Jebbie's dead hand rises from the grave

"An unconstitutional school voucher program could be restored and a ban on state aid to religious organizations and institutions could be at least partly lifted through a proposal introduced Friday."

The proposed state constitutional amendment would undo two court decisions that threw out one of former Gov. Jeb Bush's pet projects in 2005. The Opportunity Scholarship Program gave students from failing public schools vouchers to attend religious and other private schools at taxpayer expense.

Taxation and Budget Reform Commission sponsors said their proposal, though, will serve a broader purpose of ending bias against faith-based providers who offer all kinds of public services.

"To get rid of that religious discrimination that's in our constitution you have to ensure that there's choice for health care, for elder care, for juvenile justice care, for substance abuse, for homelessness," said Commissioner Patricia Levesque.

Levesque is executive director of two foundations Bush has established to advance his educational policy goals. She sits on the commission's Governmental Procedures and Structure Committee, which introduced the proposal.

The measure will be discussed more before a decision whether to send the measure to the full commission, which could then put it on the November ballot.

Neo-Babbittry

George McEvoy amuses us this morning with "Candidates make primaries memorable". We particularly like this line: a GOPer debate "looked like an audition for a stage version of Babbitt."

FAU

"Florida Atlantic University, still basking in the glow of last month's football win in the New Orleans Bowl, scored a different type of victory this week on its home turf." "FAU officials say national attention from debate will pay off in long run". See also "Debate winner: FAU".

No Hometown?

The Sun-Sentinel editors don't like "Hometown Democracy", claiming that "Its appeal is easy to understand, but the amendment peddled by the group Hometown Democracy would be a mistake. It would be yet more micromanagement via the state's Constitution, a document that is difficult to change once unintended consequences are realized."

The proposed amendment would require municipal votes on changes to comprehensive plans that act as blueprints for local planning, zoning and development. To be sure, there is great angst across the state because many residents feel their city halls are too willing to change comprehensive plans at the whim of a developer.

Amendment 1 irony

"Despite an intense campaign by Gov. Charlie Crist, Amendment 1, the $9.3 billion property tax cutting measure on Tuesday's ballot, is in serious trouble, according to a poll released Friday." "'Yes on 1' supporters optomistic despite low numbers in polls". See also "Poll: Amendment 1 Support Falls Short Of Threshold" and "Times poll: Amendment 1 tax cut is no slam dunk". Steve Bousquet: "" "Florida math isn't simple anymore".

"Whether the tax cut passes may hinge on which party has better turnout in Florida's presidential primaries Tuesday. Republican voters are lining up in favor of the amendment, Democrats against it, the survey found."

The Sentinel poll showed Republican voters were more supportive, with 61 percent in favor of Amendment 1 and 27 percent against. That compares with 37 percent of Democrats supporting the measure and 51 percent opposing.

Independent and minor-party voters -- who can cast ballots on the amendment Tuesday but not in the closed primaries -- mostly mirrored the Republicans, with 57 percent in favor, 26 percent against and 17 percent undecided.

Weldon

"U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon said Friday he would not seek an eighth term in Congress, giving Democrats a chance to go after an open Republican seat in the fall." "U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon says he will not seek another term"

Bad timing

The Orlando Sentinel editors argue that" "Our position: Moving state's juvenile-justice chief couldn't have come at worse time".

Slots

"As Miami-Dade County voters decide whether to allow slot machines at parimutuels, gambling advocates tout an economic study that forecasts the creation of thousands of new jobs. But the record in Broward County, where voters approved slots at parimutuels nearly three years ago, suggests that forecast may be overly optimistic." "Slots' impact on the job market a little fuzzy".

The GOP numbers are Romney 30 percent, McCain 26 percent, Giuliani 18 percent, Huckabee 13 percent, Ron Paul 3 percent and 10 percent undecided.

Because the poll's error margin is 5 percentage points, Romney's four-point lead over McCain could be considered a statistical tie.

However, pollster Brad Coker of Mason Dixon Polling & Research, which did the poll for The Tribune and other news agencies, called it a "narrow lead" based partly on how the candidates' standings in the race have changed in recent weeks.

"I love him,” said Romney in South Carolina last March. ...

