A Bushco Thing

The Palm Beach Post reminds us today of Bushco's penchant for politicizing the prosecutorial function: "In Florida, the 20 state attorneys work for the governor, and he can intervene. Admittedly, that power also can be problematic. In 2002, his reelection year, Jeb Bush removed the Miami-Dade County state attorney, a Democrat, from an investigation. Katherine Fernandez-Rundle was checking fraud allegations against a group seeking a referendum to overturn a gay rights ordinance. His move came one day before the group faced a contempt hearing." "Judicial emergency brake".

And remember this? "A month before voters went to the polls [to vote on the FLSA amendment], criticism of ACORN mounted. ... the [Florida] Department of Law Enforcement took the unusual step of publicizing the fact it was investigating ACORN; and another lawsuit filed in state court in Tallahassee, but later withdrawn, alleged the group committed fraud in collecting petitions for the ballot measure." "Politicization of the FDLE".

After all, as former FDLE spokeswoman Elizabeth Wimberley Bernbaum wrote,

During his first term, Gov. Jeb Bush regularly inserted himself into ongoing investigations of political or particularly sensitive natures while I worked with FDLE by requesting continuous updates and tacitly pressuring the agency at every level.

A Politically Expedient Exaggeration?

"The 24.3 percent average property insurance rate cut policyholders across the state were told they could look forward to likely will be closer to 15 percent, according to the state's top insurance official." "Home insurance savings come up short from early estimates".

Florida Five

"Need proof that Democrats are feeling like winners in Florida these days? Just listen to them talk about their chances of gaining more ground in Congress during the 2008 election. ... It makes Florida a pivotal state in what both parties see as a critical election that will also pick the next president, and one that could potentially see seven congressional incumbents in heated battles to keep their seats. ... For Democrats, the targets are Reps. Vern Buchanan, Ric Keller, Dave Weldon, Tom Feeney and C.W. 'Bill' Young."

- Buchanan barely won his District 13 seat in the Sarasota area after spending more than $5 million of his own money on the race. He won by 369 votes. His opponent, Christine Jennings, believes touch-screen voting machines lost thousands of ballots and that she would have won if all votes had been counted.

- Keller promised to leave office after eight years, then decided after the last election to break his vow. He'll have to use resources in a primary before facing a Democratic opponent. Democrats see signs the District 8 seat that includes the Orlando area could favor one of their candidates, and they'll make a case that Keller's voting record doesn't reflect the interests of his constituents.

- Weldon underperformed at the polls last year when he was re-elected in District 15, which represents the Atlantic coast from Vero Beach north to Cape Canaveral. He was re-elected with 56 percent of the vote, but against a weak Democratic candidate who spent far less money. A stronger, better financed candidate could be a challenge.

- Feeney's District 24, which stretches from the area north and east of Orlando to Brevard and Volusia counties' coastline, would normally be considered safely his. But Feeney's golf trip to Scotland with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff could taint the congressman as Democrats continue to make ethics an issue in 2008.

- Young's District 10 seat, which represents Pinellas County, is slightly Republican, but trends show the large independent voting bloc favors Democratic candidates. Young also hasn't been seriously tested in years.

Feeney Denies He's A Crook

"U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney has established a legal-defense fund to pay costs relating to an ongoing Justice Department inquiry into his ties with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff." "Feeney sets up legal fund amid Justice inquiry". See also "More coverage of Tom Feeney's connection to Jack Abramoff".

Newspaper Editors Fete Charlie

"Crist, whose first official act as governor was to create the Office of Open Government, received an award Friday at a newspaper convention for advancing the idea of open government."

Before receiving the award Crist, praised editors for their work.

"I feel a kindred spirit with you, in all seriousness, because you're public servants too," he said. "Together we serve the people of this great state that you and I love so much."

More From The Liberal Media

The firefighter bashing continues, this time in The Miami Herald:

Yes, firefighters, like police officers, put their lives on the line. This week, a tragic reminder of this came when nine firefighters died after a ceiling collapsed in a blazing furniture showroom in Charleston, S.C. Hazards for first responders cannot be understated.

Still, it can be said safely that no U.S. firefighter, paramedic or police officer has been coerced into choosing that particular career. They know the risks up front when they freely choose these professions.

Privatization Fiasco

"Department of Children & Families Secretary Bob Butterworth used words like 'unconscionable' and 'inexcusable' Friday to describe a privately run Tampa Bay child welfare agency's supervision of a 2-year-old foster child who was found last week in a Wisconsin home where another boy was tortured." "Tampa agency criticized for letting tot disappear".

"Which People?"

"Since Jan. 2, 'the people's governor' has been advancing a 'people's agenda' with the help of 'the people's Legislature' and, not least of all, the people."

But which people?

The people suffering under the weight of high property taxes?

Or the people being shipped to the unemployment line so cities and counties can absorb these state-mandated tax cuts?

Is it the people who believe government is bloated? Or the people who know Florida ranks near the very bottom of states in per-pupil spending and high school dropout rates? Is it the people who want college tuition to be as cheap as possible? Or the people running our universities who say rock-bottom tuition is cheating our kids?

Simply put, is it the mob that screams the loudest?

SD 3

"A poll [.rtf download] conducted this week for the Florida Chamber of Commerce shows Republican Charlie Dean up 54-34 over Democrat Suzan Franks in the Senate District 3 contest." "Poll: Dean up 20 points".

Space Jobs

"The countdown clock is running for the mothballing of the space shuttle in 2010, but Florida's efforts to save 5,000 Kennedy Space Center jobs have been on hold." "Efforts to save space center jobs on hold".

Brain Trust

"While Florida voters waited for the property tax reform that lawmakers promised them, the two men charged with crafting the proposal sat in an Orlando-area business office eating chicken nuggets and waffle fries. The two Republican lawmakers - one a state senator in the twilight of a political career of nearly three decades, the other a third-year House member hoping to lead his chamber in 2011 - gnawed on concepts and fused competing plans while they munched on take-out from Chick-fil-A during the month between the legislature's regular and special sessions."

From the House, lead negotiator Rep. Dean Cannon, 38, of Winter Park refused to budge from the $47 billion that his leadership team wanted to cut over five years. House leaders wanted to eliminate property taxes on primary homes, known as homesteads, and replace some of the lost revenues with a state sales tax hike.

Senate Republican Leader Daniel Webster, 58, of Winter Garden wanted a package worth $15 billion in cuts. He criticized the House's tax swap as "regressive" and nearly walked out of a joint House-Senate meeting in frustration as lawmakers failed to close the gap between the two chambers.

All committee meetings on tax reform were called off, and Senate President Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, and House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, assigned Webster and Cannon to continue their talks privately. Florida law requires meetings involving three or more lawmakers discussing legislation to be open to the public.

