narrowly and surprisingly rejected a plan to expand school vouchers. Then they turned their attention to the revenue cap, whose sponsor had stripped it bare in an attempt to save it. That led to a free-for-all of late amendments that either strengthened or weaken the main proposal.

So amid the confusion, Bense called a timeout.

He scheduled another meeting for April 14 ...

Friday's 10-hour meeting showed how complicated the government process can be, with a dizzying array of proposals as diverse as school vouchers (which, in a surprise twist, failed) and a revenue cap (which was debated for hours but not voted on). [the cap would set a ceiling on state, city, county revenue]

Confusion and jockeying over the cap — including behind-the-scenes lobbying by former Gov. Jeb Bush — made clear that the issue needed more work before a vote.

The long-awaited vote on a proposal to set a ceiling on state, city, county and special taxing district revenue was delayed because of the many amendments that commissioners proposed.

The panel approved one suggested change in wording that would require the Legislature to set the caps on government revenue at all levels. The commission deleted a clause that would have required any increase in local taxes to be approved first by voters. But all that could be changed again at the commission's next meeting April 14.

It takes 17 votes from the 25-member commission to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. If 60 percent of Floridians voting agree, the change becomes law.

Last week, the commission agreed to let voters decide whether to remove the state constitution's ban on state funds being used to aid religious institutions.

Sometimes only ad hominem will do

Idiot: "House Speaker Marco Rubio has publicly questioned the state's role in environmental regulation, even hinting recently that the Department of Environmental Protection could be abolished."

RPOF voter suppression scheme gets green light

"Florida temporarily can enforce a law that disqualifies any voter registration where the Social Security or driver's license number on the application can't be matched with government databases, an appeals court ruled."

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta on Thursday said a lower court shouldn't have ordered a temporary injunction in December that prevented Florida from enforcing an anti-fraud law that dismissed applications when matches couldn't be made.

Plaintiffs sued in September, arguing the law could easily and unfairly exclude people based on simple mistakes. For example, if someone got their driver's license number wrong by one digit, they could be prevented from registering.

Spineless RPOFers

"Crist and his fellow Republican lawmakers would rather discuss just about anything else. A mind-set grips the Capitol that cutting spending is the only way to manage an epic downturn in revenue, 'no matter the consequences,' as one veteran lobbyist put it this week." "Florida legislators are driven by a fear of taxes".

We got no stinkin' TB in our gated communities

RPOFers apparently think [sic] that TB is only for poor people that don't vote: "House Republican leaders want to shut down A.G. Holley State Hospital in Lantana by the end of the year, despite the state Department of Health's fears that moving its tuberculosis patients could jeopardize public safety." "Lantana center for TB faces ax".

Delegate dance

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "Republicans usually are thought of as the preferred party of religious true believers. But it is the Democrats who have embraced the certainty of miracles." The hullabaloo over the supposed delegate agreement is premature because

in truth no agreement has been reached on seating Florida's delegates. The joint statement says only that they are "committed to doing everything we can" to get Florida's wayward delegates seated.

Moreover, it is clear that Dr. Dean and Ms. Thurman don't think that accomplishing this task is their responsibility, even though the DNC precipitated the crisis by bouncing Florida's delegates. Real responsibility for reconciliation, it turns out, is left to the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

So, the agreement between the national and state party officials accomplishes exactly ... nothing.

Sen. Clinton, who won Florida but is behind nationally, wants the delegates. Sen. Obama would seat them only if doing so still would leave him ahead. To seat them under any other circumstances would require either Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama to ignore self-interest.

As soon as that happens, Florida can toast victory - with wine created from water.

They're at it yet again

The supplicant scolds on the The Orlando Sentinel editorial board have had a "eureka!" moment - they breathlessly report that they have learned, via a high hifalutin "Orlando Sentinel investigation", that workers are more likely to call in sick on Friday's and Mondays. Duh? Here's the rub: the editors - in their unceasing effort to let their corporate (slumlord) master know that they are good little workers who would never do anything to offend the owners, take the issue on with, of all people ... teachers - "It's irresponsible and costly for teachers to take sick days when they are well".

Florida teacher enjoys yet another Friday sick day at her beach house

'Glades games

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "House leaders are casting their decision to delete the entire $500-million allocation for Florida Forever land-buying and Everglades cleanup as an agonizing choice in a difficult budget year. But state revenue has dropped by 7 percent, not 100 percent, which suggests that belt-tightening is not the only motivation."

The Senate is unlikely to agree to the House's radical approach on the Everglades and land conservation. But the House Republican proposal should not be easily forgotten. It speaks to an ideological opportunism and an environmental hostility that voters might want to remember in the fall.

The suggestion to slash Everglades and Florida Forever money to nothing came from a House committee chaired by Rep. Stan Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, who has said that the choice is between "programs we love" and providing money for "critical services for our vulnerable citizens and seniors." Rep. Mayfield and his aides, who did not return a phone call, have characterized the choices poorly. Money for the Everglades and "critical services" for children and seniors is on one side; millions in tax incentives that the Legislature should cut even if special interests object are on the other.

Florida's congressional delegation sent a threatening letter to state House Speaker Marco Rubio and other legislative leaders, warning that cutting state money for Everglades cleanup could "undermine" the state's ability to get federal money now and in the future. After seven years of stalling, Congress finally passed a water projects bill last fall, and only now has begun to authorize money for Everglades projects, including the Indian River Lagoon Restoration Plan in Martin County. As one Everglades supporter notes, the letter is "like a deadbeat dad threatening a responsible mother, telling her not to quit her job if she ever hopes to receive child support."

No good hands

"The state is allowed to suspend Allstate Insurance Co. and nine affiliates from selling any new policies in Florida, a state appeals court ruled Friday." "Allstate can be barred, court rules". See also "Appeals court upholds state's suspension of Allstate companies" and "Ruling: State can ban Allstate".

'Ya think?

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Innocent people sent to prison shouldn't have to fight in Legislature".

Uh ... wasn't Siplin was exonerated ... ?

