Twice before, the National Rifle Association demanded that the Legislature prevent private businesses from making their property firearms-free. Both times, the NRA failed. But this election year, with most NRA members likely McCain voters, the bill whizzed through. Gov. Crist, who for weeks has paid more attention to Sen. McCain than to Florida, will sign it because "people being protected is most important to me."

Horror feature: "A Republican dentist from Umatilla"

"House lawmakers have rewritten a proposal allowing science teachers to question or contradict the theory of evolution in class. The changes, they say, will ensure it doesn't usher religious proselytizing into public schools."

As first introduced, the "Academic Freedom Act" from House sponsor Alan Hays and Senate sponsor Ronda Storms protects teachers who present "scientific information relevant to the full range of scientific views regarding biological and chemical evolution in connection with teaching any prescribed curriculum regarding chemical or biological origins."

In its place, the bill requires that instructional staff in public schools provide students with "a thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution."

Hays, a Republican dentist from Umatilla, said afterward the change is significant.

$7,000-a-month ... what a bargain

"Incoming Senate President Jeff Atwater has named a well-connected South Florida businessman, Robert 'Budd' Kneip, as Senate chief of staff to run day-to-day operations starting in November."

Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, took the unusual step of putting Kneip on the Senate payroll April 1 at a $7,000-a-month salary, seven months before he's scheduled to move into the president's suite. Kneip's duties until then: learn the legislative process and assist with the transition. Before Atwater takes the reins of the Senate, however, he first must win what's expected to be a tough, costly re-election campaign against former Fort Lauderdale Sen. Skip Campbell, a Democrat.

Florida's Democratic Party pounced on Kneip's appointment and his monthly salary.

"The state's in a recession … and Atwater is wasting thousands in taxpayer dollars every month on a professional outsourcer with zero legislative experience?" said party spokesman Mark Bubriski, referring to Kneip's background as president of The Oasis Group, a business outsourcing company.

"Anywhere but the Glades"

"In September 2000, The Post reported on the deplorable quality of public water in the communities around Lake Okeechobee. It has taken almost eight years, but that public health threat is nearly gone."

Last week, South Bay became the first town to get water from the county's new regional treatment plant. Belle Glade is scheduled to start next Friday and Pahokee by May 2, after meters and pipes have been upgraded. If a new water plant doesn't seem like a big deal, consider that last May federal scientists warned pregnant women in the Glades towns to avoid the water because of cancer-causing chemicals known as trihalomethanes. ...

Had this moral outrage been happening anywhere but the Glades, it would have been dealt with years ago. There have been many proposals for raising the standard of living in the Glades. With the simple arrival of safe water, the standard of living has been raised.

strong>Courageous stand

"Robbing the Florida Forever land program makes no sense".

Budget blues

Here's a shocker: "Foster children don't have as much clout in Florida's Capitol as the Tampa Bay Rays. Dying hospice patients on Medicaid don't have as much clout as the Miami Dolphins." "Florida's strained budget is testing pro sports' muscle".

Do your research dopey: "The problem is Florida does not have any Atocha booty. Salvor Mel Fisher fought efforts by the state and federal governments to seize the treasure and won his case in the U.S. Supreme Court." "Deep-sixed: pirate booty to state budget".

"Cuts to education and health care will hit Southwest Florida hard as lawmakers hunker down to iron out their budget differences over the next several weeks." "State budgets differ, but both bring cuts".

And the winner is ...

Even the Tampa Tribune editorial board concedes that "there is never any shortage of arrogance in the Florida Legislature,"

but Sen. Charles Dean, an Inverness Republican, may offer the most presumptuous bill of the session.

As Rome burns ...

"Hundreds of thousands of Floridians who drive every day on suspended and revoked licenses, or without any license at all, could soon get a break from the state Legislature." "Bill eases up on drivers with suspended licenses".

The old "task force" copout

Not exactly raw political courage: "The Florida Springs Stewardship Task Force would study existing data on major threats to the state's 33 largest springs and develop ways to address those threats. It also would look for ways to fund its recommendations. The task force would make a report to the Legislature by January." "Legislature looks at protecting springs with task force".

>That "free market" thing ...

The Trib editors write this morning that "after two hurricane-free years, the [insurance] companies have recorded record profits and still ask for more. Even those of us who have long advocated free markets to control costs are sick of it." "Allstate's Surrender May Give State Long-Awaited Answers".

"Fasano can't shrug his shoulders so easily."

The St Petersburg Times editors: "Not every Florida lawmaker may appreciate the conflict presented by a county property appraiser who puts a value on his or her own land. But those who represent Pinellas County have no excuse, which is why Sen. Mike Fasano can't shrug his shoulders so easily." "No more Jim Smith episodes, please".

Cantero

As we noted yesterday afternoon, "Dictator's grandson resigns from Florida Supreme Court". Raoul G. Cantero III a "Jeb!" appointee to the Florida Supreme Court, is the maternal grandson of brutal Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.

One of two Bush conservatives on the court, Cantero disagreed with the majority of his colleagues in a 2006 decision overturning a law allowing tax dollars to pay for vouchers to private and religious schools.

He blasted a Bush privatization measure, in which private attorneys with little-to-no criminal law experience were being hired to replace public defenders for death row inmates. Cantero called their performance some of "the worst lawyering I've seen."

He joined his colleagues in 2005 to unanimously overturn Bush and the Legislature's law reinserting a tube into Terri Schiavo.

How does "Justice Hawkes" sound to you?

