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Another "Jeb!" "Wimp Out"
Next week legislators need to do a much better job than their leadership has done in the last few days of enacting Florida's new pre-kindergarten constitutional amendment. What they'll be asked to adopt is a joke - little more than day care. "This won't do". More specifically, "Jeb!" - in the Bush family tradition - is a "wimp":For a man with a reputation for big, audacious ideas, Gov. Jeb Bush sure did "wimp out" on support for quality universal pre-kindergarten education. "Let Pre-K Plan Be Just A Start". See also "Universal pre-K: Do it right or not at all".
"A Complete Joke"
Randy Berg, executive director of the Florida Justice Institute, successfully sued the state for failing to help felons apply for a restoration of their civil rights upon completion of their sentences. On Thursday, he called the rule changes "a complete joke." "x". See also "Clemency revisions to restore rights to felons", "State eases felons' burden", and "Felons' Path To Rights Eased".
Is the prosecution of a pair of Catholic missionaries for a one-week trip to Cuba really the best way to promote democracy in Cuba?
The couple in the hot seat are Michael and Andrea McCarthy from Port Huron. In 2001, the pair traveled to Cuba, handing out medicines, praying with nuns, offering rides to folks in need, and spending at least a bit of their time on vacation. "Prosecution Seems Wasted".
Slots
We read that the "Opponents of slots drop recount suit", that's no big surprise. Also unsurprising is the way the GOoPer pols behind the litigation arte spinning this:"We want to stress that our case has terrific merit," said Johnson, a central Florida Republican. "[But] our best course of action is to withdraw the lawsuit and begin focusing on the next phase of the fight to protect Florida's families from the expansion of gambling." I see, the lawsuit had "terrific merit", so we had to dismiss it.
Privatization Follies
You'd never know from the headline,"State-payroll employee charged with identity theft", that the "State payroll employee" actually was not a state employee, but rather the employee of a private company - the infamous Convergys - that the state contracted with to perform the payroll function. Convergys' performance has been atrocious, and it has only been at it for a couple of months.
Instead of acknowledging that privatization - nothing more than parcelling out government largesse in return for political contributions - has been a failure, Department of Management Services Secretary Bill Simon said:"I'm pleased that the system worked the way it was supposed to." (To be fair, he was talking about the culprit being caught). Simon of course can't admit the truth about "Jeb!"'s failed privatizattion schemes; fortunately Paul Krugman can, in this classic New York Times column:Jeb Bush has already blazed the trail. Florida's governor has been an aggressive privatizer, and as The Miami Herald put it after a careful study of state records, "his bold experiment has been a success — at least for him and the Republican Party, records show. The policy has spawned a network of contractors who have given him, other Republican politicians and the Florida G.O.P. millions of dollars in campaign donations."
What's interesting about this network of contractors isn't just the way that big contributions are linked to big contracts; it's the end of the traditional practice in which businesses hedge their bets by giving to both parties. The big winners in Mr. Bush's Florida are companies that give little or nothing to Democrats. Strange, isn't it? It's as if firms seeking business with the state of Florida are subject to a loyalty test.
So am I saying that we are going back to the days of Boss Tweed and Mark Hanna? Gosh, no — those guys were pikers. One-party control of today's government offers opportunities to reward friends and punish enemies that the old machine politicians never dreamed of. "Victors and Spoils".
Contracting Out, GOoPer Style
The head of the Florida Abuse Hotline was ousted after an internal investigation said she rigged contract specifications so a longtime associate could be hired to train managers .... "Hotline chief fired for malfeasance".
Throwing the Book
In Florida, more juveniles than ever are being tried as adults, with little consideration given to the fact that they are children who have immature judgment and mental capacity. When the 2005 legislative session convenes, state lawmakers should consider reforms in the law that would allow judges to consider a range of sentencing options for juveniles convicted of serious crimes. And they should allow courts to take a juvenile's judgment and mental capacity into consideration when weighing serious charges against him or her. "Throwing the book at serious young offenders".
