"The Senate is not an auction"? Surely You're Joking

The Palm Beach Post editorial board:

Florida Home Builders Association members are unhappy about rising impact fees, but even the state politicians who usually support the building community were angry about the remedy the group's president chose this week.

Association President John Wiseman posted a message on the builders' Web site Monday, threatening to withhold contributions to incumbent lawmakers who do not sponsor legislation to cap the fees in 2008.

Senate President Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, was correct to be "appalled" by Mr. Wiseman's message. The senator urged other lawmakers not only to refuse to endorse or sponsor such legislation but also to return any contributions they have accepted from the builders or the group's related PACs.

"The Senate is not an auction," Sen. Pruitt said, "where the highest bidder wins." Gov. Crist said the group's plan "just doesn't sound appropriate at all."

Shortly after a story about Mr. Wiseman's message appeared in The Palm Beach Post, the message was removed from the builders' Web site.

Bob Graham's Tuition Lawsuit

"Former Sen Bob Graham and others want a court to strip the Legislature of its control over tuition increases, putting the decision in the hands of the appointed Board of Governors. ... Graham, who led the 2002 constitutional amendment that created the board, said universities need a stable source of money if they are going to compete with other schools across the country and spur economic development in Florida." "Tuition battle goes to court". See also "Graham sues over tuition", "Graham files tuition lawsuit", "Fight Begins Over Who Controls Tuition", "Suit would have board of governors, not lawmakers, set tuition" and "Ex-governor leads fight over tuition".

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board:"When the Florida Board of Governors, somnolent overseers of the State University System, meets in Orlando on Tuesday, it should have more than usual to talk about and at least one thing it needs to do: Step up to the plate."

On Friday, a fire was lighted under the board by former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham - Florida's governor in the 1980s when our universities strived to be in the upper quartile of achievement nationwide. Mr. Graham and a coalition of "concerned citizens" marched into the Second Judicial Circuit Court and sued the Legislature "for its unconstitutional unwillingness to give up control over state university tuition to the BOG."

"Jeb!" Watch

"Jeb and Columba Bush Speak At Catholic Youth and Family Event".

Jebbie can't resist striding the world stage: "Since stepping down from office in January, he's been to South Korea, Chile, Brazil, and he also attended a formal white tie dinner for Queen Elizabeth II in the White House. Next stop: Jamaica." "More globetrotting with Jeb". Perhaps he'll leave for good?

Privatization Fiasco

"Employees of Sarasota Family YMCA, a Children & Families contractor, and Directions for Mental Health, a YMCA subcontractor, were in charge of Courtney's case. They placed her in four foster homes, but all the while, they aimed for family reunification -- even when signs told them not to, the reports show." "Girl sent back to mom despite warning signs".

The following exposes the stupidity of farming this critical government function out to groups with the historical mission "of promoting Ecumenical Christianity" and "to put Christian principles in to practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all", instead of child care professionals:

Errors in the case also reveal numerous cracks and communication breakdowns within the state's public-private child welfare system, where DCF acts as the supervisor of 20 community agencies that administer foster care services directly.

An internal DCF review placed much of the blame on the Pinellas County foster care contractor, the Sarasota Family YMCA. The YMCA, in turn, has placed a lot of the fault with its subcontractor, Directions for Mental Health in Clearwater, which employed the girl's caseworkers.

E-mails released Friday reveal a power struggle between DCF and the YMCA to find the girl.

DCF contacted the agency at least nine times to figure out why the girl was not being visited by her caseworker or listed as missing.

About five months after the girl disappeared, YMCA senior vice president Christy Kane expressed displeasure in a Feb. 9 e-mail about the fact that a DCF family safety worker was contacting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the girl's relatives to try to find Courtney.

"Sounds like she is doing diligent searches on our clients ... we can certainly send them all to her if she wants to take that over, " wrote Kane, who could not be reached for comment Friday.

WPB

"A grand jury might be looking into political corruption in West Palm Beach, but it's not rattling many cages, let alone threatening to cage politicos." "No word on grand jury action/inaction".

Stupid

"A 'union' of bias and headline?".

You Gotta Problem Wit Dat?

"Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan accepted a $7,362 Caribbean cruise in late 2005 from Barry Kaye, a major donor whose relationship with the university has faced scrutiny in recent months."

Kaye, a Boca Raton insurance magnate, has pledged a total of $17 million to FAU, but has also recently sought to do business with the school. [In May 2007 Kaye, newly appointed to the FAU Foundation board, approached Brogan about a $100 million fundraising idea, FAU officials said. The idea involves FAU taking out life insurance policies on donors with the school collecting when the person dies or selling the policies to a third party. Kaye has expressed interest in brokering the deals.] ...

Kaye treated the Brogans to a first-class experience. Brogan and his wife stayed in Stateroom 1001, which according to the Crystal Cruises Web site is a 491-square-foot penthouse suite, complete with a private veranda, personal butler service, a Jacuzzi-brand bathtub, separate shower and bidet.

Laff Riot

This is off topic, but irresistible: "Fred Thompson, who is weighing a Republican presidential bid as a social conservative, 'has no recollection' of performing lobbying work in 1991 for a family planning group that was seeking to relax an abortion counseling rule, a spokesman said Friday." "Thompson Lobbied for Abortion Rights".

Storm Clouds

"National Hurricane Center Director Bill Proenza may quit".

Is Feeney Next?

"Justice Department investigators are focusing on the California Republican's dealings with jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff". "Lawmaker tied to bribery scandals". Pushing Rope has more on the Feeney-Abramoff connection and investigation.

Running Government Like a Business

Here's a great idea: give state employees measly bonuses instead of raises, and then refuse to pay them overtime in violation of labor law: "DCF admits it broke labor laws, agrees to pay overtime backlog".

Charlie's A "Bold" Guy

Apparently bored with slamming firefighters and their "lavish" benefits (see "Who Writes this Garbage?"), The St. Petersburg Times editorial board turns its attention to reminding us how wonderful Chain Gang Charlie is:

Crist is doing more than just talking about his concerns over global warming; he is taking a stand. Just days before he hosts a high-profile summit on global warming in Miami, he shot down a plan for a coal-fired power plant in North Florida.

How refreshing it is to see a politician do more than just give lip service to the global warming challenge. Crist convinced a consortium of four utilities that their proposed 800-megawatt coal-fired plant was a bad idea, and the companies withdrew the plan. It wasn't the first setback for the utility industry, either.

Crist also objected to an even larger coal-burning plant Florida Power & Light wanted to build near Everglades National Park. With opposition to that plant bolstered by Crist's objections, the Florida Public Service Commission rejected the plant last month. And you might recall that Crist rejected a six-figure campaign check from FPL during his general election campaign after the company backed opponent Tom Gallagher in the primary.