“When it comes to Florida Republican politics, Jeb Bush is still the sun, the moon and the stars,” says Dan Schnur, an unaffiliated Republican strategist and professor at Stanford University. ...

Romney’s not just a fan of the former governor, he’s an admirer of Bush’s staff, too. The Romney campaign boasts at least nine ex-Jeb Bush staffers.

Bernie takes it in the shorts

Inside Higher Ed takes Bernie to task: "Institutional neutrality is the much-invoked principle by which colleges and universities rarely take stands on public issues that don’t directly relate to higher education."

It’s that background that explains why many long-time followers of higher education and politics were stunned to learn that Bernie Machen, president of the University of Florida, has endorsed Sen. John McCain’s presidential bid. While the endorsement, released by the McCain campaign, included the expected “should in no way be construed as an endorsement by the University of Florida” line at the end of the announcement, the headline was pretty clear: “University of Florida President Bernie Machen Endorses John McCain for President.”

The lead paragraph of the release noted that Machen “has held leadership positions at some of America’s most prominent institutions of higher learning over two decades” and the announcement went on to note his previous positions as president of the University of Utah and an administrator at the Universities of Michigan and North Carolina. In addition to quoting Machen’s praise for McCain, the announcement quoted McCain praising Machen as “one of America’s most distinguished leaders in education.”

Sheldon E. Steinbach, a lawyer in the postsecondary education practice of the Washington law firm Dow Lohnes, said he was “stunned” by the endorsement. In Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign and Bob Dole’s 1996 campaign, Steinbach was in charge of recruiting college presidents to serve on education task forces for the two Republican nominees. Even at points much later in the campaign year, post-nomination, Steinbach said that he could not recruit a single public university president, even though plenty supported the respective candidates privately.

Billy burnishes his wingnut bona fides

The Palm Beach Post editors: "To hear Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum tell it, parents in Florida hardly have any authority left - all because a federal judge ruled two years ago that schools can't force students to say the Pledge of Allegiance."

To avoid that imagined dire consequence, Mr. McCollum has wasted the public's money and his time by appealing the 2006 ruling by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Ryskamp, who was appointed to the bench in 1991 by the first President Bush. He issued his ruling in favor of Cameron Frazier, a Boynton Beach High School student whom school officials disciplined in December 2005 for refusing to say the pledge. District policy at that time required students to have parental permission to not recite the pledge.

It's been settled since 1943, Judge Ryskamp noted in his ruling, that the government can't force students to say the pledge. Mr. McCollum argues that parental permission is the key. In other areas, he says, "parental consent is required to opt out of certain science and health education classes, to obtain excusals for religious reasons, and to receive school contraceptive services."

Mr. McCollum thus punches all the social-issue hot buttons in case he decides to run for governor or try again for the Senate. But he still doesn't have much of an argument.

"The impact for now: none."

"The U.S. Department of Justice has blessed some, but not all, of Florida's latest voting changes, despite protests from civil rights groups. The impact for now: none." "Justice Dept. OKs Florida voting changes".

"Who knows?"

"Facing a state budget shortfall of $2 billion or more, legislators are looking everywhere for cuts, and the state's 11 public universities aren't exempt. Florida's universities cut more than $58 million from their budgets last fall, and the Board of Governors is predicting another cut of nearly $89 million systemwide this spring. For the next fiscal year, who knows?" "Permanent injuries". This is a start: "State University System board proposes 8% tuition hike to halt downward financial spiral".

On a related issue, the Trib editors have this to say: "We can't achieve quality at our 10 comprehensive universities without focus. The last thing we need is each major university competing to build a system that overlaps with others and wastes scarce resources." "Florida Doesn't Need Sprawling Systems".

Amendment 1

"As Florida real estate prices rose in recent years, many people felt trapped in their homes because moving would mean getting hit with a property tax bill that could at least double or triple." "Property tax 'portability' may cure one problem, cause another". See also "Homestead exemption may be made tougher to get". More: "Governor on road to pitch Yes on 1".

The Orlando Sentinel editors write that: "if the candidates for president are smart, they'll keep promising relief to homeowners who've taken a beating on property insurance." "Our position: Presidential candidates should help solve Florida property-insurance crisis".

