Charlie Crist met with small business owners from across the state in the Governor’s mansion Tuesday. He called them to Tallahassee to discuss how the economy is hurting their companies.

There are about 2 million small businesses in Florida. Crist has held several events recently to discuss the toll the economy is taking on business owners and working class Floridians.

Crist says high gas prices, insurance and property taxes are hitting people in the pocket book. And he says it will take a bipartisanship effort to bring the state out of the hard economic times.

“We’ve worked so hard with our friends in the Florida House and the Florida Senate, Democrat and Republican alike, to try to reduce the cost of property insurance, reduce the price of property taxes, and the high cost that has put as a burden.”

The Governor also asked the group if they supported offshore oil drilling. No one answered his question.