Lining Up Contributors
From the Pensacola Beach Blog, "Insurance Foxes to 'Improve Service' for Us Chickens". Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher has established a Task Force on Policyholder Services and Relations to Citizens Property Insurance Corp.; althoughostensibly composed of "stakeholders" and intended to improve "customer service" of the state-owned Citizens Property Insurance company, none of the thirteen task force members is an independent voice for the consumer side of the insurance business. Pensacola Beach Blog has more here.
Well, it is expensive to run for Gov., so we understand that one must line up his contributors as soon as possible.
Betraying Consumers
The Florida Building Commission betrayed consumers this week when it rejected proposals to ensure that the walls of new houses won't leak in a storm. "Ignoring the problem".
Deadline Extended
Thousands of poor children were dropped from the state program that subsidizes health insurance because their parents failed to submit the proper paperwork. But state officials have extended the grace period to reenroll. "Kids insurance plan extends deadline".
Imagine That
While lawmakers have joined him in his goals of privatizing and downsizing, they've also been treating rank-and-file state employees like chattel. "A bonus, sort of".
"Jeb!"'s Smarter than You
The governor of Florida, flush from winning the repeal of high-speed rail, now will target the class-size amendment that the voters approved - against his wishes - in 2002. He said this week he will try to put a repeal on the 2006 ballot.
Apparently the voters are too dumb to govern themselves except when they happen to vote for somebody named Bush. Otherwise, they just have to keep voting until the governor likes the outcome.
For a guy who used to preach that Tallahassee doesn't have all the answers, Jeb Bush will wrap up his career at the other end of the spectrum: Tallahassee knows more than you do. "Silly voters; Capitol crew knows more than you do".
Privatization Follies
A coding error by Convergys Corp. caused chaos in Florida's payroll system Wednesday as thousands of employees were overcharged about $100 on income taxes and got a few extra dollars when the computers failed to take out some deductions.
Some employees who divert part of their pay for car payments or for long-term savings will have to square things up with their banks or credit unions.
It was the latest in a series of large and small glitches in "People First," Gov. Jeb Bush's ambitious project to outsource the state's human-resources functions. One state worker recently lost insurance coverage because premiums weren't being deducted. "Payroll snag may put some in a bind".
Huh?
Water managers agreed Wednesday to spend $117.5 million they don't have for land that a Texas company doesn't yet own. "$117.5 million reservoir deal with Texas firm OK'd".
End it, Don't Mend it
Gov. Jeb Bush doesn't make a secret of his disdain for state government. At his second inaugural address, he capped an emotional speech with the bold statement: "There would be no greater tribute to our maturity as a society than if we can make these buildings around us empty of workers; silent monuments to the time when government played a larger role than it deserved or could adequately fill."
Even in his first term, Bush put his words into action, directing an increasingly large portion of state responsibilities into private (often for-profit) hands, usually with the acquiescence of the Legislature. He pushed through legislation authorizing public-school funding for private-school vouchers. He handed administration of the state's employees over to a private firm. He spearheaded efforts to divert foster care to private agencies.
But the efforts repeatedly faltered. The state sank millions into a computer system meant to track child welfare, but it still isn't performing all the functions it was supposed to handle. The personnel-outsourcing project has become another fiscal black hole: Since 2002, the project cost had swelled by more than $70 million by October and will be at least two years late.
Predictably, the increasing role of non-governmental contractors -- and the staggering heft of tax dollars shifted to the private sector -- leads to a concern that state government is more vulnerable to cronyism and corruption. "Worth a second look".
Hubris
Now that Gov. Jeb Bush has succeeded in getting voters to repeal the high-speed rail project they approved in 2000, he is asking the panel overseeing the train venture to close up shop. "Bush asks bullet train authority to dissolve".
Election Probe
The Florida Elections Commission ruled that enough evidence exists to accuse five workers in the Miami-Dade public defender's office of breaking election laws. "5 accused in election probe".
State Workers
"We're going to do our damndest to see that state employees get treated fairly next session," said Rep. Loranne Ausley, D-Tallahassee, who joined other Leon County legislators last session in trying to get regular raises instead of one-time bonuses. "If we want to run government like a business, we ought to run it like a good business that treats its employees right." "No raises yet, but $673 bonus now".