Guetzloe

"Orlando area political consultant Doug Guetzloe faces $4,000 in fines for violating election laws during the 2003 city elections in Daytona Beach. Judge Daniel Kilbride, with the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings in Tallahassee, issued an order Monday finding Guetzloe failed three times to file timely election finance reports and failed to file any report on actual expenditures of $9,790.84." "Judge fines ex-Daytona candidate over election reports".

FEMA Follies

"The Federal Emergency Management Agency must turn over to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and other news organizations the addresses of 1.3 million disaster aid recipients, a federal appellate court in Atlanta ruled Friday."

FEMA had been fighting to keep the information secret for almost three years.

The Sun-Sentinel sought the addresses as part of its reports on fraud and mismanagement in FEMA's disaster aid program after Hurricane Frances lashed Florida during Labor Day weekend 2004.

"Climbing Out From Under Jeb's Legacy"

"There are two state Departments of Children and Families. One is the bureaucracy that former Gov. Bush 'overhauled,' funneling state responsibility for abused, neglected and disabled children and adults to private agencies and hiding details of wrongdoing. Then there's the new DCF, the one - lawsuit by lawsuit, apology by apology, new policy by new policy - climbing out from under Jeb's legacy." "DCF under Butterworth changing case by case".

Is It A Newspaper Or Not?

The Tallahassee Democrat editors: "In the history of journalism, one tool has been consistently used to hush voices of opposition. The very system of laws that gives us the right to a free press are used to hamstring that press when someone doesn't want to hear what's being said, or read what's being published."

That's the trouble Julia Hanway ran into when the Florida Elections Commission decided that the newspaper she self-published, The Wakulla Independent Reporter, with its lack of commercial advertisement, wasn't a newspaper at all.

The troubles began when someone in Ms. Hanway's readership area - like kings, lawmakers and public figures before them - decided they didn't like what she was writing about and filed a complaint with the commission following the 2004 elections. More than $10,000 and three years later, Ms. Hanway's operation has been nearly crippled by the legal battle, a victory for those who do not see her work as an exercise in freedom of the press.

But like that of Silence Dogood, which was Benjamin Franklin's pen name, and blogger contemporaries, Ms. Hanway's work is necessary for the sake of society's conscience. Raising awareness and criticizing the actions of policymakers are the bark and bite of watchdog journalism.

Your Tax Dollars at Work

"House approval this week of a huge increase in funding for a controversial program to promote democracy in Cuba delivered a legislative victory for anti-Castro advocates from South Florida. But critics warn the money could be squandered on attempts to influence public opinion rather than used to help dissidents. The House action, on a vote of 254 to 170, was the first test of strength on Cuba policy under the Democratic-run Congress, and the first round went to embargo hardliners." "U.S. House votes to increase funding for program to promote democracy in Cuba to $45.7 million".

"Voters Didn't Know What They Were Doing"?

"Two weeks ago, lawyers for some Florida hospitals argued that the voters didn't know what they were doing in 2004."

That year, by a 4 to 1 margin, voters amended the state constitution to allow patients "the right to review, upon request, records of health-care facilities' or providers' adverse medical incidents, including those that could cause injury or death." The idea was that patients could shop around, based on past performance.

But in 2005, medical lobbyists persuaded the Legislature to limit the amendment's reach to incidents after Amendment 7 passed, and to incidents that involve "the same or substantially similar condition, treatment or diagnosis." So, patients could shop around, based on what hadn't happened, and the shopping was limited. Doctors also are allowed to post on the Department of Health Web site only the information they want to reveal.

Patients in malpractice cases challenged the 2005 law. Lower courts determined that the Legislature's limit on the scope of the amendment was unconstitutional. The courts differed, though, on whether the amendment could be applied retroactively. The case has reached the Florida Supreme Court, where the hospitals' attorneys asked the justices for a two-fer: Limit the amendment's reach, and keep it from being retroactive.

Whatever

"Towson Fraser, the current director of legislative affairs for Gov. Charlie Crist, is getting promoted to deputy chief of staff. Crist's office made the announcement Friday. In the release Crist said that the 41-year-old Fraser, who once served as communications director for former House Speaker Allan Bense and is a new father, would continue to serve as legislative affairs director in conjunction with his new job. ... Fraser is replacing Jim Rimes, who stepped down from his post to become executive director of the Republican Party of Florida." "Towson Fraser gets a promotion from Crist". See also "Crist Aide Gets a Bump".

Today's Florida political news and punditry.

Mel Gets Confused

It is no secret that Mel ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer. "A flip-flop by Sen. Mel Martinez in his vote last week to relax a quarter-century-old ban on new offshore drilling has left some environmentalists puzzled."

Martinez initially voted for the amendment to the Senate energy bill by fellow GOP Sen. John Warner of Virginia to allow natural gas exploration 50 miles off the Virginia coast. Then he switched his vote. ...

Allowing one state's governor and legislature to ignore the longstanding federal bans on drilling in the outer continental shelf would have set precedent to allow all coastal states to do so, critics of Warner's amendment say.

"Our folks saw passage of this as leading to a domino effect," said Karen Murphy, an expert on offshore drilling with the Sierra Club.

Martinez's initial support of Warner's amendment reflected his belief that states should have "the right to choose their destiny with respect to resource development as long as it doesn't impact Florida," explained the senator's spokesman, Ken Lundberg,

That argument in essence is the same states-rights claim that has been raised by the oil industry in recent years. ...

Murphy, the Sierra Club expert on offshore drilling, watched the vote and recalls that when Martinez initially voted for the drilling, she wondered, "What is he doing?"

Dems in "Limbo"

"Whether Florida's Democratic votes in the Jan. 29 primary will count remained in limbo Thursday after a closed-door meeting in Washington between members of Congress and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean." "Status of primary votes undecided". See also "Democratic Reps Meet With Dean On Primary, Keep Lips Zipped", "Florida Dems hope to save primary, delegates from DNC chopping block" and "Dems, Dean Discuss Primary" ("Florida Democratic Congress members met with DNC Chairman Howard Dean about the dilemma over the state's presidential primary - but if they made any progress, no one was saying.")

Life's A Beach

Good Time

Charlie Crist signed into law the first piece of the largest tax cut in Florida history Thursday with a trip around the state that brought him to the homes of three recent home buyers -- the one group that will reap the most savings if voters support phase two of the tax-cut plan.

''This is the people's tax cut,'' Crist said, predicting that all homeowners will see ''an immediate and substantial decrease'' in their taxes and a deeper savings if voters approve a constitutional amendment to create a super-sized homestead exemption in January.