Get off your duff Billy

The Trib editorial board:"Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum should scrutinize the cozy relationship between state transportation officials and the railroad industry that is being given hundreds of millions of dollars in state funds." "McCollum Should Scrutinize State's Close Ties With Railroads".

The right way?

The DBNJ editors: "While Florida voters are deliberating about an ill-advised constitutional amendment proposal on Tuesday's ballot, the state Tax and Budget Reform Commission is pushing toward a deadline to determine what it might do to truly reform Florida's convoluted taxing structure." "McKay's way".

Civics

"South Florida schools urge students to study issues, take part in elections".

Frequent fliers

The Sun-Sentinel editors: "Granted, the water district board members are unpaid, and some of the flights are necessary. But the frivolous ones that don't justify this expenditure of public money beg for guidelines and corrective action. Particularly now, with the state facing a big budget shortfall and service cuts being threatened, this is a practice that must be tightly scrutinized. Not just for the South Florida Water Management District, but all state agencies." "Time to set guidelines, penalties for agency flights".

Voter suppression, Florida style

"Six days before Florida's statewide presidential preference primary, the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday approved three recent changes to state election laws and took no action on a fourth because it is the subject of a federal lawsuit."

Despite the federal approval that the state sought, the changes will not be put into effect at the polls because the decision came so close to the Jan. 29 primary.

In a letter to state officials, the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division approved legislative changes [1] excluding employer IDs or buyer club IDs as acceptable forms of identification at the polls; [2] reducing from three days to two the period a voter who casts a provisional ballot can provide supporting documentation; and [3] increasing penalties for third-party groups that violate the law in conducting voter registration drives.

The fourth change under review would require that before a voter can vote, the voter's driver's license number or last four digits of a Social Security number must be verified as accurate. The feds did not take action on the so-called matching provision because it is the subject of a federal lawsuit by voting rights groups.

"It is simply all about Jeb! It always is."

Jac Wilder VerSteeg: Think tanks pushing ideology can skew statistics to "show" that vouchers are good or bad, that charter schools are engines of innovation or dens of financial mismanagement and that high-stakes testing is the downfall or salvation of public schools."The perils of education studies".

Speaking of ideology - to wit, Jebbie's - Daniel Ruth has this to say in a column we missed the other day: "When Gov. Jeb Bush left office a year ago, Florida public schools ranked somewhere between the Bermuda Triangle and Petticoat Junction."

And now the former governor, who was the Benazir Bhutto security detail of Florida classrooms, wants to start a foundation to advance his education policies, which is a bit like Jack Kevorkian opening a wellness clinic.

The Foundation For Excellence In Education, or as it should more properly be known, Jeb's Shtick To Keep His Mug In The Public Eye, is not to be confused with His Lordship's Foundation For Florida's Future, which should more properly be known as People Paying Tribute To Jeb Until He Deigns To Run For Office Again.

Nothing helps a stalled public trough career more than setting up some sham foundation masquerading as a political machine, which allows the exiled philosopher king to sit around rubbing his chin until the first viable election cycle becomes available.

And now Jeb! thinks getting a bunch of right-wing ideologues together to rue what a lousy job he did in the first place is going to make things better?!?!? Cue the "Rut-Ro."

During the parallel universe of the Bush Junta era, the Florida Supreme Court found his cockamamie voucher program unconstitutional while various studies put graduation rates anywhere from 48th to 50th nationally, with only about 55 percent of the state's high school students earning their diplomas on time.

While Jeb Bush used the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test as a weapon against teachers, students and schools, the state failed abysmally in national rankings to properly fund teacher salaries, as educators were lured to better-paying states.

And indeed, even though the Eddie Haskell of the Apalachee Parkway tried to cook the books more than a Corleone Olive Oil Co. accountant to claim the state's students were veritable Rhodes Scholars (Dusty, perhaps?), at the time he skulked out of Tallahassee, U.S. Department of Education statistics noted 72 percent of Florida students failed to meet national academic standards.

It takes either an awful lot of chutzpah and/or a staggering hubris-fueled indifference to reality for a pol whose education policies were the academic equivalent of Saddam's weapons of mass destruction to now form a foundation in tribute to his own failures.

But this really isn't about schools, or students, or teachers, or "excellence."

It is simply all about Jeb! It always is.

