To campaign for the amendment, he's taking money from that well-known little person, Donald Trump.

According to estimates from the Legislature, the average savings statewide if the amendment passes will be $240. When the governor toured the state for the formal signing to put the amendment on the Jan. 29 ballot, he visited a Port St. Lucie home that is assessed at about $100,000. The savings at Mar-a-Lago on Palm Beach, where Mr. Trump hangs out, will be a bit more than average. The Donald's annual tax bill is about $1 million, which adds to a lot of little people.

In visiting New York to beg money from Mr. Trump, Gov. Crist is going back to a familiar well. Early in 2006, Mr. Trump held a fund-raiser that took in about $1 million for then-candidate Crist. Just before the election, Mr. Trump held another fund-raiser at Mar-a-Lago. To get a picture with the host, guests had to donate $10,000 to Mr. Crist.

But maybe this relationship will work out for the state after all. If the amendment passes, the state is expected to lose nearly $3 billion for education over five years. In that case, Gov. Crist can ask Mr. Trump to hold fund-raisers to make up the difference. There wouldn't be any personal gain for Mr. Trump, but the little people who teach at the schools would appreciate it.

the gloomy housing market already is cutting deeply into projected savings of the plan.

State economists on Friday downgraded the five-year savings by $3.2-billion, or 25 percent.

Crist went to New York on Thursday for a $1,000-a-person fundraiser with Donald Trump. A Crist spokeswoman did not return messages seeking comment Friday evening.

The plan already was under assault from critics who said it offered meager savings - about $240 a year - to those who had no intention of moving while taking billions from local governments and schools.

Here come the knuckle-draggers

"Board chairman T. Willard Fair, who heads the Urban League of Greater Miami, said he's never received more correspondence on a single issue, but he declined to discuss his views*. 'I'm keeping a fairly open mind,' said board member Donna Callaway, a retired Tallahassee middle school principal. She has a Southern Baptist background and her correspondence has been overwhelming against the evolution standards, but Callaway said she believes it [evolution?] should be taught in some manner." "Debate over teaching evolution moves to Florida".

- - - - - - - - - -

*Willard was probably too busy luvin' the Jeb! - recall his pronouncement that "'there is no greater person on this Earth than you (Jeb) ... I love you (Jeb)'".

Trib: "Ingenuous" farmworkers picking on Burger King

In their third anti-worker editorial in four days, the Chamber of Commerce shills Tampa Trib editors take a shot at Florida's "ingenious" farmworkers advocates:

Burger King has refused to bargain with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), an alliance of farmworkers, and the company is today paying the price in bad publicity.

The coalition has the emotional advantage. Over a span of years it has ingeniously pitted the plight of poor laborers - mostly migrant workers, many here illegally - against the growers who supply the grocers and against fast-food companies that buy their produce. The CIW has the support of unions, churches, social justice advocates and former President Jimmy Carter. ...

We suspect most patrons of Burger King wouldn't mind paying an extra penny for the food they buy if the knew it would increase the wages of tomato pickers. No one denies the work is back-breaking and tough.

But is it fair to employ an anti-branding campaign in order to squeeze Burger King and force wage-rate negotiations with workers the company does not even employ? The strategy sounds a lot like extortion.

CIW is playing hard ball, saying this is a step-by-step process in a long-term struggle to raise wages and improve working conditions. Not coincidentally, the coalition's long-term survival necessarily depends on continued conflict.

The history is this. The coalition tried to convince growers to increase workers' wages, but when that failed, it went over the growers' heads and targeted the fast-food companies. ...

Burger King chose to draw the proverbial line in the sand - at least for now - aligning itself with the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, which represents 90 percent of the state's tomato growers. The exchange has threatened its members with $100,000 fines if they participate in the penny-per-pound deal.

Reggie Brown, executive vice president of the exchange, acknowledges the difficult conditions pickers endure but insists they are not mistreated. He points out that growers under the gun from foreign competition have had no trouble finding workers to harvest their fields. Not once has the coalition been able to execute a work stoppage. ...

The focus on the penny per pound - which does not seem an unreasonable request but would do little to improve the status of field workers - is misdirected.

If the two sides devoted as much energy to addressing the need for better housing, health care and education for workers, they might come up with with solutions that would have a far greater and lasting impact on the people who help put food on our tables.

Kool Kidz

"Florida teen is documenting the 2008 elections".

Allen update

"Seven people, including a chiropractor, a real-estate investor and a former Cocoa Beach city commissioner, qualified Friday to run for the District 32 House seat that embattled state Rep. Bob Allen will vacate early next year." "7 candidates want Allen's seat".

"Early voting begins Jan. 14, and the special election primary will be Jan. 29, the same day as Florida's presidential primary. Once candidates are set, a general election to replace Allen will follow on Feb. 26. Regular session for the Legislature convenes March 4, six days after the vote." "7 dive into fast, 'dirty' scuffle for Allen seat".

Adult supervision needed

"Governor's new top aide an old hand at 31".

Nasty

"To win a lawsuit and overturn an election, a city councilman has turned his opponent's private life into a public spectacle."

A two-day trial finished Friday afternoon, and a judge did not immediately rule on the lawsuit that could strip the winner, Harold Byrd Jr., of a seat on the Bradenton City Council. ...

The lawsuit is about money; specifically, whether Byrd could afford to pay a candidate qualifying fee.

Councilman James Golden's camp says Byrd could afford the $285 but chose not to pay it. Byrd's side says he could not pay the fee because his campaign -- backed largely by friends and family in traditionally poor neighborhoods -- had not raised it.

So Byrd used a little-known exemption to stave off the payment until after the election. Known as the "undue burden" exemption, candidates can hold off on the fee if they say it will hurt their chances to buy signs, pay for ads or hold campaign events.

But to prove that Byrd had the money, Golden's camp ordered him to unveil nearly all of his personal finances, including pay stubs, tax forms and checking accounts.