Charlie may need to burnish his wingnut bona fides if he wants to stay in the VP hunt. Consider:

Whom Crist chooses to replace Cantero, a Gov. Jeb Bush appointee, will take on much greater significance. The search comes as the governor is frequently mentioned as a possible vice presidential running mate for Sen. John McCain.

He must choose from a group of three to six finalists recommended by a nine-member Judicial Nominating Commission. The members include Howard Coker, a former leader of the trial bar; Robert Hackleman, a law partner of Crist's former chief of staff, George LeMieux; and Jason Unger, a longtime Republican activist whose wife Karen ran Jeb Bush's 2002 re-election campaign.

No other governor since Claude R. Kirk Jr., more than 30 years ago, has had or even sought the opportunity that Jeb Bush now possesses to manipulate Florida's courts. The Legislature has allowed him to name all the members of the judicial nominating commissions, a power previously shared with the Florida Bar and with the commissions themselves. Evidence is now in on what a mistake that was. Exhibit A: the appointment this week of Paul Hawkes to the 1st District Court of Appeal.

The judges there should be legal scholars foremost, politicians last if at all. In picking Hawkes, Bush got it backward.

Hawkes is a former state representative who has spent the last two years as chief of policy for the speaker's office, for which he had been a consultant in 1997 and 1998. In those roles, he actively promoted much of Bush's agenda. Former Speakers Tom Feeney* and John Thrasher, close allies of the governor, led Hawkes' list of references.

"Voice of the People Act"?

The St Pete Times editors: "Under the Vox Populi or Voice of the People Act (HB 991, SB 2276), Florida's generous sunshine laws would be expanded to include the right of residents to speak at local government meetings on both agenda and nonagenda items. They would also be able to pull items off a consent agenda and have them considered separately. And rather than be shunted to the end of a long public meeting, the public would be invited to speak on any topic for at least 15 minutes at the start. No one would be allocated less than three minutes to speak." "Power to the people".

May I see your "papers"?

The News-Journal editors: "Nearly half of the government employees approached during the audit denied, delayed or otherwise blocked requests for records that, by law, should have been readily accessible. Officials improperly demanded names and addresses of people making records requests, refused to accept requests that weren't in writing or flat-out said no." "Shining the light on records".

More corporate welfare

"Buoyed by support from Central Florida politicians and business leaders, a House council moved forward a bill that eventually would allow the state to seal a controversial deal with CSX Transportation to build a commuter rail system in the Orlando area."

Although those on both sides of the debate agree they want better mass transit in Central Florida, critics have raised questions about several aspects of the deal, including the fact that it was hatched largely behind closed doors without input from the public.

They also raise questions about a provision that would put liability for any railroad accidents and most of the maintenance costs on Florida taxpayers, even though CSX would continue to use the tracks for longer, heavier freight trains.

Whoopee

"With some of them seeking to take the steam out of movements like Florida Hometown Democracy, state lawmakers want to give the public more input when developments are proposed." "Public may get bigger voice in development".

Young, who was chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee for six years and hasn't lost his earmarking ability, has directed nearly $45-million in federal money to defense contractor Science Applications International Corp. That's the same company that hired his son, Patrick Young, about a year ago in its St. Petersburg office ... .

Patrick Young works with intelligence data that requires a high-level security clearance, which would seem to be a unique opportunity for a 20-year-old with only a GED degree and scant work experience. And that's not the only link between the congressman's largesse and a son. Young has directed more than $28-million over nine years to the National Forensic Science Technology Center in Largo where son Billy Young, 23, has been employed for less than a year. The earmarks arrived before and after the sons were hired.

Maybe Young's long years in the ethically challenged world of the Capitol have finally [sic] dulled his sense of propriety. Back in Pinellas County, which is admittedly a nicer place because of Young, we should — and do — expect more of our politicians. Young should leave it to others to decide whether his sons' employers deserve millions in tax dollars.

And so the negotiations begin

"House members voted 72-41 to approve the budget, the final step before starting negotiations with the Senate on a spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1."

The Senate passed its $65.9 billion budget proposal Wednesday.

Democrats opposed the House budget in a party-line vote, saying it will hurt vulnerable people. The proposal includes cutting $219 million next year from public schools and slashing about $1 billion from health and human-services programs.

Hypocritical pig at the trough


The Tampa Tribune editorial board gets in in the Haridopolos hypocrisy: Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R - Gasbag, has a

propensity to feed at the public trough.

Haridopolos recently landed a $75,000-a-year job as a University of Florida guest lecturer. He will be paid $5,000 more than his predecessor, though he has no doctorate. Two other lecturers with Ph.Ds in the same department make less than $50,000.

They, of course, are not scheduled to become Senate president in 2010. Haridopolos is.

After Haridopolos was elected to the Senate in 2003, Brevard Community College, where he taught history, offered a sweet deal. The Orlando Sentinel reports the school paid him $38,000 a year to write a book, so he wouldn't have to teach.

Scholars say the arrangement is extraordinary.

Haridopolos' six-chapter, 175-page book is complete but has yet to be published - understandable, given its banal political advice, such as "a cell phone will be essential."

Tragic

The end of an era. Having spent more than five years reading the editorial pages of every newspaper in Florida on a daily basis (except the Times-Union which I simply cannot abide), I can say without reservation that the sale of the News-Journal will be a tragedy.

"Management of the News-Journal Corp. announced Thursday to its 794 employees that the local newspaper owned primarily by the Davidson family for 79 years will be sold on the open market."

"We do not yet know the form this sale will take or the timing, but we know that it will be sold as a going and continuing business," the memo from the newspaper's management states.

"I would like to emphasize that whatever happens, this business will continue operating as a going concern," Georgia M. Kaney, president/CEO and publisher added later. "It will not close or stop doing business."