At the home of Michael Mathura and Sarojini Mohan in the Southwest Miami-Dade County subdivision of Valencia Acres, the governor was flanked by Republican House Speaker Marco Rubio and House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber and noted the bipartisan support for phase one of the tax-cut plan.

how much of those savings will ultimately wind up in the pockets of taxpayers remains unclear.

The piece of the two-part plan that's effective immediately -- valued at $15.6 billion over five years -- includes provisions that allow cities and counties to sidestep both the immediate spending cuts ordered in the bill and a cap on future property-tax collections. Critics predict many local governments may accept the first-year cuts but vote to ignore future caps.

They say your city or county also may start demanding higher fees for programs such as parks, sports leagues and, where allowed, fire services, to make up lost revenue.

And the package's second part -- a January ballot measure creating a super-sized homestead exemption that could generate at least $8 billion in savings -- is considered a long shot. Not only does it need 60 percent voter approval, but also local governments and unions are certain to offer fierce opposition. So far, no groups are lining up to campaign for the measure.

Another Fine Jebacy

The Tampa Trib editorial board: "The latest report comparing high school graduation rates from around the country shows Florida still near the bottom - and there's probably more bad news on the way."

Education Week reports Florida's 2004 graduation rate at a dismal 60.5 percent. It's even worse for Hispanic students at 59 percent and black students at 46.7 percent.

The national high school graduation rate is 69.9 percent. Florida's ranking puts it at 45th of the 50 states - a disgrace for the fourth largest state. ...

Florida has been hiding its true high school failures for years by counting students who earn GEDs the same as those who finish four years of school and pass the FCAT. Education Week's analysis of Florida's graduation rate puts it more than 10 points below what the state reported for that year because it didn't count students who earned GEDs.

Most employers don't consider a GED the same as a high school diploma, and neither should the state.

Out Here In The Fields

"Karla Rodriguez Chavez, a Mexican national, is among dozens of farmworkers in the tomato fields of Bristol - and one of thousands of workers nationwide - who hope a bill in Congress will allow them to stay in the U.S. permanently. As the mother of two packed her truck Wednesday with buckets of tomatoes the field hands carried over to her, tossing out the ones too bruised to make the cut, she gave an impassioned plea for reform." "Local farmworkers plead for reform".

"Crist right on energy, way off on growth"

"Crist took a stand Wednesday when he vetoed a sweeping energy bill, saying it didn't go far enough in building a statewide framework for conservation. ... But Crist's actions on two other bills suggest the governor isn't taking conservation as seriously as he should. ... The bills Crist signed into law Tuesday are likely to make the state's growth-management problems worse. One strips crucial provisions from a 2005 law intended to control growth by ensuring that needed infrastructure -- such as water-treatment capacity and schools -- is in place before development is allowed. ... The other measure Crist approved will allow the construction of privately financed toll roads, potentially opening thousands of acres of wilderness to sprawl, and putting even more cars on Florida roads." "Mixed messages. See also "Energizing" ("Floridians like the talk, Governor. But what's the plan?")

"Tax Cuts Will Hurt"

"Miami-Dade County can't achieve the state-mandated budget cuts next year simply by 'cutting the fat' -- and the county fire district will take a substantial hit, a memo penned by County Manager George Burgess said Thursday." "Dade manager says tax cuts will hurt". See also "PB County weighs the good, bad and ugly of tax cuts" and "Predicted tax shortfall may close some early-voting sites".

The Wisdom of Tom Feeney

Feeney is foaming at the mouth again:

Despite the fact that three votes to limit debate on the disastrous Kennedy amnesty proposal in the Senate have failed, like a bad penny, it has turned up again.

Raw Political Courage

"Crist to Sign Bill to Help Kids of POWs/MIAs". See also "Crist honors veterans".

"Instant Bingo"

"There's a lot more to instant bingo than helping aging military veterans fill empty halls." "Instant-bingo bill awaiting Crist's OK".

In Praise of Charlie

Mark Lane:

Two, three weeks easily have gone by since I've last written a column praising Gov. Charlie Crist.

One needs to watch this sort of thing lest it become habitual.

I'm so wary, that I'm reaching into my desk drawer and taking out the jar of asterisks I reserve for three-dot columns. Editors only allow me so many. You have no idea how much they cost.

This Should Be Fun

"Lawmakers propose bill to ease trade, travel restrictions on Cuba". Meanwhile, "Giuliani flails Castro in S. Florida".

Polk County P****** Match

"Tribune Polk County reporter Billy Townsend is checking into questions about strife between Polk County Republican state Sens. J.D. Alexander and Paula Dockery over the race for the post of Senate president in 2010. The upshot: Alexander is backing out of the race, but instead of backing fellow Polk countian Dockery, he’s supporting Sen. Mike Haridopolos of Indialantic." "Alexander Out Of Senate Prez Race, But Won’t Back Dockery — Accusations Fly".

Pre-K

"Providers have to meet standards or risk losing state funds." "Pre-K schools must make grade".

'Ya Think?

"Cuban-Americans "are going to have a lot to say" about who wins the 2008 presidential election, Republican Rudy Giuliani said Thursday during a campaign stop in this heavily populated Cuban-American city." "Giuliani says Cubans key in 2008 presidential election".

An Anderson Thing

"Several county commissioners slammed Elections Supervisor Arthur Anderson on Thursday, saying he has damaged his credibility by slashing cost estimates for switching to paper ballots a day after presenting much higher figures to them. Anderson now says it will cost the county $3.7 million to switch from touch-screen machines to an optical scan system. On Tuesday, he'd put the figure at $5.9 million -- a number that outraged county commissioners deemed so high that they threatened to defy state law and refuse to make the changes." "Palm Beach County elections chief blasted for overestimating ballot costs".

Paey

"Richard Paey wants out of prison. He's serving 25 years for illegally obtaining the medication he said he needs for chronic pain. He turned down a lighter sentence because he doesn't think he did anything wrong. His plight, his stand on principle, has earned him sympathy from across the nation. But not much help. Not until recently." "Clemency hopes pinned on Crist".

Background:

- "Daniel Ruth "While Gov. Jeb Bush will be vacating his public housing in just a few days, Richard Paey will still remain a 'guest' of the state for the next 23 years, a victim of an egregious miscarriage of justice that would embarrass even the most inept banana republic. Of course, that could change. Leadership might be afoot!" "Mercy Plea Travels A Painful Road". ("'Egregious Miscarriage of Justice'")

- The St Pete Times editorial board put it this way: "When the governor's daughter, Noelle Bush, was found guilty of prescription tampering, she received a referral to a drug treatment program. That kind of proportionate sentencing and balance between a defendant's guilt and punishment also should apply here." "A drug sentence without justice".