Now That's What We Call an Editorial

The Daytona Beach - News Journal editorial board

With President Bush's approval rating plunging into revulsion's abyss, daily revelations about secretive and destructive policies by his administration seem almost like piling on. At the risk of appearing to add to the pile, we point you to the hypocrisy behind the White House's fanfare last month over the bald eagle's removal from the endangered species list. Off camera for six years Bush has been quietly, methodically crippling the federal agency most responsible for protecting the nation's fish and wildlife.

It's an ugly but by now familiar pattern. Behind the trumpeting for the eagle -- whose recovery had long been progressing under protections predating this administration -- species preservation has been compromised throughout the federal system by politicizing the science, slashing budgets, getting rid of enforcement staff and appointing unqualified hacks to do industry's bidding.

"I have been wrong on this exact issue before"

Mark Lane yesterday: "Three Alabama residents who own vacation homes in Pensacola filed a lawsuit in circuit court in Leon County challenging the Save Our Homes amendment. The suit cites the stark difference in the taxes the out-of-state property owners pay compared to Florida residents with homestead exemptions. I'd be surprised if they are successful. The state can say, hey, these are vacation homes. Homes that are taxed more than homesteads whether the owner is a state resident or not. But then, I have been wrong on this exact issue before. And if I am, then reforming Florida's property tax system could soon get even more complicated." Read what he's talking about here: "Lawsuit could make tax mess even messier".

Just Another Day in Central Florida

In scanning The Orlando Sentinel this morning, I noticed this delightful piece:

Body found in Deltona park, Volusia deputies say

Body found in Daytona Beach woods

Human remains found in Osceola belong to a woman

Man shot while standing near stopped car on I-4

Body found by youngsters identified

More...

In an editorial headlined "Gambling expansion underway, thanks to Gov. Crist," the executive editor of the Florida Baptist Witness, James A. Smith Sr., blasted Gov. Charlie Crist today over what Smith called Crist’s hypocrisy on social issues including gambling.

"The evidence of Crist’s duplicity is now clearly before us," Smith wrote. He referred to Crist’s signing a bill allowing charitable bingo halls to selll scratch-off tickets like those sold by the Florida Lottery, and the governor’s failing to veto a bill allowing Broward County parimutuel sites to increase their offerings of slot machines.

Smith said he asked Crist about the issue last year, and Crist’s answer was, "I don’t think we should expand gambling."

"He said it with the same level of conviction as when he told me he was ‘pro-life,’ while also refusing to affirm even one public policy restriction to limit abortion," Smith wrote. "That is to say, he didn’t mean it."

Thurman Backlash?

"Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Karen Thurman makes $100,000 a year to build a political machine to compete with Republicans, and earns extra income working for a law firm headed by one of the state's leading Republicans, Al Cardenas."

As a former Democrat in Congress, Thurman is paid by the Tew Cardenas firm to build bridges with her former colleagues who now run Capitol Hill, on behalf of Miami-Dade County.

Cardenas was state GOP chairman during the tenure of Gov. Jeb Bush, a time in which Thurman lost her redrawn House seat to Republican Ginny Brown-Waite. ...

State records show that in November, Thurman opened a Florida lobbying firm, Karen Thurman LLC, in partnership with J. Eric Gould, a partner in Cardenas' firm.

Gould worked in the Clinton White House and served as counsel to Thurman when, as a member of Congress in the 1990s, she served on the House Ways and Means Committee.

'Glades

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "It shouldn't surprise anyone that the cost of restoring the Florida Everglades is going up. Inflation can quickly cripple a major public works project, especially when critical parts of the plan are years behind schedule. That's one conclusion in a recently released General Accounting Office report, which shows that the cost of the massive federal-state effort to clean up, re-plumb and retain water over 18,000-square miles of South Florida has gone from an estimated $15.4 billion to $19.7 billion, a 28 percent jump since 2000." "River of Grass".

The Profit Motive

"The credibility of Pinellas County government and one of the county's elected constitutional officers, Property Appraiser Jim Smith, has been seriously undermined by revelations about a land deal that smells rotten. St. Petersburg Times staff writer Theresa Blackwell revealed in a front-page story Wednesday that Smith sold a piece of undeveloped North Pinellas property to the county for $225, 000 - the same land to which Smith's own staff had assigned a just value of only $59, 400 last year." "Pinellas land sale smells rotten".

Young Wingnuts in Hollywood

"The convention will also feature a presidential straw poll, a night out on South Beach as well as "educational programming" on opposition research and ballot security." "Sun, sand, young Republicans and Crist". More here: "Young Republican National Convention".

One man's "ballot security" is another man's voter suppression, especially since the seminar is being taught by the delightful Republican National Lawyers Association; presumably "caging" will be on the agenda.

Goin' Down

"A cash crunch has forced Republican John McCain to gut his presidential campaign in Florida, an early sign that only a few, extremely flush contenders will be able to compete in a state hosting one of the nation's first primaries. Supporters of moving Florida's primary from mid-March to Jan. 29 had argued the change would bring a presidential ground game to a state traditionally viewed as a stopover for raising money to be spent elsewhere. But McCain's retrenchment suggests most of the field will continue to focus on earlier, smaller states where their limited resources can go much farther." "McCain scales back Florida staff".

Good Luck

"Rep. Robert Wexler says President Bush’s commutation of Scooter Libby’s prison sentence 'is nothing short of (a) political quid pro quo, and Congress must go on record in strong opposition.' Wexler has drafted a resolution to censure Bush and plans to introduce it when Congress returns next Tuesday. A censure is a rare public reprimand but does not carry any other penalty." "Wexler: Censure Bush Over Libby".

So Sorry

"The Florida Home Builders Association has issued a "sincere apology" after an earlier web site posting that threatened to withhold campaign donations to legislators in 2008 unless they sponsored the group's priority: a cap on impact fees on new homes. ... The builders' earlier stance smacked of a quid pro quo. It also was ironic." See why here: "From the builders, 'a sincere apology'".

He Said It

More raw political courage from Good Time Charlie: "I believe in freedom first." "Gov. Crist favors individual freedom over more driver safety laws".

Where Are the "Right-to-Lifers"?

The Palm Beach Post's Elisa Cramer:"Babies die in Florida before they turn 1 at a higher rate than throughout the nation. And due in part to Florida's health insurers, those who survive may find it harder to thrive."

The Florida Insurance Council this year, as in the past, successfully opposed several bills that would have improved health care for countless children. Their mantra: It's a mandate. Which means: Why should we have to cover this?

The failed legislation would have required insurers to cover infant eye exams, treatment for autism and a pneumonia vaccine for children younger than 2. One bill would have assigned the state's Agency for Health Care Administration to review whether there are gaps in coverage for babies who need therapy and equipment for deformities at birth of their heads or facial bones. The council was equally against proposals that would have required coverage for adults, including prostate cancer and diabetes screening, and a shingles vaccine.