Not enough

The Palm Beach Post editors: "Since Florida doesn't need another dump of houses onto the market, President Bush's foreclosure prevention plan may do a little bit of good for the state. But at this point, Mr. Bush's plan won't end the real-estate slump, and may do little to make the next two years any easier." "Like so many payments, mortgage plan comes late".

Privatization follies

"The state is investigating the director of a live-in drug rehabilitation facility for alleged sexual misconduct with a female offender, prison officials said Friday." "Drug rehab chief suspended pending sex investigation" ("The company operates similar facilities for the department in Pensacola, Panama City and Ocala.")

Gray Friday

"Local governments withdrew about $560 million of their money from Florida's state-run investment pool Friday, but the beleaguered fund's managers were pleased that figure was about half the amount from a day before." "Managers say calm returns to state fund".

Battle of the empty suits

"State Sen. Burt Saunders announced Friday that he would challenge U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV in 2008 for his seat in Congress -- but with a twist. Saunders said he will have no party affiliation in his run against fellow Republican Mack. That means he will not have to beat Mack in the Republican primary to get a spot on the general election ballot in November. Saunders, a Naples attorney, said he will remain a registered Republican and, if elected, will caucus with the Republican Party and will support the Republican leadership in Congress." "Sen. Saunders is running for congressional seat held by Mack".

“I think he’s interested. I don’t think he’s shying away from the notion,” Martinez said. “I’m not trying to put words in his mouth, he should speak for himself, but I don’t think there is any reticence on his part to have his name thrown around.”

Coming home

"Hispanics are returning to the Democratic Party after several years of drifting toward the Republicans, with many saying Bush administration policies have been harmful to their community, a poll showed Thursday."

By 57 percent to 23 percent, more Hispanic registered voters say they favor Democrats than Republicans, according to a survey by the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center.

That 34-percentage-point Democratic edge -- which includes people who said they lean toward either party -- has grown since July 2006, when a Pew poll measured a 21-point difference. Then, 49 percent of registered Hispanic voters said they favored Democrats and 28 percent chose Republicans.

Putting the brakes on another Jebacy

"The Agency for Health Care Administration announced Thursday that although it has fully implemented the state's Medicaid reform pilot project, the agency will not recommend during the spring legislative session that lawmakers expand the program statewide."

The program, which transfers the care of state Medicaid beneficiaries to HMOs and other managed-care organizations, was a privatization initiative of former Gov. Jeb Bush and was intended to improve health care services while containing runaway Medicaid costs. Lawmakers approved the pilot in 2005 for five counties - Broward, Duval, Baker, Clay and Nassau - and retain final say over expanding it statewide. ...

Asked the reason for AHCA's reticence to move forward, spokesman Doc Kokol said the agency feels that issues raised this fall by AHCA's inspector general about the program need addressing. At the same time, Kokol said, AHCA awaits the results of an ongoing University of Florida study of the pilot.

"We're just not prepared at this point to make any recommendations," Kokol said.

Medicaid reform remains controversial among Florida's health care advocates, many of whom were ready to campaign this spring against it.

In September, AHCA Inspector General Linda Keen warned in a 74-page report that inadequate staffing and rushed implementation had compromised the program's success. Keen could not conclude whether the program actually meets either of its goals to contain costs or improve care.

Laff riot

Florida Senator - - Mel "Martinez, the former secretary of Housing and Urban Development, said he favors one or two of the 'five principal candidates,' but declined to divulge who those lucky [sic] candidates might be."

And do not doubt the brilliance of "Bush's Mr. Cellophane" when it comes to campaigning in Florida: "Martinez, on the other hand, said he is happy to offer advice on how to win the state to those candidates who call. ... 'They need to spend a lot of money on TV,' he said." That, and attack your Republican opponent as "catering to the 'radical homosexual lobby.'" Then, mail

fliers to voters in the Bible Belt of the Florida panhandle that label [your Republican opponent as] "the new darling of the homosexual extremists."

"'Restore My Vote'"

"Florida civil rights organizations launched a Web site and hotline Thursday to help more than 250,000 ex-offenders regain the right to vote in time for the 2008 presidential election."

Despite new rules instituted in April by Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet to streamline the restoration of civil rights for felons, roadblocks remain, the groups said.

For example, the Florida Parole Commission does not release to the public addresses of ex-offenders, thwarting advocates' efforts to locate them and help them register to vote.

The new effort is called Restore My Vote. The Web site is www.restoremyvote.com and the toll-free number is 1-877-60-RESTORE, or 1-877-607-3786.

'Glades

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board are "thrilled that Congress last month overturned President Bush's veto of a water-projects bill, which among ot

The run continues

"Local governments statewide pulled another $1.2 billion from a troubled investment pool Thursday after the fund was reopened for the first time since state officials froze it last week. Florida leaders also received a report Thursday that showed the subprime mortgage crisis had penetrated four other state-run investment funds, including 11 percent of Citizens Property Insurance investments and 3 percent of short-term holdings in the state Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. Officials played down those numbers, saying the hurricane season had passed and the assets won't be needed until the next natural disaster." "State fund loses $1.2 billion more, but pullout slows". See also "Agencies Grab $1.2 Billion After State Fund Reopens", "State: $1.1B withdrawn as investment pool reopens to Fla. govts" and "Governments withdraw $1.2B from fund".

"Charlie's Rove"

"The 38-year-old lawyer is viewed as the Crist administration's equivalent of Karl Rove, President Bush's former adviser, who was dubbed "Bush's brain."" "Crist's chief of staff, seen as his 'Rove,' is resigning". "George LeMieux will be replaced by a close friend and protege, Eric Eikenberg, 31, who now serves as one of four deputy chiefs of staff under Crist. He is the youngest gubernatorial chief of staff in decades." "Crist's top aide leaves; replacement is just 31". See also "Eikenberg to replace LeMieux" and "Crist's chief of staff -- and campaign 'maestro' -- quits".

