After decades as a trusted banker, she would carefully manage taxpayer money and "play by the rules," the Democrat told voters in campaign ads and mailers for the 13th Congressional District.

But in managing her two campaigns for Congress, a different image has emerged: one in which federal tax dollars were not sent to the government, financial record keeping was spotty, critical paperwork was misfiled and checks got lost in the mail.

They are mistakes usually better associated with a struggling small business than with the president of a profitable bank that had $164 million in assets and 22 employees when it was sold in 2003.

For Jennings, the mistakes are not just embarrassing. They are still costing her as she prepares to run again in 2008.

Fixed

"Flaws in optical scan voting machines that could have allowed poll workers to alter election results have been fixed, Secretary of State Kurt Browning said Friday." "Secretary of state says voting machine flaws now fixed". See also "Elections Chief: Optical Machines Are Safe" and "State certifies new voting system" (focussing on the CD 13 issue).

Laff Riot

More comedy from the comedians on the Orlando Sentinel editorial board:

Businesses are in business to make money.

Even those whose brands tout their civic-mindedness, like Publix and Disney.

Even those that show an altruistic side, like Publix and Disney.

Today, some consumers aren't confusing Publix or Disney with selfless do-gooders. They're viewing them as opportunists who'll use the good will they've built up with the public to make a buck at their expense.

Whether or not that's a fair assessment, ...

Whether or not that's a fair assessment, Publix certainly disappointed the public this week. It trumpeted its big-hearted campaign that offers seven antibiotics free of charge, but without also announcing that it was ending its practice matching competitors' low-cost prescriptions.

The result will be many consumers actually paying more for their prescriptions at Publix.

Daily Naugle

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board:

Fort Lauderdale mayor Jim Naugle has sunk to the depths of a cartoon character in recent months, but his bizarre tirade against a group of people who has contributed much to Fort Lauderdale and South Florida brings a serious question to mind.

Namely, is this the type of person who should be the official face of a city the size of Fort Lauderdale?

Who knows what drives Naugle's inexplicable, shallow characterization of gay and lesbian people. If nothing else, you'd think the leader of a city with a vibrant gay community would at least have a better understanding of his citizenry.

Clearly, he doesn't. And when Naugle, mayor of Broward's largest city, goes on his diatribes, he does a humiliating disservice to the city he claims he loves.

The man loves publicity. He loves feeding his ego. If that was ever in doubt, just note that he co-hosted a South Florida radio talk show Friday morning.

Hill

"A spokesman for Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton says she will participate in the Sept. 9 debate to be broadcast live by Univision from the University of Miami. The Clinton campaign had previously said she would participate only in the six nationally televised debates sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee between July and January. The Univision event is billed as the first presidential debate to be conducted in Spanish. The questions will be translated simultaneously." "Hillary changes her mind on Univision debate". See also "Clinton agrees to Univision forum".

Primary

"With a special session looming, maybe Florida lawmakers should move Florida's Jan. 29 primary earlier, to beat out the South Carolina GOP primary set for 1/19? Not going to happen, say state GOP leaders, who are perfectly happy with Florida's position - especially since early voting Floridians can cast their votes two weeks before Jan. 29 anyway." "Re-schedule Florida's primary? Nah".

Hearing Postponed

"Tuesday's scheduled public hearing on State Farm's home insurance practices in Florida is now postponed, stymied by regulators' own zeal." "State Farm public hearing postponed".

"Public safety and health will be sacrificed"

"Public safety and health will be sacrificed. That argument failed to help cities and counties escape a state-ordered tax cut this year, but now the man who oversees Florida's second-largest industry hopes a similar defense will protect his budget from expected legislative cuts." "Ag chief resists Crist's request to identify budget cuts".

We warned you not to hold your breath waiting for school districts to carry out the teacher merit-pay plan that Gov. Charlie Crist signed into law this year.

If you didn't take our advice, you must be turning blue by now. We urged Mr. Crist to veto the new bonus plan because it lacked one important element: School districts who aren't willing to go to war with their teacher unions won't be penalized if they don't implement merit pay.