"Privatization Problems"
No one expected it would be easy to switch to a privatized child-welfare system. But four years into the transition from using state workers to relying on local organizations to provide family supervision, foster care and adoptive services for abused and neglected children, the effort continues to suffer major setbacks. "Privatization problems".
Sorry "Jeb!"
[N]ot that many say he would be their first choice if he ran for president four years from now, a poll released Tuesday shows. "Voters like Gov. Bush, but not for president".
Graham
Democrat Bob Graham, who grabbed national attention with criticism of the nation's intelligence system and an unsuccessful bid for the presidential nomination, urged fellow senators to turn their gaze to the future in his last Senate speech on Tuesday. "Sen. Graham tells fellow Senators to look ahead during goodbye speech". See also "Graham triumphs on final workday".
Castor Front and Center
Will she run for governor? If she does, a new committee will keep her name in the forefront. "Castor PAC strategy keeps new campaign a possibility".
KidCare
When lawmakers meet in special session next week, they should remove unnecessary eligibility rules that were approved earlier this year. Hundreds of families have been unable to come up with newly required documentation by the deadline. Without a change, eligible children will be dropped from the program. Lawmakers also limited sign-up periods to twice a year. This has the unfortunate effect of undermining KidCare's mandate. It also puts children's health at risk. "Healthy children a good investment".
Rejecting the Public Will
Claiming the class-cap amendment will cripple the state financially, Gov. Jeb Bush said he hasn't given up his fight to undo the measure voters passed in 2002. "Governor may seek repeal of class size limitation".
Nelson in Trouble?
The survey indicated that Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, who comes up for re-election in 2006, may be vulnerable. His approval rating stood at 46 percent. While he was viewed unfavorably by just 17 percent of respondents, nearly two-fifths had no opinion of him after four years in the nation's capital, and only slightly more than a third said they would like to see him re-elected. Even Democrats were split on whether Nelson, the only Democrat now holding statewide elected public office, should seek re-election.
Republicans favored Gov. Bush by a wide margin over U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Sarasota, as their choice to challenge Nelson. Seven of 10 Republicans liked the idea of Bush seeking the Senate seat, while 45 percent said they would back a Harris run. "Jeb Bush for president? Voters lukewarm on idea".
Debt
In fact, a rash of borrowing over the past decade has more than doubled state debt from $9.2 billion to $21.2 billion. If Florida wanted to pay off that debt today, every man, woman and child in the state would have to pony up $971.
Payments on state debt have tripled and now gobble up $1.5 billion of the almost $60 billion annual budget - an increase of $100 million in the past year alone. "Florida's credit rating could get a needed boost".
Grandstanding
A key lawmaker says he will have hearings next month to ask state officials why they have failed to prevent violent and incompetent people from working in Florida's programs for teen offenders. "Irked legislator to grill state officials on juvenile woes".
Another "Embarassment"
Faces should be red in state education circles with the revelation that Florida children spend the least time in the classroom of any of 22 states in a survey.
State officials' embarrassment should be replicated in school districts that have stuck with the minimum rather than shift resources to extend the day. "Short timers".
Instead of Doing his Job . . .
. . . "Jeb!" wants to avoid the will of the voters: "Gov. Bush says repeal of class size measure tops his list". See also "Law forces schools into flag chase".
Don't be Hasty
Floridians enjoy the convenience of voting before Election Day, as witnessed by the 30 percent of voters who cast their ballots before Nov. 2 this year. But it's doubtful they're ready to do away with Election Day as we know it, nor should they be.
Florida's election supervisors want to scrap voting at neighborhood precincts on a single day. Instead they would offer voting for up to 11 days at super centers scattered around each county. Incoming Volusia Supervisor Ann McFall, who supports the change, would like to close Volusia County's 179 precincts in favor of opening about 30 super voting centers. She plans to do it as soon as the Legislature allows.
That's hasty. "Election days".
Expect Skimping
Don't skimp on pre-K. "Set the bar high". In the meantime, the St. Pete Times contends:Florida's leaders - including the new Senate president and House speaker - will be judged by the outcome of the special session on prekindergarten. "The pre-K legacy".
