Florida voters could be asked next year to alter class-size requirements and preserve private-school vouchers.

An obscure panel with the power to place constitutional amendments directly on the 2008 ballot has been asked to consider dealing with these two controversial education items. Former Gov. Jeb Bush tried to get Florida lawmakers to act on both, but he was blocked in the state Senate by a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats.

Now the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, which meets every 20 years, may take the matter directly to voters. Commission members on Friday were asked by education lobbyists and a private think tank to craft proposals on class size and vouchers.

Allan Bense, a former House speaker and the Panama City Republican who is now chairman of the commission, said either item could be dealt with by the commission since both affect state spending. ''Education clearly affects the budget, and this is clearly an education issue,'' he said. ...

The commission, which has 25 voting members, needs just 17 votes to put a constitutional amendment directly on the 2008 ballot. Several members of the commission are former top aides to Bush, who tried unsuccessfully to get the Legislature to preserve vouchers and to change the class-size amendment.

"Johnny Mac"

"A sprawling rural legislative district west of the Apalachicola River poses a test of whether Democrats can break the Republicans' monopoly in this close-knit region of hunting, fishing and white-steepled churches. The Democrats' possible savior is John McDaniel, who for nearly three decades has been sheriff of Jackson County. 'Johnny Mac,' as he is known, is running for the District 5 House seat being vacated by Don Brown, a feisty Republican from DeFuniak Springs, who will be term-limited out of office in 2008." "Can a Democratic sheriff break into a Republican stronghold?".

Political Head Fakes

In sports, like politics, it is often useful to have a good head fake. And Florida's politicos, the frustrated elementary school athletes that many of them are, have developed pretty good political head fakes. Just today we read these gems:

- The Miami Herald: "Seven months after Florida lawmakers expanded the government's role in the state's insurance market, rates should be lower and insurers should be willing to write more policies. Just the opposite is happening. What went wrong?" "Why insurance reform is falling short"

- The Orlando Sentinel: Local government "fee increases threaten to erase some or all of the initial savings in property taxes, which lawmakers put at $174 for the average homeowner this year." "Lower taxes might cost you".

Go Figure

As reported yesterday,"majority of Florida voters supports a plan to super-size the homestead exemption - even though they don't know much about it."

Fifty-seven percent of respondents to a Quinnipiac University poll said they support the Constitutional amendment proposed by GOP lawmakers to cut property taxes by increasing the homestead exemption.

That's just shy of the 60 percent approval needed for passage, despite 67 percent of respondents saying that the amendment needs much more explanation.

Anybody But "Jeb!"

"Florida voters love Gov. Charlie Crist as much as ever, giving him a 73 - 11 percent job approval, but 72 percent say his insurance reform plan hasn't delivered lower rates, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released [Thursday]. This is Gov. Crist's fourth approval score at 69 percent or higher."

"Obedience"

The St. Pete Times editorial board: "Florida quit electing an education commissioner eight years ago, believing that professional credentials might prove more valuable than political ones."

Two politically motivated appointees later, the state only now has the chance to get it right. It is conducting its first national search for a commissioner, and public schools deserve a new brand of leadership.

The first two appointed commissioners, Jim Horne and John Winn, served as little more than campaign staff for a governor, Jeb Bush, who was so absorbed by his own education agenda that he has seeded a private foundation to safeguard his legacy. Bush didn't bother with either a search or the pretense that the appointed Board of Education would, as required by law, make the decision. The only qualification that seemed to matter was obedience.

Even Knuckle Draggers Get It

The story of one GOPer, who was f/k/a Chain Gang Charlie, who picked up his knuckles a little bit:"How Gov. Crist became Gov. Climate".

Will They Vote?

"After Cuban-Americans, Puerto Ricans make up the state's largest Hispanic population and its most politically independent -- key swingers in a swing state."

Both parties seek to claim them. Democrats point to Puerto Ricans' traditional alignment with their party and tout their potential to counter the Republican Cuban-American vote. Republicans boast of the more business-oriented Puerto Ricans who increasingly call central Florida home.

But both parties are loath to admit one uncomfortable fact: as U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans are the only Hispanic immigrants in Florida who can automatically register to vote, yet more often than not, they don't.

Florida's Booming Economy

"The slowdown in the housing market showed up in Florida's June unemployment figures, state officials said Friday. With an increasing number of construction workers out of jobs, the unemployment rate increased to 3.5 percent, up from May's 3.4 percent, the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation reported." "Layoffs in housing slowdown push up Florida jobless rate". See also "Jobless rate rises sharply".