How can the council defend opposing Senate Bill 274, which would have required coverage to treat cystic fibrosis? Floridians with cystic fibrosis, the world's most common life-shortening genetic disorder among whites, have been denied coverage for medical equipment, brand-name medications, nutritional supplements and specialists. Some policies covered lung transplants but not the drugs needed after the surgery.

The bill made it through the various committees and amendments, and votes of both houses, only to die with the end of the legislative session May 4.

On The Cutting Edge

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Solar power hasn't yet captivated the Sunshine State's power producers, still balancing on the fence while other states and nations with skies cloudier than Florida's are providing customers renewable energy from the sun. Industrialized New Jersey is America's second-most aggressive user of solar power, just behind California, and cloudy Germany is the top market worldwide." "Solar could be stellar".

Who Knew?

Peter Rebmann, a founding member and president of the Alachua County School Concurrency Project, writes in The Tallahassee Democrat today: "Dubbed the Developers' Relief Act by its critics, HB 7203 mostly prevents overcrowded roads from stopping development. But a little-noticed clause also helps prevent overcrowded schools from doing the same. School concurrency has two rules that threaten overcrowded schools. One says that schools can't take in more students than they have space for. The other says that school districts can't plan to build new schools unless they have the money to build them. HB 7203 softens these rules." "Overcrowded schools may be here to stay".

Terror Expert In Daytona

"Touting his executive experience as mayor of one of the largest governments in the country in the city of New York, especially during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Giuliani took an aggressive stance regarding the war in Iraq and Afghanistan."

And try not to laugh too hard at this: "Joe Culotta, 23, of Orlando and Justin York, 19, of Lake Mary drove over to see Giuliani along with several other members of the University of Central Florida College Republicans. ... York likened Giuliani to Winston Churchill, England's leader during World War II." "Giuliani touts his experience at Daytona campaign stop". More: "AP: Giuliani visits Daytona Beach company to promote tax cuts".

Sink

"Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink this week ordered a 50 percent cut in the Workers' Compensation Administration Trust Fund assessment rate. The assessment is paid by workers' comp insurers into a state fund. ... Also, employers who do not comply with workers' comp laws now pay much more in fines than they did a few years ago, which has boosted the fund." "Sink: Workers' comp rates to be cut in half next year".

An Orlando Thing

"Campaigner dressed as George Washington nearly arrested".

Romney Dancing in the Streets

OK, we're kidding. But the less than influential conservative rag, the "New Smyrna Beach Observer" "although the Florida primary is more than six months away, we believe it is important to get behind the candidate we feel is best suited to be the next president of the United States: Mitt Romney." (Link via The Buzz's "Early newspaper endorsment for Romney").

Bad Charters

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "The state's 300 charter schools are in a kind of bureaucratic limbo between local districts that have limited powers to enforce rules and the Florida Schools of Excellence Commission, which has greater authority, but not the resources to keep close tabs on these schools." "Falling through the cracks".

at least one [City] commissioner, Rick Shiver, said he doesn't think the proposal [to support the Florida International Festival] is a good way to spend money from two community redevelopment districts.

"My thinking on it is the Florida International Festival is a great thing, and I think making it the Daytona Beach International Festival is a great thing, but I don't think taxpayers should pay for it and I don't think it's the government's job to subsidize concerts," Shiver said. ...

The nonprofit Florida International Festival first brought the London Symphony Orchestra to Daytona Beach 41 years ago and, except for several years when the festival did not run, has been bringing the orchestra here every two years. The city previously contributed $40,000 a year to the festival.

And hey, who goes to those publicly funded parks, what a waste of "my" money: "With the recent debates over property-tax reform, it seems a constant theme is that local governments can look to address their budget reductions by 'doing without' parks."  "Not just an amenity".

Of course, its perfectly cool to use taxes to pay for "advertisements for wealthy hoteliers who already benefit from millions of dollars in hotel taxes."

Beemer Brigade Hits Florida

"Organizers expect 600 to 800 at the Young Republican National Federation's convention [in Hollywood] that started Wednesday, for seminars that deal with everything from organizing voter registration drives to conducting the most thorough research on opposition candidates, and to hear speeches from well-known and next-to-unknown candidates."  "Young Republicans eager to work for party resurgence".

Brilliant

"State lawmakers say they will find the money to make up the billion of dollars that schools could lose from a proposed property tax cut -- despite a predicted revenue shortfall this year, due to a lagging economy.  Gov. Charlie Crist has repeated several times his confidence that lawmakers will indeed find the money for schools elsewhere in the shrinking state budget. But term limits could shorten the legislature's commitment in the long term, and skeptics argue their commitment is not clear even now."  "Tax cut may shortchange schools".

Researchers Fear Sanctions

"President Bush's recent veto -- for the second time -- of a bill to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research has been discussed mostly in ideological terms, but it has vast practical implications as well."

No one tallies which of the 125 major medical schools work with unapproved stem cell lines.

The top ones are widely known, including Hopkins, Harvard, Minnesota, Wisconsin and several California schools. Tony Mazzaschi, associate vice president for research at the Association of American Medical Colleges, said more may be working with unapproved lines and just don't want the publicity.

At the University of Miami, the Diabetes Research Institute set up separate labs and accounts for scientists working with unapproved stem cells. Florida's public research centers, the University of South Florida and the University of Florida, work with stem cells, but not human embryonic stem cells.

State schools, particularly, don't advertise their stem cell work because they "worry about sanctions from state legislators," Mazzaschi said.

Laff Riot

"Jeb!" dead ender Mike Thomas thinks its great that Charlie is sticking with, as Scott Maxwell puts it, an "unimaginative grading system that overemphasizes a single set of tests".  Thomas' wisdom (a/k/a tired RPOF talking points) can be found here: "Crist follows Jeb's rule: Keep standards high".

Standing While Black

Daniel Ruth takes on Disney:

To the untrained observer, high school football stars and Florida State University recruits Vincent Williams, Nick Moody, Nigel Carr and Avis Commack might well have seemed to be merely hanging around the pristine, idyllic streets of Downtown Disney while mulling what movie they wanted to see.

But to the Downtown Disney gendarmes, nefariousness was afoot as these young men perambulated about the byways without any clear purpose evident in their presence.

And, oh yeah, not only had these young men dared to walk around Downtown Disney, they had the impunity to walk around Downtown Disney while being black. The nerve of some people. ...

Apparently hanging around - especially first-degree hanging around, which involves hanging around for an inordinately albeit unspecified period of time was enough for the lads to be charged with trespass.

Thus it was that the four young men were detained by the Disney Security Happiness Stasi and the Orange County Sheriff's Department, fingerprinted and ultimately banned for life from Downtown Disney's sacred streets ever again. ...

