Harris Says Nelson Took Illegal Cash

The pot is calling the kettle black:

[A]fter a question from a member of the audience about illegal contributions made to her campaign by a defense contractor in 2004, Harris said that she had not known the $32,000 donation was illegal and she has since donated the money to charity.

She then upped the political ante by suggesting Nelson had made a similar mistake.

"That actually happened in the past, and it happened to Bill Nelson," Harris said. "The difference is that when I did find out, I donated that money to charity. . . . He received some $80,000 the same way and he never did reimburse. So there is a little bit of difference, and I'm happy to draw attention to that."

She never identified the money to which she was referring.

Tom on TV

"Tom Gallagher, whose quest for the Republican nomination for governor has taken a beating recently, will start running his first television ads today, a move supporters hope will rejuvenate his campaign." "As His Campaign Falters, Gallagher Turns To TV". See also "Urgency grips Gallagher campaign", "Gallagher's Going Up", "Gallagher to launch his first TV ad in governor's race" and " Too Late for Gallagher?" ("With nine weeks before Florida Republicans anoint their preferred successor to Gov. Jeb Bush, Gallagher is on the verge of being left in the dust by Attorney General Charlie Crist."). See generally: "Campaign Ads May Swamp Small Screens Soon".

Another "Jeb!" Appointee Goes Down

"It's bad enough for any government official to be corrupt. But it always seems worse when it's law enforcement. That's one reason a guilty plea by former Florida prison chief James Crosby is so disturbing. Mr. Crosby has agreed to plead guilty to the king of all government corruption -- taking bribes. He and another former prison official, Allen Clark, will agree to charges that they took as much as $12,000 a month in kickbacks for more than a year, according to court documents." "Betrayal at its worst". See also "Affidavits: Officers misused labor" and "Former prison director pleads guilty to kickback charge".

Will Jebbie suffer any fallout? There has been little criticism of Jebbie, notwithstanding the fact that this occurred on his watch; the Tallahassee Democrat does offer an oblique acknowledgement that the privatization boondogle played a role: "strong encouragement to privatize as many services as possible and DOC apparently went from cozy to corrupt." "'Culture of corruption'".

And the St. Pete Times observes that: "The state's former prison chief is going to prison himself, but his actions could have consequences for Gov. Bush's future."

Now, in the twilight of Bush's tenure as governor, Crosby's admission that he accepted kickbacks from a vendor who ran cash prison canteen services adds a stigma of scandal to the administration and is likely to put the former prison boss behind bars.

The lingering question is whether Bush had too much faith in Crosby for too long, and it's a question that might arise if Bush ever seeks national office. ...

What investigators told Bush and when is still not known. But the governor remained publicly loyal to Crosby throughout 2005, even as revelations of steroid abuse, theft of property, no-show employees and a drunken brawl at an employee softball tournament rocked the nation's third-largest prison system.

"Don't let the 'blanks' get you down," Bush told Crosby in one widely quoted meeting last fall, encouraging him to ignore mounting criticism of his leadership. ...

"Are you confident that the DOC is being properly run?" Bush was asked.

"I am. I am," Bush said, "and if there are any particular issues that people become aware of, they'll act on them. ... Maybe you guys get the FBI investigation fact sheets that are sent out on a daily basis. We don't get those." ...

Bush appointed Crosby to run the prison system on the eve of the governor's second inauguration in 2003. ...

He was a darling of the corrections officers' union, the politically influential Police Benevolent Association. ...

He aggressively played politics. He donated money to statewide candidates, was a delegate at the 2000 Republican National Convention and organized rallies for Bush in the governor's 2002 re-election, giving his appointment the air of a patronage plum.

More Rate Hikes

"Even as Nationwide filed Thursday for a statewide average 71-percent increase in home insurance rates, State Farm warned a similarly large hike it had sought won't be enough." "Insurers want more rate hikes". See also "Nationwide seeks hikes up to 99%".

Green Wars

"Allies become foes over Babcock Ranch deal". See also "Environmentalists urge Sierra Club to drop suit".

Meet The New Boss

"Christa Calamas was named Thursday to head the Florida Agency for Health Care by Gov. Jeb Bush in the latest personnel change in the governor’s final year in office. Calamas replaces Secretary Alan Levine who was recently selected as the new chief executive officer of the North Broward Hospital District." "Gov. Bush names new health care chief".

"Webster's With Lee"

"While he still hasn't said whether he's for Charlie Crist or Tom Gallagher in the governor's race, state Sen. Daniel Webster today endorsed Senate President Tom Lee in the Republican primary for chief financial officer." "Webster's With Lee".

Poor "Jeb!"