The announcement on the decision to pursue a sale to the highest bidder was the latest news in the company's lengthy court battle with Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises, which has owned 47.5 percent of the News-Journal since 1969.

Mess on

"A party activist from Tampa has revived a lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee and a Panhandle voter is separately suing the state over its role in Florida's presidential primary mess. Victor DiMaio's suit challenging the party's decision to strip Florida of its delegates to the Democratic National Convention was thrown out of U.S. District Court in Tampa. But the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a ruling last month, gave DiMaio an opening to amend and refile it, which he did Wednesday." "Activist revives delegate suit, voter challenges primary law".

Bloody Juan's booty

"With the state desperate for cash to balance its budget, one lawmaker has come up with a solution worthy of Blackbeard or Captain Kidd.Rep. Juan Zapata wants to plunder Florida's booty. One of the world's largest publicly owned collections of Spanish treasure - doubloons and other coins, some gold and silver ingots and chains - belongs to the state." "One lawmaker has budget solution: Plunder Florida's treasure". See also "Lawmaker: State's treasure could ease budget mess".

Bloody Bill on space

"Florida's two U.S. senators want NASA to consider existing launch locations for a private commercial launch facility, rather than expanding into previously unused areas at Kennedy Space Center." "Senators: Reuse old launch sites".

Tuff guys

"A measure that would enhance penalties for known gang members moved one step closer to passage Thursday when a Senate panel unanimously approved it on its last committee stop before going to the Senate floor." "Senate panel OKs tougher gang penalties".

"Irrational" RPOFers

The Tampa Trib editors: "Florida Republicans have such an irrational fear of being accused of raising taxes that they won't think about closing loopholes that are increasingly unfair to Florida-based businesses."

Florida allows multistate businesses to shelter Florida income in other states. This makes the effective income-tax rate on small Florida businesses higher than the rate paid by corporations sheltering income elsewhere.

A company can reduce its tax bill by paying rent to an out-of-state subsidiary. Or it might send profits, on paper, out of state to pay itself for its own patents and trademarks.

Rep. Dan Geller, a Miami Beach Democrat, says closing the loophole with a technique called "combined reporting" would raise $365 million a year. Many other states already use the approach, so technical and constitutional issues have been ironed out.

Critics say the change would send a message that Florida doesn't want big companies to locate here. But it is neither good politics nor smart economics to charge Florida businesses more than is charged the interstate rivals who already enjoy economies of scale.

Good luck

"As the economy slides further toward recession, lawmakers in Tallahassee are busy crafting proposals to spur growth and draw new businesses to Florida, even as they face pressure to scale back incentives because of budget restraints." "Legislators look at ways to spur economy".

Lawson on fire

"Sen. Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, a former college basketball player, on Thursday continued blasting the insurance changes proposed by Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, and Sen. Steve Geller, D-Cooper City."

Lawson has voted against their bill twice in separate committee hearings, opposing the premium freeze for Citizens Property Insurance coastal customers and the tighter restrictions on the private market. The bill (SB 2680) was debated by the full Senate and Lawson found himself up against a third powerful foe: Senate Republican Whip Mike Fasano of New Port Richey.

"Boy, if you ever want to see a South Florida conspiracy, this is one," Lawson said on the Senate floor. "They're all in bed together. You can't tell them apart if they were in a bed. They all look like twins."

"Once the train starts rolling it's never going to stop," he said. "No matter how they paint the picture, no matter how these members come together and tell you you're going to save money, you're not going to save money."

Lawson's outburst drew a quick rebuke from Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville, in his 22nd year in the legislature.

King said Lawson should avoid floor debate that "casts aspersions or doubts of credibility on another member."

Chillax you fans of corporate welfare ...

... "with no companion budget cut in the Senate and commitment on the part of House leaders unclear, however, the proposal faces an uphill battle for survival." "Senate Debates Strict Standards For Insurers".

"Stupid"

The Palm Beach Post editors think "it's stupid to recycle mentally ill people through Florida's criminal justice system when, for millions less, they could receive effective treatment that cuts the crime rate." "Save money, cut crime; treat the mentally ill".

Met his match

Bob Butterworth "has met his match:"

an intransigent Legislature that is pursuing what he called the equivalent of taking out a ''contract on kids.'' He said the budget they are pursuing destroys the state's public safety net by cutting programs deeply rather than tapping the state's $1.3 billion emergency fund, or closing corporate-tax loopholes.

''In my 40 years in public service, this is the worst year I've ever seen, the meanest I've ever seen,'' Butterworth told The Miami Herald as the House was completing debate on its $65 billion budget proposal.

Ronda to the wrescue

She said it: "'I'm ... not concerned about engaging in political one-upmanship," Storms said." "Storms Fights Byrd-USF Deal".

Not so "no-nonsense"

The Miami Herald: "Why is a final audit on Wackenhut Corp.'s security services at Metrorail stations and the Juvenile Assessment Center taking so long? The county's auditing staff finished the review 19 months ago, but Miami-Dade's chief auditor, Cathy Jackson, is keeping the report under wraps. This delay is uncharacteristic of Ms. Jackson, a no-nonsense professional who has conducted even-handed audits for many years on behalf of the county's taxpayers." "Answers needed on overbilling claims".

"No monetary value"

"Politicians and other VIPs can receive special passes that let them cut in line at popular rides at Walt Disney World."

Disney says the passes have no monetary value and so are not restricted by government ethics laws and do not have to be reported either as gifts to public officials or as a lobbying expense. Prunty would not identify any of the people who have gotten the passes.