"Back to Relevance"?
Still smarting from a drubbing in November, Florida Democrats are dusting off a pitch to take the partisanship out of the explosive once-a-decade task of redrawing political boundaries -- a long-shot proposal they say could help the one-time majority party find its way back to relevance. "Proposal redirects drawing district borders".
The "Invisible Problem" and Unscrupulous, Freeloading Employers
To be sure, Florida has an "invisible problem" with the growing lack of health insurance, Indeed, "Nearly 20 percent of the state's working age population is without health insurance, compared to about 17 percent five years ago, according to a study by the state Agency for Health Care Administration." Indeed, "More than one-third of those in their early 20s lacked coverage, and fully 28 percent of those ages 25 to 34 were uninsured." "Unhealthy situation".
Today, the Palm Beach Post explores solutions, noting that:[w]hile the number of uninsured has climbed steadily the past 20 years, treating them is often called America's invisible problem because it goes unnoticed to most people who have insurance. "Fragile system the only option". That's all well and good, but what about those companies that provide little or no health insurance to their workers, and use the financial savings to eke out a competitive advantage over their competitors that do provide decent benefits? But why should those irresponsible companies benefit from having their workers use subsidized health care? Consider Wal-Mart, one of America's most "admired" companies, as described in the most recent New York Review of Books:In analyzing Wal-Mart's success in holding employee compensation at low levels, the report assesses the costs to US taxpayers of employees who are so badly paid that they qualify for government assistance even under the less than generous rules of the federal welfare system. For a two-hundred-employee Wal-Mart store, the government is spending $108,000 a year for children's health care; $125,000 a year in tax credits and deductions for low-income families; and $42,000 a year in housing assistance. The report estimates that a two-hundred-employee Wal-Mart store costs federal taxpayers $420,000 a year, or about $2,103 per Wal-Mart employee. That translates into a total annual welfare bill of $2.5 billion for Wal-Mart's 1.2 million US employees.
Wal-Mart is also a burden on state governments. According to a study by the Institute for Labor and Employment at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2003 California taxpayers subsidized $20.5 million worth of medical care for Wal-Mart employees. In Georgia ten thousand children of Wal-Mart employees were enrolled in the state's program for needy children in 2003, with one in four Wal-Mart employees having a child in the program. "Inside the Leviathan" (the quote is from the text accompanying footnote 9).
In that connection, irresponsible companies have largely destroyed the union construction industry (which is contractually obligated to provide pensions and good health insurance (not to mention quality training programs)) by providing little or no health insurance (forget pensions or training) and off loading these costs onto public assistance programs, and turn turn shifting these ill-gotten savings to a competitive advantage in the construction bidding process (and, ironically, often winning bids on publicly funded construction work).
Perhaps, as the Orlando Sentinel editoral board asks today:At some point, people who pay for health insurance -- employers and workers -- will recognize they're subsidizing the freeloaders who end up stiffing the hospitals. The hospitals, in turn, pass that on to the paying customers. The sooner we recognize this, and stop the freeloading, the better.
Super Voting
Rather than have just 12 hours to vote on a single workday, Floridians would be able to cast ballots over 11 days. Polls thus would be open over two weekends.
To accomplish this, the number of polling places would drop dramatically. Supervisors would concentrate them into larger "voting centers." Such a change could mean that counties would need fewer machines. More important, it almost certainly would mean fewer poll workers, volunteers who are well-intentioned but can make mistakes and are not always comfortable with increasingly high-tech systems.
Supervisors suggested the change after noting the popularity of early voting in this year's general election. In fact, the popularity was the problem. Even in large counties that opened more early-voting locations than Palm Beach County did, people waited between two and three hours. Both major parties pushed early voting, and the system didn't anticipate the demand.
Some counties had experimented with early voting, but it became clear this year in Florida and elsewhere that it is no longer possible to concentrate elections on one day during the week. At one Palm Beach County precinct, voters waited two hours past the 7 p.m. closing time. Some small-business owners can't take time off to wait for 90 minutes, as was routine on Nov. 2.