"Bush, elected in 1998, has seen his net worth diminish 41 percent since taking office, when he authorized a third-party trustee to make investment decisions. Last year, his net worth was $41,000 higher. Bush was vacationing in Maine this week and couldn't be reached for comment. But the two-term Republican governor has lamented publicly that his family's finances have taken a hit because of his public service." "Being governor hits Bush's wallet".

Gallagher Vote

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board contends that the "Gallagher vote [concerning the St. Joe Company] should be investigated."

Tom Gallagher should know better. First, he's been in politics a long time. Second, he's running for governor and should be especially alert to anything that casts suspicion on his ethics. And third, he's already being investigated by the state's Commission on Ethics for similar activities.

Nevertheless, in February 2005, Gallagher voted with the rest of the Florida Cabinet to prioritize for state acquisition some of the land holdings of a company in which he held a financial interest. He did so despite the fact that the St. Joe Co. depends so much on governmental actions for its financial well-being that, according to the St. Petersburg Times, it listed the Cabinet as one of its potential growth "risk factors" in a 2005 report to investors.

Crosby Fallout?

Will the Crosby affair have negative consequences for Rod Smith?

Crosby's appointment was wildly popular with the corrections constituency, and with politicians, too. Sen. Rod Smith, D-Alachua, who represents thousands of prison employees, described Crosby's selection in 2003 as "a dream come true," according to the Bradford County Telegraph.

Smith, a former state attorney who is a candidate for governor, recalled that morale was at rock bottom before Crosby arrived in 2003.

"I kept thinking this would be great for morale, and for a while it was," Smith said Thursday. "To find out that the boss was getting kickbacks - it's got to be heartbreaking."

Palm Beach

Davis and Smith have plenty of supporters in PB: "Primary Positioning in Palm Beach".

Mack Endorses McCollum

"Another Florida congressman has lined up behind Bill McCollum's bid for attorney general. U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fort Myers, today endorsed McCollum, a former U.S. congressman himself who is vying with state Reps. Joe Negron of Stuart and Everett Rice of Treasure Island for the GOP attorney general nomination." "Looking for Friends in a Familiar Place".

Secret Docket

"Broward County Chief Judge Dale Ross has delivered a half-solution to his judges' peculiar -- and probably unconstitutional -- secretive habits. In response to The Miami Herald's revelations that more than 100 cases had been sealed unnecessarily or put in a secret docket, Judge Ross has issued new rules to make it harder to seal civil cases. But he didn't address the fact that some criminal cases were also placed on a secret docket." "Playing hide-and-seek".

Smokers' Suit Snuffed

"Smokers' damages, class suit snuffed". See also "Court tosses tobacco verdict", "Court relieves cigarette makers of $145 billion liability", "$145 billion tobacco suit reversed", "Tobacco Companies Win In Fla. High Court", "Tobacco stocks soar after Fla. Supreme Court throws out $145 billion verdict" and "Ruling reaps dividends for tobacco firms".

Crist Cash

"The Charlie-Crist-for-governor mint is still printing money, as Crist's campaign announced [Thursday] afternoon that he raised another $1.8 million over the last three months." "Another $1.8 Million for Crist".

Whatever

"Harris takes her campaign to Latino voters". See also "Harris courts Hispanics with a stop at Versailles".

Thus as he becomes more of a lame duck with each passing day, as he prepares to leave the governor's mansion, Jeb Bush has fallen back on an old reliable standby to kill time until - well, until whatever.

Foundation To Provide Jeb Bush With Public Housing has solicited the services of a wide cadre of political operatives including Ann Herberger, the governor's former campaign finance director, consultant Adam Goodman and the silk-stocking Washington law firm of Patton Boggs.

Maybe all those folks are sitting around rubbing their chins over FCAT scores and vouchers and graduation rates. And if you believe that, you probably also believe Jeb Bush will be content to become the Mr. Chips of Coral Gables.

John McCain and Jeb Bush in 2008.

The whispers have started, and for good reason. Both Republicans want to be president and can help each other get there. John is old, so he goes first. Jeb is young, so he can wait.

Tom in Trouble

"Tom Gallagher didn't tell other members of the state Cabinet last year that he had a financial stake in a company he favored with his vote. That revelation, along with another report about his failure to disclose a financial interest in a company doing business with the state, tarnishes Gallagher's generally solid reputation and undermines public confidence that he is the best Republican candidate for governor." "Private Trades Raise Questions About Tom Gallagher's Judgment". See also "Gallagher held stock in development firm".

Troxler weighs in: "How now the Dow, Gov. Gallagher? Got any stock tips for us?".

Pathetic

"'When you defeat the incumbent, you're adding one conservative vote for Florida and taking one liberal vote,' she said." "Harris Urges Voters To Help Change Senate".