Charlie goes down

"Crist approval rating falls to 59%".

Mark Lane sets the record straight

"Myth 1: Florida is about average in school spending. "

Not even close. If you count all forms of spending, national, state and local, and divide by the number of students, our rank is 34th. Our rank in funding from the state is 42. Our rank in state spending as a share of personal income is a particularly lousy 47th place, which actually is an improvement.

Big of him

"Crist approves $1.25 million for man cleared after 24 years in prison".

"Both bills have big problems"

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Florida Forever, the state's 2-decades-old land-buying program, faces a tough time getting money. This year's tight budget, however, does not justify a bad compromise Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson is touring the state, pushing his plan to snag 5''percent of Florida Forever money to buy easements on "working lands." Those could include farmlands, or, with amendments to Senate Bill 542 and House Bill ENRC 08-09, marinas on state lands. It's a bad idea, and both bills have big problems." "Preserve Florida Forever".

Daniel Ruth

"Only in the parallel universe of the Hillsborough County Commission would the chaplain of this august body take the lead in opposing a daylong student observance promoting the revolutionary concept of (oh, dear) - tolerance." "Bishop Blair Issues Fatwa On Silence".

Haven't Floridians already had "the bait and switch of the century"

"As a new statewide poll reveals lukewarm support for a major tax shift in Florida,"

Republican senators blasted the idea Thursday as "the bait and switch of the century" that would force them to increase taxes.

The poll and the criticism take aim at a proposal by the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission set to appear on the November ballot.

Voters would be asked to eliminate more than $8-billion a year in property taxes for schools and force the Legislature to make up the difference by increasing the sales tax 1 cent, repealing sales tax exemptions and cutting programs.

A Quinnipiac University poll found that 48 percent of voters support the idea with 41 percent opposed and 11 percent undecided. The 48 percent in favor is below the 60 percent threshold needed for passage of a constitutional amendment.

"the largest tax increase in history."

Haridopolos is in line to become Senate president in 2010, and likely would be at the forefront of having to find the replacement revenue. He's among a group of Florida lawmakers who have signed a pledge not to raise taxes.

Haridopolos' math works like this: To avoid raising taxes, legislators would have to eliminate the largest sales tax exemptions other than the sacred ones for groceries, rent and prescription drugs.

The remaining exemptions include the value of trade-ins toward new car purchases, government supply purchases, the purchase of fuel by utilities and for metered water.

"You will start to tax items that are not currently taxed. By any definition, that's a tax increase," Haridopolos said. He said he has written three letters to the tax commission over the past two weeks but has received no reply.

"No-frills"

"Some people might be able to get cheaper, no-frills health insurance policies under legislation that advanced in both the House and Senate. A proposal being pushed by Gov. Charlie Crist would allow insurance companies and health plans to offer policies aimed at providing basic and preventive care. Such policies would be cheaper because they wouldn't be burdened with the requirements of more comprehensive health insurance policies." "Health insurance option on the table".

Where' chain gang Charlie on this?

Elisa Cramer: "Timothy Kane and Kenneth Young are among the 713 inmates in Florida prisons who were 16 years old or younger when they committed crimes. A proposal going nowhere in the Legislature would give some of those 713 inmates the opportunity of parole." "State passing on a no-brainer".

"Gutting the state's growth-management law"

The Palm Beach Post editors: "House Republicans may think they would do bad developers a big favor by gutting the state's growth-management law. In fact, they would cause a citizen uprising that could backfire on all developers." "Protect growth control".

"Economy goes south"

"More residents seek food stamps as economy goes south".

It's the RPOFers, stupid


The Tampa Tribune editorial board can't bring themselves to say that it is the RPOF controlled legislature: "The Florida Legislature has demonstrated it will crawl whenever the National Rifle Association commands." "Lawmakers Blast Hole In Property Rights".

The St. Pete Times editors are on the mark: "The National Rifle Association owns the Florida Republican Party lock, stock and barrel." "Gun zealots put Floridians at risk".

In any event, Charlie's expected to sign this thing and "about 500,000 Floridians with concealed-weapons permits will soon be able to carry guns to work as long as they keep them in their cars." "Sentinel: Soon, 500,000 Floridians can take guns to work". See also "Gun bill opponents pressure Crist".

Lottery sales down

"Lotto sales aren't meeting projections and that means less cash to bail out education. What's more, the lower predictions complicate an already dismal budget outlook in Tallahassee." "No jackpot for schools".

Some of the differences include a $24 million cut in the Senate budget for community-based care agencies that provide homes for abused and neglected children. ...

Both chambers would spend about $18.5 billion on public schools, about 1.5 percent less than this year. The House, however, would avoid a larger cut by shifting money away from transportation projects and the Senate would rely on a property tax increase.

In the Senate, Republicans stymied one Democratic amendment to increase corporate income taxes. Republicans also voted down a proposal from Sen. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, to restore $804 million in health care cuts with a $1-per-pack tax on cigarettes.

House Republicans quashed an amendment from Democrats to restore $282 million in cuts to Medicaid hospice and clinical services by dipping into state trust funds.

The Senate's 26-12 vote to pass a budget sets the stage for tough negotiations with the House, which is expected to pass its own spending plan for 2008-09 today. It also capped an emotional debate in which a handful of Republicans failed on a 22-16 vote to shift money from the CSX project to other programs.

The rich are different

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "The rich are different everywhere. In Florida, the rich are especially different. They get tax breaks no one else can afford - blessed by the Legislature - even when the state faces severe budget cuts. Democrats want to close a loophole that lets wealthy investors save millions by avoiding a real-estate tax that average home buyers pay. Some Republicans worry that such a change would be a tax increase, in which case they would have to refuse. Only in the Legislature can they argue that forcing the rich to pay the same taxes as everyone else would amount to a tax hike." "Set same rule for rich".

