JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Some are questioning whether a top city leader showed favoritism when he ordered crews to help a "single woman" cope during the storm. That single woman was U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D- Jacksonville.

During the height of Tropical Storm Fay, when many Jacksonville residents were trying to keep rising water out of their homes or dealing with fallen trees and power lines, the city sent a public works crew to put sandbags around the Brown's home along the Trout River.

Brown denied getting special treatment, telling Channel 4 that she's like any other citizen who had an emergency. She said that when her roof caved in and water flooded her home, she called the city for help.

"I had to call and call and call, just like anybody else," Brown told Channel 4's Diane Cho. "I had to call several times before I got anybody."Neighbor Joe Deloach lives one door down from Brown and he too has rising waters flooding the foundation of his home. He said when he saw the city with prisoners sandbagging the congresswoman's home, he naturally asked for the same help but didn't get the same response."I'm glad she got help to save her house. I'm not mad at that. I'm upset that the same people wouldn't help me and they denied it was going on," Deloach said. "I had prisoners laughing at me when I approached them about it. They knew what was going on. It was hilarious to them."Adam Hollingsworth, chief of staff for Mayor John Peyton, told Channel 4 he authorized city crews to go help Brown when she reached him on Friday. He said he helped because she's "a single woman who lives in her own house" and he could hear the panic in her voice."We had a resource that we could help somebody with, I made a judgment that it was the right thing to do," Hollingsworth said.Hollingsworth told Channel 4 he also sent a crew to City Councilwoman Denise Lee's home, but Lee later determined she did not need their help.Hollingsworth said he knows he is a steward of taxpayer dollars, but he is also a human being. He said if he went beyond standard protocol, he apologizes."I am prepared to pay for any services I receive, just like any other citizen," Brown.

News 4 Jax

We've got Carolina on our minds today as we prepare to kick off the second leg of our national Hot Air Tour, which aims to expose the high cost of so-called global warming "solutions" like the Lieberman-Warner bill that the Senate rejected a couple of weeks ago.

While that bill may be dead for the year, it was only considered a dress rehearsal for the big debate to come next year.  As a result, we're going to continue beating the grassroots bushes, educating and mobilizing taxpayers on the issue -- beginning this evening in Spartanburg, SC.

This week's full schedule is below -- if you're in or close to any of the cities listed below, be sure to come out and show your elected officials that you don't want them to buy into Al Gore's Hot Air. 

Spartanburg, SC
Tuesday, June 17, 5:00 p.m.
Barnet Park

Savannah, GA
Wednesday, June 18, 9:30 a.m.
Forsyth Park

Jacksonville, Florida
Wednesday, June 18, 5:30 p.m.
Morocco Shrine Auditorium

Marietta, GA
Thursday, June 19, 11:00 AM
Jim Miller Park

Birmingham, AL
Friday, June 20, 9:30am
George Ward Park

Nashville, TN
Friday, June 20, 3:00pm
Warner Park Special Events Field

Cincinnati, OH
Saturday, June 21, 11:00 a.m.
Eden Park

For more info about the tour, go to www.CostOfHotAir.com.

Think last week's Senate vote rejecting the $1.2 trillion global warming tax hike bill means the issue is dead?  Think again.  From this morning's Politico:

Environmental lobbyists have already swung their focus around from the Senate to the House, from which the next big bill is predicted to emerge. Maintaining momentum from the old bill is key, they say, and members can expect a push this summer that is nothing short of global warming boot camp.

“All the lobbying interests working on Lieberman-Warner are turning their sights to the House side,” said Friends of the Earth Legislative Director Shawnee Hoover. “If we don’t get started on the House now, they won’t be able to pass a bill next year.”

But surely they learned that this year's bill was a huge overreach that would wreck the economy, right?  Once again, think again.  Also from the Politico:

The bills are expected to be even tougher than Lieberman-Warner on emission reductions and cap-and-trade auctions. A bill recently introduced by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) would reduce greenhouse gas emission levels to 85 percent below 1990 levels — more aggressive than the 70 percent allowed in the bill by Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and John Warner (R-Va.).

Of course, this means it's as important as ever to continue building grassroots momentum in opposition to the global warming alarmists.  You can do that by joining us on our next Hot Air Tour swing next week in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Ohio.  Check the schedule here for exact times and locations.

Today in history was the first recorded hot air balloon flight, Google reminds us. Americans for Prosperity is making history with the second leg of our nationwide hot air balloon tour to expose the unaffordable costs of global warming alarmism.

AFP's seventy-foot-tall hot air balloon will visit six more states from June 17th through June 21st, making stops in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and Ohio. (A full schedule is pasted below.)

Bring the family, co-workers, and friends out to experience the Hot Air Tour first-hand and learn about the $1.2 trillion energy tax hike Al Gore and global warming alarmists are pushing.

We'll be offering free t-shirts, free tethered hot air balloon rides (weather permitting), and a free meal. The event is completely free, but be sure to register online so we can update you with important details.

Hot Air Tour Schedule

Tuesday – June 17, 2008 

Spartanburg, SC – 5:00 PM, Register online here

Wednesday – June 18, 2008

Savannah, GA News Conference – 9:30 AM, Register online here

Jacksonville, FL – 5:30 PM, Register online here

Thursday – June 19, 2008

         Marietta, GA – 11:00 AM, Register online here

Friday - June 20, 2008

Birmingham, AL – 8:30 AM, Register online here

Nashville, TN – 3:00 PM, Register online here

Saturday - June 21, 2008

Cincinnati, OH – 11:00 AM, Register online here

For more information, contact Annie Patnaude: annie@afphq.org or (202) 349-5880

The National Governors Association (NGA) has recently come out in support of a temporary extension to the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA) and praised Senators on both sides of the aisle for their leadership on the issue.  But what is their real motivation for supporting an extension?  The Governors Association is concealing their opposition to a permanent ban behind support for a weak extension of the current legislation.  Another temporary moratorium would ensure that state and local officials will retain the power and latitude to tax Internet access in the future should they feel the need for a tax grab.  Sound policy would instead make the moratorium  into a permanent ban.

Taking a cue from their state leaders the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) testified in front of Congress that a permanent ban on Internet access taxes would place an undue burden on state budgets.  It is an egregious distortion of reality to imply that banning a tax that has not been and should be not levied is costing states money.  This unquenchable thirst for taxpayer dollars underscores the fundamental difference between taxpayer-funded lobbying groups and the American public.  A vast majority of Americans favor unfettered access to the Internet and the socioeconomic opportunities that it provides.  Action by both the Governors Association and AFSCME is another shameless example of taxpayer funded lobbying.  As they are using money from taxpayer filled coffers to come to Washington and lobby against the explicit wishes of their constituents. 

The Internet has provided countless economic opportunities and remains one of the few areas of commercial activity that has not been taxed into submission.  A permanent ban on access taxes would show the public that Congress is serious about listening to its constituents and not the taxpayer funded lobbying interests of the NGA and AFSCME.