In the meantime, more details are emerging about Harris' Katherine Harris' relationship with Mitchell Wade. See Vantiy Fair's "Washington Babylon" (via The Buzz, which summartizes it this way: "'Mitch, what a special evening! The best dinner I have ever enjoyed in Washington…. Please let me know if I can ever be of assistance,' she supposedly wrote.")

Privatization Follies

"The former head of Florida's prison system and one of his top deputies were charged Wednesday with accepting $135,000 in kickbacks from a state contractor, while eight other current or former Corrections Department officials were charged with separate crimes, prosecutors announced." "Ex-chief of prisons charged in kickbacks". See also "Ex-prison chief admits to kickbacks", "Former prisons boss charged" and "Ex-prison chief admits guilt in bribery case".

Limbaugh Case Goes To Dade County

"Palm Beach County prosecutors decided not to file criminal charges against talk-show host Rush Limbaugh for possessing Viagra prescribed in someone else's name, despite his previous charge for illegal prescription 'shopping.' ... However, since the doctor wrote the prescription in Miami-Dade County, the case has been forwarded to prosecutors there for review." "Limbaugh case up to Dade".

"Green groups battle"

"Four environmental groups are taking on one of their own, fighting the Sierra Club's legal efforts to block development on the Babcock Ranch. Audubon of Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, the Everglades Foundation and 1000 Friends of Florida argued in court filings Wednesday that Sierra Club's challenge to development on the massive, 92,000-acre ranch in Charlotte and Lee counties imperiled the state's attempt to buy most of the ranch for conservation." "Green groups battle over Babcock buy".

Rate Increase

"Nationwide wants to raise homeowners rates by 71%".

'Glades

"Water managers should have until 2010 to finish working on their $1 billion-plus Everglades cleanup, a federal court adviser recommended Wednesday in a report that had both the state and its critics claiming victory. The report by Miami lawyer John Barkett also appeared to leave room for a much bigger showdown after Dec. 31 — the deadline state lawmakers originally set 12 years ago for the South Florida Water Management District to deliver clean water to all parts of the Everglades." "2010 deadline for Everglades cleanup urged". See also "".Report: Everglades work on track, but don't slack

Charlie's Angels

"Advocacy groups don't work for candidates, but they can influence a race. And one with deep pockets backs Charlie Crist. They call themselves 'Floridians for a Better and Brighter Future,' and their primary interest appears to be Charlie Crist's political future." "Unofficially, they'll sway governor race".

Charlie can't seem to get enough love: "Florida nursing home operators are still peeved at Jeb Bush, weeks after the governor vetoed a $91-million appropriation to pay for staffing increases the Legislature mandated five years ago. Now the nursing home industry is channeling its anger into bundling checks for Attorney General Charlie Crist in the Republican primary for governor." " Long-Term Care for Crist".

"Annual Shame for Florida"

"The Casey Foundation's rankings have become an annual shame for Florida."

The numbers show where the state is slipping: The state's teen death rate increased from 2002 to 2003, a time period when the national rate was declining, indicating that Florida's missing opportunities to save young lives. The number of low birth-weight babies increased as well, meaning that more children enter their lives with increased risk of developmental delays and health problems. And the number of teenagers who aren't in school, but don't have a job, remains above the national average. ...

Education would provide the key to solving many of the problems. Yet the Legislature fought, nearly every step of the way, against a voter-approved constitutional mandate to reduce class sizes. Another voter demand to create a high-quality prekindergarten program stumbled badly, with lawmakers approving only enough funding for a program that offers too little instruction time and doesn't require qualified teachers.

Florida's leaders haven't been ignoring education -- but they have been putting far too much emphasis on high-stakes testing and artificial grading measures. The result could be a continued increase in the number of children who get discouraged and quit school before graduation. Dropout rates are currently holding steady; they should be going down. ...

Meanwhile, lawmakers have all but abandoned any attempt to help Floridians caught in crushing poverty -- a vise that tightens as housing costs rise. Forty-two percent of Florida's children live in low-income families, with 18 percent subsisting below the poverty line. Both numbers could grow as cuts to supportive services like job-training and subsidized care have their effect on Florida's large class of working poor.

Florida A&M dispute

"Bush asked to intervene in Florida A&M dispute".

Looming Problems

"Less than two months before early voting begins, many county elections supervisors are worried about a voter registration system that never has been used in a statewide election, as well as a new state attitude regarding the scrubbing of felons from voter rolls." "County election chiefs worry about state control of voter list".

"Pruitt, under oath"

"State Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, says he has no reason to duck testimony in a lawsuit brought by a legislator who says the senator's friends defamed him. Yet the incoming Senate president first delayed his testimony, scheduled for April during the legislative session, then tried to escape it. ... As The Post has reported, more than $1 million Sen. Pruitt has helped to raise has gone to secretive political committees. He has accepted money for ill-defined real estate consulting services, including work for a company run by Mr. Nielsen's partner. The deposition offers the public a chance to see how Sen. Pruitt gained the power he will assume in November." "Pruitt, under oath".