The RPOF base

"A growing number of North Florida superintendents and school boards are objecting to the state's proposed new science standards, saying the standards give too much credence to evolution and leave no room for alternative theories [sic]."

At least seven of Florida's 67 school boards - all north of Ocala - have passed opposition resolutions, according to the Florida Citizens for Science, a group that supports the standards and has been methodically searching board minutes.

Most of the resolutions have nearly identical wording. Some object to the characterization of evolution as something other than a "theory." Others ask that alternative theories be included.

"I'm a Christian. And I believe I was created by God, and that I didn't come from an amoeba or a monkey," said Ken Hall, a School Board member in Madison County, east of Tallahassee.

Foley

"The state's top law enforcement official got a response Tuesday to a request for access to disgraced Congressman Mark Foley's computers: The answer is still no." "FDLE request to examine Foley computers again denied".

Wouldn't want to spend any money, now would we ...

"Republican state legislators Wednesday presented a bill aimed at fighting gang violence in Florida, but it did not include a key proposal recommended recently by a statewide grand jury that would establish special prosecutors and add investigators throughout the state. ... the first recommendation made by the statewide grand jury investigating gang violence when it released its initial report last week was the need for more gang prosecutors, the retention of veteran prosecutors through more competitive salaries and the addition of gang investigators." "GOP gang bill targets kingpins, Internet".

Out here in the fields

"Attorneys for farmworkers rights groups have lost their second challenge to the way the Federal Emergency Management Agency handled the workers after Hurricane Wilma. FEMA rejected a civil rights complaint filed in May 2006 by the Farm Workers Association of Florida." "FEMA rejects complaint by farmworkers".

CD 21

"Florida's 21st congressional district" Yesterday's piece on in the Herald: "Martinez, Díaz-Balart congressional race turns nasty".

Amendment 1

The News-Journal editors explain "Why Florida voters should reject Amendment 1".

Yawn: "Gov. Charlie Crist talks of preserving Save Our Homes". See also "Education official: Amendment 1 'wrong for Florida'", "Maitland business owner sees little benefit from property-tax amendment" and "First-time home buyers in Lake Mary on the fence about tax vote".

"Police and fire chiefs, once solid allies of Charlie Crist's, decry the state tax-cut proposal." "Amendment 1 creates a rift". See also ""Florida's police chiefs oppose property tax amendment"".

The Tampa Trib editors: "Taxpayers debating Amendment One in public forums, including responses to a Tribune editorial last week advising voters to reject it, express an astonishing range of justifications for positions both pro and con." See what they are here: "Uncertainties Of Tax Question Turning Voters Upside Down". More: "Charlie Crist doesn't have much time to rally support for Florida's Amendment 1".

The Orlando Sentinel editors smack the League of Cities: "Florida's cities aren't telling the truth about proposed property-tax cut". That's what the League gets for aligning itself with those icky public employee unions.they get for

Leonard Pitts answers a question

"Why do African Americans not support conservatism? Then the answer becomes simple: At no point in history when black folks were beset, bedraggled and fighting for their very existence have conservatives -- whether you're talking Democrats of the 19th and early 20th centuries or Republicans now -- been caught taking our side. From the abolition of slavery through Jim Crow through anti-lynching legislation through integration, through voting rights through civil rights through affirmative action, conservatives have always stood in opposition." "Why many blacks vote Democrat".

"An ongoing crime"

"Allstate Insurance Co. and its affiliates are committing 'an ongoing crime' by failing to submit all documents the state demanded as part of an investigation of homeowner insurance prices, according to a legal response state officials filed to an appeals court Wednesday." "State accuses secretive Allstate of 'ongoing crime'". More from the Sun-Sentinel editors: "Allstate, Florida insurance commissioner get a chance to re-think ultimatum".

Florida's booming economy

"The housing market's continued slump drove Lennar Corp. to report a $1.25 billion fourth-quarter loss on Thursday - the biggest in the homebuilder's history - as lower sale prices were compounded by hefty charges to write down land values." "Lennar 4Q loss balloons to $1.25 billion on land write-downs".

Good Luck

"Hopes are high for passage of a sensible bill by state Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, who wants to bolster the state's ability to get concealed weapons permits — and the guns — out of the hands of permit holders who are found to be mentally ill." "Florida lawmakers should try to tighten concealed weapons permitting process".