No

"The state will deny a planned home insurance rate increase by Florida Farm Bureau's two property insurance companies, which have about 140,000 homeowners policies, the Office for Insurance Regulation said Friday." "State rejects Fla. Farm Bureau home insurance rate increase". See also "Insurance companies gear up for new round of battles".

Whoopee

"Crist to study ethanol in South America".

"I Wanna Be Sedated"

This is off topic, but you might want to know that "Bush transferred the powers of the presidency to Vice President Dick Cheney on Saturday just before being sedated for a screening to detect colon cancer." "Bush transfers power to Cheney".

Whatever

"Capital reporters got an unintended peek into the inner workings of Gov. Charlie Crist's communications machine when an aide accidentally e-mailed a roundup of the day's media inquiries." "Surprise: You've got mail - from the Gov.'s office".

Reagan Fan Club to Meet

"The hometown of Republican Gov. Charlie Crist has been picked to host a nationally televised debate for GOP presidential candidates in September." "GOP presidential candidates to debate in St. Petersburg".

Meanwhile, "Fred Thompson gaining on Rudy Giuliani among South Florida Republicans": "Giuliani still leads the Republican presidential race in South Florida. But Fred Thompson, an aging actor with a Reaganesque persona, is rapidly gaining support as the leading conservative alternative, poll results and political observers say.
".

Lawsuit

"A lawsuit highlights a fierce tug of war over the state's popular scholarship program." "Not such a bright future".

State Sanctioned Murder

Mark Schlakman, director of the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights at Florida State University and board chairman of the Innocence Project, writes today that, upon

reading various articles and related wire service accounts of Gov. Crist's first death warrant, I was struck by the fact that the American Bar Association's recent and relatively comprehensive report on Florida's death penalty process was not mentioned, notwithstanding that direct reference was made to the Commission on Administration of Lethal Injection report and recommendations.

Given that Florida has the dubious distinction of being the state with more death penalty exonerations than any other, the ABA report's main objective is to identify issues and problems that undermine the fairness and accuracy of Florida's death penalty process. The ABA report neither supports nor opposes capital punishment.

Simply put, such issues and problems must be addressed by the state to ensure that innocent people are not executed. Each of Florida's three branches of government has a significant role to play. Unfortunately, it appears as though relatively little action has been taken by state officials to address these concerns since the ABA report was released last fall.

Mouth-Breathers Alive and Well In Florida

The Palm Beach Post goes out on a limb by suggesting that "providing all views usually is a better solution than banning some books." "What to ban? Book bans".

Obama Message?

Bill March:

Barack Obama has repeatedly refused to say whether he’ll campaign in Florida if the Democratic National Committee imposes a boycott on the state because of its too-early primary date.

But when he announced the members of his Florida Advisory Committee Friday, he may have sent a signal.

One of the 36 members of the committee is state Sen. Jeremy Ring, who sponsored the Senate version of the bill setting Florida’s primary date as Jan. 29. ...

By choosing Ring, a strong advocate of Florida for an early primary, who has said candidates can’t afford to boycott the state, Obama may be sending a message.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

"One of Florida's leading Democratic rainmakers has called the whole thing off."

Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan, who has personally given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democrats and helped raise much more, is so fed up with his party's failure to stop the war in Iraq that he canceled an upcoming fundraiser at his home. Take $250,000 and kiss it good-bye.

''I told Chuck Schumer, I'm through,'' he said, referring to the New York senator who heads the Democratic Party's fundraising arm for the Senate. ``As a Democratic donor, I am going on strike.''

Morgan is considering full-page ads in the New York Times, Washington Post and USA Today to encourage other donors to join his boycott, disgusted with the latest effort by Democratic senators to stop the war by pulling an all-nighter.

Gearing up for Tuesday's marathon debate, Democratic leaders dispatched interns to buy toothpaste, toothbrushes and deodorant for their GOP colleagues. Reporters were summoned to watch pillows and cots being dragged in to a room off the Senate floor.

Long after the photo ops faded and the pizza had gone cold, Democrats failed to muster enough votes to begin withdrawing troops.

''That was all publicity and hype,'' Morgan said of the round-the-clock debate. "Come on. I can sleep sitting in a chair.''

The Democratic switch could give Gelber a launching pad to challenge Florida's Republican U.S. senator in 2010.

Martinez, a former Orange County mayor, has been saddled with low approval ratings and the Senate's recent defeat of an immigration measure he pushed for the White House.