No wonder the state's teachers union cheered when the Legislature approved the Merit Award Program, dubbed MAP. Each district is required to negotiate merit-pay plans with their teacher union, making it too easy for the union to derail the process. It's already happening in Osceola County, where last week the union said it wouldn't participate in MAP or help develop an alternative.

"Everglades Ambush"

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "At the insistence of a federal official, the Everglades was dropped from an international list of endangered wildernesses."

Florida Sen. Bill Nelson is right to be outraged and demand an investigation into what appears to be an attempt by the administration to undermine protections for the River of Grass.

Last month, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior Todd Willens persuaded the United Nations' World Heritage Committee to take the Everglades off its lists of threatened wildernesses.

Everglades National Park scientists say politics was behind the decision.

Times Have Changed

"A Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigator began interviewing public officials and private citizens this week in an election fraud probe of the mayor's race. ... Brown, who was mayor for eight years, alleged that Masters and his political consultant, Richard Giorgio, illegally obtained and distributed absentee ballots to voters throughout the city." "FDLE probing Riviera election".

Wait a minute, we thought it was perfectly okay for political operatives to actually remove absentee ballot request forms from the SOE's office, make changes and corrections to them, and resubmit the requests without complying with the statutory requirements for requesting absentee ballots.

After all, back in the 2000 election the Florida Supreme court ruled that the following conduct was perfectly OK:

The Supervisor’s office followed a policy of not issuing absentee ballots where the elector’s voter registration number was missing or incorrect on the request form. Further, it was office policy not to fill in any missing information or make any corrections or alterations to the request form without the express authority of the elector. Despite this policy and despite the requirements of section 101.62, Florida Statutes (2000), the Supervisor of Elections allowed representatives of the Florida Republican Party to remove several hundred request forms [which happened to also be public records] from her office in order to add missing voter identification numbers. After making these changes, the Republican Party officials returned the request forms to the Supervisor’s office. The Supervisor then processed the corrected request forms and sent absentee ballots to the voters.

Section 101.62, Florida Statutes (2000), governs requests for absentee ballots. This statute provides that the supervisor of elections may only accept a request for an absentee ballot from “the elector, or, if directly instructed by the elector, a member of the elector’s immediate family, or the elector’s legal guardian.” Id. § 101.062(1)(b). [The list of those permitted to submit requests did not include Republican Party operatives.] Further, the person making a request for an absentee ballot must disclose the following information: the name of the elector for whom the ballot is requested; the elector’s address; the last four digits of the elector’s social security number; the elector’s voter registration number; the requester’s name, address, social security number and, if available, driver’s license number, and relationship to the elector, and the requester’s signature, if a written request. [Again, there is no exception to this requirement for Republican party operatives.]

"Back to Reality"

"Environmentalists left giddy by Gov. Charlie Crist's recent stance on global warming were brought back to reality the other day. "

In filling three openings on the state commission that protects Florida's wildlife, Crist chose two people who make their living off land development (both are members of a trophy hunting club too) and a lawyer who represents developers. They will join four sitting members - all involved in the development industry.

Yes, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is dominated by developers. This is the same commission that until recently allowed developers to bury rare gopher tortoises alive. The same commission that wants to downgrade manatees from an "endangered" to a "threatened" species. The same commission that will have two members who listed on their applications membership in the controversial Safari Club International, whose motto on killing animals with antlers is: "If God grows it, we score it."

Another Take

Q reports on the Economist's revised take on Florida's wunderkind Governor:

“Critics say the rates the state is letting Citizens charge are unrealistically low, and that the company is dangerously under-capitalised. With only a $1.9 billion surplus, it would quickly be overwhelmed by claims from a hurricane such as Andrew, the worst storm in Florida’s history, which provoked $22 billion in damage claims (in 2006 dollars) when it hit the Miami region in 1992. Even Wilma, a much smaller hurricane, cost $11 billion in damage claims in 2005.

“No wonder Mr Crist likes the idea of a national catastrophe fund, which would spread the risk across the country.”

Whatever

"Giuliani names Florida county chairs".