"Going out for the evening with a man who has no money."

The Tallahassee Democrat editors on unfunded mandates: "Fair play".

Who knew?

Scott Maxwell writes this morning that

this month, the $4,100-a-year raise kicked in, making the salaries of our distinguished ladies and gentlemen now $169,300. Just so you know, Central Florida's congressional delegation was split on this one. Voting to let the raise sail through were Democrat Corrine Brown and Republicans Tom Feeney, Adam Putnam and Dave Weldon. Voting to block the automatic raise were Republicans Ginny Brown-Waite, Ric Keller, John Mica and Cliff Stearns.

Conservation

"Crist on Wednesday threw his support behind Pasco County's efforts to acquire the 12,500-acre Cross Bar Ranch and preserve it for future generations." "Crist backs Cross Bar plan".

Feeney

Scott Maxwell has a point:

the U.S. Justice Department has been investigating disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff for years. And the FBI started asking questions about his ties to Tom Feeney early last year. Good for them for doing so. But it's now time for the Justice Department to do something one way or the other. After all, Feeney's up for re-election this year. And the qualifying period for his seat is just a few months away. So, if Feeney isn't going to be charged, Justice owes it to him to announce that its investigation is complete -- as they did recently in clearing former U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns of Montana -- so that Feeney can run without that cloud over his head. And if they are going to charge him, well, voters deserve to know that even more.

Soliciting votes?

"With a week to go before election day, the West Pasco Board of Realtors filed an electioneering complaint Tuesday against Pasco school superintendent Heather Fiorentino regarding her information campaign on Amendment 1. The organization contends that Fiorentino's use of district e-mail to inform employees about the ramifications of the referendum, which would change the property tax system, violated the law that forbids governments from soliciting votes. " "Realtors say DVD violates election rule".

A new St. Petersburg Times poll shows the former Massachusetts governor and Arizona senator neck and neck among Florida Republicans, while Rudy Giuliani’s Florida-or-bust strategy has been a bust.

Among Florida voters likely to vote in Tuesday’s primary, 25 percent are backing McCain and 23 percent Romney, a statistical tie, while Giuliani and Mike Huckabee were tied for third place with 15 percent each.

In Florida’s odd candidate-free, campaign-free Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton is trouncing Barack Obama by 19 percentage points in a race with stark racial divisions. The poll found 42 percent backing Clinton, 23 percent supporting Obama and 12 percent former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.

Primary news

"John McCain made a pitch to military voters, Mitt Romney bragged about his economic credentials and Rudy Giuliani talked up hurricane insurance Tuesday, as the Republican presidential candidates entered their final week before Florida's crucial primary. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who surged to a brief lead in Florida following his win in Iowa only to fade as his money has dried up, again spent much of Tuesday in Georgia before returning to Gainesville for a news conference and a fund-raiser." "GOP candidates hone themes in Fla. push". See also "Cash crunch hits Florida campaigns" and "Rocky Florida economy is altering GOP landscape".

The Dems: "The Democratic Party's top state official and several lawmakers attempted Wednesday to release Democratic presidential candidates from a pledge that has kept them from campaigning in Florida. The hope is that once polls close in South Carolina on Saturday, candidates would be in a guilt-free position to campaign here Sunday and Monday, as well as participate in a Sunday night debate." "Fla. Democrats make last attempt to get candidates to visit". See also "Legislators invite Democrats to drop state boycott". More: "Clinton camp says Obama's Florida ads break pledge" and "SC Dem Official Appears To Suggest Voting Republican If Pledge Broken". Meanwhile, "Women give Clinton commanding lead in Florida"; see also "Women over 40 see more to Clinton's run".

McCain: "Republican presidential hopeful John McCain served up plenty of red meat for GOP primary voters at a business roundtable here this morning with repeated calls for lower taxes and less government spending, business incentives, curbs on lawsuits and a tough stance against Islamic terrorism." "McCain meets with Orlando business leaders". See also "McCain touts military roots and his fiscal conservatism" and "McCain To Visit Sun City Center On Saturday".