Child-Support

"Bush recently signed a bill that would allow men to end their child-support obligation if a DNA test proves someone else is the father." "Men relieved by child-support bill".

Running Government Like A Business

"After nearly three years of federal and state investigations into the Florida Department of Corrections, major arrests were expected to be announced today, according to sources.

Sources close to the case said the arrests were directly related to the operation and management of Florida’s $2.6 billion prison system." "Probe into state's prison system may yield major arrests today".

McBride

"GOP Senate candidate Will McBride has an uphill battle to raise funds and distinguish himself from another McBride, a Democrat, who ran for governor." "McBride seeks traction in primary race against Harris".

Bilirakis

"Bilirakis asks for investigation of VA hiring practices".

"The lunatic fringe"

Sun-Sentinel columnist Stephen L. Goldstein speaks with Michael Schiavo about his book and gives a retrospective on the Schiavo affair

Michael cured me of post-headline lethargy. I was disgusted when he told me that Terri's parents sold the videotape of her in the hospice for $100 a copy and that he invited the brothers Bush to visit Terri and evaluate her condition themselves, but neither did, of course. (He even said Jeb was once just 20 minutes away from the hospice, visiting a home featured on Extreme Makeover Home Edition.)

I was incensed when Michael described the posturing of people who weren't "there" for 15 years while he was caring for his wife: the protesters who raised their signs for the TV cameras to make the evening news or publicity-hound Jesse Jackson, who thought he alone was entitled to pull his limo up to the front of the building. Michael says that Terri's father, brother and sister were never around -- only Mrs. Schindler, who "knew" what Terri wanted, but bit her tongue under family pressure.

Don't let the lessons of the Schiavo story die. Read Terri: The Truth. You'll be reminded of how low some people could go for political advantage.

For example, the Schindlers' attorneys filed a motion stating that Terri -- who, an autopsy later confirmed, was in a persistent vegetative state -- had "changed her mind and no longer wanted to die" after "hearing" a speech by the pope. Jeb Bush, a lapdog for the radical right, believed the diagnosis of "a phony Nobel Prize nominee and a radiologist giving neurological opinions." U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez sent "a memo suggesting to Republicans that they could politically exploit the Schiavo case for votes." A lawyer for the Schindlers claimed that, in her final days, Terri "said" she wanted to live.

The lunatic fringe made a shy, young woman larger than life. But, if Republicans and the radical right had had their way, Terri Schiavo would have been consigned to a living death -- and forgotten, after serving their political agenda.

Public Records

"State agencies do a good job of looking out for the little guy, but consumer protection would improve if departments receiving citizen complaints did a better job of sharing information, according to the Legislature's fiscal watchdogs." "When agencies share information, consumers benefit, watchdogs say".

Jeb Bush has used his recently revived nonprofit foundation to pay a former campaign finance director and two former campaign aides.

Although Bush has said his Foundation for Florida's Future is not a way of keeping his political machine intact after he leaves office early next year, recent disclosures on the foundation's Web site show that it paid:

• Nearly $99,000 to Ann Herberger, Bush's campaign finance director during two campaign and a longtime political fund-raiser for his family.

• Nearly $70,000 to Neil Newhouse of Washington-based GOP Public Opinion Strategies group for polling last October.

• $48,000 for "management services" to a lobbying and public-affairs firm whose staff includes Mandy Clark and Mandy Fletcher. Both worked on Bush's reelection campaign and on his brother's presidential reelection campaign.

• $23,500 for "legal services" from the Washington law and lobbying firm Patton Boggs.

• $20,000 in February to GOP political strategist Adam Goodman's The Victory Group Inc.

The foundation has spent about $320,000 of the $1.9 million it has raised since Bush revived it in the fall, according to its Web site. Those contributions have come from friends, former colleagues and campaign contributors, and even the prime minister of Haiti.

Bush also has tapped three "Rangers" — fund-raisers who brought in at least $200,000 for President Bush's 2004 campaign — to sit on the foundation's board: Zach Zachariah, a Fort Lauderdale cardiologist; Tom Petway, a Jacksonville businessman; and Sergio Pino, a Miami developer.

CD 9

"With control of the U.S. House hanging on a razor edge between the two parties, the race between Busansky and Bilirakis is one of a number nationwide - and one of no more than two or three in Florida - that could change the agenda of the nation for the next few years." "Fight Is On For Legacy Seat". See also "District 9 shapes up as battleground".