Raul Martinez on a roll

"In a rare feat for a challenger, former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez slightly outraised U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart in the first three months of 2008." "Martinez's fundraising outpaces rival Diaz-Balart's".

Delegate dance

Adam Smith: "Here's a simple, logical way to give Florida a voice in the Democratic presidential nomination: Barack Obama could join Hillary Rodham Clinton in calling for their national party to count the 1.75-million Democratic votes in Florida's disqualified Jan. 29 primary. But it's not that simple." "No simple solutions". See also "Race is still too close for Obama to give in on Florida delegates".

Chamber loses out to NRA

"Legislature: It's okay to bring a gun to work".

Stop the Presses!

Saint Marco takes a tiny bit of heat from the St Pete Times editors:

Nowhere in House Speaker Marco Rubio's book of "100 Innovative Ideas" did he call for giving a state transportation contract to one of his Miami friends. Maybe that's why Rubio tried to avoid an untidy public debate by slipping a few instructive words into his chamber's 366-page appropriations bill.

Charlie "'fighting' for 'the boss'"

"Like his victorious drive to pass the Amendment 1 property tax cut on the ballot in January, Crist is on the road again 'fighting' for 'the boss,' the people who he says once again desperately need help. He's visiting newspaper editorial boards and holding public events to tout his ideas." "With taxes tamed, Crist turns to health insurance".

Loose change

"Commuter rail plan survives in Florida Senate budget": "But some questioned spending $650 million-plus on the train project in the face of likely cuts to courts and social services."

Raw political courage

"A proposed state constitutional amendment being sought by House Speaker Marco Rubio to cut property taxes an estimated 20 percent won initial committee approval in both chambers." "Property tax amendment clears committee".

Idiot wind

"Sen. Mel Martinez is urging NASA to talk with the Air Force about using one of the military's unused launch facilities for the space agency's proposed new commercial launch complex." "Senator pushes NASA on launch site".

Too good to be true

"The state would get 2,200 acres of land for free. Lake Okeechobee could be cleaner. Palm Beach County could have an emergency source of water. It all sounds very exciting. At this point, it also sounds too good for the South Florida Water Management District board to believe." "Enviro-friendly mine? Dig just a little deeper".

Not enough

The Orlando Sentinel editors argue that "State Rep. Cannon isn't doing enough to strengthen growth law".

Corporate welfare

This should last about two seconds: "Florida House proposal would freeze subsidies for pro-sports franchises".

Panderers

The Miami Herald editors: "Like Energizer bunnies, bills relating to Cuba keep cropping up in the Legislature. Memo to lawmakers: Leave foreign policy to the federal government. Two years ago legislators banned state-university travel to Cuba, and it has done Florida more harm than good. A Cuba bill under consideration promises more of the same. Other bills are symbolic at best." More curbs on Cuba travel not needed".

Stoopid man

The Tampa Trib editors: "Rubio is seeking to destroy Martinez's conservation masterpiece. His budget-cutting minions plan to kill funding for Florida Forever. And to further emphasize their contempt for the environment, they also want to strip Everglades restoration funding from the budget" "House Leadership Would Abandon Effort To Save Natural Florida".

"Business friendly"

The Miami Herald editors: "Florida long has strived to be a business-friendly state. This bill is not good for business or state residents. The privilege of gun owners should not trump the right of workers to be safe or of businesses to decide what is permissible on private property." "Guns unsafe at work".

Ill informed

The Tampa Trib editorial board: "A Republican-sponsored bill passed by the Florida House, however, represents government intrusion at its worse. The bill would require a woman seeking an abortion to receive an ultrasound - no matter how early her pregnancy. Ultrasounds - or sonograms - are already required during second- and third-trimester abortions." "
The Tampa Trib editorial board: "'Informed Decision' Bill Is Intrusive".

Earnarks, Young style

"Two sons of U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young work for Pinellas County companies that have received millions of dollars in federal money thanks to the congressman." "Rep. Young's earmarks help his children's employers".

Double dipping

"A second attempt to crack down on double-dipping state employees failed Thursday, thanks in part to two senators who also collect pensions as former sheriffs." Fla. Senate rejects plan to stop double-dipping".

As the House and Senate discuss their spending plans, there will be plenty of self-serving speeches about belt-tightening in a slumping economy. Big numbers will be tossed around like pocket change, and at times the budget jargon will be hard to decipher.

Your younger child's public school will have less to spend next year. Your older child will have a harder time getting into college, and if she gets in she likely will pay higher tuition and certainly sit in even larger classes. Your grandparent will find fewer staffers to help him in the nursing home. Your struggling, uninsured neighbor will have a harder time finding health care. Land that the state would have preserved will be developed, court cases will drag on longer and fewer child abuse investigators will mean more children will be at risk.

Welcome to Florida, home of sun, sand, a delusional governor and a heartless Legislature.

this governor and this Legislature are paying for the sins of their predecessors [can you spell J-E-B-!], who refused to broaden the state's tax base, backed big tax cuts and worried little as long as growth kept bringing in more cash.

A gift horse for Mario

"As a first-time candidate for Congress, Miami Democrat Joe Garcia welcomes the support of one of his party's highest-ranking leaders."

But a hand from U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel of New York -- who has met repeatedly with Fidel Castro -- may rile voters in the heavily Cuban-American congressional district in western Miami-Dade, currently represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart.