"This case is an embarrassment to Florida. See this CBS story "CBS News - Zero-Tolerance Causes A Lot Of Pain" as well as the 60 minute transcript: "Prisoner Of Pain, How One Man's Quest For Pain Relief Landed Him in Jail". "From the Values Crowd"

Peachy

"Gov. Crist says Florida property insurance climate is more competitive.".

"Smash-Mouth Partisan Politics"

"Less than an hour after Crist appeared alongside Democratic Rep. Curtis Richardson at the signing of the special-session bills to cut taxes, and Crist publicly thanked Democrats for pulling together with Republicans last week to provide tax relief for voters, the carping press releases from the parties’ legislative leaders began flying." Some excerpts include the mighty House Majority Leader Adam Hasner uttering these words of wisdom:

"It was amazing to see Democrats standing side by side with Governor Charlie Crist today as the Governor signed into law two Republican-sponsored pieces of legislation which will lead to this state’s largest tax cut. It was amazing because these same Democrats fought Republicans every step of the way as we delivered property tax relief for Floridians ... While Democrats threatened Florida voters with scare-tactics and sided with local governments to oppose property tax relief, Republicans once again led the way to provide historic tax relief to Florida’s property owners. Despite claims to the contrary, Democrats did everything in their power to derail property tax reform, reduce the amount of tax savings for Floridians, and prohibit Floridians from voting for historic property tax reforms.”

Adam, you really do a disserv[ice] to your party and to Floridians with your constant political sniping. Instead of advancing an agenda of a party, let us work together to advance the people’s agenda. I urge you to put an end to your smash-mouth partisan politics and take the Governor’s cue and seek a higher ground where the interests of Floridians is more important than the interest of a political party or the ambitions of any individual. I hope you agree that this is the way to build a better and a stronger Florida.

This is the path to the high road. You are always welcome to join me here.

Warm Regards,

Dan

New Poll

"Just six months after brother Jeb stepped down as a popular Florida governor, Bush draws positive approval ratings from only 31 percent of state voters, with 62 percent disapproving his performance and 7 percent undecided, according to a new Strategic Vision poll of roughly 700 Floridians."

Among possible White House successors, Florida Republicans lean toward Rudy Giuliani (30 percent), former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson (24 percent), Arizona Sen. John McCain (11 percent), and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (8 percent) landed in the first tier.

Democrats give New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton the clear lead, with 37 percent favoring. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is the favorite of 21 percent, with former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards at 20 percent.

The tragic deaths Monday night of nine firefighters in Charleston, S.C., are a sober reminder that the price tag on public safety is sometimes much higher than any number reflected within a local-government budget.

Firefighters and law officers are the first line of defense against threats to citizens' well-being. That's why they receive what is essentially combat pay - higher average salaries than many fellow public employees receive in return for performing riskier jobs.

"9 firefighters die as blaze engulfs South Carolina warehouse". With this (yet another) reminder of the risks firefighters take every single day, it is sadly ironic that in the last week alone we have seen garbage like this in the Florida MSM:

- "The most generous pensions are going to first-responders, mostly paramedics, police and firefighters." "Lavish Pensions Decreed By State Add Galling Irony To Tax Breaks".

- "Whether local governments can afford these lucrative retirement plans for deputies and police and firefighters at a time when private companies are shedding pension plans is a reasonable public policy question." "High cost of pensions straps cities". (Note: is one to suppose that the St Pete Times editorial board thinks public employers should also be "shedding pension plans" for firefighters?)

- "Wondering where all those skyrocketing property taxes have gone? One major drain: the tony retirement pensions of the state's police and firefighters." "Pensions take toll on tax coffers".

Pending Veto?

"Amid heavy lobbying on both sides, Gov. Charlie Crist now says he has concerns about a business-backed bill that would impose new limits on people who solicit voter signatures for ballot initiatives."

"I'm reviewing it right now," Crist said Wednesday. "I read some more about it last night, and I have concerns."

Asked to elaborate, he said, "I really don't want to now, but I will once I make a decision."

The bill has drawn fierce opposition from grass roots political groups because of a provision that would require signed petitions to be submitted to election supervisors within 30 days.

Early Primary

"Leading Florida Democrats will appeal to national party chairman Howard Dean today to respect the state's new January primary date and drop threats of sanctions because it skirts party rules." "State Democrats to plead for primary".

Where's The Outrage?

There was a time that selling off the state's infrastructure would have raised serious concerns: "The new law also allows Florida to lease some existing toll roads - such as Alligator Alley and the Pinellas Bayway - to private companies for up to 50 years." "Crist signs toll bill". See also "Crist signs measure regulating toll roads" and "Private toll roads get a green light".

And then there's this: "That bill, in part, will ease some restrictions lawmakers placed on development in a massive 2005 growth-management law. Those restrictions largely were designed to make sure infrastructure, such as roads, is in place to handle new growth." "Governor signs bills easing development limits".

Tsk, Tsk

"Randy Neilsen, a veteran campaign consultant who has riled opposing candidates across the state with his blunt tactics, has come under fire by the Florida Elections Commission."

Neilsen, who has gotten paid $81,000 so far this year by the Republican Party of Florida, stands accused of four counts of breaking election laws, all of them stemming from a contentious Vero Beach city election in 2005.

But it's not just Neilsen who has been hit with charges. The commission at its meeting in late May also found probable cause that Neilsen's company, Public Concepts, has broken election laws, as well as Richard Johnston, a managing partner of the company, and the electioneering communication organization Residents for Truth, which took out negative ads against two candidates for city council, including an incumbent.

Edwards

There goes the right-wing Venezuelan vote:

Presidential candidate John Edwards hoped actor Danny Glover would be his Lethal Weapon.

But a Miami-based group of Venezuelan-American activists chided the Democratic candidate Wednesday for campaigning with Glover, who has embraced repressive Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. ''We are saddened by the fact that you have proudly showed yourself, in the same manner Mr. Chávez showed himself next to Mr. Glover, as if both of you were holding a trophy,'' read the letter sent to Edwards. ``We believe this to be a political miscalculation on your part, as it sends contradicting messages to those who, like us, have chosen and sworn to uphold the democratic and moral values of our new homeland.''

The Venezuelan government has agreed to provide $18 million in financing for Glover's upcoming movie about Toussaint Louverture, leader of an 18th-century slave rebellion in Haiti. Chávez critics fear the venture will burnish his international reputation.

Chain Gang Charlie

"Crist signed into law Wednesday a handful of anti-crime bills, while also asking the Florida Supreme Court to convene a statewide grand jury to investigate a recent rise in gang-related violence." "Blog: Gov. Crist signs handful of anti-crime bills into law". See also "Governor signs several crime bills", "Florida increases criminal penalties" and "Crist Signs New Crime Bills". More: "Statewide grand jury will focus on organized crime".