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "State Sen. Gary Siplin has proven he's as sleazy as authorities thought when they prosecuted him two years ago. The Orlando Democrat was convicted of felony grand theft in 2006 before the Fifth District Court of Appeal reversed the conviction late last year." "Another Outrage Courtesy Of Gary Siplin".

Compare that with the The Tampa Tribune's polite ode to the Poe the other day: "It may be tempting to dismiss Bill Poe as another influential executive who sought to scam the system and the public. But his past should count for something. Bill Poe deserves a chance to make his case."

One wonders how many cocktails the editors and Mr. Poe have shared together over the years.

One does not wonder how many times the Trib editors have shared quality time with Mr. Siplin.

For more on Mister Poe, see our comments the other day our admittedly over the top "Enough with the hard charging, risk taking, job creating, entrepreneurial crap" (scroll down).

Bee "Colony Collapse Disorder"

Jamie Ellis, a University of Florida assistant professor of entomology, "is collaborating with the U.S. and Florida agriculture departments on about 20 bee-related research projects, said researchers are considering roughly a dozen major possibilities for the cause of the disorder." "Researchers buzzing over what's causing collapses of bee colonies".

90% of editors polled believe Jebbie is fab

"In the poll, 81 percent of respondents said they thought "things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track," up from 69 percent a year ago and 35 percent in early 2002." "American dissatisfaction hits new high, poll finds".

Canes

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "Florida, and Washington, have work to do to prepare state for hurricane season".

Less planning?

"To stay open as Planned Parenthood of South Palm Beach and Broward Counties, the ailing local group will have to persuade its parent agency to keep it. Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. will drop the local agency, based in Boca Raton, within a month unless it appeals the decision, federation officials told the group this week." "Planned Parenthood may drop Boca-based affiliate".

Privatization follies

One "In Florida's booming prison economy there are winners and losers. Inmates face financial ruin and state taxpayers lose, too - about $17,000 per year, per inmate. Prison entrepreneurs, for whom each inmate is a government-subsidized business opportunity, are the big winners." "Derail the Florida prison gravy train".

Fraser mentions this recently published tome, "Prison Profiteers: Who Makes Money from Mass Incarceration". Publishers Weekly describes the book as allowing readers to

follow the money to an astonishing constellation of prison administrators and politicians working in collusion with private parties to maximize profits at the expense of taxpayers, community health and, of course, the 2.3 million inmates nationwide. The overarching narrative, laid out clearly in the opening article by Judy Greene, finds a system increasingly dominated by select, minimally accountable private companies for whom profitability depends on the promise of more and longer convictions. As such, investment in treatment programs, education and family assistance is diverted to organizations delivering substandard food and "health care" that allows hepatitis C to reach levels one doctor compares to "the Dark Ages with the plague"; corruption runs all the way down to prison phone contracts. Cruelty and administrative stupidity come in many forms, claim the authors; guards earning $5.77 per hour beat the young inmates of a Louisiana juvenile facility while abuse schemes and political back-scratching trump efforts to police them, as evidenced by the growth of industry tradeshows and companies (such as International Taser). This is lucid, eye-opening reading for anyone interested in American justice.

PAC ... What PAC?

"A Martin County commissioner's trial on elections violation charges has been put on hold while a court sorts out whether the state Elections Commission had the authority to investigate Commissioner Susan Valliere and her husband. ... Former County Commissioner Donna Melzer last year accused the Vallieres of violating elections laws using a political action committee run by Jim Valliere. Melzer said the PAC bought signs and paid other services that violated the $500 limit on in-kind donations for the candidates. The Vallieres have contended that they did nothing wrong and the commissioner did not know the activities of her husband's PAC." "Martin commissioner's trial on election charges postponed".

A tip for our ink stained wretches:Technically, there is no such thing as a "PAC" within the meaning of Florida election law. Florida law recognizes "PCs" and "CCEs", "Political Committees" and "Committees of Continuous Existence" respectively. "Political Action Committees", or "PACs", relate to federal election law.

Please, no swiftboating

"In Jacksonville, McCain revisits his military roots".

What a bargain!

I want somma that: "Florida man who was wrongly imprisoned for 24 years awarded $1.25M" ("in prison, he was stabbed, and his mother -- who encouraged him not to give up -- died. He couldn't get out to be with her as she passed or go to her funeral.")

Seriously, there is something so painfully wrong about this picture. I would prefer seeing a picture of the "five victims [who] made in-court identifications of Crotzer" apologizing for destroying an innocent man's life. It would also to be interesting to hear from the persecutors who prepped these "victims" for trial and made sure their testimony fit the theory; one also wonders about the police officers who were involved in the initial identifications.

We can only thank God this wasn't a Capital offense; then again, we all know - because we have been so told - that Florida has never executed an innocent person.

"Alarming increase in the number of crimes involving guns"

"The rate of serious crimes in Florida edged up in 2007 after years of declines, with a particularly alarming increase in the number of crimes involving guns." "Report: serious crime a bit higher in Florida in 2007".

From the "values" crowd

"House Healthcare Chairman Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, said the potential DCF cuts are deeper than anyone anticipated earlier this year. But overall, the dwindling tax revenue could force roughly $1 billion in cuts from health and human-services programs." "Stipends for foster kids among proposed budget cuts".

"Turning opportunity into opportunism"

DThe Daytona Beach News-Journal editorial board writes that "the Legislature's attempt to revamp the state's energy laws is turning opportunity into opportunism. The Legislature is using the green-economy mantle to make proposals it couldn't have made before -- build nuclear plants with fewer regulations and stretch high-power electric lines across conservation lands, for example, in the name of cheap energy, while requiring only marginal improvements in the state's reliance on alternative energy production. Such proposals continue to encourage both consumption and the notion that cheap energy is an entitlement, rather than, for now, a limited resource." "Greening Florida for whom?".

"Alllllllllll aboard for Gooberville!"

Daniel Ruth may be wrong about this one - Kinda disappointing to read him whining about a Busch Gardens Chamber of Commerce hack losing out on a political appointment to one "Alligator Bob, otherwise known as Bob Young, an alligator trapper, hiking guide and purveyor of various alligator meat snacks".