"Group shows how to steal an election"

"In the nation's first 'methodical threat assessment' of an electronic voting system, the task force analyzed several different styles of electronic vote-counting equipment. Elections-security and computer experts were able to demonstrate that hackers could batter almost every door down. Most attacks took only one person, and would have been virtually undetectable under security measures in place across the nation."

That's important, because any scam becomes easier to expose when large numbers of people are involved. Stealing an election that used paper ballots would require a minimum of seven people, the task force determined. Allowing a lone wolf to operate increases the chances that an election could be stolen undetectably.

The most successful attacks, the Brennan Center found, were those that exploited security flaws in machines made by the nation's three largest voting-systems makers. Because these systems often use commonly available software, security vulnerabilities are well-known. (Advocates for other elections-security groups found that many states left default passwords active in their system, giving an open door to anyone who knew the defaults for those programs).

Hackers could also find opportunities by breaking into wireless communications or corrupting memory cards used to transfer votes to a central tabulating computer-- or simply rig the tabulation process, perhaps the best way to tamper with an election.

Some attacks would be inside jobs, involving trickery on the part of elections-department officials, the task force reported. It's not outside the realm of possibility that one elections clerk, somewhere, could get the few minutes needed to rig an election.

Online Court Records

"Floridians will have to continue going to their local courthouse to inspect most court records after the Florida Supreme Court decided Monday that further study is needed before putting that information online." "More study ordered before state court records go online". See also "State to try out Internet access of public records" ("The Florida Supreme Court on Monday continued a ban on Internet access to most court records but agreed to establish a pilot program to test such technology.")

Good Luck

"Group seeks state funds to free innocent inmates".

Charter Schools

"The danger with this new commission is that it was motivated primarily by a belief that county school boards have not been supportive enough [of charter schools]. Those boards do have a built-in conflict, approving and overseeing charter schools billed as filling a need the public schools don't. But the Constitution also says plainly that school boards 'shall operate, control and supervise all free public schools within the school district.'" "Serve children, not charter schools".

Gallagher

"Republican candidate for governor Tom Gallagher owned stock in St. Joe Co. last year when he voted to rank some of the company's vast land holdings as a priority for state acquisition." "Gallagher voted despite share in firm".

One Way To Look At It

"Trailing by more than two-to-one to Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Orlando lawyer Will McBride found a silver lining in a recent poll that shows him actually doing slightly better than widely-known Republican contender Katherine Harris in a similar matchup."

"After years as a high profile figure in Florida politics, 24 percent of Republicans polled still say they `haven't heard enough' about Harris," said Jack St. Martin, McBride's campaign manager. "Because he has so recently entered politics, 77 percent haven't heard enough about Will McBride to have an opinion. That gives us huge room for growth between now and election day, Sept. 5."

"Jane Fonda's love child"

Ruth puts it bluntly: "Last week the U.S. Senate failed by one vote to approve a proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting desecration of the flag.
Jane's Love Child Even Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Yankee Doodle, who is leading his likely Republican opponent Katherine Harris by something like 127 percent to Hardy-Har-Har and wasn't willing to risk the accusation of being Jane Fonda's love child, voted for the measure." "Now There's A Profile In Courage".

Leaving Children Behind

"Delegates of the National Education Association [in Orlando] voted Monday in favor of lobbying Congress to reform the No Child Left Behind Act." "Union moves to lobby Congress for change".

Pounding the Pavement

"Wellington resident Siedlecki is a 37-year-old lawyer with his family's airport shuttle business who was a Bush administration appointee at the Department of Health and Human Services. He is trying to unseat Democratic state Rep. Shelley Vana, who won this mid-county seat by a slender 607 votes in 2002 and by 1,353 votes in 2004. Impressed by the close margins, Siedlecki spends a couple of hours most weekdays and long hours on weekends prospecting for votes by knocking on doors." "Political newcomer pounds the pavement".

Whatever Works

"To get on 'The Jerry Springer Show,' it helps to be a prostitute with a shocking story, a polygamist or someone committing simple adultery of some form. But next week all it will take is $50 and a belief in Democratic politics to see Jerry Springer address Sarasota Democrats at a major party fundraiser." "TV host Jerry Springer to talk to Democrats".

'Glades

"Revive Glades with road not taken".

Schorsch

"Peter Schorsch was once one of the most promising young political consultants in the Tampa Bay area. Now he's facing three felony charges because authorities say he took money from political candidates or organizations but didn't provide the services he promised." "Political adviser's troubles escalate".

"Indefensible"

"Bush's veto of a bill to allow counties to impose a surcharge on rental cars is indefensible at a time of growing road congestion."

Bush would rather Floridians remain stuck in traffic than give voters an opportunity to vote for a small tax increase. His veto of a bill that would have enabled counties to impose a $2 daily surcharge on car rentals if voters approved and use the money for transportation improvements is indefensible.