NFIB Hearts Prop "Reform"

"The National Federation of Independent Businesses, a small biz advocacy group, announced their support this morning of the Jan. 29 ballot question that would phase out Save Our Homes in exchange for larger homestead exemptions. A poll of NFIB members in Florida showed 73 percent support the amendment. The NFIB does not have a history of sinking large sums of money into issue campaign, by new executive director Bill Herrle said he hopes that will change." "Biz support for PropTax change". See also "Small-business group comes out for tax amendment".

Poor Johnnie

"Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute: Budget Cuts Would Kill Center".

Good Luck

Florida's death penalty is having less than favorable impact overseas:

The United Kingdom and members of the British Parliament asked Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet to release a British citizen convicted of two Miami murders.

Big of 'Em

"Fla. won't put polluted water in Lake Okeechobee to help farmers" ("The board's nine members are chosen by the governor, and all four votes against pumping were made by Gov. Charlie Crist's appointees.")

The Palm Beach Post editors: "It was a stunning, welcome and overdue shift for the South Florida Water Management District Board. Since the 1960s, the board had supported the sugar industry's demands to pump runoff from farm canals back into Lake Okeechobee, to boost water supply during droughts. On Thursday, by a vote of 4-3, the board set a new policy: No back-pumping. Protect the lake first, and find other ways to help farmers. Back-pumping adds water, but it also adds tons of polluting phosphorus, nitrogen and pesticides." "At long last, Lake O becomes state priority".

Consequences

"Tax cuts could hurt S. Fla. home sales, agents say".

Miami-Dade

"Voters' incremental restructuring [of Miami-Dade County's government] sometimes seems based on the popularity of the individuals proposing the changes more than the merits of their proposals. This is no way to build a fair and effective governing structure. To that end, the task force appointed to review the charter and recommend improvements to the government structure deserves public attention. Whether it will get it is doubtful. Charter review? Government policy? 'Ho-hum,' is the typical response."

Yet that apathy is why the County Commission can get away with things like a 2002 change that makes committee meetings the official public hearing for an issue, instead of when the full commission meets. This switch denies the public the opportunity to tell the entire board of commissioners what its views are on everything from how the airport is run to whether commissioners' staffs are bloated (they are). This arrogant public-hearing switcheroo should be on the task force's study list.

Off Topic

This News-Journal editorial on the conduct of the war is well worth reading: "Cache of incompetence".

On The Other Hand ...

We missed this the other day: "When Publix Super Markets announced with great fanfare [and media accolades]this week that it was offering seven generic antibiotics free-of-charge to its pharmacy customers, it was also quietly discontinuing a policy that had allowed customers to obtain scores of other medications for just $4 a prescription." "Publix's free-drug offer has flip side".

"Abdicating responsibility at the public's expense"

The St Pete Times editors: "If Florida lawmakers want to give up on no-fault automobile insurance, they at least owe motorists a good-faith effort to come up with something better. But just weeks before the law is set to expire, they plan to do nothing at all and leave Florida in a state that Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink accurately describes as 'mass confusion.' This is not legislative leadership; this is abdicating responsibility at the public's expense." "No-fault? It's Legislature's fault".

Another Jebacy Bites the Dust?

"Buried deep in the proposed budget cuts submitted this week by the Department of Management Services is a proposal to slash by 33 percent the Office of Supplier Diversity, a move that would cut 7 jobs and $442,000. This is the office that was set up by Gov. Jeb Bush to help shepherd his controversial One Florida plan _ which ended affirmative action in university admissions and ended preferences for minority vendors." "Dismantling of One Florida?"

If Gov. Charlie Crist honestly views the state's $1.5-billion shortfall as merely "an opportunity to continue to tighten our belt," he is living in a budgetary bubble.

If You Can't Win It, Steal It

A GOPer thing: Jason Paul Rojas, the "head of the legislative Hispanic caucus could lose his job over his involvement with the 2004 theft of one of FSU's national title trophies. Incidentally, he's a Gator. ... Turns out, a Florida Bar complaint was still hanging over the 30-year-old's head. And starting this weekend, he's been suspended from practicing law for 60 days for stashing the Waterford crystal trophy at his Tallahassee home in 2004 and 2005." "FSU trophy scandal dogs Gator".