Thanks to the Hillsborough County Commission, once again it's "Alllllllllll aboard for Gooberville!"

Think about this for a moment. Suppose you were an Orange County commissioner and you were considering appointments to your local tourist development council.

The choice for the final seat on the board was between Disney World or Crazy Larry's Ear Wax Museum. What to do? What to do?

Now let's travel just a few short miles west to Hillsborough County, the Area 51 of government.

A few days ago, the county commission was pondering appointments for a seat on the Hillsborough County Tourist Development Council.

The song thing

"If history is a river, let it take the state song".

Red ink

"A winning investment, a deal with doctors and rising inflation added up to very different outcomes for three of [the Palm Beach County] region's four nonprofit hospitals." "Nonprofit hospitals skirt tide of red ink".

One man's entrepreneurship is another man's "case of monumental looting"

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "A lawsuit by state regulators paints the collapse of the Poe insurance companies as a case of monumental looting. Regulators say Poe executives paid out $143-million in awards and dividends to William F. Poe Sr., his family and company managers even as the firms hurtled toward bankruptcy —the costs of which are now being borne by all insured Floridians."

Some questions which will never be formally answered:

- What happened between 2004 and 2006, as Poe's affiliates were going under?

- Why did regulators not intervene earlier, or move to help stabilize Poe's businesses?

- Did contributions from the Poe family and board members to state political candidates during that time — to, among others, then-Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher and the two top candidates to succeed him — induce officials to change their role from watchdog to enabler?

Investigation

"Federal authorities have launched an investigation into the treatment of inmates at Miami-Dade County's jails." "Justice Department investigates conditions at Miami-Dade's jails". Aren't most people in jail merely awaiting trial (having simply been arrested), many of who are there because they cannot afford to bond out?

The dipper debate

The St. Petersburg Times brings, perhaps by accident, a little clarity to the "double dipper" debate:

Many multiple-dippers are low-ranking state employees who retired years ago when pensions were low, and they don't make much money now. Some only work part-time or handle critical jobs while replacements are sought. Many are teachers who have been urged to stick around and help out schools facing a teacher shortage.

But questions surround the more than 200 elected officials and 200 senior managers who have quietly "retired'' and continue working, sometimes drawing six-figure salaries on top of lucrative pension payments. Many remain in the same job where they earned their pension.

Yesterday's news

April 4 datelines we missed yesterday:

- "Republican lawmakers Thursday thwarted restrictions to a bill that permits Floridians to have locked, concealed firearms in their cars at work, at the mall - and as Democrats argued - at private schools and day-care centers." "Attempts to muzzle guns bill stopped". RPOFers are so pusillanimous, they wanna be locked and loaded at "day-care centers"?

- The "lawmakers set to lead the Florida Legislature during the next four years want more direction from the panel that is on the verge of placing two mammoth tax proposals on the November ballot." "Will painful tax calls be left to lawmakers?".

- "McCain gets head start in Florida while Democrats wait on nominee".

- The Miami Herald editorial board: "In the throes of a budget crisis, state legislators are primed to cut funding for public schools and other vital services. So why would they consider expanding a school-voucher program that would siphon $140 million from the state over four years? It makes no sense." "Straight to the point".

- More from The Miami Herald editorial board: "the House spent two hours Wednesday discussing and then voting, 70-45, to adopt a bill requiring women seeking abortions to first submit to an ultrasound. Attention: Lawmakers -- the number of Floridians interested in further complicating a woman's constitutional right to choose is minuscule compared to those who want to fix Florida's economy and cut windstorminsurance premiums. Isn't it about time that the Legislature, dominated by men, stop these yearly attempts to hijack the rights of one-half the state's population? C'mon, folks, get back to the business of managing state government and stop meddling in women's private lives."

- Still more from The Miami Herald editorial board: "Senate President Ken Pruitt persuaded fellow senators to pass a bill that would radically change how the university system is run for the third time in less than a decade. Such constant change encourages chaos, not learning. House Speaker Marco Rubio and lawmakers should say No to the bill (HB 7025)."

- "Florida ballot could have many tax plans".

- "Florida lawmakers want voters to overhaul the state's education system for the fourth time in less than a decade, promising that this go-around, they've got it right." "Battle to control universities driving Pruitt's overhaul bid".

Choice politics

"The Florida House on Wednesday mounted what critics called a two-pronged assault on abortion rights, passing legislation that would require pregnant women to undergo ultrasound exams before getting abortions and effectively defining life at conception for criminal prosecutions."

Remember all the hullaballoo about this bonehead being appointed to fill her husband's position:

"I can't imagine any man having a surgical procedure without prior tests," Rep. Marti Coley, R-Panama City, said during debate over the ultrasound bill. "As a woman, as a mother, I ask you to support this bill, not to invade privacy, but to ensure that all women are offered safe health care."

Laff riot

As the AP noted yesterday, "Crist a possible McCain VP?".

No word yet on the intangibles "fee"

The courageous RPOFers in Tally are playing word games - repeat to yourself over and over, "fees" are not taxes: "From the courthouse to the college lecture hall to the driver's-license office, Floridians could pay higher fees as part of legislative plans to pump up the state's withering budget. The proposed fees [sic] from the Republican-led Legislature come while lawmakers prepare to slash spending as much as $5 billion in next year's budget." "State could jack up fees".

Voucher madness

"While state lawmakers scavenge for dollars to run crucial services, a legislative committee agreed Wednesday to possibly take in $150 million less from corporations over the next five years."

The money would be diverted away from public schools and toward school vouchers for private secular and religious schools for low-income families.

The annual $30 million less the state would collect in the corporate taxes could equate to an additional 8,000 children each year receiving the maximum $3,750 Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship to attend private institutions.

"The duplicity is too rich not to observe with some awe"

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "Citizens who are fed up with overburdened highways and water restrictions may want to pay close attention to a bill written by Dean Cannon, in line to become speaker of the Florida House in 2010."