Rudy: "Tempers flare at Giuliani event". The Tampa Trib editors write that "even though a national CAT fund would greatly benefit Florida and its residents, that alone isn't sufficient reason for Sunshine State Republicans to give Giuliani the nod." "Giuliani's Property Insurance Claim". More Rudy: "In Orlando, 9-11 firefighters' families say don't vote for Rudy Giuliani".


Mitt: "'You really don't want socialized medicine,' Romney told the crowd of about 150 at the university. 'You don't want Hillary-care you don't want the guys that managed the Katrina clean-up managing health at the hospital. Instead, you want the dynamics of the free enterprise system, the free market system working for health care as it has in the past.'" "Romney says free market will improve health care". See also "Romney gets Fla. to himself, for 1 day", "During economic woes, Romney counts on business resume" and "Mitt Romney campaigns in Florida, focuses on economy".

Huck: "Plagued by an empty bank account, GOP presidential contender Mike Huckabee has cut back his Florida schedule to a bare minimum and may be aiming his campaign at Super Tuesday on Feb. 5 rather than the Sunshine State on Jan. 29." "Huckabee Eyes Bank Account, Cuts Florida Schedule".

"Fredheads": "Fred Thompson's exit from the Republican presidential race could boost the fortunes of Mike Huckabee and John McCain." "Where will 'Fredheads' turn?".

Hispanic Vote: "Hispanics' share of the electorate in Florida is growing, but you wouldn't know it from the behavior of the presidential candidates." "Candidates pay little attention to Florida Hispanics".

Should be fun

"The race for the congressional seat of South Florida Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart quickly turned nasty Tuesday after former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez, a Democrat, formally announced he was challenging the 15-year Republican incumbent." Díaz-Balart's response was less than sophisticated:

Díaz-Balart's camp questioned Martinez's ''integrity'' and accused him of being willing to make ``unilateral concessions to the Cuban dictatorship.''"

Red tide

"Floridians next will have to help change what is in water now sent to the sea in runoff and wastewater. That means using different fertilizers, re-using wastewater to irrigate lawns, mandating low-impact design standards for new construction and retrofitting existing homes - and embracing other 'fixes' that research may bring to light." "Turn tide on Florida pollution".

One man's absurdity ...

"Supporters and opponents are exchanging ideas on how to loosen class size-reduction requirements to avoid 'absurd' results." "Debate centers on ways to alter Florida's law limiting class size".

500,000 uninsured children

"The 2007 Children's Health Insurance Study, released earlier this month, shows a slight backslide in the rate of uninsured children -- from 12.1 to 12.6 percent, representing more than 500,000 children. More than half of those uninsured children identified in the survey had been without coverage for more than one year. Meanwhile, 13 percent of the children who did have health insurance went without sometime in the year prior to the survey date." "Better care for kids".

Charlie's "Delusional Budgeting"

The Tampa Trib editorial board: "Crist unveiled an ambitious education budget proposal last week to help win support for the property tax amendment that is on the Jan. 29 ballot. But this deceptive spending plan should make Floridians even more skeptical that Tallahassee can pump up education spending while approving tax cuts and struggling with tight economic times." "Governor's Education Proposal Exercise In Delusional Budgeting".

Florida no "hellhole"

"A nationally known consumer advocate told state senators Tuesday that Florida is far from being the money-losing 'hellhole' that he said insurance companies like to complain about when raising their rates for homeowners." "Official: Fla. doing well for insurance companies".

Stop the presses!

The Sun-Sentinel editors: "Folks, the WGA's members have proven their value and their worth to the industry. It's clear that Hollywood and television producers can't live without them."

And if they can't, then they ought to give the WGA a larger cut of the profits. That's not pandering to unions. That's capitalism.

Space

"Brevard County Commissioner Chuck Nelson and local economic development officials are representing the county's space interests in Washington, D.C., today and Thursday." "Nelson pushes space in D.C.".

"Confused"

"Voters are confused about the proposed property tax amendment, elections officials and property appraisers say." "Property tax initiative trips voters, officials say".

"Both sides have taken liberties with what was billed as a plan so simple it would be a cinch to explain to voters." "Backers, foes fudge facts". More: "For renters, proposed property-tax changes hold little hope of savings". See also "State police chiefs urge 'no vote' on Amendment 1".