Less "Corruption and Mismanagement"

"The U.S. government's anti-Castro radio and TV stations have improved significantly in recent years after allegations of corruption and mismanagement, according to a draft State Department review of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting." "Review shows U.S. broadcasts reach Cubans but few numbers cited".

Choices

"Save Our Homes vs. supersized exemptions. Personal savings vs. money for schools. South Florida homeowners may have a choice to make." "South Florida homeowners face tax-cut choice".

'Ya Think?

"Growth management must play a stronger role in Everglades restoration, especially in the rapidly growing counties north of Lake Okeechobee, state officials said Wednesday." "Suburban sprawl threatens Lake O".

"Transformation to a New Economy" ... Oh Pleeez ...

"Florida is launching a new effort to benefit from the intellectual pursuits at its state universities and lure new venture capital funding. The Florida Capital Formation Act, signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Charlie Crist, is designed to hasten the transformation to a new economy." "Florida invests $35 million to link universities with venture capital".

McCain

"Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Tuesday that Florida's decision to move up its 2008 primary to Jan. 29 is part of a 'bizarre' national trend that gives voters little time to pick the best candidate for their party." "McCain criticizes earlier primary". See also "Presidential candidate John McCain in Palm Beach: Keep pressure on Cuba" and "McCain: Free trade, democracy key to stability in Latin America".

Problem Solved

"Florida's prisons have been rid of organized corruption by officials trying to game the system, Corrections Secretary James McDonough said Tuesday." "Prison corruption gone, chief says".

Our Green Governor

"In a surprise move, Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed an energy bill late Wednesday evening, because he said it didn't advance clean energy policy enough."

Crist said the 74-page bill, which the Legislature passed unanimously, added too many bureaucratic layers that would get in the way of curbing greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming.

Out Here In the Fields

"On Wednesday, a group of area farmworkers left Quincy for the nation's capital, where they'll be speaking out in favor of immigration reform today." "Area farmworkers head to DC to advocate immigration reform".

"Palm Beach County's Latest Ballot Goof"

"Palm Beach County's latest ballot goof appears to be to the benefit of taxpayers. Elections Supervisor Arthur Anderson's estimate Tuesday of $1.25 a page to print optical-scan ballots -- which had county commissioners talking about keeping the paperless system despite a state mandate to change -- was far too high, Anderson said Wednesday." "New ballot cost: 40 cents each".

Charter School "Slippery Slope"

"As an educational institution, the Ben Gamla Charter School may serve an important niche."

As a charter school that benefits from public funding, though, it raises legitimate constitutional questions that the school district should have considered from the start.

For that reason, Broward County school officials have no choice but to revoke the school's charter. The sooner they do it, the better.

The U.S. Constitution is the basis for a myriad of state and local regulations that forbid using taxpayers dollars to pay for religious schools. While supporters of Ben Gamla may argue otherwise, it's hard to see the new entity as nothing more than a religious school.

By allowing the school to operate, the school district will slide down a slippery and very contentious slope. Charter schools should be nonsectarian in their programs, admission policies, employment practices and operations.

Florida "Camelot"?

"Camelot, that is, in the person of the leading scion of the Kennedy clan, environmentalist and Democratic political activist Robert Kennedy Jr., and he’s coming courtesy of a Republican governor, Charlie Crist."

Crist has announced that Kennedy, son of the former U.S. Attorney General and assassinated presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, will be the keynote speaker at the Florida Summit on Global Climate Change next month in Miami.

One interesting angle of the news—Kennedy is an avowed and bitter opponent of President George W. Bush.

The summit already had Kennedyesque overtones, with the involvement of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, related to the Kennedy clan by marriage.

Shortchanged

The Tampa Trib editors: "Florida's universities simply cannot do more with less."

The proposed tuition increases that Crist vetoed were reasonable and even had the support of students. They understand it is better to pay a little bit more to get the benefit of smaller classes taught by tenure-track professors, not novice teaching assistants.

Open Government

"Lawmakers' tendency is to look for more ways to restrict open government. Gov. Charlie Crist is looking to counter the trend. Following up on his good record in defense of open government as attorney general, Crist on Tuesday appointed a nine-member Commission on Open Government to review all public-record laws and exemptions. The commission will hold at least three public hearings around the state before submitting a report and recommendations to Crist and legislative leaders by the end of 2008." "Forecast: sunshine". Isn't Charlie super-fabulous: "Crist Wins Open Government Award".

Laff Riot

Q reports that "in the never-ending quest to educate the rank-and-file, the Florida House Majority Office has started posting video clips of their leaders on You Tube and Google."

Water

"Year-round water restrictions could provide a lesson in conservation, but not the answer to solving South Florida's water woes, utility operators and environmentalists warned Wednesday." "Environmentalist, utilities oppose year-round water restrictions in South Florida".

The Franking Privilege

"Rep. Vern Buchanan, frankly, opposes immigration bill".

Nice Haul

"Arizona Sen. John McCain continued a mostly fundraising campaign swing through Florida [Wednesday], hitting a lunch at Tampa’s City Club where organizers said about 200 people attended, most paying $1,000 each." "McCain Holds Fundraiser Downtown".

"Like a Promise from Paris Hilton ..."

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Palm Beach County commissioners have every reason to be mad at the state over the new election law. But they have no reason - and no case - for defying the law."

In 2001, after the presidential recount debacle, the Legislature outlawed punch-card ballots. Fifteen counties, including Palm Beach and Martin, went to touch screens. The machines prevent over-voting, which was the real problem in 2000. Voters also can review their choices before their ballots are cast. Large counties, most of which bought touch screens, saved big by not having to buy paper for optical scans, which the other 52 counties used.

But voter paranoia, most of it among Democrats, and bumbling by elections supervisors led to distrust of touch screens. The state never certified printers that would have provided a paper record of touch-screen votes. Then in November, the 13th Congressional District race was tainted by 18,000 non-votes in Sarasota County, which used touch screens. Republican Vern Buchanan won by 369 votes.

The right response would have been to allow voters an "I Choose Not to Vote in This Race" option. No state politician, however, wants to risk coming in second to an option. So, the Legislature passed an 80-page elections bill that, among many other things, banned touch screens. Counties that had bought touch screens, though, wouldn't have to worry. The state would pay for new optical scans.

As every county knows, however, a promise from the Legislature on money is like a promise from Paris Hilton on better behavior.

That's Our Mel

Things are pretty bad when this is "The last, best hope on immigration". Surely the MSM won't allow "Karl Rove's Florida Frankenstein" to transform his image on the basis of a single issue?

Get Your Emergency Info Via Wingnut Radio

"The commission unanimously decided to keep WIOD [as Broward County's official radio station for emergency information] with no discussion. Last week, Commissioner Stacy Ritter raised concerns about WIOD because of Limbaugh and other conservative programming, views shared by two other commissioners at the time."

