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FLORIDA POLITICS
Since 2002, daily Florida political news and commentary

 

UPDATE: Every morning we review and individually digest Florida political news articles, editorials and punditry. Our sister site, FLA Politics was selected by Campaigns & Elections as one of only ten state blogs in the nation
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Welcome To Florida Politics

Thanks for visiting. On a semi-daily basis we scan Florida's major daily newspapers for significant Florida political news and punditry. We also review the editorial pages and political columnists/pundits for Florida political commentary. The papers we review include: the Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Naples News, Sarasota Herald Tribune, St Pete Times, Tampa Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Tallahassee Democrat, and, occasionally, the Florida Times Union; we also review the political news blogs associated with these newspapers.

For each story, column, article or editorial we deem significant, we post at least the headline and link to the piece; the linked headline always appears in quotes. We quote the headline for two reasons: first, to allow researchers looking for the cited piece to find it (if the link has expired) by searching for the original title/headline via a commercial research service. Second, quotation of the original headline permits readers to appreciate the spin from the original piece, as opposed to our spin.

Not that we don't provide spin; we do, and plenty of it. Our perspective appears in post headlines, the subtitles within the post (in bold), and the excerpts from the linked stories we select to quote; we also occasionally provide other links and commentary about certain stories. While our bias should be immediately apparent to any reader, we nevertheless attempt to link to every article, column or editorial about Florida politics in every major online Florida newspaper.

 

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The Blog for Thursday, April 27, 2006

Privatization Flop

    Jebbie's vaunted privatization program has been a flop:
    The Legislature's policy wonks said Wednesday no one knows whether taxpayers are saving big money with People First, the accident-prone privatization of state personnel services.

    Gov. Jeb Bush's biggest "outsourcing" initiative - a nine-year, $350 million contract with Convergys Customer Management Group Inc. - was projected to eliminate 73 percent of human-resources jobs in state agencies. But while the number of positions in state agency personnel offices fell from 1,187 to 316 - and was projected to drop to 179 next year - many departments have had to pull employees off their regular jobs to cover for departed personnel workers and fix People First mistakes. ...

    "The net cost impact of People First cannot be reliably determined, as DMS has not established a methodology to capture project cost savings," said the OPPAGA report.
    "Report: Can't tell if People First saves money".


    Jebonomics

    "The Florida Senate on Wednesday voted to eliminate the last vestige of the tax on stock and bond portfolios, putting the last stake in the heart of a tax Gov. Jeb Bush calls 'insidious.'" "Lawmakers pass permanent tax cut for investors". See also "Senate repeals levy on securities".


    And So It Begins

    "The Web site, www.sorrycharlie.com, has several veiled suggestions that Crist, a bachelor, is gay." "Crist Attacked In Web Ad By Anonymous Creator".


    Session News

    - "Coming up at the Capitol".

    - "Legislature 2006: Developments from day 50, April 25".

    - "Lawmakers sent the governor a measure that will help billboard owners keep uncluttered views in front of their ads." "Path is cleared for bill on sign views".

    - "Sen. Mike Fasano of New Port Richey has abandoned his plan to help Bank of America avoid a lawsuit and keep millions of dollars in disputed bank fees." "Fasano backing off bank's break on fees".

    - "Bush signs bill changing how lawsuit damages are divided".

    - "$23 Billion OK'd For Health Care".

    - "House refuses to separate class size, '65 percent solution'".

    - "Antibullying Bill Passes House 116-0".

    - "Bills Shielding Constitution On Capitol Agenda".


    Harris Watch

    "Once again undercutting U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris, Gov. Jeb Bush said on Wednesday that House Speaker Allan Bense 'would be a great United States senator.'The governor's remark revives the on-again, off-again speculation that another Republican will wrestle Harris for the GOP nomination. Bense wraps up the legislative session on May 5; the last day to qualify as a U.S. Senate candidate is May 12." "Harris rival? Bush praises Bense". See also "GOP urging Bense to enter race".

    Also of note: "Harris Hits New Low In Poll".


    Storms vs. Castor

    Storms is out of line:

    [T]he six-year-old incident is not the villainous plot that Storms makes it out to be. Neither does it justify her repeated and vicious attacks on Castor.

    "She bullies the public, bullies the staff and tries to bully other commissioners," Castor told us. "I am not going to take any more."

    Storms remains unrepentant. "It is not impolite to point out hypocrisy."

    Many of Storms' constituents like her take-no-prisoners style. But come fall, they should consider how such shrill and exaggerated pronouncements will play in Tallahassee, where members must demonstrate respect to gather votes and win the day.
    "Sorting Out Facts On Storms' Accusations Against Castor".


    Kerry

    "Sen. John Kerry prepared for Saturday's Democratic fundraiser in Miami Beach with some sharp words for Republicans running for statewide office." "Kerry to boost Fla. Democrats".


    Troxler's Wish List

    "Legislators have time to make that sausage nutritious".


    Citizens

    "Do Floridians care whether lawmakers wipe out their coming property insurance 'assessments' rather than give them the cash to pay those assessments? At least two Floridians might: Attorney General Charlie Crist and Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, who as the two Republican candidates in the governor's race stand to gain or lose politically based on the approach chosen." "Citizens' path could steer governor's race".


4:22 AM

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