The duplicity is too rich not to observe with some awe. After all, the Florida Legislature doesn't trust mayors and city commissions with their own tax dollars, thinks county property appraisers need to prove the validity of their assessments and could care less whether a school principal deems certain teachers worthy of extra pay. So when a House council considers writing into law that city and county officials should be "presumed to be correct," one has to wonder what has left legislators so smitten.

The answer is as obvious as the bulldozers and construction cranes that dot the local landscape: developers.

That's right. In a bill being offered by the House Economic Expansion and Infrastructure Council, lawmakers would turn the 1985 Growth Management Act upside down. The reason the law exists is because cities and counties were giving green lights to almost every developer who wanted to build condo towers or shopping strips. That's why the state is required to make sure that new developments are consistent with city, county and state plans. ...

Aside from the presumption of correctness, the bill also would: loosen standards for intensive development on existing rural lands, weaken requirements to upgrade overburdened roads before allowing new construction, and give cities and counties three more years to prove their development plans are financially feasible.

Why do some editorial boards ...

... confuse "freedom" with "materialism? In a Miami Herald editorial this morning, with the word with "freedom" in the headline, the lede is "Change is happening in Cuba, but its impact is still uncertain. Under Raúl Castro, the government is lifting some old prohibitions. If they can afford it, ordinary Cubans can now buy what could be sold only to foreigners and top government officials: computers, cellphones, microwaves and other appliances. Cubans may also stay in luxury hotels and rent cars ...". "Thirst for freedom not easily restrained".

RPOFer "Dark Ages" values

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "heartless, irresponsible state budget cuts proposed in the name of saving $1 billion on health and human services."

As one nursing home director correctly described the proposed cuts, which would eliminate nursing home staffing requirements, Florida "is going back to the Dark Ages.

Such cuts appeal more to most Republican legislators than drawing new, available revenue by closing sales-tax exemptions and loopholes that benefit non-Florida corporations and the wealthy. Senate Democrats, for example, want to close tax loopholes involving the real-estate transfer tax, which wealthy developers use to avoid paying the state up to $200 million a year; off-shore or out-of-state tax shelters, which corporations use to avoid paying up to $400 million a year in taxes to Florida; and deep-sea fishing charters, which could draw an estimated $65 million.

One panel unanimously agreed on a justice system budget that includes eliminating 2,200 positions from the Department of Corrections and 382 from court support staff. ...

The prison reductions are a powerful bargaining chip to get legislative leaders to allocate more money for the entire justice system, Crist said. That's because the prison cuts could lead to the early release of inmates under a federal court order that prohibits overcrowding.

The House's $65 billion proposed budget bill for the fiscal year that starts July 1 would cut fewer prison jobs — 900 — but more court support positions — 542. Judges and other elected judicial officials cannot be let go.

Florida lawmakers are slashing services to the poor with a rusty sling blade.

They do that rather than eliminate special-interest tax exemptions for corporations and wealthy residents.

Evangelical leaders such as Joel Hunter are questioning the morality of a regressive tax system that targets low-income residents, and then hits them with the deepest cuts.

It's a new twist on injecting Christian ideology into government.

Mend it, don't end it

The Senate proposal earmarks $79 million less for schools than a House plan released earlier this week that led officials in Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties to warn that job cuts were likely.".

"Florida's once-praised system of using tax dollars to help candidates running for statewide office could become political history."

The Florida House voted Wednesday to scrap the system that offers candidates for governor and state Cabinet posts the chance to tap public financing if they agree to overall spending limits. ...

The law was designed to curtail the influence of big-money contributors by imposing spending limits and by providing public funds to candidates whose rivals exceeded the spending cap. But critics said it was made toothless by changes that allowed politicians to tap more than $11 million in taxpayer cash in the 2006 elections.

The Republican-led Legislature voted in 2005 to dramatically raise the ceiling on how much candidates could raise from private givers and still tap taxpayer cash for their campaigns. This allowed Charlie Crist to raise more than $20 million in his 2006 race for governor and still receive $3.3 million in taxpayer money for commercials and campaigning.

Enough with the hard charging, risk taking, job creating, entrepreneurial crap

"As Poe insurance companies sank toward insolvency after two record hurricane seasons, Poe family members and managers were not just collecting hefty payments, they were also flexing their political muscle."

Poe board members and family members gave more than $65,000 to state political candidates during the 2006 election cycle, even as their companies' bottom line plummeted.

About $38,000 went to the Republican Party of Florida and $6,500 to the Florida Democratic Party.

About the same time, Poe was paying its own managers and family members more than $100-million in dividends, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Former Tampa Mayor Bill Poe Sr. and 19 others, including his wife and five children, have been sued by Florida regulators for engaging in what the state alleges was an elaborate scheme to divert more than $140-million from three property insurance companies even as the companies hurtled toward bankruptcy.

The Poe companies were hit with more than $2.5-billion in wind damage claims from the storms of 2004-05 and suffered a net loss of $369-million. Those losses triggered a series of assessments on all Floridians' insurance bills that are still in effect. ...

Regulators last fall signed off on a 2 percent assessment to cover Poe's debt — the third such levy in the past 16 months. With the latest assessment, which began last month, everyone in Florida who buys homeowners or auto insurance is paying an extra $20 for every $1,000 in premium.

The suit alleges that top Poe executives on dozens of occasions transferred millions of dollars out of the insurance operation in the form of dividends and capital contributions to top executives and Poe family members. Bill Poe Sr. alone accounted for a total of $25-million in dividends.

"I lost every dollar of profit I ever made in Wilma."

But the damage FAU's stature is incalcuable

"The expenses, which were paid for with private donations and $25,000 from the FAU Foundation, include thousands of dollars for security, food, décor, and $1,200 in Port-O-Lets." "FAU spent $200,000 hosting GOP debate".

Larcenia?

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "Why would a member of Palm Beach County's legislative delegation want to force the county to approve a landowner's plan for a 3,000-home community? Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami, voted last week for Senate Bill 2246, which would give Callery-Judge Grove in central-western Palm Beach County protection from local opposition. She was on the losing end of a 4-2 vote, but the bill will be reconsidered today." "Rigged development deck".