Anyone who thinks Florida couldn't use more money for transportation must have use of their own airplane and a driver (like, say, the governor). This state remains billions of dollars short, even with last year's significant investment. Millions of tourists contribute to the congestion, and there's no reason why they shouldn't pay a bit more to help ease a situation they help create.

Black GOoPers

"Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist touts his civil rights credentials. State Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher talks about values and school vouchers. The two Republican candidates for governor hope to win over black Republican voters, who could sway a close election. But they're also taking the unusual step of quickly reaching out to the overall black electorate, which traditionally has overwhelmingly voted for Democratic candidates." "GOP's Crist, Gallagher court black voters in September's primary".

Teacher Blitz

"Teachers' union to blitz Congress for more education spending".

"Palm Beach polemicist"

George Bennett reports that Palm Beach "County GOPers already are talking about booking a 2008 presidential candidate for the party's 2007 Lincoln Day fund-raiser, which usually takes place in February. Dinerstein said he's reached out to U.S. Sen. John McCain but was told the Arizonan won't make any commitments before December. The party also might try for Rudy Giuliani, Virginia Sen. George Allen or Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Dinerstein said. Dinerstein also mentioned Palm Beach polemicist Ann Coulter."

Gallagher

"Gallagher held stock in development company when he voted on land".

Relief

"Many Florida homeowners seeking state help in making their homes more hurricane proof will soon be allowed to tap into a $250 million pool of grant money to assist. But the relief won't come overnight and property owners must be willing to back up their requests with their own cash. State officials say they plan to begin processing applications in August on a matching grant program that could put $5,000 in state money into the hands of qualified homeowners within the next five months." "Michael Peltier: $250 million to help homes tough it out".

'Glades

"With Floridians clamoring to drain the Everglades, forester John Gifford had a more modest proposal: plant thirsty trees around the edges to draw off the water near populated areas, but leave the rest of the Everglades intact. This year is the 100th anniversary of his very costly mistake: the wide-scale introduction of the melaleuca, a fast-spreading and hardy tree from Australia that crowds out native trees and plants." "Fast-spreading tree chokes Glades, but control programs are working".

Hillsborough

"With five seats for the Hillsborough County Commission being contested this year, both major political parties see an opportunity. Republicans, who hold five of the board's seven seats, hope for an election sweep, giving them control of all seven seats. Democrats hope they can add to the two seats they hold." "Parties Set To Sprint For Seats".

Wexler

"Thwarted by the courts in his quest to force Florida election officials to install a paper trail for electronic voting machines, the Boca Raton Democrat tried a novel approach last week." "Lawmaker tries again to force voting record".

Vulnerable

"Manufactured home owners in vulnerable state".

Get A Life

"Fan of Governor Gets Wish To Meet Him".

Phone It In

"Members of Congress are using new technology to conduct town hall meetings from the comfort of their own offices." "Town halls now can be phoned in".

PBA

"For nine years Sgt. John Rivera, president of the Miami-Dade Police Benevolent Association, has been abusing the county's off-duty police program to increase his pension benefits. That abuse should end. Miami-Dade Police Department Director Robert Parker says he never authorized such an arrangement. Mr. Parker should stop the off-duty payments now and hold accountable any staff member who approved improper off-duty payments to PBA officials." "The PBA's dubious pension booster plan".

For more on the "PBA", see Bill Cotterell's column today: "Unions fight over police support" (" The PBA, which is not part of the heavily Democratic labor federation, endorsed Gov. Jeb Bush as far back as 1994 and has always flaunted its political friendships with presiding officers and appropriations bosses of the GOP-run Legislature.")

Sealing Deal

"DEP last week closed on the purchase of 2,589 acres along the river in Leon and Jefferson counties. The state is buying the land from The St. Joe Co. to create a state park. The land buy is part of about 15,000 acres along the upper St. Marks River that the state has identified for purchase. There is no timetable yet for buying other portions of the land. The state bought the 2,589 acres from St. Joe for $10.6 million. The Nature Conservancy negotiated the deal for the state. The purchase will help protect water quality in the river and the Floridan Aquifer, which provides area drinking water, supporters said." "State seals a deal to preserve a piece of wild Florida".

"Children's Origins To Be Checked"

" Department of Juvenile Justice officials soon will find out whether children in their care are undocumented immigrants. In this year's state budget, the department received nearly $49,000 to hire someone to conduct citizenship background checks. Children typically are placed in the Justice Department's care after being charged with a crime." "Children's Origins To Be Checked".