Hardball

The Orlando Sentinel editors: "Most Florida voters may forget the DNC's hardball tactics by November, but even a small percentage with bitter memories could make a difference in a close race." "What did it win?".

Thanks, Dubya

"Bush mortgage plan won't help S. Florida housing market".

Will Cheney testify for Charlie?

"The Florida House, in new documents filed Thursday in the state Supreme Court, continued to insist that Gov. Charlie Crist had 'seized or encroached upon' legislative powers when he signed a gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe last month. 'The governor is not Florida's sovereign, and he cannot unilaterally speak for the state,' the documents said, adding that the state's Constitution does not authorize such broad powers for the governor." "House: Crist overreached on Seminole gambling deal".

Rudy

"Giuliani campaigns in Sarasota"

Charlie and the "high-rollers"

"In a room high above the street, Gov. Charlie Crist stood before a giant flat-screen TV on Thursday night, trying to sell his plan to cut property taxes."

"Preserving the American dream is incredibly important," Crist said. "That's really what this is all about."

The governor charmed the room of some 40 high-rollers who sipped pinot grigio and munched on crab cakes and vegetable wontons. But the governor wasn't in Tallahassee or Miami or his home of St. Petersburg. He wasn't even in Florida.

Crist made his pitch on the 25th floor of Trump Tower in Manhattan. At his side was the building's namesake - the flamboyant developer, casino boss and star of The Apprentice.

"He's working hard on real estate taxes," Donald Trump told the crowd. "I like him. He's just a special guy."

Thank goodness Dubya privatized airport security

"Two local Homeland Security vendors were arrested today, for an apparent conspiracy to defraud at least $400,000 on a federal contract." "Two local men arrested in scheme to defraud on federal contract".

"Good idea"

The News-Journal editors: "The push to downgrade manatees from endangered to merely threatened mystified and infuriated many Floridians. The gentle creature's numbers might be increasing -- but so are the threats to its safety." "Good idea to back off manatee plan".

BOG asserts itself

"The board that oversees Florida's public universities moved to increase its influence Thursday. Under a new plan approved by the Board of Governors, Florida's universities will be expected to boost the number of undergraduate degrees they produce and more closely scrutinize the value of their graduate programs." "Florida's public universities seek to grant more degrees, make the grade".

You go, Girl!

"Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite resigned Thursday from a bipartisan panel responsible for overseeing the teenage congressional page program, saying problems persist a year after the Mark Foley scandal helped propel Democrats into control of the U.S. House."

The Brooksville Republican pointed to what she described as recent incidents of "serious criminal acts" involving pages and "inappropriate sexual indiscretions between the students," about which she says board members were "kept in the dark."

None of the incidents involved members of Congress. The criminal charges involved shoplifting, said Brown-Waite's spokesman, Charlie Keller.

The panel's only other Republican member, West Virginia Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, also resigned Thursday.

Last year's Foley scandal had erupted with revelations the then-Florida congressman had sent sexually suggestive electronic mail to former pages.

The fallout included allegations that then-House Republican leaders were negligent and in some cases "willfully ignorant" of Foley's improper advances to male pages. The matter is viewed as having contributed to the dismal GOP showing in congressional elections in November.

Now, with Democrats in charge of the chamber, Republicans Brown-Waite and Capito are accusing them of not done enough to fix the program.

Is this really "Top News"?

Check out this headline, the featured story on the "Top News" page on the Orlando Sentinel's web site today:

Disney makes changes to Spaceship Earth"

"Fred's grocery store has a special on spam".

Quinnipiac University, which regularly polls Florida voters, estimates that more than one-third of state GOP primary voters are "white, born-again evangelicals." ...

The latest Quinnipiac poll, released Wednesday, shows Giuliani topping the Florida GOP race, with 30 percent support to 12 percent for Romney, 11 percent for Huckabee, 10 percent for Fred Thompson and 9 percent for Sen. John McCain.

Among the 35 percent of Florida Republicans who identify themselves as evangelicals, the same poll shows 22 percent favoring Giuliani, down from 30 percent in July, while Huckabee is second at 15 percent, up from 1 percent in July.

"Thousands of ex-felons to the polls"

"People For the American Way Foundation is launching a massive effort to get thousands of ex-felons to the polls."

The group, founded by civil rights activist and former television producer Norman Lear, wants to take advantage of a decision earlier this year by Gov. Charlie Crist to automatically restore the civil rights of non-violent felons.

In a written statement, the group says it has identified 250,000 ex-felons who have had their rights restored, a population the state has been struggling to reach in the wake of Crist’s decision.

The issue is a critical one in a presidential election year and a swing state that in 2000 handed President George W. Bush the White House with an official 537-vote margin after the U.S. Supreme Court halted a recount and a 36-day legal batle.
The announcement comes a day after Chief District Judge Robert Hinkle dismissed a voting rights suit by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and other congressional Democrats.

Trib editors go off the deep end

After yesterday's embarrassing display of big business media hackery (see "Union bashing, take 22891"), we get a second dose from the brain trust on the Tampa Tribune editorial board; consider this:

The union has not brought up the need for additional staffing during negotiations. Its concerns have been winning bigger raises for deputies at the top of the pay scale, having two full-time deputy positions devoted to representing the union and easing disciplinary standards.

Alas, the city of Tampa has helped create unrealistic expectations by continually giving in to police union demands. Tampa now has one of the highest-paid forces in the Southeast, which is going to be increasingly difficult to maintain as the city is faced with major funding cutbacks. Yet the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association, which represents both the Tampa police and Hillsborough deputies, continues to demand ever more generous raises.

surprised that an executive-in-residence at a graduate business school would hold such a simplistic view of the labor market and the minimum wage.