Abolish "A to F grades for schools"?

The Palm Beach Post editors put it bluntly:"

Florida should abolish its A to F grades for schools.

Sink Leads on Insurance Fiasco

Scott Maxwell: "Six months ago, when Floridians were clamoring for insurance relief, legislators promised us the moon."

Vows that rates would drop by an average of 25 percent were actually followed by proposed increases from some companies. Others offered minor cuts.

Some relief. And all it cost us was $12 billion of risk. ...

Sink is ready to do something about it -- possibly alongside Charlie Crist.

At a recent Cabinet meeting, Sink suggested state leaders think about scrapping the so-called "reform" and starting over. And Crist seemed interested in what she had to say.

But instead of sending the matter back to the Legislature, Sink is now thinking about the possibility of the Cabinet taking over the issue. She revealed her new plans for the first time during a sit-down at the Sentinel, telling me, "We've got to figure this out."

"Good Luck"

"State lawmakers at a national conference get an earful of their peers' property tax struggles."

When Florida lawmakers passed a plan to reduce property taxes in June, they gathered under a sign boasting of historic cuts and spent 30 minutes slapping each other's back.

Problem solved, right?

Kudos

"Six months after its first purchase, Pasco County's burgeoning environmental lands program is on the verge of securing its most significant tract yet - 210 coastal acres of Florida black bear habitat targeted for yet another subdivision." "A Bear Of A Deal In Pasco County".

Whoopee!

"Kottcamp hits stores for tax-free shopping".

Poor Things

"The Florida law that shifted about $7.8 billion in property taxes from homesteaders to all other property owners this year is 'even-handed' and not discriminatory, a Tallahassee judge ruled Monday. Circuit Judge John C. Cooper dismissed a suit filed by Alabama citizens who say they're paying an unconstitutional amount of taxes for second homes in the Panhandle." "Judge dismisses Save Our Homes challenge". See also "Judge Dismisses 2nd-Home Owners' Property Tax Suit" and "Judge: Save Our Homes fair to all". More: "Supreme Court may consider part-timers' Save Our Homes suit".

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board:

Monday's ruling won't be the last word on Save Our Homes. But it and other legal inequities - such as multibillions of dollars in business tax exemptions that escape serious scrutiny - likely will have the helpful effect of illustrating the dire need for major tax reform.

The problem is complicated, but the timing is excellent, as policymakers and their advisers must deal with revenue shortfalls, budget cuts and growing demands for services. We can only hope they take the long and possibly politically difficult view instead of one designed primarily to ensure re-election.

"Bring It On"

"Florida GOP leaders are scheduled to meet in Orlando this weekend to finalize plans for divvying up delegates to the 2008 nominating convention after the state holds one of the nation's first presidential primaries."

The clash between Florida political leaders and the national parties escalated Monday when the state's GOP chief vowed to fight ''tooth and nail'' to make sure the state is not penalized for moving up its presidential primary right behind Iowa and New Hampshire.

The law that bumped up Florida's vote from mid-March to Jan. 29 violates rules set by both national parties aimed at protecting the traditional early primary states.

The national parties are threatening to take away half of Florida's delegates to the 2008 nominating conventions, making the state half as powerful on the national stage.

The response from the parties' top leadership in Florida: Bring it on.

Just Say No

"After decades of presiding over explosive population growth, South Florida's water managers say they're starting to say no." "Water managers for state begin to stem growth".

Mitt Who?

"Mitt Romney has the money and the political organization to be a front-runner in the Florida's Republican presidential primary, and now, he told a crowd in Tampa on Monday night, he's going after the public support." "Romney Pledges To Raise His Profile". See also "Romney says you don't know him", "Romney says hello to Tampa" and "Romney met warmly despite low Florida numbers".

We're not sure if this is sad, pathetic or both: "Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney placed himself alongside President Reagan as the perfect conservative during a campaign event Monday." "Romney says he is a perfect conservative, just like Reagan".

Hacks Target Klein and Mahoney

The Palm Beach Post's Joel Englehardt

During its first decade, the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care has been quick to protect Medicare payments to nursing homes. What could be better for America's elderly than an industry watchdog fighting for their rights?