Rangel is billed as a ''special guest'' at a fundraiser April 21 in New York City for Garcia.

Delegate dance

"Resolving Florida's presidential delegate dispute could help Democrats as they try to pick up more congressional seats in the state, the chairman of the party's congressional campaign committee said Tuesday." "Dems hope resolving Fla. delegate mess will help House races". See also "DNC Gets Advice On Florida Appeal" ("The same committee that stripped Florida of its presidential delegates may soon be asked to modify or undo that action.")

Choice politics

"The 4-3 vote saw one Republican and one Democrat on the all-male health regulation committee cross party lines on the issue that generated a fierce partisan tangle in the House last week when a companion bill cleared that chamber. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, voted yes, tipping the scale in favor of the bill. Dennis Jones, R-Seminole, voted no. Senate Majority Leader Daniel Webster of Winter Garden said it's about education." "Senate panel passes abortion measure".

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "it gives red-meat conservatives something to crow about during an election year. This isn't about abortion. It's about blatant government interference, and grandstanding." "Legislators trying to appease religious right again". The bill may be dead in the Senate: "moderate Republicans contacted by the Times say they have reservations" "Florida abortion rule change advances by one vote". See also "Abortion Bill Gets Traction", "Abortion pre-scan advances" and "Ultrasound measure narrowly passes Senate panel".

You gotta problem with that?

"Lack of health insurance killed six working-age Floridians a day in 2006, according to a national health advocacy organization. ... Studies have shown that people without insurance delay seeking care when they are sick and avoid such preventive care as diagnostic screenings and checkups.

As a result, the uninsured are 25 percent more likely to die prematurely than those with insurance, Families USA said."

Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured people in the United States.

many wrongly believe uninsured people choose to be uninsured and don't work.

In fact, eight in ten uninsured people are from working families.

And the majority of uninsured people don't buy coverage because it costs too much or because insurers won't cover them due to pre-existing conditions.

Florida: "a laboratory for studying the life cycle of the Gimmick"

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "Florida has made itself into a laboratory for studying the life cycle of the Gimmick. Many types have been introduced. One of the most pernicious has been the Education Gimmick, a favorite of former Gov. Jeb Bush. Within that group, the School Grade Gimmick has been particularly destructive." "Break the FCAT habit: Reform useless 'grades'".

Subsidizing crooks

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Remember, charter schools are funded with tax dollars":

take a look at Summit Charter School in Maitland.

The school was mired in red ink last year and was close to not being able to pay its teachers or its bills. But the Maitland school's top four administrators were paid more than $520,000 on top of spending sprees including the purchase of a $47,000 truck and $15,000 for travel expenses such as meals, hotels and airlines, according to auditors for the Orange County school district. ...

The Florida Senate has passed a bill that would rein in charter-school excesses, but House members are pushing some bad ideas that could kill this reform effort.

Raw political courage

"A House panel signed off on new property tax cuts that could limit annual spikes in home valuations and allow partial payments of tax bills. The House Government Efficiency and Accountability Council approved two bills affecting the taxes Tuesday. But with less than a month left in the legislative session, both are far from becoming law, including a measure that fixes a tax-increasing quirk of Save Our Homes." "House panel gives nod to tax cuts".

"Clean hands"

"Following a key Senate committee vote Tuesday, the Legislature is poised to pass a law that would automatically compensate the wrongfully incarcerated, but only if prisoners have not committed a prior felony." "Adjustment was key". See also "Compensation bill moves forward in Senate".

Appraisal

"A bill spurred by the controversial Jim Smith land deal in Pinellas County sailed unanimously through a House panel Tuesday, but chances it will become law appear to be fleeting. The measure (HB 127) sponsored by Rep. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, would require the Department of Revenue or another county's appraiser to set the value of the property owned by the elected property appraiser in each county. " "Oversight may not pass".

Spacey

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "Here in the capital of the Sunshine State, where dogwoods bloom and politicians fume, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that the space program is a pillar of Florida's economy." "Out of this world".

"New" edition

"On Tuesday, a Senate committee unanimously approved a bill (SB2350) that could reduce textbook costs for Florida's college and university students by, among other things, making schools confirm that required new editions have significantly different content from previous editions." "Senate panel OKs college textbook bill".

Heaven help us

"Florida teachers could mention religious theories about human origins, such as creationism and intelligent design, without fearing retribution under a measure that passed a key Senate committee Tuesday." "Panel OKs evolution alternatives". See also "Senate Judiciary Committee approves controversial academic freedom bill".

"Efforts are going nowhere"

"At state capitals across the country, frustrated lawmakers have filed hundreds of bills to crack down on illegal immigration just one year after the congressional stalemate."

The topic is ready-made for Republican lawmakers in an election year. And Tuesday, six bills were aired before a Florida House panel. ...

But the efforts are going nowhere — a reality that reflects the state's immigrant-dependent tourism and agricultural industries, and the political power of South Florida and its deep immigrant roots.

Cut loose

"Teachers reel over lapsing contracts".

Even Buddy Johnson can do it

"It was Hillsborough's first since making the switch from touch-screen ballot machines. Supervisor of Elections Buddy Johnson had the results in 21 minutes. Of course there were only seven precincts and about 1,600 votes, compared with the nearly 400 precincts that will be open for the fall elections." "Optical-scan voting goes smoothly in Plant City".

Mario "Greasing the skids"?
mhThe Miami Herald editorial board: "House Speaker Marco Rubio says that he wasn't 'greasing the skids' for a friend when he inserted language into a state budget plan that could have paved the way for his friend to bid on a lucrative project on Florida's Turnpike."