Well, law and order must be observed. And if you start letting black kids stand around Downtown Disney street corners, why, the next thing you know other minorities might get the uppity notion they too can stand around the theme park's street corners.

Where does it end? Before you can say "Grumpy," you could well have Aleuts, or Kurds, or Pashtuns hanging around Downtown Disney, unable to explain themselves to the satisfaction of the Goofy Patrol.

In recent weeks, the Disney deputies have rounded up 48 other miscreants who have been accused of trespass and banned for life. In an incredible twist of circumstance, of those 48 evildoing trespassers, 45 have been black and Hispanic.

Problems at the National Hurricane Center

"Bill Proenza, the embattled director of the National Hurricane Center, responded Wednesday to senior forecasters who called for his ouster while a team from Washington, D.C., reviews his operations."  "3 senior forecasters call for firing of National Hurricane Center director".

Stupid Is ...

"When it comes to harnessing the sun's rays for electricity, the Sunshine State is largely in the dark.  Despite almost ideal weather, South Florida is lagging far behind California and states in the Southwest in powering homes, businesses and government offices by tapping into the ultimate renewable energy source – the sun. But it's changing."  "Sunshine State lags in harnessing sun's energy to cut energy bills".

Time for a Raise

Scott Maxwell on the Central Florida Congressional delegation:

Congress may have approval ratings that are in the toilet and trouble getting the job done on things such as immigration reform. But that didn't stop our distinguished ladies and gentlemen from giving themselves a raise last week.

Not Enough

The Daytona Beach - News Journal editorial board: "restoration of voting rights isn't enough for ex-offenders, whose ranks are growing weekly: The consequence of having record-breaking numbers of people in prisons and jails is that there are also record-breaking numbers of ex-offenders returning to society. Their first priority won't necessarily be to vote, but to hold a job and rebuild ties to their communities. It's a struggle when employers prefer not to hire ex-offenders, when those individuals are re-entering society still carrying the baggage that helped convict them to start with (drug abuse, violence, mental health issues) and when, until recently, jobs in government, school districts and some trades were off limits to ex-felons."  "Second chance for felons".

Another Fine "Idea"

"Soaring legal bills for crime suspects who can't afford lawyers have prodded Florida to create a new office to handle cases that public defenders can't.  State officials hope to recoup up to $70 million of what taxpayers have been paying private attorneys to handle these defenses.  Private attorneys, who stand to lose a significant amount of business, argue defendants will receive poor legal representation and that the state won't save a dime."  "Lawmakers want to end soaring tab for private lawyers".

Enforcing Immigration Law, Florida Style

Jeez, I wonder why those bloated and inefficient unionized construction companies (you know, the ones with pensions, health insurance and, God forbid, employees with the temerity to send their kids to college) can't "compete":

Last week, The Associated Press reported on Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen's "remarkably effective" tactic of catching undocumented immigrants. Deputies drive to construction sites in force and "watch to see who runs." Those who do are chased, arrested for trespassing (for cutting through private property) or for driving recklessly, should they speed off by car. The sheriff was miffed enough by the story that he posted a statement on his official Web site: "We are not a bunch of gun-toting, over zealous law enforcement officers running on to construction sites intimidating illegal aliens as the Associated Press article alludes. However, if a guilty conscience provokes them to run, it's obviously their choice."

To be fair, the story doesn't make allusions to gun-toting, overzealous law enforcement officers. Those words are McKeithen's own. And they're accurate. For all his denials, he certifies them with his very next sentence ("if a guilty conscience provokes them to run"). Guilty conscience or not, this is policing by racism and harassment -- if you can call it policing. It's no different from a highway patrolman tailgating motorists at random, lights flashing and sirens blaring, to see how the motorist reacts. Absent probable cause, it's illegal. ...

A noisy, sizeable minority of Americans has so demonized immigrants that any attempt to give some of the nation's 12 million undocumented workers a legal way to residency and citizenship is met with frenzy. Immigrants were once considered the lifeblood of the country's future. They're now considered a disease. Congress' attempt at immigration reform wasn't ideal. It would have built on a flawed guest-worker program and further militarized the border with Mexico while doing nothing to stem the tide of undocumented workers by way of vastly increasing investments in the Mexican economy. Even the proposed road to citizenship would have been fraught with obstacles. But it would have been an improvement over immigrants' existing dead ends and no-win conditions that force them to stay underground -- or run when a local sheriff's bigoted task force raids a work site.

Thurman, chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, gets $3,500 a month from Cárdenas, former chairman of the Florida Republican Party, to help him lobby the new Democratic leadership in Congress on behalf of Miami-Dade County.

Party bylaws do not preclude Thurman from pursuing income outside her $100,000 annual salary. But some current and former leaders were surprised that the party chief charged with turning the state from red to blue in the next presidential election was on the payroll of a top advisor to Republican contender Mitt Romney.

''It, unfortunately, puts her in a position where questions could be raised or asked,'' said Bob Poe, whose 2000-02 stint as Democratic Party chairman overlapped with Cárdenas' tenure as GOP chief. "There's nothing wrong other than appearance, but appearance is very important in politics.''

Tallahassee lawyer Allan Katz, a member of the Democratic Party's Executive Committee, said of Thurman's lobbying: "It does a raise a question or two, but I'm not sure to what level . . . It's the kind of thing you would expect to know, and I'm surprised.''

McCain

"The financial meltdown of Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign could cripple his hopes in Florida and, in doing so, dramatically hasten the fall of the man once considered the Republican front-runner. On Monday, senior McCain strategists announced that poor fundraising totals forced the campaign to lay off dozens of staffers and aides, including those specifically assigned to Florida. The campaign already had lagged behind rivals Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani in building a formal statewide organization." "McCain's Florida hopes fade; Even supporters say his margin for error is diminishing". See also "McCain falters; Giuliani and Romney strut in Florida".

"Top John McCain campaign aides John Weaver and Terry Nelson said that after a second disappointing quarterly fundraising result, the campaign would cut staff and narrow its focus to the 'early states.' Weaver, the campaign’s senior strategist, repeatedly listed Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. That appeared to undercut plans Nelson talked about in May to intensify the campaign’s Florida effort. Back then, Nelson, the campaign manager, told the Tribune we could expect to see McCain accelerate his drive to win Florida because of the state’s new, earlier primary date, Jan. 29." "McCain Still Focused On Florida, Spokesman Says".

"Out-of-state residents" Kick Up a Fuss

"A lawsuit filed this year by out-of-state residents challenges the constitutionality of Florida's existing Save Our Homes tax benefit, a plum for longtime homeowners that will remain available regardless of whether voters approve a property tax cut plan in January." "Lawsuit Further Complicates State's Tax Picture".

Charter School Fiasco

"The Orange County school district has shut down a charter school after officials said they found evidence of serious financial mismanagement and abuses of state education law at the beloved Orlando elementary." "District probe closes Orange charter school".