In newspaper and television ads targeting U.S. Reps. Ron Klein, D-Delray Beach, and Tim Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens, the alliance points out that Congress doesn't have to cut Medicare spending for the elderly to help uninsured children receive subsidized health insurance through the SCHIP program. Congress can do both.

No matter how powerful an advocate, that's a strange position for a group that not so long ago had then-lobbyist Haley Barbour as its chief spokesman. Mr. Barbour, now the governor of Mississippi, is a champion of Republican tax cutting. The alliance's position on the children's health-insurance bill that Congress passed, however, makes the group seem more like the "tax-and-spend" Democrats Mr. Barbour used to vilify as national GOP chairman.

So who is behind this champion of the elderly poor? The alliance is no industry watchdog. It is the industry.

Gambling

"Floridians defeated casinos in bruising statewide votes in 1978, 1986 and 1994. But that was before poker rooms throughout the state and slot machines at Indian reservations and Broward County parimutuels made Florida what it rejected three times over: a gambling state." "More casinos seem a sure bet".

Stop The Presses

"Brown-Waite: She’s Running for Re-Election".

Creeping Socialism

"Almost a year after Wal-Mart Stores started a prescription-drug price war with its $4 generic-drug program, Publix Super Markets took things one step further Monday by offering a few of its medications for free. The Lakeland-based grocery chain said customers will be able to get prescriptions for seven oral antibiotics filled at no cost at any of the chain's 684 pharmacies in the Southeastern U.S." "Publix offers free medicine". See also "Publix offers 7 prescription antibiotics for free".

"Biggest domestic policy failure"

The Palm Beach Post editors:

For Floridians, Everglades restoration has been the Bush administration's biggest domestic policy failure. The White House commitment to the 50-50 state-federal project never has moved beyond words.

So it did not come as a shock that President Bush said he would veto the Water Resources Development Act, which Congress approved last week after months of negotiations. The bill authorizes $6 billion for ecosystem restoration, with $2 billion for Everglades projects and the rest for Mississippi, coastal Louisiana and the Great Lakes. The National Audubon Society considers them all to be vital, overdue projects.

Homeless Heroes

There "a growing number of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who [have] joined the ranks of Florida's homeless after returning home. Experts say a system already buckling under one of the nation's largest homeless populations might collapse under the weight of a new wave of veterans, many saddled with mental-health issues and crippling brain injuries." "Homeless vets: A hidden crisis".

Well, at least "Jeb!" got rid of the intangibles tax.

'Ya Think?

"Former State Rep. Carlos Lacasa, a Miami Republican appointed to the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission by House Speaker Marco Rubio, wasn't too keen Monday on the idea of crafting a constitutional amendment on property taxes that would grant broad powers to the Legislature." "Former legislator doesn't trust legislators".

Bill's "Inner Stud Muffin"?

We missed this Daniel Ruth piece the other day:

During his years in the U.S. Senate, Bill Nelson, D-Catatonia, has carefully cultivated an image of sober-minded probity that makes Billy Graham look like a lounge lizard.

So it had to be something of a shock to the normally stolid, reserved, sedate Senate chamber recently when Nelson, D-Hey Baby, unleashed his inner stud muffin.

Lobbying

The Orlando Sentinel editors argue that

it is absolutely wrong for one part of the government to hire lobbyists to gain access and influence other parts of the government.

Deutch Hearts Hill

"Deutch endorses Clinton". More Hill: "Clinton charms Destin crowd" and "Bill Clinton says Hillary gaining military support".

Running Business ... Well ... Like a Business

"Federal authorities accused American Express Bank International of Miami and American Express Travel Related Services Co. Inc. of Salt Lake City of violating the Bank Secrecy Act. Both entities - without admitting any wrongdoing - consented to the penalties assessed by the Fed and FinCen, the two agencies said in their joint release." "Feds: Miami-based American Express fined $65 M for violation".