One Way To Raise Wages

"The potential in Florida for wage pressure is enormous for two reasons: a job market that is as tight as it has been in the last 30 years, and the critical position that immigrants, particularly Latinos, have in one of the Sunshine State's seminal industries -- construction." "Pressure driving up paychecks".

"Whatever happened to the patients' right to know?"

"Whatever happened to the patients' right to know? Florida voters two years ago approved a constitutional amendment making medical error records in hospitals available to patients, stripping confidentiality rights of hospitals. Amendment 7, called the "patients' right to know," was overwhelmingly approved by a five-to-one margin of voters in the November 2004 election but since has dropped out of the public arena. That's because disputes regarding the amendment's scope have been taken up in lawsuits and complicated by the state Legislature's interpretation of the amendment in a 2005 statute. Two state appellate courts have made different rulings to create more uncertainty. The Florida Supreme Court is being asked to untangle it all." "Resolving 'right to know' will take time".

Blame Game

"Threats from Florida's education commissioner to crack down on low-performing schools could lead to a showdown with Miami-Dade's superintendent." "Blame game topic: failing schools".

"Progress In Eye of Beholder"

"Florida grades schools based primarily on student FCAT results. The federal government rates schools on whether they are making adequate yearly progress, or AYP, as defined by the No Child Left Behind law." "Schools' Progress In Eye of Beholder".

Schultz slams "Jeb!"

In what ranks as one of Jebbie's most hubristic acts (and mind you there have been many), last week he

vetoed a bill that could have given counties more money for transportation - not just roads but mass transit, for when the roads get crowded, as they always do in this growth state. The money would have come from a $2 daily TAX on rental cars. The bill would not have created the TAX. It simply would have allowed counties to vote on the TAX. But because it might have led to a TAX, the governor said he couldn't go along, because he doesn't like "TAXation without representation."

You see, Gov. Bush doesn't mind if some people pay higher TAXes or fees, shorthand for TAXes. He just doesn't want any TAX traced back to him. ...

It's more of the Jeb Bush Hypocrisy when it comes to money matters. The governor criticized the tobacco lawsuit that brought the state $11 billion. As former Gov. Lawton Chiles negotiated it in 1997, the settlement was supposed to help pay state Medicaid costs for tobacco-related illness. Since 1999, however, Gov. Bush has used the money for other things, such as lowering TAXes on wealthy Floridians. Money to try to keep children from smoking has been cut.

Goin' To The Country

"Stung by leaders of her own party and facing a Republican primary battle, Katherine Harris has turned to North Florida and the small towns that dot the state's rural landscape to reinvigorate her campaign for the U.S. Senate." "Harris targeting voters in rural areas".

Poor Tommy

"Things are looking grim these days for Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Gallagher, who has been lagging rival Charlie Crist in fundraising, beating Crist in negative headlines, and still not running any TV spots while Crist has been up for weeks. A Quinnipiac University poll released last week found Crist beating Gallagher 49-21 percent among registered Republicans, compared to 43-26 in a Quinnipiac poll in late May." "Crist's advantages over Gallagher are showing".

"Jeb!" Watch

"Jeb, a VP pick? He isn't denying it".

While "Jeb!" Slept

"Jeb!" appears to have been AWOL on the drilling deal:

Prohibitions against offshore drilling that had protected the Florida coast for more than 20 years were tossed aside by the U.S. House Thursday night after a loud, dishonest debate. Yet when the smoke cleared, Florida found itself in a better position than expected. Rep. C.W. Bill Young, a Pinellas County Republican, and two colleagues succeeded in a last-minute effort to push the no-drilling line to 235 miles off west coast beaches.

That important partial victory in what could have been a night of unqualified defeat shows why it's important not to give up the fight too early. Gov. Jeb Bush and some of the state's Republican delegation already had capitulated on a bill being pushed by Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., that otherwise allows drilling within 50 miles of the nation's shores. The bill lets state legislatures seek an additional 50-mile exemption, a request that would have to be repeated every five years. That would be no sure thing in Florida, where too many state lawmakers are beholden to special interests and a power-hungry business lobby already is clamoring for more drilling.

Picking up on an argument first advanced by Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., Young and Reps. Jeff Miller, R-Chumuckla, and Allen Boyd, D-Monticello, successfully introduced an amendment extending the drilling ban to the Military Mission Line in the gulf, which runs south starting near Fort Walton Beach in the Panhandle. The amended bill gives permanent protection to any waters east of that line - an area used by the military for practice missions involving airplanes, ships and submarines. That would put drilling no closer than 235 miles to Pinellas County beaches, a much more reasonable distance.

While the gulf coast can breath a sigh of relief, the bill is still a threat to Florida's east coast and other coastal states that opposed it. Typical of their responses was that of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who called the House vote "an alarming development" that will "weaken California's protections from any new oil and gas leasing." That's a tough stand that Floridians should have expected from their own governor.