Our Green Governor

"Crist turns up the heat on global warming". See also "Crist: Future of coal power bleak", "Fla. utilities dump coal-fired power plant", "Crist: Florida moving away from coal as power source of future", "Switch off: Coal-fired plant will not be built", "Switch off: Coal-fired plant will not be built" and "Crist 2, Coal 0".

Storm Controversy

"Just weeks into the storm season, the controversy swirling around the new director of the National Hurricane Center has just been upgraded."

Bill Proenza kicked off the hurricane season last month by publicly criticizing his bosses at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Now, a five-member NOAA team from Washington has been dispatched to the Miami-Dade County facility for an unscheduled review to determine whether forecasters can fulfill their mission under current management. ...

"The timing of the investigation also alarms us," wrote U.S. Reps. Ron Klein and Debbie Wasserman Schultz. "Conducting the operational assessment one month into hurricane season could serve as a major distraction and impediment to the center's vital work, particularly if key personnel are distracted."

Daytona Beach Prepares for 9-11 Great Man Stories

The GOPers most recent draft dodger is coming to Daytona: "Giuliani to visit Daytona factory, attend Pepsi 400".

As Rudy blathers about his presumed national security credentials, recall (as described in this New Yorker piece) that "after receiving several deferments as a student, Giuliani applied for an occupational deferment as a law clerk, but his application was rejected. Giuliani appealed their decision, and asked the federal judge he was clerking for to petition the draft board for him. Which the judge did." "Rudy and ’Nam".

Crist Blasts Insurers

"Crist on Tuesday blasted property-insurance companies for seeking rate increases despite the state's push to lower homeowner premiums." "Higher rates put insurers, Crist at odds".

Failing

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "Given the results, the leaders of our schools should demonstrate a heightened sense of urgency for diagnosing the problems and creating solutions. Ultimately, these scores represent failure only if no one stands up to fix our struggling schools." "Failing School Grades Only Stick If We Fail To Improve Education".

Millions Lost

"Dozens of South Florida senior citizens have lost millions of dollars of their savings because their brokers bet wrong on risky mortgage-backed securities after promising them a stable investment." "Brokers' wrong bets cost South Florida seniors millions".

Hi-Tech GOPer

Nutball (scroll down to "Too Much Limbaugh") Ft. Lauderdale

Mayor Jim Naugle has never been shy about voicing his beliefs.

He's called some environmentalists "wackos" and said people complaining about high home prices were lazy, beer drinking "schlocks."

Now the mayor has shifted his attention to a robotic toilet, saying the invention could have a special edge over a traditional restroom in preventing the "homosexual activity" that he said plagues other public restrooms.

The robo-john the city might buy for $250,000 or more allows occupants to stay inside for only a short time before the door opens. Probably not enough time for "illegal sex," Naugle figures.

Oops!

Q reports that "The Florida Home Builders Association Tuesday removed from its Web site a statement linking political contributions to sponsorship of legislation limiting impact fees, which the group supports ... soon after The Palm Beach Post published an article describing the statement ...". Impact fee threat? What impact fee threat?".

Citizens

"Citizens Property Insurance on Tuesday closed two financial transactions it says will provide nearly $2 billion in liquidity for it to pay claims for its personal and commercial lines accounts." "Citizens secures nearly $2B for insurance claims".

All of these men -- and they are all men, meaning this slugfest could use some estrogen -- face an uphill battle. The district was drawn for a Republican. Incumbents in Florida rarely lose. And Keller is expected to have plenty of cash.

On the other hand, Keller has some new vulnerabilities. First of all, this whole campaign was never supposed to happen. Keller not only promised not to run for this fifth term; he actually signed a pledge. Plus, his votes on both sides of the Iraq war have irritated some on both sides. ...

Stuart says he wouldn't be running again unless he thought he could win. Last year, the business consultant and motivational speaker lost a competitive race to Keller 53 percent to 46 percent. But Stuart says he now has more experience, better name ID and a more vulnerable incumbent. "But the big reason," Stuart said Monday, "is that we still need a change. We need someone who will do things because it's the right thing to do -- not because it's the politically expedient thing to do."

"Creepy"

"When Karen Armatrout died in 1997, her employer, Wal-Mart, collected thousands of dollars on a life insurance policy the retail giant had taken out without telling her, according to a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court."

Armatrout was one of about 350,000 employees Wal-Mart secretly insured nationwide, said Texas attorney Michael D. Myers, who estimated the company collected on 75 to 100 policies involving Florida employees who died.

Myers is seeking to make the Armatrout lawsuit a class-action case on behalf of the estates of all the Florida employees who died while unwittingly insured by Wal-Mart.

"Creepy's a good word for it," Myers said. "If you ask the executives that decided to buy these policies and the insurance companies that sold them, they would say this was designed to create tax benefits for the company, which would use the benefits for benevolent purposes such as buying employee medical benefits.

"If you asked me, I would say they did it to make more money."

Charlie Kow Tows to Wingnuts

Bill March: "During his campaign and even as governor Charlie Crist has been ambivalent on gay rights and same sex adoption, but he sent a strong signal to the religious right today, appointing Jim Kallinger—who has been director of development for the Christian Coalition of Florida —as director of the governor’s Office of Adoption and Child Protection. His formal title is Chief Child Advocate."

Last year during the campaign, Crist had said he was undecided about gay adoptions but later told The Tampa Tribune editorial board he opposes it. On the other hand, he said he didn’t want Republican party money spent on the antigay marriage amendment some are trying to pass.

The Cristian Coalition job was the most recent for Kallinger, who served in the Florida House from 2000 to 2004. ...

While in the state House, Kallinger led an effort to give private school vouchers to public school students and filed a bill to ban cloning, saying that the therapeutic use of stem cells was “highly speculative.”

He was one of 21 state legislators filing a friend of the court brief in 2002 arguing that Florida’s ban on gay adoption is not unconstitutional.

Yecke

"Florida's No. 2 education official is tangled in a cyber-tussle with a tiny Minnesota newspaper and a scientist who blogs about the politics of teaching evolution." "Blogger riles state's No. 2 school chief". More: "Yecke".

Gambling

"Poker buffs, break out your chips. Expanded gambling laws went into effect this week at card rooms across Florida, allowing poker players to bet more money than ever before." "The state is letting you bet even more at poker".

I Like Shaq, but ...

"Shaq for sheriff? Heat star looks at Broward, Orlando".

Carrie Punches Back

"Former Rep. Carrie Meek, who helped tout a troubled Liberty City biotech park, took on the Miami Herald and the developer of the project in a televised interview. Her comments were prompted by a column in Sunday's Herald by Carl Hiaasen titled, 'Another Colossal Rip-Off.'" "Meek blasts the Herald and the developer".