The Legislature would have to approve any universal change, and some questions come up immediately. Even if counties need fewer polling places, could they find enough to handle voting over 11 days? If churches or synagogues serve as voting centers, what happens on Saturdays and Sundays? Would people be less likely to vote if they had to travel farther? What if many voters wait and overwhelm the larger but fewer precincts? "Harness the popularity of state's early voting".
Your Legislators at Work
More than 15,000 American flags need to be replaced in public-school classrooms in central Florida by the end of the school year because they are smaller than required under a new state law.
The law, requiring every Florida public classroom to display an American flag, includes a 3-foot-by-2-foot size requirement. Many flags already used in classrooms aren't large enough."Thousands of flags needed under new state law". See also "Up-sizing flags".
Redistrcting
Democrats are proposing a constitutional amendment that would take the power to draw political lines away from politicians. "Proposal redirects drawing district borders".
Scripps
Daniel Ruth on the Scripps food fight:Is there any doubt that were the situation reversed and Hillsborough County was facing the potential loss of a $310 million economic development deal, those fine, upstanding, moral public servants down in Palm Beach County wouldn't be trying to snatch the prize for themselves with all the bloodless conniving of a Hussein family reunion? "Ready? Set? Harrumph!!! Tut-Tut-Tut!!!"
Court Tests
Just because November was relatively normal this year doesn't mean post-election court challenges aren't dragging on in Florida. "Vote measures face court tests".
Initiatives
The folks in Tallahassee don't like it when the general public injects itself in the lawmaking processThe Florida Constitution is continuing to change and lawmakers are worried. With every election, voters approve another slew of changes to the document that serves as the state's guiding principles. "Lawmakers Target Initiatives".
Felon Drumbeat
Props to the Miami Herald for repeatedly exposing "Jeb!"'s hipocrisy on the felon civil rights thing. Today:Nine states since 1996 have eased or repealed felon voting bans, leaving Florida the largest among just seven states that continue to strip all felons of their civil rights for life, including the right to vote, hold public office and serve on a jury. The only way to get those rights back is through approval by the Florida Clemency Board, composed of Bush and the three members of the state Cabinet....
Jeb Bush defends Florida's clemency system and the voting ban that has been part of the state Constitution for 136 years. He says the process of regaining rights is reasonable and fair and has become far more responsive to felons under his leadership.
Yet, the Clemency Board has rejected more than 200,000 applications since Bush became governor in 1999, the highest rejection rate in at least 16 years. Included are thousands of nonviolent offenders whose crimes never even warranted prison time, and felons whose convictions are years old.
"Gov. Bush claims to be spearheading reform, but the numbers are so huge, I'm not entirely convinced," said Ryan King, with the nonprofit Sentencing Project in Washington, D.C., which studies criminal justice. "Minor modifications aren't going to make any significant contributions." "Florida one of few in banning felon rights".
We Don't Care How You Do It In Georgia
In Georgia,about 70,000 4-year-olds attend full-day, full-school-year pre-kindergarten in public and private schools. About half of Georgia families with 4-year-olds are using pre-kindergarten, and almost half of the children are from low-income, educationally disadvantaged backgrounds....
Lead teachers in Georgia pre-kindergarten classrooms must have at least a two-year college degree .... Also required are student-to-teacher ratios of 10-to-1 (Annie Lovejoy, a highly trained high-school graduate, teaches with Bevis) and maximum class sizes of 20. The 4-year-olds can get there on school buses. In Florida. we're looking at doing it on the cheap:
Key Florida negotiators on pre-kindergarten - Rep. Dudley Goodlette, R-Naples, Sen. Lisa Carlton, R-Sarasota, and Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings - recently have been talking of a three- to four-hour program, with teacher credentials escalating from child-development associate credentials up to bachelor's degrees by 2013 and a total budget of $300 million to $400 million. "Georgia's pre-K is building brighter children".
Election Day(s)
A proposal by Florida election officials to spread voting over several days and use "voting centers" instead of neighborhood precincts deserves consideration. "Election Day or Days?"
Court Fights
The presidential race may have been settled without the acrimony of 2000, but most of the eight ballot measures that voters faced Election Day are the subject of legal fights. "Election's over, but court fight goes on for most ballot measures".