Disappearing Cases

"When judges in Florida don't just seal cases but make them disappear, the public should respond with one word - objection." "Expose secret dockets, and make cases public".

Cheney Puts On A Happy Face

"Just as the race was about to start, Cheney took to the stage in front of a large U.S. flag and the drivers and delivered a patriotic message to more than 100,000 fans." "From diamond to oval, Cheney emerges from behind the scenes". See also "Cheney brings Independence Day message to fans" and "Cheney makes grand entrance at NASCAR race".

Jax Bloggers

"Bloggers proclaim their role in spreading news".

Save Our Homes

"It's the political reality behind Save Our Homes, a fantastically popular constitutional amendment passed in 1995 to protect Florida residents from big tax increases. Popular with residents, that is. The explosion in property values has made it possible for local governments to collect more tax revenues even while lowering rates enough to cut tax bills for many full-time residents."

That leaves those without the exemption -- part-time residents, apartment owners and businesses -- paying more and more of the tax bill. This year, that unprotected group paid 61 percent of local property taxes in Sarasota County, compared with 59 percent in 2005.

That's because the 3 percent cap on the growth of a home's assessment has led to the typical full-time resident's house being valued at an ever-lower percentage of its market value.

Sad

GOoPers apparently are required to adhere to the "ultra-conservative agenda" to get through a primary. Consider the case of party-switcher extraorinaire Sandy Murman:

Republican state Senate candidate Sandy Murman says she has proved in Tallahassee she can advance an "ultra-conservative agenda."

But as the former state representative faces a tough Republican primary in the race to succeed state Sen. Tom Lee, she has to explain her words during her first political campaign: "My platform is the Democratic agenda."

That's how Murman, a longtime children's advocate, in 1996 explained why she switched from Republican to Democrat to run for the state House. She subsequently switched back to Republican, and in a Political Connections interview airing today said her problem with Democrats boiled down mainly to abortion.

"That's no way to run a top-tier university system"

"Higher education budget requests are supposed to flow from Florida's 11 public universities to the state Board of Governors to the Legislature. But the universities also have used lobbyists to get an edge." "Let all universities win".

Mexican Elections

"About 1,100 Mexicans living in Florida may help define the future for a people who pray for a prosperous, democratic nation. A new law, part of Mexico's continuing election reforms, allows citizens who live outside the country to vote -- giving many hope that electing the right leader will enable them to return home to their families and jobs that pay far more than Mexico's $5-per-day minimum wage -- when enforced." "Election reforms keep hope alive".

Deadline

"Lobbyists hit deadline for earnings disclosure".

Huh?

"More than 500 high-poverty Florida schools could be forced under the federal No Child Left Behind law to privatize, become charters, replace most of their staffs or make other major changes -- even though some have repeatedly received A or B grades from the state." "Federal standards put schools in quandary".

Harris Comes "Out Swinging"

"On Saturday, she came out swinging, castigating Nelson as a far-left liberal while saying she wants increased border security, a tightly monitored guest-worker program and continued tax cuts to bolster the economy. She shrugged off poll numbers that have shown Nelson with a commanding lead in a head-to-head race." "Katherine Harris stumps in Volusia".

FCAT Follies

"A high school principal and three other administrators prevented dozens of special-diploma students from taking the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test so their low scores would not affect the school’s grade, a district spokeswoman said." "Cocoa High School administrators disciplined in FCAT probe".

The Price of "Fame"

"But just as Rubio and his innovative ideas were gaining momentum on the national stage, troubles began to brew for him at home."

Miami Rep. Gus Barreiro broke his silence last week and acknowledged at a press conference that one of Rubio's close advisors, Hialeah Rep. Ralph Arza, had left him a patronizing phone message that referred to Miami-Dade schools Superintendent Rudy Crew, who is black, with a racial slur.

For months, Barreiro had said nothing about the incident. He talked about it publicly for the first time at a political event: a press conference to announce his endorsement of Miami Sen. Alex Villalobos for reelection.

Arza's denial on the floor of the state House that he had used a racial epithet was a troubling lie, Barriero said, leaving him ''with no choice'' but to file an ethics complaint against Arza.

At the same press conference, Miami Reps. J.C. Planas, Julio Robaina and Marcelo Llorente deplored what they alleged were divisive moves by Arza and Rubio's longtime friend and advisor, Rep. David Rivera.

They claimed Arza and Rivera had either personally recruited, or asked others to recruit, challengers in the reelection races of Robaina and Llorente. They suggested that Rubio should find out if the allegations were true and, if so, put a stop to Arza and Rivera.

And so the internal dispute -- the kind usually kept contained within Miami-Dade's concentric political circles -- erupted into the open.