DCF

In "Will DCF really change?", The Orlando Sentinel editorial board can't bring itself to question DCF's rampant privatization, unlike The Tampa Tribune editors who were insightful enough to do so yesterday in "Florida Needs To Take Fresh Look At Privatized Child Protection".

Florida's Booming Economy

"Property appraisers' report reflects slowdown -- coastal areas hit hard" "Housing market still troubled".

Cut Backs

"In Miramar, people might be walking through higher grass and attending fewer community events. Cooper City residents might be saying goodbye to one school resource officer and driving over more potholes. ... In June, residents in Weston learned that next year's Fourth of July parade, spring concert and holiday lighting display might disappear with proposed cuts. And in 2008 Pembroke Pines might cancel its city-run day-care programs, along with its Independence Day celebration, and its annual Pines Day anniversary party. Davie residents might see fewer community newsletters and higher fees for youth sports and city celebrations." "Cities propose canceling parties, pruning payrolls".

Threats

"The Florida Home Builders Association threatened on its Web site Monday to withhold contributions to incumbent legislative candidates who do not sponsor legislation it wants on impact fees." "Builders PAC ties contributions to fee cap".

FCAT Follies

"Students' performance statewide in FCAT science portion was dismal, worse even than expected." "Science scores a setback for schools".

The FCAT fans at the The Orlando Sentinel editorial board think its time to buckle down and - well they won't say it - and figure out how to teach to the test: "No excuses".

Infant-Mortality

"Crist on Monday touted a new law aimed at lowering Florida's minority infant-mortality rate." "Grant looks at cause of baby gap".

Anderson

"This time, Anderson's credibility took a huge hit over his ability to accurately estimate the cost of running an election, a fundamental part of his job — and the timing couldn't have been more sensitive." "Trust in Voting".

Get Over It

"Rubio's words again raise questions about how serious he is about the plan that did pass -- a rollback and cap of local government tax bases and proposed "super" homestead exemptions worth up to $195,000. A statewide vote on the exemptions is set for January. Rubio insists he supports the idea but envisions a more radical overhaul of Florida's tax system." "Rubio still embraces tax 'swap'".

On The Air

"Republican Mitt Romney has run the most television ads of any presidential candidate, with 4,549 commercials in seven states, including 319 in Florida, according to The Nielsen Company." "Romney dominates the air war".

Spoils

"Car dealers are steamed and a vendor is suspicious of a new law pushed by a powerful lawmaker that helps a company vying to computerize the 2.4 million temporary license tags the state issues every year. ... Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, sponsored a stealth amendment in the final days of the legislative session that requires temporary tags issued by more than 12,000 car dealers in Florida to be linked electronically to the DMV." "Temporary-tag law has car dealers riled".

Judges

"The Broward State Attorney's Office on Monday asked Gov. Charlie Crist to launch an independent investigation into allegations that a Broward judge inappropriately took a loan from an attorney. It's the second request in three days that the governor appoint an outside agency to investigate the behavior of a Broward judge [including accusations that Circuit Judge Larry Seidlin pressured Roberts into buying Seidlin's wife an expensive purse and Seidlin's family benefited from gifts and land deals from a neighbor.]" "State Attorney's Office asks Gov. Crist to open investigation of Broward judges".

On a related note, "State agency clears Broward Circuit Judge Greene of uttering racial epithet" ("Last week, the state agency that polices judicial conduct found that when Greene uttered the acronym "NHI" (short for "no humans involved") he had no intention of making a racial epithet").

"Delusional"

"Floridians have come to expect bureaucratic ineptitude from FEMA, but now they may have to start getting used to delusional behavior, too. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is holding up 23 projects to bolster government buildings against hurricanes because coordinators are insisting that the improvements protect against 200 mph winds. FEMA probably wants them to stand up to basketball-sized hail and avalanches, too." "Hard heads, weak minds".

Attack Dogs

"Republicans have already launched their first attack mail piece against [state Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota] in preparation of the November 2008 election. The piece centers on Fitzgerald’s vote on the tax plans. It wasn’t just that Fitzgerald voted against one half of the big GOP tax cut plan, but Republicans noticed he took to the floor to rip the idea as bad public policy and a letdown of what could have been accomplished." "Fitzgerald's role changes".

'Glades

"Seven years after the giant Everglades restoration project began, some of its crucial elements are already six years behind schedule and the cost has ballooned to nearly $20-billion, according to the federal government." "Everglades restoration bogs down". See also "Delays, costs plague Everglades cleanup", "Price for Everglades restoration soars to nearly $20 billion" and "Costs rise as Glades plan lags".

If You Repeat It Enough Times ...

"The Republican Party of Florida today sent out an 'In case you missed it' notice touting the Wall Street Journal's editorial Saturday about what it labeled Florida's 'tax revolt.' The well-crafted [sic] editorial contained an error that is likely to get repeated by promoters of the tax plan unless voters and readers call them on it. So here goes: The bill the governor signed contains a $15.6 billion tax cut over the next five years, not $32 billion as the Journal, and some promoters of the plan, might have you believe." "Touting tax revolt with the wrong number".

No Can Do

"A bankruptcy judge in Jacksonville initially said Jacobs, longtime lobbyist for Florida's prosecuting attorneys, could discharge the tax debt along with other debts when he declared bankruptcy in 2003. Federal prosecutors appealed, saying Jacobs lived a lavish lifestyle, titled a house at the posh Amelia Island Plantation near Fernandina Beach in his wife's name and deliberately avoided paying his taxes. ... The Atlanta appeals court, in a decision written by U.S. 9th Circuit Judge Arthur L. Alarcon, said Jacobs 'willfully attempted to evade or defeat his taxes' and cannot avoid paying income taxes for the years 1990 through 1995, 1997 and 1998." "Judge rules lobbyist can't shed tax debt".

We'd urge Crist to reconsider. Much as the governor backed away from his old persona as "Chain Gang Charlie," the state should back away from its bloodthirsty reputation and move toward a system that emphasizes justice over vengeance.

The problems with the death penalty aren't going away. Even if Florida found a painless and foolproof execution method (the current system is likely to be neither, even after the changes) fundamental injustices remain. The death penalty is still applied so randomly that it's comparable to lightning striking. Racial and socioeconomic inequities still riddle the system. And the question of innocence still throbs as the sorest point of all.

DFA Training

"125 activists learned how to take their political opinions to a bigger stage at a training session designed for aspiring candidates and campaign volunteers. "

The two-day event was part of a national effort by Democracy for America - a grass roots group that grew out of Howard Dean's presidential run."We can't spend enough time in Florida. There's a lot going on there," said Democracy for America national chair Jim Dean, Howard Dean's brother.

Jim Dean attended Saturday's training session, along with Tampa City Council member Mary Mulhern and state Sen. Charlie Justice.