Mr. Rubio said that he was concerned that the turnpike project would be ''anti-competitive'' and therefore hurt smaller bidders. This is a legitimate, honorable concern. Yet the circuitous and clandestine route that Mr. Rubio used to assert that principle lends credence to concerns that his real objective was to help a personal friend, South Florida fuel distributor Max Alvarez.

No one should be naive here. Secretly inserting language into bills at the last minute is common practice. When an insertion -- called a proviso -- is innocuous, no one objects. If the proviso serves a common, worthwhile purpose, lawmakers get a wink and an approving nod for being clever. The tactic should be universally rebuked, though, when it serves a narrow, selfish interest.

Thinking inside the box

"Lottery income, which usually accounts for about 5 percent of the state's education budget, won't be as much as lawmakers had expected this year when they first crafted the school spending plan." "Shrinking Lottery Spending May Hurt Schools' Budget".

Open records

"Some records in the Department of Children and Families may become more open to affected children and the public under a bill moving through the House and Senate." "Bill would open some DCF records".

Med school catch

"Upset about the University of Miami's decision to buy its own hospital, House Speaker Marco Rubio and other Miami-Dade Republicans are threatening to withhold state money that now goes to UM's medical school." "Strings may be attached to UM med-school money".

Allstate

"Both state insurance regulators and Allstate claimed a share of victory with a court order Tuesday in their ongoing political and legal battle." "Court urges Allstate to act quickly".

Never mind

"Little more than a year after Miami-Dade voters gave their mayor broad new power, a county commissioner last week suggested the changes be undone." "Commissioner wants to reduce Dade mayor's powers".

5 gears in reverse

"With growth continuing to race across Florida, environmental groups began pitching a plan in 2006: The state should dramatically expand its efforts to buy and protect sensitive land. But two years later, Florida lawmakers could be headed in the opposite direction." "Tight budget may stall land preservation funding".

Fire away

"The bill under consideration states that businesses cannot prohibit employees or customers from keeping legally owned guns locked inside their cars if, like Gray, they have permits to carry concealed weapons. An identical bill already passed the House two weeks ago." "Senate to vote on allowing employees to have guns at work".

Great idea!

"At the same time they are trying to reduce Floridians' risk in future hurricanes, state lawmakers also want to take $250 million out of reserves held by Citizens Property Insurance to pay private carriers willing to take policies from the state-run insurer." "Lawmakers want to take $250M from Citizens' insurance reserves".

"Insurance benefits for mental illnesses"

"A plan to raise insurance benefits for mental illnesses to match those for physical ailments was dramatically scaled back Tuesday in hopes of saving some aspect of the legislative proposal." "Bill coverage trimmed".

Stoopid

"For the first time in decades, the Legislature proposes spending less next year to educate each public school student. The House would spend $86 less per student, the Senate about $116. The Legislature easily could find about $260 million to reduce the hit, but has refused." "Break the FCAT habit: Cut bogus bonus money".

Bloody Bill in action

"Bill Nelson, Florida's Democratic U.S. senator, wondered whether the U.S. troop surge in Iraq has really helped bring that country closer together." Meanwhile, the Cellophane Man cleans Bushco's pool, claiming it is "'undeniable that dramatic and significant progress has been made, particularly as it relates to al-Qaida.'". "Florida Senators' Questions Highlight Instability Of Iraq".

Two (I know, obvious) things points for Mel: (1) al-Qaida is in Pakistan-Afganistan, and (2) if there has been "dramatic and significant progress" in the surge, why aren't our troops on the way home?

Good luck

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "As the Florida Legislature slashes billions of dollars from necessary programs just to make ends meet, state lawmakers should take the time and rethink efforts to preserve land for conservation." "Land purchase program needs tweaking".

Credit

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "With the two new members Gov. Crist appointed Monday, the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board moves free of ex-Gov. Jeb Bush's influence. To set policy for the most important public agency in South Florida, the governor chose Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts executive Robert G. 'Jerry' Montgomery and Paul Huck Jr., a Coral Gables lawyer. Mr. Huck worked on water management cases as Gov. Crist's general counsel and earlier, when the governor served as attorney general and Mr. Huck was on his staff." "On water, Crist delivers". More: "Attorney, Disney executive appointed to board".

Song

"It's dueling melodies in the state Capitol as lawmakers can't find harmony on one official state song." "Discord persists amid fiddling with state song".

Heaven forbid!?!: an "anti-insurance law firm"

"The Florida Senate's no-bid $80,000 contract for legal advice on property insurance went to a law firm that employs an attorney with ties to a well-known anti-insurance law firm." "Advice from a biased source?".

The turnpike agency says it wants to combine the contracts so that one vendor can bid to run the food and gas concessions at the plazas. That's one way of luring vendors willing to spend money to make needed renovations at the 1980s-era facilities. Officials say it's an industry trend, and it makes financial sense.

One of those small Florida businesses happens to be owned by one of Rubio's friends - but the speaker says that's not his motivation and is defending his position.

Stewards of the earth

"Critical funding that helps restore eroded beaches and provides clean drinking water to 5 million South Floridians is at risk this year." "State may ax Everglades, beach restoration money".

"Florida's program for buying environmentally sensitive land has protected an area equal to more than 3 1/2 Rhode Islands. But the program could come to a halt next year for the first time in two decades, even as some legislators work to extend the program for another 10 years." "Money woes may force Florida to stop preserving sensitive land". A little background on the "values" crowd role in all this: "House Republicans bail on Everglades preservation, cleanup".