Daniel Ruth ...

... has the latest on "state Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Tammy Faye Bakker Only Without The Sense Of Whimsy". See "Her 'Academic Freedom'? Not Free, Just Dumb".

Foreclosure World

"Palm Beach County foreclosure filings cooled a bit from February to March, but remained well above 2007 levels, according to the Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller's Office." "PBC foreclosures dip but still top 2007 figures".

FCAT Follies

"The FCAT, used to measure schools' achievement, could become just one of several factors used to grade state high schools under a bill that's cleared the Senate and is waiting for House action." "Proposed bill would limit FCAT score's impact on Florida high schools' grades".

Potential disaster for Floridians

"A federal appeals court in Atlanta has denied the News-Journal Corp.'s last challenge in the dispute over the value of the shares held by its minority partner, Cox Enterprises. Now that the appeal is over, the News-Journal Corp. is left with two basic options:"

Pay Cox the $129 million set by the court for its 47.5 percent share.

Move for a court sale of the 79-year-old family-owned newspaper company.

Sickening

"For three years, lawmakers have tried to establish an automatic system for compensating the wrongly imprisoned so they might avoid the bureaucratic tangle Crotzer and others have had to navigate. But once again, a solution is elusive."

The central problem is over some lawmakers' insistence that automatic payments wouldn't apply to anyone with a prior felony conviction, a measure that would have barred Crotzer [for the 24 years he spent in prison for a double rape he did not commit. DNA evidence exonerated him in 2006.].

But Florida Republicans, who control the House and Senate, insist on such a requirement.

have laws that have resulted in payments to nearly half of the 215 prisoners who have been exonerated since the first DNA case in 1989.

None preclude people with prior felonies.

"It makes us a leader in compensation but in all the wrong ways," said Seth Miller, staff attorney for the Innocence Project of Florida. "It's ridiculous."

Runnin' government like a business

"DCF officials have no choice but to implement safeguards that will prevent abuse of public funds in the future. It seems very clear that, wrongdoing or not, DCF's oversight policies appear lax." "DCF needs better financial controls".

Windy

"Two weeks after scaling back a plan to put wind turbines on Hutchinson Island, Florida Power & Light Co. officials released a survey Wednesday attesting to what they say is broad support across St. Lucie County for the more modest proposal." "Survey supports turbines, FPL says".".

Lobbyists now recruiting children who can sing

"Broward Democrats waging an uphill battle against the powerful insurance industry to mandate coverage for autistic children have a new ally: Republican Gov. Charlie Crist. Crist this week made a surprise appearance at a Senate committee where the bill by Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller, of Cooper City, was scheduled for a vote. The governor had been monitoring the meeting on the Capitol's closed circuit television, and decided to appear after he heard the singing of an autistic child" "Gov. Charlie Crist backs mandatory insurance for autism".

Yeah ... he was just "great"

Clay Shaw "a former Fort Lauderdale mayor who represented Broward and Palm Beach counties in Congress for 26 years, received the award from Gov. Charlie Crist, who praised him as 'a truly great Floridian' and a 'champion of the Everglades.'" "State panel honors former U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw as a Great Floridian".

Whatever

"Don't expect to get free ice any longer from the federal government after a hurricane, FEMA's boss said Wednesday." "FEMA boss Paulison, of Davie, to leave at end of Bush's term".

Lotharios in the Legislature's cross hairs

"Laws aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence would be extended to victims of dating violence under a bill passed by the House." "Dating violence in focus".

The commission voted last week to put a measure on the ballot that would sharply weaken the state's guarantees of church-state separation.

What has that to do with the state's tax and budgetary policies — issues the commission is charged with acting on? Not much. The action was a political move designed to shield the former governor's school voucher programs from legal challenge, since the vouchers are often used to fund parochial school education.

It took 17 votes from the 25-member commission to move the measure to the November ballot and 17 votes it received, including one "yea" vote from Darryl Rouson, whose current candidacy for a state legislative seat has the support of a group that promotes school vouchers.

Who elected this idiot?

"In the face of multibillion-dollar spending cuts contemplated for health care and schools, House Speaker Marco Rubio is pushing a plan that could curtail state and local government spending even more." "Florida House speaker pushes more tax cuts".

Joe on a roll

Joe Garcia, a Miami-Dade Democrat running for Congress,

said Tuesday he has raised more than $320,000 -- much of it from online contributions -- in his bid to oust U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart.

Garcia, who said he began raising money halfway through the three-month fundraising quarter that ended Monday night, said the contributions were from nearly 2,000 donors.

You get what lobbyists pay for

"After meeting for 4½ weeks, lawmakers have agreed on only one thing: Deleting more than $500 million from the current state budget because of a tanking state economy. The Republican-led House and Senate have debated and voted on other high-profile issues like penalizing children who wear saggy pants to school, changing Florida's school grading system and whether employees should be able to take their guns along in their cars when they go to work." "Major budget woes paralyze Florida legislators".

Who needs Florida?

"Some question whether Barack Obama, the Democratic front-runner, will spend the huge amounts of campaign time and money it takes to fight for Florida if he becomes the nominee. The reason is simple:"

Florida is one of the most expensive states in the nation in which to campaign, and Democrats don't have to win it to win the presidency.

"Since you don't need it and it costs so much to play, it's an argument that will be had," said Derek Newton, a veteran Miami Democratic political consultant. "I think they should, but it's not a sure thing."

Thomas Schaller, a University of Maryland-Baltimore County political scientist specializing in presidential politics. ... said Florida won't disappear from the Democrats' electoral map.

That map, he said, is becoming more predictable - only four states switched sides between 2000 and 2004.

[It's the fourth-largest state, with the fourth-largest number of electoral votes. Of the top four, however, it's the only one considered a swing state. California, with 55 electoral votes, and New York with 31 are reliably Democratic. Texas, with 34, is reliably Republican.]