Cat Fund

The Sun-Sentinel editors: "The proposed National Catastrophe Insurance Fund would pool state and federal money to cover stratospheric losses after a major disaster, be it a hurricane, an earthquake or some other act of nature. If it becomes law, and it's long past due for this to become reality, the fund could help lower private insurance costs for homeowners and businesses. That makes great sense for residents of Florida and other coastal states in harm's way." "Get presidential hopefuls on board with national disaster insurance bill".

Florida is eliminating touch-screen voting, supposedly because of security concerns. Whoops.

The state has discovered that its anointed successor, optical-scan voting, also comes with security concerns. The state is correct to put the system to the test, but after lots of time and money, the solution may be no better than the problem.

Voter Rolls

"State's voter rolls shrinking".

"Woe"

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "Frustration over property insurance revives talk of legislative hearings and sworn testimony. Who would have thought that the Florida Legislature holds the tool to tamp down the growing and unproductive war of words over property insurance? The lawmakers do and they should use it as soon as possible." "Insurance Woes".

Giuliani

"Former Gov. Bob Martinez is endorsing Rudy Giuliani in the Republican primary for president, the Giuliani campaign is expected to announce today." "Ex-Mayor Martinez To Support Giuliani". See also "Ex-governor will endorse Giuliani" and "Bob Martinez To Back Giuliani".

"Suddenly Chilly"

"It was the longest 20 seconds of their lives. Former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez was in a crowded Capitol Hill elevator Wednesday when who should squeeze in but U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Awkward." "A suddenly chilly ride in a Capitol Hill elevator".

Have a Cigar

The Tampa Tribune editorial board:

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, has pushed for the children's health insurance program expansion and has pledged to hold the tax increase to the amount prescribed in the House legislation. No lawmaker is under as much pressure as Castor to protect the industry, and rightly so given the cigar industry's deep roots in her district.

PIP

"The lead negotiators on legislation to replace Florida's no-fault auto insurance law say they have a basic agreement. But the proposal has provisions and omissions that have derailed earlier bills, and it appears that it will take a lot more arm-twisting for a passable bill to surface in either the upcoming special session or even in next spring's regular session." "PIP Law Changes Unlikely To Pass". See also "Lawmakers fight to save expiring no-fault law".

Early Start

"Brevard County gets a taste of the 2008 presidential campaign today with Republican candidate Mitt Romney's stop in Melbourne. The former Massachusetts governor's visit is the first of what area political leaders expect to be a steady stream of White House hopefuls vying for local support in the coming months. The reason is Florida's new primary date is among the earliest in the nation." "New primary likely to lure candidates".

Hot

"Installing solar panels and a hydrogen cell at the Governor's Mansion to make his point, Charlie Crist seized control of the state's energy policy from a Legislature he considered too timid." "Crux of Crist energy plan hotly debated".

Surprise

"At least 21 people have applied to Gov. Charlie Crist’s office for the appointment to replace Warren Newell on the Palm Beach County Commission. But don’t be surprised if Crist picks someone else." "Does Crist have a surprise for the county commission?".

What a Deal

"It appears Pinellas County's swift, $225,000 purchase of Property Appraiser Jim Smith's vacant land in June wasn't the first notable deal Smith got on the property. He only had to put $100 down in 1994 when he bought it." "The original Jim Smith land deal".

"The hollow ring of justice"

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board:

The hollow ring of justice

Donna Duffer got what she deserved. Gambling addiction or not, the bookkeeper crafted a sophisticated plan, over three years, to bleed dry the county Convention and Visitors Bureau accounts she managed, in the hopes of striking it rich on online bets.

For her $1.6 million theft, she got 10 years in prison. The circuit judge didn't allow her time to get her affairs in order. She went straight to a cell upon sentencing.

But you have to wonder about the justice of a system that deals such an exacting punishment on Duffer, and yet, the county commissioner who abused the public's trust on the way to amassing a $10 million fortune in secret, illegal land deals gets half the time.

Cleavage

"Despite an early start, a large stable of candidates and an unprecedented level of media attention, the 2008 presidential race has been largely missing an issue that many experts call central to the state and the country's future - education."

"All domestic issues have taken a back seat so far in the presidential campaigning because the campaigns have been focused on Iraq," said U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, co-chairman of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's Florida campaign.