His assertion that McDonald's would still have to pay a living wage, in the absence of a minimum-wage law, to retain a sufficient work force is naive at best. It assumes that unskilled jobs are more numerous than unskilled workers, which is clearly not true. ...

Businessmen such as Kupetz seem to long for an America where 95 percent of the population lives in abject squalor, permanently cut off from the capital that would afford them any hope of economic advancement, while only the rich would have the means to get richer. I challenge him and those like him to try living on the minimum wage for a year or two. Then see if they still think they would be better off at the mercy of a "free" labor market, which can only drive wages lower.

"Looks like 'payback,'" imagine that

"A government watchdog is questioning the appointment of former Gov. Jeb Bush to the board of an Orlando banking company because a related company benefited from tax breaks pushed by Bush's administration." "Jeb Bush's board seat looks like 'payback,' critic says".

DNC lawsuit tossed

"A federal judge rejected U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson's lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee on Wednesday, ending what was probably Florida Democrats' last hope of having the Jan. 29 presidential primary count toward selecting delegates."

"Florida has to comply with the same rules and procedures as everybody else, and does not get to have its own way," said U.S. District Court Judge Robert Hinkle after an hourlong hearing.

Nelson's attorney, Kendall Coffey, said he was "disappointed" by the ruling but doubted Nelson would appeal.

"It is a Republicans-only primary on Jan. 29, and that's a crying shame," Coffey said, in reference to the fact that Republicans continue to campaign in Florida while Democrats do not because of pressure from the party and early primary states.

Nelson had hoped Hinkle would force the national party to count all of Florida's 210 delegates in next summer's nominating convention or, in the alternative, make the penalty a 50 percent loss of delegates, as the Republicans have done, rather than 100 percent.

Good luck

"Florida lawmakers want Bush to pursue diplomacy with Iran".

Sea cows

"Sacred cow: Manatee keeps its status".

Smart?

"Florida university system chancellor Mark Rosenberg has struck the right balance with his plan to govern individual universities through compacts. The compacts would allow campuses their operational freedom while providing the necessary state oversight to set goals and limit costly duplication." "Smart plan for universities".

Open for business

"Florida's state-run investment pool for local governments reopened Thursday morning after being shut down last week amid a run in which nearly $10 billion was withdrawn." "State reopens frozen investment pool to local governments". The Tallahassee Democrat editors: "Trust factor: Unfreezing SBA fund just step one". Troxler: "On three, everybody panic!"

Oops!

"An innocent internal memo from the Division of Emergency Management on Tuesday flooded the inboxes of thousands around the state with scores of unwanted, and in some cases offensive, e-mails." "Thousands of state workers buried by unwanted, offensive e-mails".

Political pool

"Every investor knows that higher yields are good, right? Except that higher yields come from higher risk. Case in point: the Local Government Investment Pool."

Properly, the pool has new management - the private firm BlackRock Inc. Coleman Stipanovich, whom Ms. Sink accused of "stonewalling" about the problem, resigned as the director overseeing about $190''billion in investments for the board of administration, including the state's $136''billion pension fund. Mr. Stipanovich, the brother of Republican lobbyist and consultant J.M. "Mac" Stipanovich, got the job in 2002. His predecessor, Tom Herndon, had been Gov. Chiles' chief of staff. Mr. Herndon was forced out because of a scandal involving state investments in Enron.

The state-run investment pool acts as an interest-bearing checking account for governments, so investment risk must remain low. Using politics to determine who runs the pool poses an unacceptable risk to the public's money.

What will people think?

Bill Cotterell wonders what people will think when they look back at present day Florida:

What, for instance, will our far-distant descendants think of a society with an increasingly service-driven economy that bases its revenue on a rigid, regressive sales tax? Why would we cling to a constitutional ban on a state income tax enacted 80 years ago, when Florida was trying to get people to move here? ...

Back to the present, since computers make it possible to tabulate the sales tax for online shopping, and since some states already collect it, why do we continue to pass up a couple-billion dollars of revenue? That's money that's already owed, not a tax increase. ...

The tax and budget folks face a conundrum.

If they play safe, go for short yardage, they don't meet the needs of a state with about 1,000 new people moving in every day and a never-whetted appetite for smaller classrooms, bigger prisons and better environmental protection. But if the commission goes long, tries to really accomplish something, it'll never get 60 percent of the voters to approve.

That's another thing that will vex future scholars. ...

History will note that anybody who proposed unpleasant solutions got savaged in the next campaign, and we can blame only ourselves for electing the candidate or party with the best attack ads.

So legislators cut a couple-billion dollars out of state spending because of slumping revenue forecasts. They periodically come up with gimmicks, responding with short-term patches when the public gets angry about homeowner insurance or property taxes.

Maybe we could sell some bridges and highways, make them toll roads. How about an Indian gaming compact?

A quick fix, even one that falls far short of the mark, is always safer than looking even five or 10 years ahead and advocating permanent, stable sources of revenue and reasonable spending restraint.

FAMU

"Sen. Al Lawson is asking that a $1 million task force investigating operational and financial issues at Florida A&M University be dissolved, citing recent successes by the school's new president to address problems." "Dissolving FAMU task force urged".

Whatever

"LeMieux was born and raised in Broward County and was twice elected the county's Republican Party chairman. He will practice law in Tallahassee. "I want to be close to help out," he said, adding that he will continue to advise Crist as needed [no lobbying for paying clients of course]. ... He will be replaced by Eric Eikenberg, who currently serves as Crist's deputy chief of staff. Eikenberg previously served as chief of staff to former U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw and has been a deputy executive director for the Republican Party of Florida." "Gov. Crist's chief of staff to step down to practice law".

Bush would bring "tremendous talent, leadership and vision" to CNL Bancshares Inc., stated a news release quoting its board chairman, James Seneff.

What the release didn't mention was that four years before the appointment, Bush's administration approved a lucrative tax break for a company that Seneff heads.

