Calusas, Spaniards, earmarks and taxes

In a rambling speech to the Chamber of Southwest Florida in Fort Myers recently that was more history lecture than political speech, Florida Sen. Bill Nelson spent more time discussing the Spanish discovery of Florida than urgent questions facing the U.S. Congress.

In the same forum one year ago, Nelson gave a nearly identical lecture on the Calusa Indians who once inhabited the Fort Myers area, much to the disappointment of many attendees who were eager to hear the latest political news from the Democrat senator.

Judging by the grumbling after the luncheon speech, attendees weren't thrilled by the senator's repeat performance.

To be fair, Nelson did promise that income-tax rates wouldn't increase, at least for now. “The income tax rates we have will be extended,” Nelson says. “You can nail that down.”

Nelson will also attempt to revive the homebuyer's tax credit, which expired in the spring “to give another boost to the construction industry.” Some in the audience cheered.

Nelson, who says he supports earmarks despite talk of banning them, says he plans to earmark the next tax bill with a credit that would give the same breaks to producers of ethanol from algae as those from corn. That will benefit Algenol, a startup in Bonita Springs that plans to commercialize the production of ethanol from algae. “Now you see why I want the tax bill to pass,” the senator chuckled.