The all-Democrat[ic] commission was on the verge of rejecting the contract when the board instead delayed a decision to get more information about other options and to ask more questions as to why staff favored WIOD.

Ritter said she was surprised by the "onslaught of public criticism" and decried the "outrageous insults directed at me from what is clearly a well-organized campaign initiated by members of the radical right-wing media."

She also said she never intended to try to infringe on free speech, but rather to find other radio partners that would take the same deal and appeal to such audiences as the Caribbean and Hispanic communities.

want the Justice Department to probe charges that Republican operatives illegally suppressed voter turnout in African-American voting precincts in Jacksonville in the 2004 presidential election.

Their request targets Tim Griffin, an interim U.S. attorney in Arkansas and a protege of White House political adviser Karl Rove. While working for the Republican National Committee in August of 2004, Griffin wrote two e-mails that the senators said referred to "caging" of about 2,000 black voters in Jacksonville.

"Caging" is the practice of seeking to disqualify voters who fail to sign for registered political mail sent to their homes.

Paper-Trails

"As if determined to uphold Palm Beach County's reputation for election controversy, frustrated county commissioners Tuesday raised the possibility of defying Florida's new ballot 'paper-trail' law because they say the state isn't providing enough money to pay for it." "Officials may deviate from new election paper trail". See also "Palm Beach County threatens to keep touch screen voting machines".

Meanwhile over in Broward: "Five years after buying ATM-style voting machines, Broward County began another election changeover Tuesday. County commissioners agreed to buy new voting machines that use paper ballots and to turn over to the state almost all of the county's 4,500 touch-screen machines. The switch won't be cheap. While the state will foot most of the bill through federal aid, almost $10 million in county money is also needed." "Broward County to scrap touch-screen voting machines in 2008".

Finally

"The lowly gopher tortoises finally got a break. The reptiles use front feet designed like shovels to dig tunnels, which they share with burrowing owls, indigo snakes and mice. For years, Florida has allowed developers to pay fines to bury gopher tortoises alive, filling in their burrows and paving over them. The tortoises die a long, slow death, starving or gasping for breath underground. No more. Starting July 31, under a new policy the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved last week, developers can't entomb gopher tortoises but must move them. The policy, except for developers whose license to kill is "grandfathered" for now, is temporary until the commission completes a new permitting process." "Florida digs out of a hole".

"An Orphan in its Own State"

"This is no manufactured crisis. It is simple math. Tuition pays only a fourth of the cost of a university education, and the Legislature has been balancing its budget in recent years by pretending the other three-fourths are free. They are not."

Crist and legislative leaders want taxpayers to think that lunch is free, but that's not the way a university can operate. At FSU, the bills have to be paid and next year high school seniors will have 1, 800 fewer chances to gain admission. This is what happens when higher education becomes an orphan in its own state.

"A New Snag"

"The state's bold decision last January to accept some of the hurricane risk for insurance companies, in exchange for lower premiums for consumers, has hit a new snag: Insurance companies don't trust it." "Insurers leery of state fund".

Mahoney

"Democrat Tim Mahoney’s quest for a perfect voting record is over, but he’s still one of the most reliable voters in the Congress from Florida." "Who has missed the fewest, most votes in Congress?".

Never Forget ...

Last night Charlie "signed a bill into law paving the way for rate-hikes on the state's toll roads by linking the levies to inflation. The controversial measure will also make it possible for the state to lease existing toll roads to private companies and to enter into deals allowing companies to build new toll roads altogether." "Crist Signs Law Leading to Higher Tolls". See also "Highway projects move closer" ("Crist signed legislation Tuesday that could put some toll roads in private hands").

More:

Crist on Tuesday signed nearly 50 bills into law, including a controversial bill, HB 985, that will require automatic toll road hikes on toll roads. Crist also signed SB 1822, which will require carbon monoxide detectors in the boiler rooms of hotels. The legislation was pushed in the wake of the death of a tourist at a Key West hotel. Crist also vetoed HB 97 dealing with Medicare supplemental insurance policies.

Crist in a letter said that he was in favor of the comprehensive transportation bill that includes the automatic toll rate hikes because it has "tools" that will help "maximize" the expansion of Florida's road system, including the utilization of "public private partnerships." These tools, however, are what got Democrats to oppose the legislation, saying it would lead to the privatization of Florida's roads.

"Surprise!"

Mark Lane: "Surprise! Across the state, fast-growth counties raised taxes a lot. Slow-growth counties raised taxes a little."

In the 10 counties with the smallest increase in taxes between 2001-2006, the population between 2000-2005 grew by a tepid average of 7.4 percent a year. Well below the state average of 12.1 percent.

In the 10 counties with the biggest increase in taxes between 2001-2006, the population grew by a mind-blowing average of 23.9 percent a year. Just under twice the state average.

Angry taxpayers often ascribe tax increases to greed, corruption and maladministration. And while there's certainly enough of that to go around in the Sunshine State, there's a good argument that runaway growth is a major force driving up city and county budgets all around the state.

Turning rural land into suburban land, and turning the countryside into subdivisions full of people demanding urban services is not a cheap process.

Growth doesn't pay for itself. And by the time tax reform is finished, it might pay even less than before.

Wingnut U

"The University of Mobile [private, Baptist-affiliated school ] scrapped plans for syndicated conservative columnist Cal Thomas to speak at a scholarship banquet when it found out Florida's former governor was available, the Mobile Press-Register reports." "Jeb!" apparently didnpt come cheap, and the "wouldn't say how much the school is paying the former governor." "Jeb: Still in demand".

Co-Opting The Media

Charlie is adept at making gestures that the MSM luvs: "Crist on Tuesday created the state's first Open Government Reform Commission, which will search for ways to make Florida more open to residents. The nine-member panel will review hundreds of exemptions to public records laws that have multiplied in recent years. It also will examine fees charged to the public and media to inspect and copy records as well as the use of the Internet to improve public access to government information." "Crist creates a panel for open government". See also "Crist creates open-record commission", "Governor's panel to study state's open-meetings laws" and Governor forms panel to study public access issues"Crist forms Commission on Open Government". More: "Crist willing to open up clemency records" ("The past policy of the board has been to only give out the names and basic information about those felons who had their rights restored. Floridians, for example, can't find out who, or more importantly, who did not, vote in favor of rights restoration or a pardon.")

The luv is already on its way. See "A matter of openness".

"Business Groups are Mobilizing to Crush a Citizen Initiative"

"Florida's largest business groups are mobilizing to crush a citizen initiative they say would slow development and kill the state's economy." "Florida's largest business groups are mobilizing to crush a citizen initiative they say would slow development and kill the state's economy.".