Bush's office approved $3.1-million in state and local tax refunds to be paid over eight years to CNL Holdings, which has ties to CNL Bancshares. State records show the company has collected $181,875 so far.

Bush's administration also had another tie to Seneff. It championed a massive toll road that would have boosted the land value of property owned by a second company in which Seneff has a leadership role.

Bush should have refused the appointment to CNL Bancshares, said Ben Wilcox, executive director of Florida Common Cause, a nonpartisan political watchdog group.

"It smacks of political payback," Wilcox said. "It's the appearance of a conflict that he should want to avoid."

Bush and CNL Bancshares wouldn't comment on how or why he was chosen for the board.

This is the second corporate board appointment for Bush. In May, Tenet Healthcare Corp. created a special board seat for Bush. Last year, Tenet directors other than the chairman were paid fees of $97,700 to $129,222. Bush will also get restricted stock worth $260,000.

The Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corp. announced today that Jeb Bush has been chosen for a seat on the company’s board of directors. ...

The company recently was the subject of several investigations into Medicare overbilling. For many years, a high percentage of its revenue came from exploiting a loophole in Medicare regulations covering high-cost patients.

The company reached a $900 million settlement with the government last year on those charges.

Tenet also has been a major political donor in Florida. The company has given to candidates of both parties, but most heavily to the Republican Party. From 1996 through last year, Tenet contributed $162,500 to the state party.

Hill "cruising" in Florida

"Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. is cruising in the polls in Florida and two other swing states, according to a poll released this morning by Quinnipiac University." "Latest Florida Presidential Poll". Nationally, "Polls: It's still anybody's race".

Union bashing, take 22891

In the course of praising yet another anti-union ruling by Florida's public employeesers Relations Commission, the jerks on the Tampa Trib editorial board give us this garbage:

Now it's up to the Public Employees Relations Commission to exercise the same type of common sense and reject the union's excessive request for "gap insurance" to cover deputies and their families from the time they retire from the agency until they become eligible for federal coverage.

This is an excessive perk that taxpayers should not be required to help subsidize. When a worker retires and leaves an agency, that should be the end of providing insurance.

Union employees should have to do what many in the private sector do - secure their own outside health insurance until federal plans kick in.

"One final attempt"

"The state's top congressional Democrats will make one final attempt today to breathe life into the party's all-but-ignored Florida presidential primary by pressing a federal lawsuit against national party leaders." "State Dems take presidential-primary dispute to court". See also "State Democrats take rules to court".

Kill 'em all

"Crist, who once sponsored a law allowing the death penalty for major drug kingpins, said Tuesday the state might want to make it easier to execute dealers." "Executing drug dealers may get easier".

Of course, we don't want to consider that Blacks are sent to prison at higher rates than whites after convictions in drug cases. And of course Florida would never engage in behavior like the folks in Tulia, Texas. Charlie may want to read this: "Tulia: Race, Cocaine, and Corruption in a Small Texas Town".

"Potentially larger problems"

"As Florida leaders took steps Tuesday to settle a troubled investment fund run by the state, they acknowledged potentially larger problems coming from the subprime mortgage crisis."

After temporarily freezing the entire investment pool for local governments last week in response to a two-week run of withdrawals, Gov. Charlie Crist and other State Board of Administration trustees voted Tuesday to limit the freeze to about 14 percent of the $14 billion fund until the mortgage meltdown cools and to establish restrictions on governments' withdrawals from the rest.

Then the director of the board, which manages the fund along with 29 others for the state, resigned in hopes of restoring investor confidence. The 30 state investment funds total $187.5 billion in assets. ...

Sink said she talked with Stipanovich about resigning before his announcement. She said Stipanovich and his staff had "stonewalled" investors who raised questions about the downgraded securities, which contributed to the unprecedented two-week run of withdrawals once he reported Nov. 14 that some funds in the pool had links to companies tainted by the subprime mortgage crisis.

"We have a higher duty not to just help local governments make a mound of dough . . . ," Crist said.

The governor says really stupid things sometimes. The last thing this is about is anyone making a mound of dough.

It's about not losing a mountain of it because of bad decisions by a fund that Crist helps oversee.

"Obviously, just the opposite is true"

"Add another name to the list of those whom Florida owes compensation for wrongful incarceration."

Results from DNA tests consistently excluded Mr. Heins. A bloody fingerprint at a faucet where the killer tried to clean up did not match that of anyone living in the apartment. On Tuesday, Duval County State Attorney Harry Shorstein dismissed all charges.

Jeb Bush once said of such an exoneration that the system worked. Obviously, just the opposite is true. The system failed, and the system had to be persuaded to look again at what the system had ignored. There is no way to adequately compensate Chad Heins, but he deserves more than the satisfaction of knowing that he was right.

'Glades

"The Army Corps of Engineers has revised its plan for Everglades restoration to show quick results and help persuade Congress to pay for the project over several decades." "Army Corps alters strategy on Everglades restoration".

That's our Gus

"GOP Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor is introducing legislation to beef up security measures for the U.S. student visa program." "Bilirakis Proposes Closer Watch On Foreign Students".

Believe it or not

"The government's legal adventurism against Guatemalan dishwasher Pedro Zapeta and his life savings will end up costing taxpayers far more than the $59,000 authorities have confiscated from him."

In September 2005, Mr. Zapeta tried boarding a flight to Guatemala at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport with $59,000 he had saved over 10 years of washing dishes in Stuart. He intended to start a business back home. Federal agents saw the cash in his duffel bag, confiscated it and charged him with carrying drug money. Once Mr. Zapeta brought a lawyer to court, the government dropped the drug charges. Despite working overtime since then, authorities have not produced evidence that links him to any criminal activity.

Yet there is plenty of evidence about Mr. Zapeta's years of hard work. ...