"We're going to be fighting over the same eight to 10 states as in 2004," and Florida is among them, he said - possibly more so because of the end of the Bush era, in which Jeb Bush held the governor's mansion during both his brother's campaigns.

the election of Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, the re-election of Sen. Bill Nelson and Democratic gains in Congress and the state House, he said 2006 was "the best election year the Democrats have had in the state in several decades," a trend that should convince the nominee to play here.

Mellman, however, said Ohio "is going to be seen as slightly more fertile ground than Florida," citing the 2006 election of a Democratic governor and senator. Both replaced Republicans after the former administration was dogged by corruption issues and a flagging economy.

Also, Devine said Obama "might be willing to concede Florida if he can make headway in New Mexico, Iowa, Missouri or Colorado" - the state where Democrats are holding their national convention. The Western states are considered to be in play because of increasing numbers of Hispanic voters there.

All tomorrow's parties

"After meeting behind closed doors to discuss strategy on Tuesday, Florida Democrats in Congress plan to press national party Chairman Howard Dean today to publicly promise to seat the state's delegates at the national nominating convention."

The House members were mum after the strategy session. But Karen Thurman, chairwoman of the state party, said she and the members will present ideas to Dean at a meeting this morning to try to resolve the dispute over Florida's delegates.

"Florida's dirty little secret" (at least one of 'em)

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "The new commissioner [education] should do away with Florida's dirty little secret. Earning a GED certificate is not the same thing as fulfilling the requirements for a high school diploma. Yet Florida continues to count the state diplomas awarded to those who pass the GED test as regular high school graduates. Florida should own up and tell citizens the truth - our high schools are not as successful as the state has reported. Indeed, Florida's Department of Education routinely reports a graduation rate as much as 10 points higher than what researchers have found. The Manhattan Institute, which doesn't include GEDs, put Florida's graduation rate at 59 percent in its 2005 study. And researchers at Johns Hopkins last year arrived at roughly the same percentage, tagging Florida and South Carolina high schools as the worst 'dropout factories' in the nation. By their accounts, half of Florida's high schools earned that disturbing moniker." "Feds Will Make Florida Face Up To High School Graduation Failures".

A burden of proof thing

"It could become easier for property owners to win challenges against county property appraisers to reduce their valuations and their taxes. A Florida House panel approved two bills by wide margins Tuesday that would reduce and/or shift the burden of proof in contesting valuations. In the measures, county property appraisers would have to prove they were correct in their assessments instead of homeowners or businesses proving they were not." "Proving values would shift to appraisers in House bill".

More good jobs

Many of Florida's best jobs are going away: "NASA officials Tuesday tried to downplay concerns over their forecast that more than 8,000 workers across the country could lose their jobs when the space shuttle retires,"

but members of Congress, a key contractor and union officials said the agency's "worst-case" scenario may be too optimistic.

In particular, they said, Kennedy Space Center faces the loss of hundreds more positions in addition to the 6,400 contractor jobs that NASA said could disappear when the shuttle fleet is retired in 2010.

About 15,000 people work at KSC today, including 8,000 spacecraft-contract workers as well as support and federal civil-service employees.

"Fearless"?

"The Senate transportation committee on Tuesday passed a bill that's meant to crack down on fearless, reckless driving by motorcyclists." "Brakes sought on reckless motorcycling". See also "Tougher street-racing stance gains clout".

I thought it was that thing with a bottle of Coke

"Some Florida teens believe drinking Mountain Dew or smoking marijuana will prevent pregnancy and that swallowing a capful of bleach will prevent HIV/AIDS. One reason those dangerous myths have spread is the state's reliance on abstinence-only sex education, say advocates of a bill to require a more comprehensive approach in Florida's schools." "Florida Senate bill would require schools to teach more about sex".

The "free enterprise" crowd in a tizzy

"Lake Worth's Edlon Garvey needed money to pay his medical bills to place stents in his heart. So, he took it out of his home."

But when the payments became too much on his refinanced home loan, the delivery driver says his lender would not allow him to negotiate to lower his payments. His home is now in foreclosure.

"The way you feel when you're trapped in it, you feel like you're going to die," said Garvey, 52, one of about 50 protesters who built a tent city Tuesday on the lawn of the Historic Capitol to illustrate the thousands of Floridians who have lost homes in foreclosures.

The display advocated for legislation (HB 979 and SB 2846) to restrict high-interest subprime mortgages.

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which produced the "Subprime City," hopes some of the legislation would be included in recommendations from Gov. Charlie Crist's task force on foreclosures, which meets today.

I see, replace intangibles tax with a sin tax on the poor man's vice

"At 34 cents, Florida's sales tax on a pack of cigarettes is higher than only four other states. Sen. Ted Deutch says it's time for a hike - and a big one." "Deutch targets low cigarette tax".

What about a tax on 10 dollar cigars? How about an intangibles tax?

"Catching up to do"

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board writes that "instead of seizing the moment, the Bush administration is trying follow its own money to who knows where. The Bush administration, like the Castro regime, has its own catching up to do." "End to cell phone, hotel bans shows how far behind Cuba is" ("The administration says one change it will make is that it will award the free-Cuba money to European and Latin American groups seeking change in Cuba. Yes, more outsourcing.")

"Could there be a little pre-emption going on?"

"State Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Lutz, who has already filed to run for re-election this year, also filed Tuesday to run for the state Senate in 2010. He will seek the seat occupied by Victor Crist, R-Tampa, who has to leave then due to term limits."

Interesting thing, his longtime pal and fellow Republican, Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman, was planning to file for the same Senate seat today. Norman has made clear for years that he plans to run for the seat.

Charlie on the edge of his seat with anticipation

"Interviewed by radio talk show host Don Imus, McCain did not offer any details of his search for a running mate. ... McCain has given no hint of his thinking on a running mate, although he frequently speaks warmly of his former rivals for the nomination, particularly former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Among the other possible choices are several governors: Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty, Florida's Charlie Crist, Mississippi's Haley Barbour, South Carolina's Mark Sanford and Utah's Jon Huntsman Jr." "McCain compiles list of running mates".

As Florida burns ... we debate feet, songs, license plates, and cell phones?