Steroids

"A law signed Tuesday will subject Florida high school athletes in football, baseball and weightlifting to random steroid tests.Steroid testing is state law" See also "Governor signs bill for high-school steroid testing" and "Bill signed to begin steroid testing of high school athletes".

The Primary Thing

"Florida Democrats are pressing forward with their party's Jan. 29 presidential primary, despite the continued threats of sanctions from Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean. The state party has begun the 30-day period for public comment on its delegate selection and affirmative action plan, which can be found at the party's website." "Florida Democrats' primary objective".

On Hold

"As the Senate struggles to craft a national energy plan, Sen. Mel Martinez has placed a "hold" on any consideration of an amendment to allow oil and gas drilling as close as 45 miles off Florida's Gulf coast. ... Martinez's hold on the measure, a parliamentary privilege senators have, means the amendment by Sens. Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, and Larry Craig, an Idaho Republican, is virtually dead." "Martinez Blocks Effort To Drill Off Gulf Coast".

PSC

"Commission wants more info about power campanies' storm preparations The state's power companies appear to be on track with multi-million-dollar storm-hardening plans, but regulators want to know more." "PSC to hold hearings on utilities' storm preparations".

Whoopee

"President Bush has nominated Nancy Goodman Brinker of Palm Beach, to be the next Chief of Protocol for the United States, the White House announced today. Brinker, who was U.S. ambassador to Hungary from 2001 to 2003 and founder of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, is also a major Republican Party fundraiser." "Floridian Nominated for Chief of Protocol". See also "Florida woman named WH hostess with the most-est".

FCAT Fiasco

"The state Board of Education on Tuesday rejected a plan to suspend a portion of the school-grading formula that puts a bigger spotlight on struggling students." "FCAT penalty stays in place". See also "For schools, good grades harder to get".

More: "Inflated scores on Florida's standardized assessment test will largely be excluded from the calculation of Florida's A to F grades for schools, the State Board of Education voted Tuesday." "2006 third-grade FCAT scores will not count toward school grades, state says".

"Sudden Die-Off"

"During the past few days, more than 200 of the seabirds have been recovered, either dead or sickly, along the Atlantic coast, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They're emaciated and starving, but state officials aren't sure what is behind the sudden die-off, commission spokeswoman Wendy Quigley said." "Open-ocean birds wash up along coast".

Pre-K

"Florida set a minimum standard for its pre-kindergarten providers Tuesday, which means 556 pre-K providers statewide are now considered 'low-performing' and must develop improvement plans." "Standard set for pre-K providers".

"Accurate, But not Necessarily True"

"One local official acknowledged this week that Gov. Charlie Crist's estimates of a $9 billion reserve pool scattered among local governments statewide is probably 'accurate, but not necessarily true.'"

That assessment gets to the heart of the hue and cry coming from city and county governments, as well as from agencies operating under them, about how Mr. Crist's number doesn't really apply. To them.

Whether it's fuzzy math, as some argue, or a sweeping generalization meant to keep everyone's eye on cutting property taxes - and logically the 2008 elections - the reality is that government budgets are almost impossible for the average or even above-average citizen to fathom.

This makes a local government vulnerable to easy generalizations, overstatements or old-fashioned knee-jerk reactions from citizens - as well as elected officials who may not know exactly what they're talking about either, but should.

They're reacting to Crist's assertion that local governments are fighting property-tax cuts even as they sit atop $9 billion in reserves. Local officials say the governor's "reserves" are grossly inflated, lumping general-fund reserves from unspent property taxes with other pools of money, including debt reserves and money for construction projects.

Chamber Hacks

If you can stomach the it, you may want to take a look at the Florida Chamber of Commerce's legislator rankings here (warning, this is a .pdf document). See also "Chamber Report Cards Are In" and "Keeping Score".

All in the Family

"Florida lawmakers"

were among 96 U.S. House members found to have financial connections with relatives, according to a private group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. The group reviewed expenditure records of the House leadership, along with those of the chairmen and ranking members of every House committee and subcommittee.

In its 151-page report [summarized here], the group found members had used campaign money to pay relatives or their relatives' employers an estimated $5.8 million since 2001.

Wonder Why?

"It's the opportunity of a lifetime for an ambitious lawyer: A chance to be one of the country's 93 U.S. attorneys and the top federal law enforcement official in Central Florida. Yet the search for the new U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida needed a month's extension to draw more than one contender, and the field looks to be smaller than other times the job has been open." "Small field applies to be U.S. attorney". See also "Dozen or more vie to be Middle District's prosecutor" ("Lawyers also worry about the ramifications of the controversies in Washington regarding the dismissal of U.S. attorneys in other parts of the country.")

Hastings Primary Challenge

"Belle Glade City Commissioner Ray Torres Sanchez says he'll challenge eight-term U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, in next year's Democratic primary."

''I think it's basically time for a change . . . There's a lot of cities in the district that need help,'' Sanchez said Monday. He said he'll lay out more specifics when he makes a formal announcement in a few weeks.

Sanchez, 50, runs a funeral home and was first elected to the Belle Glade commission in 2005.

Republican Marion Thorpe, who announced a candidacy for Hastings' seat in 2004 but ended up not running, is another potential candidate.

Veto

"The new Tampa Bay regional transportation authority suffered a major setback Thursday when Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed $1-million in startup money." "Veto cuts transit money".

Source Code Secret

"Court denies her effort to get access to the source code for voting machines that her attorneys deem critical to her legal challenge of Republican Vern Buchanan's victory in the 13th Congressional District election." "Jennings loses court appeal".

Tax Cuts

The Miami Herald editors:

State lawmakers ended their nine-day special session in a speedy three days last week -- and the results were mostly good. Lawmakers passed three bills that deliver property-tax relief, limit future growth of property taxes and, if voters agree, could over time replace the unfair Save Our Homes amendment.

The bills that passed aren't perfect, and residents should push lawmakers to make necessary adjustments as flaws become apparent. For example, the bill allowing voters to decide on a constitutional amendment for super exemptions is tied to school funding. Bad idea. Lawmakers say that they will protect school funding -- but that promise could sour, especially considering state lawmakers' terrible history of shifting school funding responsibilities.

Nevertheless, the overall reforms that the bills attempt to make are needed.

Testing

"Crist to Sign Steroid-Testing Bill".

Change of Heart

Mike Thomas: "Last week, state legislators tried to clandestinely abolish Save Our Homes under the guise of cutting property taxes. They got caught and were appropriately boiled in oil. And so they amended their amendment. So I'll amend last week's column skewering them. Their new plan makes more sense than, well, doing nothing." "The secret's out: Latest tax idea beats last one".

Brain Trust

"Schwarzenegger and Crist join forces in fight against global warming".