On a related subject, the SUn-Sentinel editors write that "it is ridiculous for cities to even think about spending a nickel to send out information on the controversial item to voters. Any effort expended by cities to put this information in the mail to voters is a waste." "Talk about a waste of taxpayer money".

"Nothing liberal"

The Tampa Trib editorial board say that "too many Republicans on the national stage forget the party's past environmental commitment and fail to realize that there is nothing liberal about protecting the public, preserving natural resources and holding polluters accountable." "Crist Leads Party To Conservation Path".

Out here in the fields

"Six members of an Immokalee clan have been charged with harboring undocumented farmworkers and falsifying Social Security documents, and at least two of those suspects have also been indicted on slavery charges." And it ain't as if the feds broke the case with CSI-like detective work. Rather,

The case came to light in November when three workers broke out of a truck in which they had been locked and told their story to Collier County deputies.

charged $30 per week for accommodations. ... [and] paid $50 weekly for food - eggs, rice, beans and tortillas; twice a week they had some sort of meat.

When did Charlie know?

"Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink wants the Legislature to investigate a state investment fund that nearly crashed last year. Until it was too late, Ms. Sink says, she never saw a report critical of the horribly run fund. ... Bill McCollum, another of the three trustees, didn't see it, either".

But what about Charlie? To this point,

it isn't clear whether Gov. Crist, the third trustee of the State Board of Administration, ever saw the damaging audit after it theoretically became available to trustees in March.

last week, Ms. Sink asked legislative leaders to empower the state auditor general to "help get to the bottom of what went wrong at the SBA." Ms. Sink seeks the new probe in addition to "a thorough forensic accounting audit" because the existing "audit process itself may be flawed."

As of late last week, Ms. Sink's office said, she had not received a response.

Delightful

"South Florida has long been a magnet for wealth, and over the past decade, the rich have gotten even richer." "The super-rich: Big money, big donors".

The "primary frontier"

"For the first time in decades, space policy is emerging as a presidential campaign issue and, political strategists say, could become a decisive factor in the race to the White House."

In the run-up to Florida's Jan. 29 primary, candidates have begun to talk about their views on the future of human space exploration. On Friday, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani stopped at Kennedy Space Center to pledge he would give NASA the money it needs to return Americans to the moon and go to Mars. On Monday, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney followed suit.

"State should scrap shadowy defender system"

"Score one for justice -- a Tallahassee judge has shut down the state's attempt to create a 'shadow' public defender system in apparent conflict with the Florida Constitution." "A faulty scheme".

"We cannot have both"

"We want lower taxes. We want lower insurance rates. We cannot have both." "Mike Thomas: Insurance, taxes: 2 sides of the same coin". More: "Senate prepares for insurance tribunal". See also "Even if approved, tax amendment faces hurdles".

Concealed weapons

"Two bills have been offered in the state Legislature that would make it harder for people in Florida to get or keep licenses to carry guns. ... The legislation is the latest response to a 2007 series of articles by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, which revealed that more than 1,400 people had active gun licenses even though courts found them responsible for assaults, burglaries, sexual battery, drug possession, child molestation — even homicide." "Two bills would tighten laws on concealed weapons". Meanwhile, "Marion P. Hammer, Tallahassee lobbyist for the NRA, could not be reached for comment despite messages left at her office.".

MLK Day speech

"Crist commemorated Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday with speeches about the importance of protecting civil rights, including the restoration of voting rights for most felons who have completed their sentences." "Crist marks MLK Day with speech".

And then there's this ...

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "True, from where exactly the governor plans to drum up enough money to jack up per student spending in Florida by 5.5 percent to $7,606 is a huge question mark. Florida's budget has come up woefully short, by billions of dollars in revenue throughout the past year. Prospects for 2008 don't look much better." "State should focus on where to spend extra education money before deciding how to drum it up".

The Orlando Sentinel editors regurgitate right-wing pablum: "Merit pay will work if only given a chance. It doesn't make sense that Florida's best teachers earn about the same as the worst. Paying better teachers more will help keep them in the profession. Merit pay would also inspire other teachers to do better." "Our position: Strong leaders can revive troubled merit-pay plan for teachers".

