Back to the original question...

Is there a state in the US that currently HAS what Florida is proposing?

Andy

Doesn't the State of Florida employ Land Surveyors?

My job requires that I be licensed. I wonder how abolishing licensed land surveyors would affect those jobs. Maybe they'll require a Georgia license LOL.

Andy

this will drive many good surveyors out of Florida.

I'm sorry Stephen, did I mention a party? No, I did not.

I'm highlighting the interests that those on the committee represent. These are the stakeholders whose businesses they want to "streamline".

They just want jobs. Yours.

Rick

Andy

They can't just delete the board and license because I assume the Subdivision statute requires a licensed surveyor signature on the plat. Our current generation of politicians aren't good at listening though. For example, you point out to the Governor that furloughing federally funded State employees actually worsens the budget shortfall and he just sticks his fingers in his ears and says, "NA NA NA NA NA I can't hear you."

last year VETO of bill

by Charlie Christ clearly and specifically ties surveyors to all design professionals..

http://www.fsms.org/FSMSuploads/SB%201964%20Veto%20Letter.pdf

by Squinty:

"I'm sorry Stephen, did I mention a party? No, I did not."

Then I wasn't talking to you.

Stephen

My apologies, then. Yours was in reply to my post.

Rick

still hoping for an answer...

Is there a state in the US that currently HAS what Florida is proposing?