"State law prohibits sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools, day-care centers, parks or playgrounds. Cities and governments can expand those limits and at least 10 counties - including Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade - have increased the restriction to 2,500 feet. But the bill (SB 1430) would set 1,500 feet as the only standard across the state." "Statewide standard limit for sex offenders proposed".

"Some of the very legislators who made history last week by apologizing for Florida's slave history are showing persistent fondness for the state song that refers to blacks as 'darkeys.'" "Rural Florida legislators balk at replacing state song".

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "Blot out specialty license plate proliferation with moratorium" and "Solid legislative measure has good shot at stemming metals theft".

"Drivers under 18 would be banned from gabbing on cellphones under a bill approved unanimously by the Senate transportation committee on Tuesday." "Senate bill answers cellphone-behind-wheel problem".

"Ignorance"

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "State legislators don't know how much rock Florida needs for road-building or how much rock lies underground. They admit as much in a bill to be heard today. But that ignorance hasn't stopped legislators from adding to the bill a terrible condition that would strip zoning control from communities and empower the mining industry." "Don't strip mine control".

"Something rather appealing"

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "There is something rather appealing about watching Wal-Mart in such a position, especially since the real victim in this case is the environment." "Wal-Mart cries foul despite clout".

Flipping a coin

President of Fla. Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, A. Russell Smith writes that "under current Florida law, the court's determination about whether a confession was illegally forced from a suspect, or whether the suspect ever really confessed at all can be no more accurate than flipping [a] thin dime." "Law would require recorded confession".

Hillsborough

"New Voting Machines Debut".

Arresting lawyers

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "To prosecute Miami attorney Ben Kuehne as though he launders drug money morphs the war on drugs into a crusade against lawyers." "Attorney's indictment sends bad message".

Heaven Help us

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: Do we really need these geniuses to tell us how to run our schools? "Florida TaxWatch on Tuesday suggested that public schools are going to have to rethink the way they do business beyond the classroom in order to protect the classroom."

That is, said TaxWatch CEO Dominic Calabro, school districts must redirect dollars through "smart business and smart policy" such as changing the way they purchase noninstructional services such as transportation, food services and maintenance.

LEOs

"Get convicted of killing or attempting to kill a law enforcement officer and be prepared to spend the rest of your life behind bars." "Bills would toughen laws for hurting law enforcement officers".

Same old song

"Causing the death of a fetus would lead to a murder charge, no matter how far along the pregnancy is, under a bill passed in the House on Wednesday." "Fetus protection bill passes House, little movement in Senate".

Whatever

"With Gov. Charlie Crist making climate change one of his signature issues, Florida lawmakers are in a high-stakes debate about reducing air pollution and revamping the state's energy laws." "Florida attempts to go green".

Bizzare

Has it really come to this?: "Is it against the law, the jurors asked the judge in a note, to swear an oath of allegiance to al-Qaida?"

In response to their query, prosecutors said yes and defense attorneys said no, airing a dispute that began when the men were charged in June 2006.

Limbaugh may be waitin' on a new man

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Prescription drug abuse could be curbed with state electronic data base".

Battle of the empty suits

"Car dealer Norman Braman -- in a fighting mood with the architects of Miami's $3 billion megaplan -- commissioned a poll that finds state House Speaker Marco Rubio would offer a strong bid for the seat now held by one of the deal's sponsors, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez."

Rubio has yet to file to oppose Alvarez, but the poll is another signal that a battle between two major politicians could be in the offing.

The poll of 1,211 likely voters, evenly taken in all 13 commission districts, indicates Rubio would steal from Alvarez's Hispanic Republican base. But it also finds Alvarez with a significant lead in the fight for non-Hispanic whites. The poll, which has a margin of error of 3 percentage points, showed both tied at 38 percent each.

We need more

"Florida Power & Light will need to increase electricity production by 25 percent over the next decade to meet rising demand, the company said Tuesday." "Largest Fla. power companies need to increase electricity output".

Grow houses

"Florida House bill would stiffen grow-house penalties".

"Totally unconscionable"

"Department of Children and Families Secretary Bob Butterworth said Tuesday it is 'totally unconscionable' for Florida legislators to cut medical and social services for needy children." "Florida House proposed budget would slash nearly $7 billion, hit health care hard".

Never mind that "forever" thing

"The state's conservation land-buying program and Everglades restoration would receive no money under the House proposed 2008-09 budget." "Budget cuts could impact Florida environment".

"Not dropping enough"

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Hurricane season is coming soon, and state lawmakers again are trying to bolster Florida's battered property-insurance market. There are no easy answers. Until Florida can spread the windstorm risk more broadly -- preferably nationwide, or at least among coastal states -- insurers will continue to collect high premiums." "Insurance costs not dropping enough".

Regalado

"Miami City Commissioner Tomás Regalado -- well-known radio and TV commentator, unabashed populist, and frequent thorn in Mayor Manny Diaz's side -- now wants to be mayor himself." "Regalado to run for Miami mayor".

Sittin' in limbo

"Five months away from one of the most anticipated political conventions in American history, there's no room at the inn -- or even the Motel 6 -- for delegates from Florida and Michigan." "Florida, Michigan delegates are seated in limbo".

"Florida state employees are the lowest paid nationwide"

After garbage like "Force Government To Rethink Its Generous Pay and Benefits" from the The Tampa Tribune editors board the other day, it is nice to see at least one editorial board reporting from planet earth. The The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editors board: "With all the talk about cutting the fat out of the state budget, it would be easy to forget the tasks government employees do for us every day."

They man our prisons, maintain our highways, regulate health care and respond to natural disasters and other emergencies, among other duties. And they deserve to be paid wages commensurate with their service.

But in Florida, that's just not happening. The state spends less per capita on its employees than any other state in the union, according to a recent study by the Pew Center on the States and Governing. And for the second year in a row — and at a time when the cost of living has skyrocketed — state workers haven't received across-the-board raises.

'Glades

"Members of South Florida's congressional delegation Monday warned legislative leaders not to eliminate spending next year for Everglades restoration." "Florida urged not to cut funding for Everglades".