Yes, Mr. Zapeta entered illegally, which is a misdemeanor. Aside from that, his most egregious offense is naivete. It was his first flight. He knew nothing about the law that requires passengers to declare cash amounts greater than $10,000. He has no passport and yet tried to board the plane, hardly the behavior of the drug mule the government claimed to have caught. In January, U.S. District Judge James Cohn ruled that Mr. Zapeta could keep $10,000 - the amount the law allows without declaration - but would have to forfeit the rest. ...

His appeal to the 11th Circuit for a fair punishment that fits the violation prompted [an] order for oral arguments. But Mr. Zapeta may not be around to hear them. He faces a deportation hearing in February, another waste of taxpayers' money. Mr. Zapeta was deporting himself two years ago, and bought his own ticket to do it.

Sex ed in St Lucie County

"So, what, the evil AIDS fairy strikes you with her wand?" "Sex education and misinformation".

Sea cows

"By any objective account, the outlook for Florida's manatees is shaky. Scientists divide the state manatee populations into four regions and in two of those regions - including the one that covers Tampa Bay - the marine mammal's survival rates are not sufficient to sustain its numbers." "State Should Not Let Wordplay Jeopardize Outlook For Manatee". See also "Protect the manatee", "Whatever the label, manatees in danger", "Protect the manatee", "State shouldn't even think about changing sea cows' status without better count" and "Gov. Crist sticks up for the sea cow".

Florida to embarrass itself yet again

"Coalition submits petitions to put marriage amendment on ballot".

Seminoles

The Sun-Sentinel editors: "Good governance benefits everyone. Bad governance costs everyone. The principle sticks no matter whether it is a municipality, a county, the state or federal government — or even the Seminole Tribe of Florida. U.S. taxpayers and Florida residents have a stake in the way money is appropriated by the tribe, much as the tribe has a stake in decisions made by its neighboring communities." "Questionable funding decisions by Seminoles deserves scrutiny".

Alcee

"U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings announced Tuesday he plans to resign from the House Intelligence Committee, but left the door open to serving on the select panel again in the future." "Hastings to quit intelligence panel".

Sequoia Voting Systems

"After months of balking, Palm Beach County commissioners Tuesday agreed not to consider other vendors and to purchase $5.5 million worth of optical-scan voting machines from the company that sold the county its paperless electronic touch-screen machines in 2002. The commission voted 6-1 to approve a contract with Sequoia Voting Systems to supply 1,001 optical scanners in time for the August 2008 primaries and November presidential election. The switch from electronic voting became necessary when the Florida Legislature and Gov. Charlie Crist this year approved a law requiring paper ballots after July 1, 2008." "Post: Voting-machine contract approved without competition".

As farmworkers beg for pennies ...

Daniel Ruth:

CSX Transportation recently received 491 million reasons to be joyful this holiday season, thanks largely to a former governor who treated his public office as if it were an extension of the Skull and Bones secret society.

A few days ago, Florida transportation officials and CSX signed off on a deal, finagled in greater secrecy than the list of covert CIA prisons, that will give the railroad company $491 million in public money to purchase 61 miles of track in the Orlando area.

As part of the CSX corporate welfare deal, money also will be provided to upgrade existing rail lines and create a major hub in Polk County, which could effectively reduce Lakeland to a glorified parking lot for the choo-choos.

Hill the beneficiary of the boycott

"Punishment by the national party and a promise by candidates not to campaign here have left Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York the overwhelming favorite. And just a month away from the Iowa caucuses, the indications from the campaign best positioned to challenge her are that it will be the latter - that rather than making a play for momentum in Florida's primary, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois will instead concentrate on winning states in the Feb. 5 round of primaries." "Ban on state visits tightens Clinton's grip on Democrats".

Stop the presses!

"Blacks are sent to prison at higher rates than whites after convictions in drug cases".

Long-term care

"The United States is not prepared to deal with a burgeoning elderly population that is living longer while the costs of long-term care keep rising, a bipartisan national commission warned Monday." "Long-term care issue not being addressed, bipartisan panel says".

Whoopee!

"Florida's 358 charter schools need greater academic scrutiny and tighter fiscal supervision, according to recommendations being released today by the state Senate." "Florida Senate proposes reforms for state's charter schools".

Sea cow

"On paper, Wednesday is the day that state wildlife officials will take manatees off the endangered species list. But that controversial vote -- which has been delayed time and again for the past several years -- could be deferred yet again." "Manatee's endangered status up for vote on Wednesday".

Fees not taxes?

"It was predictable. When property tax bills go down, there is less money to spend on city and county services. Local governments, especially for communities with lots of homesteaded properties, then search for other means of revenue under a euphemism called 'user fees.'" "Tax cut vs. user fee".

Tuff on crime innocent folks

"With new DNA evidence, convicted killer freed after 13 years".

"Search-engine friendly"

"Florida government records will be more easily found using common Web search engines, under a partnership announced Monday with Internet giant Google." "Florida, Google make records easier to find".

Gettin' desperate

"Holy wafers stolen from church".

Nukes

"Biscayne National Park managers and environmentalists want Miami-Dade County commissioners to postpone a Dec. 20 zoning vote that would allow the building of two new nuclear reactors at Turkey Point, arguing there are too many unanswered questions about impacts on the water supply, coastal wetlands and marine life." "Environmentalists: Delay vote on nuclear reactors".

Drought

"South Floridians may be tired of talking about saving water. Too bad. The South Florida Water Management District keeps the conversational ball rolling with a second water 'summit' today in West Palm Beach, seeking ways to cope with prolonged drought." "One new water idea: Pay more, but use less".

"Business leaders" whine

"Crist has mapped out an energy policy leading to cleaner and greener living 40 years into the future. But Florida's business leaders say the plan is too aggressive." "Crist Energy Plan Debated".

Heading off Hometown Democracy

Joel Engelhardt: "Tom Pelham is secretary of the Florida Department of Community Affairs, the state's planning agency. He wants to head off Hometown Democracy by improving the state's Growth Management Act. Last week, he released the first of his changes for review by planners - clearly noting that the proposals are for discussion purposes only - and they show promise." "Hometown Democracy Lite".