Martinez's dual role as Republican national chairman also could detract from his own campaign efforts, while casting him as a GOP attack dog when the presidential race intensifies, officials on both sides say.

Some Florida Democrats are already savoring the possibility of a Gelber candidacy. His candidacy would be made easier by a new Florida law that would allow him to retain the state Senate seat while running for U.S. Senate.

Insurance Flop

"The philosophy, at least among Republicans responsible for shaping the insurance package, was to give insurers a reason to stay in Florida. Use a carrot, not a stick. It didn't work. Rates went up. Insurers dropped policies and not a single new private carrier entered the state that year." "Insurance reform via carrot, or stick?".

Feeney in Trouble?

The

pollsters are testing [Feeney's] vulnerability to re-election in Florida's 24th district, which many observers say was tailor-made for him in the 2002 redistricting.

Continued fallout from the investigation of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was convicted last year of bribing congressmen, casts a shadow over Feeney, whose district includes part of Volusia County. Feeney traveled to Scotland in 2003 with Abramoff to play golf at the Old Course at St. Andrews. ...

Some are wondering if the once rising star would be vulnerable in the 2008 election along with other Republicans in the wake of investigations such as Abramoff and Scooter Libby. Ethics probes coupled with growing opposition to the war in Iraq are eroding support for the president and Republicans as the next round of elections nears.

Volusia County Chairman Frank Bruno, a Democrat, said Feeney is vulnerable.

"I think he's missing in action from his district," Bruno said.

On a recent trip to Washington, Democratic Party officials talked to him about challenging Feeney, he said.

"I don't know what the future will bring, but the best thing I can do is to continue doing my best as county chairman," Bruno said. "I'm flattered my name has come up, but right now I'm focused on doing the best job I can as county chairman."

At least one poll has been set in motion to test the waters, asking voters their preference between Feeney and former state Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach.

Kosmas said she agreed to let her name be used in a poll to determine whether Feeney is vulnerable.

"That should not be construed as anything more than authorization for my name to be used in the poll," she said.

No-Fault

"On Oct. 1, Florida's no-fault car insurance law and its requirement for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) will expire - with no provision for a new system to take its place." "Goodbye, no-fault".

Newell

"A federal grand jury probing public corruption in Palm Beach County will be disbanded early next month, potentially setting the stage for a showdown soon between federal prosecutors and County Commissioner Warren Newell." "Showdown looms for Warren Newell".

"A new persona for the Republican Party"?

"With a groundbreaking climate summit under his belt and Florida on an ambitious path to combat global warming, Gov. Charlie Crist has cemented his credentials as Florida's first "green" governor and may also be on the way to helping forge a new persona for the Republican Party." ""Green" Crist charts new path for Republican Party".

Dan Moffett on the preznit candidates: "Get your candidate program here".

"Environmental activists cringe"

"Six minutes into the speech kicking off his glitzy global warming summit Thursday, Gov. Charlie Crist said the words that made many environmental activists cringe. Nuclear energy." "Crist's nuclear bolt sends flutters".

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board:: "Weston Mayor Eric Hersh has every right to campaign against a property tax cut amendment, and to try to convince people that the state tax-cut proposals will be the end of life as we know it. But he shouldn't be trying to stop what will undoubtedly be a lively debate, or circumvent the will of the people, as he is with his lawsuit challenging the upcoming statewide referendum on property taxes. The Florida Supreme Court has turned the question over to a lower court." "Let voters decide on property tax reform".

Early Voting Takes a Hit

"As counties reduce spending to hit their tax relief targets, one program facing cuts is early voting -- a move that could cause bottlenecks at precincts in a high-turnout presidential election year." "Early voting to slim down".

"Returning to the GOP fold"

"Fresh from a global warming summit where the Bush administration was tarred for weakening environmental laws, Republican Govs. Charlie Crist of Florida and Arnold Schwarzenegger of California wasted no time returning to the GOP fold."

Within hours of closing the summit Friday, the pair headlined a Tampa fundraiser that raised $1.6 million for the state party.

It's the biggest -- but by no means the only -- fundraiser this summer. Both parties will be shaking money out of pockets at golf and fishing tournaments, baseball games (home and away), and even a poker night planned for Palm Beach.

Taking Pre-K Seriously

"Florida needs to take preschool seriously. It doesn't. Although voters mandated a universal preschool program for 4-year-olds in 2002, legislators half-heartedly followed through. When Voluntary Prekindergarten got off the ground in 2005, it was with minimal state investment and political support." "Pre-K not OK".