Wexler said part of the blame for why education isn't in the forefront must go to the media, which are often "more interested in handicapping the horse race, talking about who's raising the most money and who's criticizing whom."

He cited the recent media fascination surrounding Sen. Hillary Clinton's cleavage during a July 18 speech on the Senate floor. The New York Democrat was speaking about the costs of higher education.

"This is a big deal, a very big deal," said economist Chris McCarty at the University of Florida's Bureau of Economic and Business Research. ...

In fact, some economists say Florida is teetering close to a recession. They say home values could fall as much as 15 percent this year, sparking a general economic decline.

Laff Riot

"A Jackson County woman who ran an adult-literacy program is suing the state, claiming that her business was ruined by a federal investigation sparked by a 'rank hatred and hostility' toward faith-based programs in the [Florida] Department of Education." "Woman sues state after federal inquiry".

"Conservative Backlash"

In a lengthy piece this morning, William March writes that Crist is

drawing criticism from conservative parts of Crist's own Republican Party - criticism that is muted so far because of Crist's sky-high popularity ratings.

If the popular governor isn't able to deliver on the major promises of his campaign - sharply cutting property tax and insurance rates - it could leave him vulnerable to a conservative rebellion, some political experts say.

"I keep expecting that there will be some backlash," said University of Central Florida political scientist Aubrey Jewett when asked about Crist's initiatives on climate change, restoring voting rights for convicted felons and abandoning much of the agenda of former Gov. Jeb Bush.

"Keep throwing the ball around"

"Crist says he is going on the offensive against insurance companies -- including State Farm -- whose rates for homeowners' coverage remain sky high. But the state's biggest private insurer could be a big winner in another insurance fight now playing out in the Legislature, if it can just get legislators to keep throwing the ball around. No-fault auto insurance is set to expire Oct. 1 in Florida. State Farm, Florida's dominant homeowner and auto underwriter, wants to see that happen, promising it would yield a 16 percent rate cut for a two-car household." "Car insurance: 'Lobbyist food fight'".

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Floridians have every right to be frustrated by exorbitant insurance costs. The Legislature's attempt to deliver rate relief to weary homeowners and businesses is fizzling." "A storm over insurance relief".

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board:"Crist's harsh criticism of insurance companies reflects the anger all Floridians feel toward a powerful industry that simply refuses to make property insurance available or affordable because it fears a major hurricane. But that frustration has to be channeled into more creative thinking about how to ease a crisis that shows no sign of letting up. The governor and state legislators were celebrating in January after agreeing that the state would accept an enormous amount of financial risk in return for substantially lower premiums for property owners. So far, the trade-off has not been worth it." "New thinking on insurance".

Fasano Faults Dems for Legislature's Failures

"'We definitely did fail, but it wasn't just the Republican Party,' state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, said in a Political Connections interview airing today on Bay News 9." "Making sure blame is passed all around".

A Fine Idea At The Time ...

The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission may have an old trick up its sleeve: "John McKay was president of the Florida Senate a few years back, and concluded that the state's tax system had long ago outlived its usefulness."

He decided the state relied too much on a regressive sales tax full of exemptions and exclusions worth tens of billions of dollars a year, many favoring big business. ...

His plan was to lower the sales tax rate from 6 percent to 4.5 percent and close the exemptions for such things as charter fishing boats, accounting and legal fees, stadium skyboxes and ostrich feed.

History was repeating itself, sort of. Nearly 15 years before, Gov. Bob Martinez and the Legislature voted to tax most professional services. Intense lobbying by businesses, including newspapers, made them back down and repeal it.

Bad timing helped doom McKay's agenda. He ran the Senate right before Bush sought re-election, and his House partner was Tom Feeney, a small-government firebrand eyeing a congressional seat.

The status quo prevailed, and McKay returned to Bradenton and real estate. And now the state again finds itself in an ugly fiscal situation, forced to cut $1.5-billion from this year's budget and who knows how much from next year's and the year after.

The reason: too heavy a reliance on a consumption-based sales tax, which ebbs and flows through the booms and busts of each economic cycle.

What McKay saw coming in 2001 has happened again, which is why legislators will soon return to Tallahassee to cut the budget again.