"Tax-Funded Summit on Disabilities and 'Inclusion' Excludes Dissenters"

"A taxpayer-funded, invitation-only conference on caring for people with developmental disabilities opened amid controversy Monday at an elegant Orlando hotel. ... The summit comes at a time when families of the developmentally disabled are reeling from steep state cuts in services, implemented by the Legislature to close an agency budget deficit." "Either agree or stay home".

HIV/AIDS Help

"For a second straight year, local HIV budget planners said they are struggling to stretch declining grants from the federal Ryan White Program" "Federal budget cuts mean S. Florida HIV/AIDS patients to lose services".

Cuts

"City and county leaders, responding to the state Legislature's property tax cuts, foresee far less revenue available for things like parks, fire stations, libraries and bus service. And that's just the initial property tax rollback. If voters approve a referendum in January creating a new 'super homestead exemption,' then stay tuned for another round of deeper cuts next year." "Tax cuts to hurt all over".

Romney

Mitt "Romney was in this Florida Panhandle city [Panama City] to attend a reception that drew about 250 people to the home of former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense. Romney said he was unsure whether Florida's decision to move its primary up to Jan. 29 to make it one of the nation's earliest would help or hurt him. 'I must admit I like the idea of being able to have some primaries on a serial basis, meaning one after another as opposed to all on the same day,' he said." "Romney accepts Brownback apology over religious e-mail". See also "Romney names county chiefs" and "GOP presidential hopeful Romney drums up support in North Florida".

Spoils

"The Department of Veterans Affairs is about to give private HMOs and other health networks access to a multibillion-dollar market for veterans' care that the companies hope, and veterans fear, could open a new era of outsourcing. ... 'The VA is being heralded as the very best care in this country,' said Jim Dudley, director of medical services at Paralyzed Veterans of America, 'and we're saying, why would you want to contract that out?'" "Veterans up in arms over VA's contracting".

"Passport Probe"

"U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said Monday he will launch a congressional probe today into the nation's backlog of 2 million passport applications and demand that the State Department disclose a plan to ensure the problem does not happen again." "Nelson orders passport probe".

Sad Irony

"9 firefighters die as blaze engulfs South Carolina warehouse". With this (yet another) reminder of the risks firefighters take every single day, it is sadly ironic that in the last week alone we have seen garbage like this in the Florida MSM:

- "The most generous pensions are going to first-responders, mostly paramedics, police and firefighters." "Lavish Pensions Decreed By State Add Galling Irony To Tax Breaks".

- "Whether local governments can afford these lucrative retirement plans for deputies and police and firefighters at a time when private companies are shedding pension plans is a reasonable public policy question." "High cost of pensions straps cities". (Note: is one to suppose that the St Pete Times editorial board thinks public employers should also be "shedding pension plans" for firefighters?)

- "Wondering where all those skyrocketing property taxes have gone? One major drain: the tony retirement pensions of the state's police and firefighters." "Pensions take toll on tax coffers".

Unfunded Mandate

"Palm Beach County taxpayers would have to shell out an unexpected $5.9 million to cover the upfront costs of switching from touch-screen voting machines to paper ballots next year under a plan outlined Monday by Elections Supervisor Arthur Anderson." "Paper trail packs a high price, warns Palm Beach County elections chief".

FCAT Fiasco

"If consistency is the hallmark of any valid grading system, Florida's FCAT-based school rankings flunk, and so do federal scores assigned under No Child Left Behind."

The 2007 state school grades, which will be calculated and released soon, are a case in point. There will be no way accurately to compare a school's 2007 grade with its 2006 grade. The reasons for the inconsistency provide insight into how fragile the grading scheme is.

First, the 2006 FCAT was flawed. ...

The confusion then extends nationwide. A recent study by the Center for Education Policy concluded that scores on state tests had increased since No Child Left Behind went into effect five years ago. But the study specifically declined to conclude that scores increased because of the federal law.

One problem was that since each state gets to set its own tests and standards, there is no way to get a valid, nationwide picture of progress under No Child Left Behind. None of that, of course, stopped U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings from claiming that the whole mess validated the federal law, which is up for renewal.

Confusion results when tests that are supposed to grade individuals are used instead to grade entire schools. Florida, at least, is reviewing how the state awards school grades. An even better question is whether the state should award school grades at all.

Castro

"Recuperating Fidel Castro vowed the United States "will never have Cuba," saying in an essay published Monday that nearly a year after emergency surgery left him 'between life and death' the island's communist system is strong and will stay that way." "Castro: U.S. 'will never have Cuba,' island ready for invasion".

Green

"The Legislature didn't want to spend $37 million to protect the state from a human plague that might come [bird flu vaccine]. Perhaps the Legislature will want to spend $37 million, or whatever it takes, to protect the state from the worst of an agricultural plague that has arrived. Two weeks ago, The Post's Susan Salibsury laid out the latest threat to the Florida citrus industry. Unfortunately, this one also is the most dangerous. It is called citrus greening, not to be confused with citrus canker. While canker blemishes fruit and cuts tree yields, greening is deadly. According to a French professor of microbiology, greening 'is like fire.' It can clean out a grove." "State looks too 'green'".

Fun With Limbaugh

Joel Engelhardt: "Not every Floridian, though, has an accountant. And not every Floridian knows how to create complicated spreadsheets ... to determine which property-tax scenario would be better for their pocketbook."

Unless you're Rush Limbaugh.

It's easy to pick on Mr. Limbaugh for his belligerence and his hypocrisy; he ranted on the air about tough penalties for drug addicts, then entered rehab for painkiller addiction and pleaded guilty to a felony. But he's a big supporter of public education. Without so much as an "ouch," as far as I know, Mr. Limbaugh gave $118,000 to the Palm Beach County School District last year, through his property-tax bill.

Mr. Limbaugh is one of those fortunate people who can afford to pay $430,000 a year in property taxes. His Palm Beach compound has a market value of $35 million. However, he's not taxed on that amount. Thanks to Save Our Homes, he's taxed on a value of $23 million. If the amendment passes, Mr. Limbaugh would be foolish - or more beneficent than he seems on the radio - to give up his Save Our Homes cap. He would suffer if he moved into a similarly priced compound, because the Save Our Homes protection would be gone.

Under the "super" exemption, Mr. Limbaugh would get a $195,000 exemption that's not so super on $35 million worth of property. In 10 years, assuming a 6 percent annual rise in values, Mr. Limbaugh's property would be worth $63 million, but under Save Our Homes he'd be taxed at $31 million. That's the difference between a $1.2 million tax bill and a $600,000 tax bill.

Raw Political Courage

"Charlie Crist, the governor known for his sunny disposition, touts government in the sunshine today." "Crist lauds open government today".