Trib Reconsiders Privatization

This editorial today in The Tampa Tribune is astonishing:

Bob Butterworth, head of the Department of Children and Families, is rightly outraged and has moved to shore up the cracks in Florida's child welfare system. But that's not enough. Florida needs to reconsider it's assumption that children are better protected by private contractors than by state workers. ...

Now that Florida is under a new governor who is less rabid about privatization than former Gov. Jeb Bush who pushed the concept, it is time to take a new look at a privatization.

For now, a privatized child protection system has been an unconvincing experiment. It's time for Florida to consider whether it's really working.

Florida Evangelical Leader Goes National

The Rev. Joel Hunter, pastor of the Longwood congregation at Northland Church "has become emblematic of a new generation of evangelical leaders: younger mega-church pastors putting a kinder, gentler face on a conservative religious movement known for strident and sometimes divisive rhetoric." "The Rev. Joel Hunter: The new breed on the right".

Tax Talk

"The Legislature responded to Floridians' cries for property tax relief with a plan that will save the average homeowner about $174 a year by taking $15.6-billion from funding for local governments. This past week, cities and counties announced layoffs, service cuts and decreases in social service funding to balance their trimmer budgets." "The talk about tax cuts".

Florida's Booming Economy

"The reporters at Forbes magazine have decided that Tampa ranks dead last among 40 major American cities in our appeal to young professionals. Our housing costs are too high, our salaries are too low ...". "Tampa Unhip? Don't Trip, Dude".

And then there's the housing shortage: ""Redevelopment to push day laborers out of vacant lot on West Palm".".

Dumb Idea

Tom Blackburn:

Honest, I have nothing against cutting taxes. I agree with Gov. Crist and the Legislature that property taxes have become bizarre. But I need to see evidence that some thought went into their solutions.

Maybe I should say "some sound thought," since no one could do all that the Legislature did just off the top of the head. The evidence shows that its thinking wasn't very good, though.

Voters will have to decide on Jan. 29 whether to phase out the Save Our Homes amendment they passed in 1992 and increase homestead exemptions instead. Yes, if we mess with Save Our Homes, which is in the state constitution, there has to be a vote. But why on Jan. 29? ...

Point Two: In an enormous change at the last minute, lawmakers decided to let people who have Save Our Homes keep it if the new system passes. One of the howling inconsistencies in property taxes has been the two-class system created by that amendment. That the Legislature allowed its remnants to stay is another indication that the reform was not done with all brains firing smartly.

"Talk of another special session"

"Maybe there's hope for extending Florida's no-fault auto insurance after all. Gov. Charlie Crist apparently thinks so and he believes a special session of the Florida Legislature is necessary to do it." "Auto Insurance".

Red

"The 2008 congressional election is still 16 months away, but U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam had collected $341,084 in his campaign account by the end of the first quarter of this year. If the 2006 election cycle is any measure, he will have well over $1 million to spend for the 2008 general election" "Putnam campaign banks $341,000".

Poor Vern

"About 60 activists, some wearing life preservers, filled the parking lot outside Rep. Vern Buchanan's Sarasota office on Sunday to call attention to rising sea levels and other threats posed to Florida by global warming. Although Buchanan did not meet with the group, Graham Kuzia, the field organizer for Florida Greenpeace's Project Hot Seat, said he was happy with the turnout." "Global warming rally directed at Buchanan".

Census

"Although the census is three years away, advocates for minorities, including the National Urban League, are discussing ways the organization could help the Census Bureau accurately count in 2010." "Minorities in Broward, Palm Beach counties call for more accurate census".

Romney

"No presidential candidate has bet more on Florida, and despite low poll numbers, staffers and supporters of Republican Mitt Romney say the effort is paying off." "Romney frequent flier to Florida now".

It didn't start with ex-Gov. Jeb Bush, although he was an enthusiastic advocate of giving privateers a shot at the "noncore" functions of state agencies. ...

There is now a Council on Efficient Government that's cleaning up after Bush, although none of its professional staff would put it quite that way. In fairness, the council is doing a lot more than live autopsies on the Bush legacy; it will set up an orderly system for government contracting.

It would be good if the panel's review includes the question: "Is this a proper function of government?" Some things really are, like running prisons. ...

The idea behind all outsourcing is supposed to be that going outside government not only saves taxpayers money, but provides better services. One or the other is good; cheaper and better is best.

The trouble is, in the past, such a cost-benefit judgment has been made by the same people who were intent on privatizing something. If there's anything left to privatize, post-Bush, this new council appears to have a credible mix of government and private-sector talent to live up to its name.

Florida's "first postpartisan governor"

Steve Bousquet: "As the first postpartisan governor in the state's history, Crist has redefined what it means to be a Republican in Florida." "Redefining the Florida Republican".

Poor "Jeb!"

Shirish Date, the Tallahassee bureau chief for the Palm Beach Post,is the author of 'Jeb! America’s Next Bush", comments on the Jebbie - Charlie thing::

Jeb supporters may label [it] a hatchet job by a vindictive journalist who was denied access because he wouldn’t play by Jeb’s rules. But Date says his unsparing portrait of Bush has been tempered somewhat by the ascendancy of Jeb’s successor, Gov. Charlie Crist, a moderate Republican who appears to be the "caring conservative" Jeb only professed to be.

"Crist does believe in consensus, in persuading other people to his point of view or at least making the attempt, and Jeb really didn’t," Date says. "Jeb tried to twist your arm and if you didn’t buy into his point of view, then you were marginalized or punished or both. And it wasn’t just journalists; it was judges and legislators and the teacher’s union, whole vast groups of people who were 'off the bus' for eight years." ...

[W. and Jeb ]fundamentally don’t believe in the idea of having to accommodate popular consensus," Date says. "They believe that if you win, you get to do whatever you want, and if voters don’t like it, then elect somebody else."

Jeb’s chances of a presidential bid, either in 2008 or 2012, have been complicated by the sudden glow surrounding Crist, who it appears can deliver the Florida vote without the Bush baggage.

"Jeb’s people fully believe that Charlie would be an utter and total disaster, and that people in Florida would see that within a few months. But to their dismay, he is 10-15 points more popular than their guy ever was through his entire eight years," Date observes.

That presents some ticklish timing issues for the president’s younger brother.

"What it does is, it narrows Jeb’s window considerably. Jeb really thought he had 10 years to kind of pick and choose what he did and when he did it. If the Republicans lose nationally in 2008, Charlie will be well positioned for his own bid, not for VP but for president in 2012. Even now, the Republicans come down here and kiss Charlie’s ring. They need him more than Jeb now."

"Encouraging signal"

"Letting Florida's three major research universities charge more in tuition won't suddenly provide financial stability for the state's overburdened higher education system, but Gov. Charlie Crist sent an encouraging signal by signing into law this important tool that would start addressing the problem." "Crist sends right signal".