And where's John McKay these days?

Pandering to the Press

The Orlando Sentinel editors:

U.S. House Republicans Ric Keller of Orlando and Tom Feeney of Oviedo have had their share of dustups with journalists, but both have the good sense and historical perspective to understand how crucial a vigorous press is to a healthy democracy.

Mr. Keller and Mr. Feeney and other Judiciary Committee members endorsed a bill this past week that would protect journalists from being forced to reveal their confidential sources. While most states have such shield laws, there is no law for federal cases. In a growing number of those cases, reporters have been hauled into court and threatened with imprisonment for not naming their sources.

"Eco-friendly government"

"Government leads best when it sets an example. Local leaders -- from schools to county to cities -- are figuring this out. Gov. Charlie Crist put the state on board last month, with an aggressive energy-conservation program that focuses on reducing Florida's greenhouse gases." "Setting the pace".

"Always doing things on the cheap"

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "The average citizen has no idea of the structural condition of any bridge he or she is driving over and can only assume that engineers and inspectors have done their jobs. But elected officials and taxpayers have to do theirs, too. First this means a frank acknowledgment that always doing things on the cheap is poor public policy in the long run." "Capital crisis".

Over the Limit

"A union-backed political action committee paid for Mayor Mara Giulianti's business-related trip to Boston. She reported the funding as gift on state ethics forms, but Florida law prohibits public officials from accepting gifts over $100 from political action committees." "Hollywood mayor's $2,500 gift from PAC exceeded $100 legal limit".

Poor Mel ...

Even the wingnuts don't like "Karl Rove's Florida Frankenstein" any more:

Dewey Wallace is trying to make history.

Wallace, 50, wants to unseat U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., as chairman of the Republican National Committee, gathering support on the Web site recallmel.com. ...

By last week, Wallace estimated he had about 400 petitions demanding Martinez step down as RNC chairman.

A recent poll by Quinnipiac University shows 38 percent of Florida voters disapprove of Martinez's performance as senator, while just 36 percent give him passing grades. At least some of that can be traced to Martinez's role as a co-author of the immigration bill, which he pushed for the White House. The measure died after being skewered for weeks on conservative talk radio.

Wallace, who said he has not been a political activist until now, would also like Martinez recalled from the Senate. But state and federal law have no such provisions.

While he concedes Republican National Committee members aren't likely to heed the call for turning out Martinez, Wallace hopes they remember the anger stirred by the immigration bill.

Dope Alert

Fort Lauderdale's Mayor "Naugle's modern-day mentors aren't local. He said he learns a lot from President Bush and conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. Though he's registered as a Democrat, he consistently supports Republicans." "Pugnacious Mayor Naugle won't back down, friends say".

Wishful Thinking

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Florida's financial situation is precarious, and depends to a degree on the hurricane season. But if the housing hangover is milder than the binge, the state will find that sober feels pretty good." "State fortunes will rise as home prices go down".

Charlie Strides The World Stage

"Crist and state officials have announced a trade mission to Brazil this November. It will be the governor's first foray into the hemisphere, a back yard that has complained of U.S. indifference and neglect since 9-11." "Charlie Crist's visit to Brazil could be doubly useful".

"Political gamesmanship"

The Tallahassee Democrat's Mary Ann Lindley: "The old governing board [of Regents], readers here in the capital will remember, was powerless to fight the imbalance when politics started outgunning thoughtful managerial oversight. The old Board of Regents was, in fact, rendered extinct when it disputed a House speaker's agenda for his alma mater. The BOG is immune from that particular kind of payback - though certainly not from political gamesmanship." "BOG Supremacy: University governors take the stage".

"Insulting Irony"

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board:""

the county, like local governments across Florida, are in a cash crunch, thanks to state-mandated tax cuts. And, yes, the situation will get hairier if Floridians pass a super-sized homestead exemption come January. Some services that residents have come to expect — like road projects, parks programs and sheriff substations — may very well get the ax.

But to dip into the already short supply of tax dollars to campaign against further tax cuts is an insult that will only undermine the county's credibility during budget season. That money is put to best use defraying the impact of potential cuts.