Stewards of the earth

"Florida is No. 1 in greyhound racetracks, but state regulators say they need more inspection power and penalties for animal abusers." "Dog tracks may face tougher scrutiny".

First you gut union trades apprenticeship training programs ...

... and then you complain about the lack of adequately trained construction workers - after all, those highly skilled union operating engineers (unlike the nonunion, unskilled construction workers who come to Florida from South Carolina and sleep in their cars with their cousins at job sites) have the unmitigated temerity to insist on Commie things like health insurance and other expensive things that drive up the cost of commercial building construction.The Miami Herald editorial board: "Florida needs tough crane-safety law".

RPOFers running government like a business?

"A state program created two years ago was supposed to get badly needed cancer drugs to some of the thousands of uninsured Floridians. The number of people it had helped by the start of March: one. In 2006, lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the program to allow donations of unused medications to cancer patients without insurance, but a lack of publicity and coordination has crippled it from the start. Other states like Louisiana have managed to fill thousands of free prescriptions in similar projects." "Cancer drug donor plan fails to thrive".

House courageously stands tall against "voyeurism of youths"

"A House bill that would make video voyeurism of youths a felony won't cost much money, still giving it a chance to pass in this tight budget year." "Florida House's budget-friendly voyeurism bill stands a chance".

That was "the easy part"

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board is on fire this morning.

"It was a strong, symbolic moment last week when Florida expressed regret for past wrongs. It also was the easy part. The apology is meaningful only if it inspires the same legislators to change what they're doing wrong now." While far too late, the editors write that

the timing of the apology matters less in relation to the past than it does to the present. Now that the Legislature has "call(ed) for healing and reconciliation among all residents of the state," will the House and Senate actually deal with the unfairness - in education, in health care, in prisons, in foster care - that still exists between blacks and whites? ...

Targeted, need-based social policy is the proper and practical reparation. Instead, Florida has cut scholarships to poor and first-in-family college students, limited subsidized health insurance for children of the working poor, underfinanced preschool programs and failed to require sufficient standards, and embraced disciplinary policies in schools that lead to dropouts. Legislators soon may cut: court programs that put drug offenders in rehab, not prison; budgets for colleges and universities; juvenile justice programs that help prevent crime; and money that helps former foster children go to college.

Dismissing such apologies as unnecessary reminders of slavery's brutality, particularly its physical cruelty, ignores the lingering institutional racism that began with slavery. The resulting inequity still shows itself in inequitable wages, unfair sentencing, disparate access to health care and education, and discriminatory lending practices.

Dry

"March brought South Florida above-normal rainfall for the second month in a row, but regional water supplies still show signs of strain." "South Florida: Water supplies low despite above-normal rainfall".

I'll stick with Costco, myself

"DOJ sues Wal-Mart claiming company denied former airman his job".

Overlooked

"With all the hoopla over the possibility of House Speaker Marco Rubio or business mogul Philip Levine challenging Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, the only two people who have actually filed to run say they have been overlooked." "Newcomers say they're being overlooked in Dade mayor race".

"Serious questions"

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "The Legislature should slow down the state's plan to subsidize a commuter rail line in the Orlando area. The proposal has long been plagued by serious questions, and the questions only keep coming." "Put brakes on rail project in Orlando".

Daniel Ruth is confident that the questions will be answered:

But while it might seem darkest before the body politics' pocket is picked, there really is no need to worry about more than a half a billion dollars being bestowed upon a private corporation by Republicans who normally get the vapors at the prospect an inner-city single mother might be living high on the hog on $200 in food stamps.

That's because, brothers and sisters, Florida has the self-proclaimed/self-anointed "People's Governor," Charlie Crist on the case - a man who eats, drinks, sleeps nothing but the interests of the "People" day and night/night and day.

Surely the "People's Governor" won't allow a $649 million cooked-up-in-secret diversion of the people's money steered to a private enterprise without ever giving the people, especially the people most directly affected by the out-of-the-sunshine footsie-wootsie, a chance to express their opinion in a public hearing.

Really now, how could the "People's Governor" keep running around the state humming: "People, people who need people," while promoting himself as the "People's Governor," if the very people who are the people as in the "People's Governor" can be treated as little more than lawn jockeys by CSX and the "Special Interests Legislature"?

See? There's nothing to worry about. People get ready, there's an election train coming.

Fees

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board points out that it "didn't take local governments long to figure out ways around the property tax cuts demanded by lawmakers and voters." "Our position: Local governments are insulting taxpayers with their fees".

"Running out of ballots"

"It's a simple question with no simple answer: Why do polling places across America keep running out of ballots when it's no secret that this contentious primary season keeps breaking voter turnout records?" "High turnouts mean polls may run short of ballots".

Yesterday's news

Stories and commentary we missed yesterday:

- The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "An elected state education commissioner could unravel reforms".

- "Now, having gone through a series of cuts earlier this budget year and with the Legislature looking at $2 billion or more in new cuts, some state agencies and local programs feel like they are facing their final overload." "Agencies gird for new cuts".

- "Budget shortfall dictating choices".

- "With four weeks gone in Florida's legislative session and four weeks to go, little in the way of meaningful legislation has made its way into law. And it could stay that way." "Slots pros, cons round political turn in U.S. race".

- The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "Florida lawmakers take time to apologize for slavery".

- "A little-known panel of lawyers, lobbyists and ex-legislators is on the verge of placing some of the most transformative tax-and-spending changes in decades on the November ballot." "Tax changes could sock your wallet in some new ways".

- "Tampa Bay area legislators work to get funding for local projects".

- The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board writes that "At last, some meaningful change to FCAT": "The Florida Legislature is poised to finally make meaningful change to the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, which ranks right up there with hurricanes and traffic as the most despised aspects of Florida life. The change unanimously passed by the Florida Senate — and the House needs to quickly follow suit — would alter the way high schools are graded. Instead of only using the FCAT to determine a school's grade, other elements — including significant barometers like graduation rates and graduation rates of at-risk students, plus SAT and ACT scores — will be included in determining a school's overall grade."