"Still trouble in this part of paradise"

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization might want to consider a do-over on its decision to drop Everglades National Park from its "World Heritage Sites in Danger" list. There's still trouble in this part of paradise." "Environment".

"Sorry. That information is confidential"

"One day, you're out in your front yard and you see six cars adorned with county economic-development logos drive onto the vacant field across the street. A bunch of people in business suits get out, walk around the property for a while and leave. You're curious, so you call the county. What's going on? After a few transfers, you get a polite answer. Sorry. That information is confidential."

Congratulations. You've just hit one of the shady spots in Florida's much-vaunted open-government laws.

Under an exemption created by the Legislature, local government employees can woo industries to their community in secret -- even promise taxpayer-funded incentives. They can move the process so far forward that the project is just one or two votes away from becoming reality. And by the time you discover that a round-the-clock grocery distributor wants to send dozens of trucks rumbling down your quiet street, it may be too late to weigh in.

This is the kind of public-records exemption that a new commission appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist should be looking at: The kind of restriction that limits information the public might need to know.

At the trough

"After a property-tax special session in which Florida lawmakers devoted most of their attention to homeowners, the state's dissatisfied business lobby is turning to an obscure but powerful body to get deeper tax cuts directed its way." "Businesses set sights on tax relief".

"The summer of 1971"

"In the summer of 1971, CIA agents saw Miami Beach as a sultry U.S. stand-in for Saigon, South Vietnam. So they secretly set up an antenna on a hotel rooftop -- and field-tested then state-of-the-art eavesdropping equipment." "Psst, the secret's out! S. Florida was hub for CIA in '60s, '70s".

Not Happy

"Residents and Democratic lawmakers from Broward County disappointed in recent property tax legislation".

Hispanic Vote

"Democrats could gain more Hispanic voters, who make up the nation's largest and fastest growing minority. Except for Cuban-Americans, the nation's Hispanics traditionally have voted for Democrats, but many were swayed toward President Bush in 2004, when he received a landmark 40 percent of the Hispanic vote. With the immigration bill's collapse, Republicans could lose such gains, experts said." "Hispanic voters could make GOP pay for defeat of immigration legislation".

"Hillary Rodham Clinton took a jab at a potential GOP candidate, while her fellow Democratic presidential hopefuls joined her in addressing topics such as immigration, the war in Iraq, education and health care in a forum hosted by Latino elected officials Saturday. All of the major Democratic presidential candidates were in Central Florida for a question-and-answer session sponsored by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Of the GOP candidates, only California Rep. Duncan Hunter accepted the group's invitation to speak." "Democratic presidential candidates speak at Latino forum". See also "Democrats Court Hispanic Leaders At Conference" and "Clinton Names Floridians To Hispanic Council".

"Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday she is 'appalled' by remarks made by Republican Fred Thompson suggesting that some Cuban refugees could be terrorists." "Hillary Clinton Says She Is 'Appalled'".

"Another weird Miami coincidence"

"Kendrick Meek says his enthusiasm for the biotech project had nothing do with the fact that his mother was a paid consultant for the developer, or that she was was receiving free rent and the use of a luxury SUV."

He says his mom never asked him to propose the $4 million appropriation.

So it's just another weird Miami coincidence -- mother and son independently embracing a fast-talking Boston developer with ambitious plans and a thirst for public financing.

"Ladies, get out your mops and brooms"

"It was all about the girls Saturday, as Hillary Clinton swept into Miami for a $100 a plate Mother-daughter breakfast fundraiser. 'If there ever was a time for a woman president it's now,' the Presidential hopeful told a mostly female crowd of nearly 1,000 at Jungle Island. 'We're going to have to do a lot of cleaning up after President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Ladies, get out your mops and brooms.'" "Candidate Clinton stops in Miami".

No-Fault

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Lawmakers need to extend no-fault after blowing three earlier opportunities." "Fourth time the charm". See also "Interest groups taking sides in Florida's 'no-fault' insurance fight".

FCAT Follies

Mark Lane: "Roughly every three years, the state makes serious changes in the rules for grading public schools and using the FCAT. Roughly every three years, the scores drop as teachers and administrators scramble to adapt, teach what the tests demand and generally game the system. Then, the next year, school grades go up as the system adapts to the last wrinkle in the testing game. Congratulations go out all around. And again the next year. Then, people in Tallahassee talk gravely about lax standards, lest folks start to get the dangerous idea that public education isn't failing." "FCATs' puzzing results".

Our booming economy

"A stalled housing market combined with a drop in corporate tax collections has state officials bracing for a $1 billion loss in anticipated revenue. Tax collections came in $320 million less than expected through May, and state economists warn the trend is expected to continue." "It's not just local government: State sees need to tighten belt".

Cost cutting

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Only after they've cut the fat should elected county and city officials respond to the Florida Legislature's property-tax rollback by targeting public services. The obvious and best choice is to do what hurts the public the least. And that could mean cutting salaries." "When trimming budgets, cut fat first, services last".

Gambling

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "Florida, tolerant since the early 1930s of a little gambling at the track but steadfastly opposed to the numbers racket and casinos, is sliding fast down a glassy slope that bottoms out in a place much like Las Vegas." "Quest For Tax Revenue Lures Reluctant Florida Toward Casinos".

Lake O

"South Florida is awash, but the rainy season showers are missing a critical spot for our water supply: Lake Okeechobee. So much so, water levels reached an all-time low Saturday since record keeping began in 1931." "Despite S. Florida soaking, Lake O becomes Lake Low".

Children

"The health, safety and development of children is a common theme running through a large stack of new Florida laws that take effect today." "Children are focal point of laws that go into effect today".

Whatever

"Class of 2007: Legislative yearbook grades South Florida delegation".

"Florida Hometown Democracy"?

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "A group called 'Florida Hometown Democracy' is gathering signatures for a constitutional amendment requiring a referendum on any proposed changes in comprehensive land-use plans."

Hometown Democracy would place decisions about growth and development in the hands of the voters, many of whom are more interested in getting their kids to soccer practice or trying to keep their businesses afloat than the nuances of real estate markets or the economic viability of different types of land development.

Granted, Hometown Democracy's plan has a surface-level appeal. The name itself conveys an alluring image of empowered citizens in neighborhoods of white picket fences.

But this populist mask conceals an anti-growth, "close the gates" agenda that could threaten housing affordability, economic opportunity, and private property rights. Hometown Democracy would turn Florida into a laboratory for a statewide experiment in the radical sort of "ballot-box zoning" that has fueled sky-high housing costs in places like San Francisco, where the median housing price now stands at $620,000.

How Conveeeenient

"For a year, a state agency has been throwing away records relating to consumer disputes with insurance companies. A Department of Financial Services lawyer said he decided that because the files weren't requested and aren't required by law, the agency is free to destroy them." "State destroyed its records of insurance-company complaints".