House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, told reporters today that he would entertain debate on a temporary sales tax increase.

“One of the graet things about being part of this process is there are always ideas,” Cretul said. “Those ideas do need to be vetted out.”

That comment, however, came just minutes after Cretul spoke about the dire state of Florida’s taxpayers, who he said are “struggling to meet their obligations.”

“With the sacrifices that are made at home with the families and the businesses, you know, government will probably have to do the same,” Cretuls said.

Read a copy of Atwater’s speech here or listen here.

Senate President Jeff Atwater’s opening day speech was NOT written by political consultant Randy Nielsen, said an Atwater advisor.

A copy of the speech distributed to the media bore the author “Public Concepts,” Nielsen’s consulting firm based out of Palm Beach County.

But Rick Wilson, a GOP political consultant who played a major role in Atwater’s reelection campaign, said Atwater wrote most of the speech himself with a few suggestions from Wilson.

“Jeff gave me a draft. I did my wordsmithing on it and Jeff polished and worked it up into a pretty good speech I thought,” Wilson reluctantly conceded to quell rumors about Nielsen’s involvement.