From the "values" crowd

"Mentally ill military veterans at the nation's busiest VA hospital are routinely treated by inexperienced and unlicensed psychologists, according to complaint filed by a staff member who fears patient care is suffering." "Complaint targets mental health care at Tampa VA".

Poor Paul

"Trevor Lyman, the Miami Beach music promoter-turned-campaign fundraising guru, fell short of his goal to raise $2.5 million online Friday for Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul." "Ron Paul's fundraiser falls short".

Gambling

"Five attorneys for Gov. Charlie Crist told the state Supreme Court on Monday that the governor negotiated a casino gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe "solely within the bounds of his authority" and it does not require legislative approval." "Crist argues Seminole gambling deal is legal".

Howard Troxler: "Can the governor of Florida do any darned-tootin' thing he wants to in a contract? No, of course not. He can't repeal a state law, or create a new one. " "Does Crist have right to make deal?"

Sea cows

"Florida officials can claim significant gains in protecting the endangered and beloved manatee. Yet it boggles the imagination to think that the gentle mammal, with fewer than 2,500 adults left in the wild and increasing mortality rates, is out of danger." "Saving the manatee". See also "Manatee's downlisting, up again for a vote, must not happen" and "Keep protecting manatees".

Gambling

"Crist appears to have scored a financial touchdown, but the Legislature is challenging the play. House Speaker Marco Rubio says Crist stepped over the line when he negotiated a gambling tax to be paid by the state's tribal casinos. Crist should back down and send the Legislature the plan for ratification. He shouldn't wait to be ordered to do so by the Florida Supreme Court, to which Rubio has appealed. Once the wrangling stops, the focus will return to the substance of the deal. Crist negotiated well, to the benefit of taxpayers and the tribes. There's a chance lawmakers will spoil Crist's work just to appear tough on gambling. That's a risk Crist must take. He is, after all, managing a democracy, not a private company." "Political Quibbles On Gambling Threaten Loss For State Treasury".

Whatever

"If House Speaker Marco Rubio ever runs for higher office, he won't be the first politician to ride the populist wave of a citizen tax revolt. " "Rubio gets behind tax reform drive".

"Pay no attention"

"For Florida's private property insurers, profit went up again this year. But pay no attention. That was the message last week from an economist for the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group." "Insurance 'profit'? No way".

Sex offenders

"The Georgia Supreme Court struck down that state's law restricting where sex offenders can live, providing at least a small bit of sanity in a debate that - as we've seen in Florida - often finds emotion crowding out good sense." "State sex-offender policy gets out-of-state backing".

"There goes the neighborhood"

"Well, there goes the neighborhood. No, really, in the next few years, state government is moving. Not all of it, of course, but a significant part of Tallahassee's main reason for being more than an exit on I-10 will soon get out of town." "Downtown changes as government packs up".

Banana Rebublicans

"The rules of the Republican straw poll at Wednesday's CNN/YouTube debate were simple: Buy a ticket for $20 a pop and vote for your favorite candidate. The money would benefit local Republican parties."

Yet when hundreds of Ron Paul supporters arrived by trolley and shuttle, dominating the estimated 1,000 or so guests at the Vinoy Park fundraiser, the event quickly became a heated contest between Paul's people and Mitt Romney supporters.

At stake? The very integrity of the democratic process, to hear some tell it.

Lined up at the voting machines, Paul supporters flaunted their single tickets and pledged to vote only once.

Meanwhile, some Romney supporters openly admitted to using rolls of tickets to vote multiple times. Romney won the poll with 893 votes, while Paul finished with 534. The rest of the candidates weren't even close; Giuliani came in third with 39.

It was all caught on tape, and the local Paul supporters rushed to share their complaints with the rest of the world.

Mitt

"With 32 days before the Iowa caucus, Romney continues to trail Giuliani. In Florida, where Romney lags Giuliani by double digits, he is fighting with Thompson and Mike Huckabee for second place -- despite spending more money and making more appearances here early on than any candidate. Romney is leading in Iowa and New Hampshire, although some Iowa polls now show Huckabee is on his heels." "Romney gets some help from his family as wife and sons hit campaign trail".

Local delegations

"Upcoming: Legislative delegations hold annual meetings". More: "A little lost in the Thanksgiving rush was the passing of leadership in Miami-Dade's legislative delegation. On Nov. 20, lawmakers tapped Reps. Juan Zapata as chairman and Luis Garcia as vice chairman." "Miami-Dade delegation has new leader".

Nukes

"Managers of the national park that abuts Turkey Point power plant want Miami-Dade County to pause before a vote on approving two more nuclear reactors." "Environmentalists: Delay vote on nuclear reactors".

"Goofy"

"Since the state has banned touch-screen voting in favor of paper optical-scan ballots, Mr. Browning says, it's 'goofy' to have a recount law that never requires a hand-recount of all ballots. The current law requires a machine recount if the difference between top vote-getters is less than one half of 1 percent."

Pissing match

"A lawsuit by state House Speaker Marco Rubio against Gov. Charlie Crist over Indian gambling in Florida has brought a growing political rift between the two into the open. Neither side wants to talk openly about it, but Crist and Rubio clearly are emerging as leaders of divergent groups in the Republican Party. Rubio is building a power base representing the conservative side, while Crist has angered some conservatives by taking the party and the state on a more moderate, bipartisan path." "Suit Widens Crist, Rubio Rift".

"A moral disgrace"

The St. Pete Times editors: "The farmworkers couldn't really afford to miss a day of pay in Florida's tomato fields, but they showed up anyway. On Friday, hundreds of farmworkers and their supporters marched to Burger King headquarters in Miami to pressure the fast-food giant to pay them an extra penny for each pound of tomatoes they picked. ... It is a moral disgrace that the exchange is standing in the way of the penny-per-pound agreements that already have been signed. This is an arrangement that should be expanded, not choked to death at the expense of farmworkers who took the initiative to better their lives." "Growers callously pinching pennies".