"Property-tax-relief plan may be in jeopardy"

"Ensconced in a $650,000 home in Golden Eagle Plantation, one of Tallahassee's most exclusive subdivisions, former Indiana attorney and new Florida resident Bob Bruner is an unlikely poster child for 'second-class citizen.' But Bruner and his attorneys are in court arguing just that. The fate of Amendment 1, and its promise of $9.3 billion in property-tax relief, could hang in the balance." "Amendment 1 facing legal challenge". In the meantime, "Amendment 1 support wavers in South Florida".

A bit much ...

"Hailed as the 'first African-American governor of Florida,' by black lawmakers, Gov. Charlie Crist honors the memory of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. today at a series of events in South Florida and Tallahassee." "Crist to celebrate MLK day".

Water woes

Orlando Sentinel editors: "In their haste to deal with the growing water crisis in Central Florida, regional water managers and county officials appear eager to make a bad situation worse." "Our position: Governments haven't done near enough yet to conserve water".

Slots

"When Miami-Dade County voters decide Jan. 29 whether to join Broward voters in allowing Las Vegas-style slot machines into their three ailing pari-mutuels, they may be the last Floridians to have that choice." "Miami-Dade slots vote could spread gambling beyond S. Florida".

"A magnitude 10 to Amendment 1's comparative jostle"

"Lost in the debate and looming larger on the horizon is another constitutional proposal that would jolt Florida's property tax structure to its foundation, a magnitude 10 to Amendment 1's comparative jostle. Leaders of the citizen-driven tax revolt promise to return $8 billion in property taxes in the first year alone, if the 'flat-tax' were adopted. The average taxpayer would see a 26 percent cut. It would slash one county's tax revenue almost in half and another half-dozen counties by more than a third." "Second tax plan evokes praise, fear".

"Small" gains

Bill Cotterell: "This national holiday honoring America's premier civil-rights leader seems like an appropriate time to review the record of state government's progress in employment fairness." "Minorites make gains however small in government".

Busy bees

"FBI agents who moved from Miami to Palm Beach County last fall are investigating a range of crimes, including public corruption, land deals, health-care fraud and the trafficking of young women from South and Central America to work in the sex industry." "FBI agents investigating trafficking, land deals in S. Florida".

"Obsessed with money"

"With reminders of the good life all around, it's no wonder, local financial professionals say, that South Floridians are obsessed with money: making it fast and spending it faster." "Quest for wealth can lead to ruin in South Florida".

Clichés from Florida's cheerleader-in-chief

The Palm Beach Post editors: "Crist wants to sell the property-tax amendment with a cliché. That's because he can't sell Amendment 1 on its merits."

Last Monday before the Forum Club in West Palm Beach, the governor said Amendment 1 is about "freedom."

Class size

The Sun-Sentinel editors want to slide on class size: "Florida's class-size amendment was a feel-good idea that was misguided from the time it was placed on the ballot. Now, there might be a chance to tweak it, making it more affordable and effective." "Time to adjust class size restrictions".

"what will it be like to live in the Sunshine State?"

"Fifty years from now, what will it be like to live in the Sunshine State? To help make the answer to that question a positive one - where there's enough land, energy and water for future generations - the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida set to work in 2005 at the behest of the state Legislature." "Where will we be in 50 years?"

Florida's Dixville Notch

"In this bellwether county, absentee balloting is one signal the political season has picked up steam."

In Pasco, a bellwether county where Republicans outnumber Democrats, the Democratic Party has so far marshaled more voters to cast absentee ballots, 835 to 721.

FCAT Follies

"In most any other context, a state education commissioner's willingness to consider new ways to judge school performance would seem routine, even mundane. But in Florida, where a standardized test has been treated for nearly a decade as the only barometer of success, a simple declaration by new state Education Commissioner Eric Smith made news." "A challenge to FCAT monopoly".

Defenders

"It costs taxpayers less than $200 per case to have criminal defendants represented. Unfortunately, the Florida Public Defender Association says public defender offices around the state are facing budget shortfalls." "State can't scrimp on public defenders".

Soaring swells

"A Miami area state senator said she will request an audit of the South Florida Water Management District's use of its aircraft to ferry board members to meetings and other events between cities as close as West Palm Beach and Miami and for trips with only one passenger." "Legislator wants review of water officials' flights".