Castor Keeps High Profile
Unlike Bill McBride who has largely avoided the limelight after his defeat, Betty Castor is maintaining a high profile: "Castor to fight for fairness".
Kudos to "Florida News"
Scott Maddox appears likely to be re-elected as state Democratic chairman Dec. 12, even as he struggles to avoid perceptions of a conflict of interest.
Some prominent Democrats question whether a party leader seen as a likely candidate for governor in 2006 can adequately represent the interests of all Democrats instead of his own. But few see strong contenders to replace him in the immediate future.
The latest incident to raise questions about Maddox's motivations was the revelation on a political Web site (www.flnews.blogspot.com) that the Florida Democratic Party had registered the Internet domain names ScottMaddox2006.com and Maddox2006.com. "Gubernatorial prospects snap up domain names".
Outsourcing Follies
Today the state spends four times as much on outsourcing as it does the state employee payroll.
Now Florida children in failing public schools can get taxpayer-funded vouchers to attend private schools. A private firm produces and grades state-required tests. Private companies tend to state prisoners and run state computers.
Critics have argued from the start, however, that it doesn't make sense to do all that government is expected to do - add a profit and still be cheaper and more efficient.
Yet that theory hadn't really been tested, not in six years, until last March when even the governor decided it was time to evaluate his theory. He created the Center for Efficient Government to assess the "business case" for privatization, though having his own appointees evaluate outsourcing struck many Democrats, in particular, as improbable. "Outsourcing".
"Improbable"? Try "absurd" It is flat out absurd to have "Jeb!" appointees evaluate outsourcing.
Pre-K Sellout
It's not about children. It's not about education. It's about money.
Lawmakers are throwing Florida's 4-year-olds under the bus to spare the state's treasury. The state's youngest students will be in good company under there. They'll join the rest of Florida's public school pupils "State pulls pre-K from cheap box".
"LePore's Hanging Chad"
Something is wrong with a system in which four months can mean a difference of $40,000 a year [in pension benefits]. Given the weepy tributes she received last week from her fellow supervisors, Ms. LePore might have 66 other options to enrich her retirement. But if no one gives her a job, there still might be another way.
Ms. LePore started working for the elections office in 1971, but she didn't get credit for all her time because her early jobs didn't pay into the retirement system. She only needs four measly months. Perhaps she should ask for a recount. "LePore's hanging chad".
Felons: GOoPer Plan "Falls Short"
As welcome as it is that state legislative leaders are willing to support a partial fix of the state's problematic system for restoring felons' rights, their plan falls short of the simplest, fairest reform: Make rights restoration automatic when a felon completes his sentence. "Change state policy".
Special Session
State legislators scheduled a special lawmaking session starting Dec. 13, and said they are determined to set up a pre-kindergarten program. "Pre-K program main focus of special session". See also "Lawmakers face numbers crunch in special session".
Our Brain Trust in Tally
Since 2000,the Legislature has created fewer than one in five requested judgeships, with no additional trial court judges in the last two sessions.
Why such intransigence? Beyond tight state budgets, there are a number of reasons why the courts have received short shrift. Voters in 1998 ordered the state to take over funding for the trial courts by July 2004, and state lawmakers were less than enthusiastic about this prospect. Increasing the number of judges was not a top priority in light of the lawmakers' disdain for their new fiscal responsibilities.
Also, House leaders have been antagonistic toward the courts in recent years, viewing the Florida Supreme Court as obstructing legislative initiatives. Refusing to authorize all the judges needed was seen as a way to punish the high court and weaken the judicial branch. "Don't scrimp on courts". See also "Florida Needs More Judges".
"Ethical, Moral and Religious Justifications"
Precisely what "ethical, moral and religious justifications" is the Tampa Trib talking about when it makes inane observations like this:The Schindlers and the governor have ethical, moral and religious justifications for fighting on. But legally, they don't have much of a case. "Jeb[!] Fights On For Terri Schiavo".
Off Topic: "Connect the Dots"
Anger Management's "Connect the Dots" beautifully summarizes a story that demands, but never seems to get, mainstream media coverage.
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