Whatever

"The governor is putting his popularity and fundraising skills behind the Jan. 29 vote." "Crist lobbies voters for tax plan".

Constellation

The Orlando Sentinel editors: "The moon and Mars program, known as Constellation, would maintain U.S. leadership in space exploration. It would spur the kind of scientific and technological advances essential to staying competitive in the world economy." "Wrong strategy".

"Front-line political warriors"

A significant story today in the St. Pete Times: "TV isn't everything in Florida politics."

For most of the past year, the Giuliani and Romney campaigns have been waging aggressive, mostly unseen campaigns to identify and mobilize voters and key opinion leaders to build excitement, momentum and infrastructure to win Florida's Jan. 29 primary.

In the end, all elections come down to the largely mechanical endeavor of persuading the voters to actually show up at the polls. Especially in a primary. That's why field field operations are so important.

The Democratic campaigns are doing nothing to organize the state, as the candidates boycott Florida's Jan. 29 primary because it violates the national party's primary schedule. That has many Democratic strategists worried the Republicans' head start could have repercussion in the general election.

Gambling

"The Seminole Tribe wanted roulette and craps, and the chance to build multiple casinos on some of its reservations. The state wanted to limit games to slots but get smoking bans and millions of dollars up front." "Diplomacy won gambling pact with Seminoles".

"Grounding the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer"

"A team of 500 scientists from 16 countries has spent the past decade building a $1.5 billion space experiment to help solve a celestial puzzle: how the cosmos has evolved since shortly after the big bang, more than 13 billion years ago."

But there's one hitch.

The experiment was designed to work aboard the international space station. But despite earlier agreements, NASA leaders now say they will not transport the device aboard any of the 13 remaining space-shuttle flights -- potentially grounding the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

"Poor turnout"

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "It's time to stop laying so much blame on the electorate for such poor turnout in local elections. A lot of the blame, at least in Orange County, has got to go the candidate pool itself. Or, rather, the lack of one. Incredibly, and distressingly and embarrassingly to anyone who believes in democracy, fewer than half the 22 mayoral and council races in that county next month will be contested." "People can't be expected to vote when elections aren't contested.".

The People's plate

"Donald Trump will join Crist at Trump Tower in New York Thursday at a $1,000-per-person fundraiser for the 'Yes on 1 - Save Our Homes' organization working to pass the Jan. 29 tax initiative." "It's about the people - at $1,000 a plate".

Pander bear

"Before leaving St. Petersburg Thursday for three fundraisers in southwest Florida, John McCain bemoaned the 'crazy' compressed primary schedule, even as he promised that as the nominee he'd restore all of Florida's delegates to the Republican national convention." "McCain says he'd restore our delegates".

Portability

"Under a Florida lawmakers' proposal scheduled to go before voters in January, Cynthia Pelton and other residents on the move could carry with them accrued tax savings up to $500,000." "Property tax portability rewards longtime residents".

"Unique -- and often misunderstood"

The Miami Herald editors: "Sixty years ago, what some Floridians considered a huge nuisance that ought to be drained instead became a national park with unique attributes. Unique -- and often misunderstood." "Happy anniversary, Everglades National Park".

Anderson

"Protesters march to courthouse".

Florida's Verdun battlefield

This kinda reminds one of the French farmers or still come across - and are sometimes killed by live WWI ordinance at the old Verdun battlefield ("WWI Claims Another Victim"): "A landscaping crew [in Key West] about to grind a tree stump stumbled across 30 World War II mortar shells buried in the ground on property once owned by the U.S. Navy. A worker hit and broke one of the live shells Friday, but it did not detonate." "Workers stumble on explosives".

Geller

The Sun-Sentinel interviews Senator Geller about property tax reform: ". . . Sen. Steve Geller".

The rules are different (for Marco)

"Think Florida's two-year-old ban on gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers affects everyone equally? Well . . ." Case #1, a Demo:

Last week, state Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami, was rebuffed by the chamber's chief lawyer when she asked for permission to raise money from lobbyists for a charity named the Rachel and Edward Bullard Jr. Foundation.

Because the gift ban precludes lawmakers from accepting checks from lobbyists for charities they create or control, and Bullard had hired the lawyer who filed the paperwork creating the charity in 2004, "it appears to me you 'created' the foundation while you were a member of the Florida Senate," general counsel Steve Kahn wrote Bullard.

Therefore, no dough.

But House Speaker Marco Rubio can get away with raising money for another nonprofit called 100Ideas Inc. Though it was created last August by GOP supporters, it is built on the "100 Innovative Ideas" brand name Rubio created and marketed last year.

"The phrase '100 Ideas' has become very closely associated with you because of your work around the state of Florida in recent years," the House's chief lawyer, Jeremiah Hawkes, wrote to Rubio in October.

...Rubio can get away with raising money...

He mentioned the Web site bearing Rubio's image, and the book he wrote by the same name. But, "since you did not establish or control the charity, you would not be violating [House rules or state law] should you choose to solicit funds on behalf of the charity."

Translation: Bank's open.

Revolving door

"Speculation is growing that Crist's chief of staff and top political strategist, George LeMieux, will leave the administration by Jan. 1 and return to the practice of law. Here's one revealing sign: His old law firm, Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, has established an office in Tallahassee." "Setting the stage to leave the Crist camp?"

Hill

"The Democratic presidential candidates may be boycotting Florida's Jan. 29 primary, but that's not stopping some of their Florida supporters [including Sandy Freedman and former gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride] from organizing the state. Tampa's Hillary Clinton supporters have launched 'Tampa for Hillary Steering Committee' Web site (www.tampaforhillary.com) where Clinton supporters can get involved.".