As a PA resident I have mixed feelings on the issue. The local Sheriff's depts. are granted far too much leeway so getting a permit can be far more cumbersome in one county than the next one over (and not just in Philly). Local Sheriffs seeming make up the rules as they see fit and those rules may even change in one county depending upon who is in the Sheriff's office. Also I've heard of permits being revoked for extremely tenuous circumstances.
There should be a uniform process and a law-abiding citizen shouldn't have to worry about where he lives when getting a permit. I almost considered doing the Utah permit class because it would have been easier.
That said, because of the way records are (not) shared between states, just about the only thing that can keep you from getting a FL permit would be felony convictions. So you may have someone PA knows to be mentally defective or has weaseled out of half a dozen drug/assault/etc. charges and still be able to get a permit. That bothers me a bit.