Runnin' government like a bidness

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "The University of Florida, as it turns out, is not the only state institution of higher education that is vying for the affections of Senate Finance and Tax Chairman Mike Haridopolos."

Long before he lined up the votes to become Senate president in 2010 and long before UF handed him a $75,000 job for which he is seldom required to report, Haridopolos landed a book advance that would make true academicians blush.

As reported by the Orlando Sentinel, the $150,000 book advance came courtesy of Brevard Community College. Haridopolos had been a history instructor at Brevard before being elected to the Legislature, but he began missing so many classes that fellow faculty members complained. So in 2003 then-president Thomas Gamble offered Haridopolos about $38,000 a year for four years in order to write a "publishable work" of "historic value."

The resulting 175-page manuscript now sits somewhere on a shelf on the BCC campus, and a Sentinel reporter had to make an appointment to read it. The reporter described the six chapters as a "collection of political musings and advice to future political candidates." Among the manuscript's insights: "A cell phone will be essential." An early draft offered: "My advice, pick your favorite color and make your signs that color."

Hard charging entrepreneurs hit the jackpot in the school charter bidness

"A Maitland charter school paid four administrators more than $520,000 last year and, even though the school was deeply in debt, allowed lavish and uncontrolled spending by two of those administrators, according to an audit by the Orange County school district." "Orlando-area Summit Charter School must fix problems or close".

Choice politics

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "Today, the Senate Health Regulation Committee, chaired by Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, will hear Senate Bill 2400. It would require that any woman seeking an abortion during the first trimester be given an ultrasound. This legislation is not about patient safety or a more informed choice. It is part harassment and part intimidation, to make a woman who has chosen to have an abortion reach a different choice."

A better way to reduce abortions is to reduce unplanned pregnancies. Senate Bill 780 would do that, by getting information about emergency birth control to more rape victims. That Democratic-sponsored bill, though, is going nowhere, because many abortion-rights opponents also oppose birth control. Yet a Florida State University survey showed that only 26 percent of the women in Florida who need family planning services have access to them. A study by the Florida Department of Health showed that every dollar spent on family planning saves $24 because that investment cuts the number of unplanned pregnancies.

Men are sponsoring both of these bills supposedly aimed at helping pregnant women. How about some legislation that would help women control when they want to get pregnant?

Brilliant

"The number of accused felons ruled mentally incompetent for trial has doubled over five years, crowding Florida institutions with the most expensive type of offenders at a time of severe budget restraints, according to a new legislative study." "Number of mentally-ill felons has doubled in Florida according to DCF".

"Arm-twisting"

"Insurance regulators want to start the arm-twisting of Allstate immediately and on Monday asked a court if it could." "Florida's insurance regulators seek immediate Allstate ban".

'Ya think?

"Government watchdogs say the donations suggest that some candidates may be trying to buy an appointment." "Orlando airport board applicants donated to Crist".

Whatever they want

"Joel Engelhardt": "Developers go to Tallahassee to get what they want. Rather than fear the state, they embrace it. The Legislature has responded as if local government is the enemy. It's odd, since many legislators rose to power as local politicians." "Developers bypass local politicians".

Sometimes only ad hominem will do

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board gleefully smacks Cuba "Letting Cubans stay in hotels does little good when they can't afford it". At the same time, the Sentinel's sister paper reports that "Ex-owners around South Florida trash foreclosed homes before leaving"

Guns at work

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "You don't uphold one constitutional right by eroding another. Yet, that's what the Legislature is intent on doing." "Gun bill would allow one constitutional right to erode another".

Background checks for suitors

"Like a suitor who won't give up, Rep. Kevin Ambler is asking Florida lawmakers to help chaperone Internet dating again. Ambler, R-Lutz, wants to pass a bill (HB 411) requiring dating Web sites to do a criminal background checks — or disclose that they don't — when dealing with paying Florida customers." "Legislator wants background checks in online dating mix".

Will he leave "blood on the floor" of the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing room?

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Bill

Nelson, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, will be among Democrats who will grill [sic] Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the ambassador to Iraq, during their much-anticipated testimony to Congress on the status of the war.

There may be "blood", at least "on the floor" of the convention

"U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson warned Monday that the Democratic Party faces the serious threat of a deeply fractured, summer-long presidential nominating process that may put "blood on the floor" at the August convention. Speaking to reporters at his Palm Beach County office, Nelson said the ongoing tiff between the Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama campaigns about how to count Florida delegates may not get resolved until the convention is underway in Denver." "Nelson warns of "blood on floor" if Democrats fight over delegates".

Okay, we've got his new nickname: "Bloody Bill".

Ending the American dream, South Florida style

"Ransacked homes are another symptom of the housing crisis that began in 2006 after five years of record price increases. In many cases, people stretched to buy homes but can't keep up with the payments now that their adjustable-rate mortgages are resetting much higher." "Ex-owners around South Florida trash foreclosed homes before leaving".

Song

Bill Maxwell: "'Swanee River' out of flow as Florida state song".

Judicial politics

The Florida Supreme Court has asked a judicial panel to explain why it filed ethics charges, apparently for the first time in the state's history, against a judge over what he wrote in an opinion. The justices issued the order Friday to the Judicial Qualifications Commission. First District Court of Appeal Judge Michael Allen last week asked the high court to halt disciplinary proceedings against him that stemmed from the bribery case of former Florida Senate President W.D. Childers." "Supreme Court asked to halt case against judge over opinion". More on this Hawkes fellow.


This is actually a great story, involving all kinds of inside baseball and panhandle politics. For a little background see: "Dysfunction In Black Robes", "Speaker examining appellate judge's actions", "Lawmakers' E-mails Reveal Friendships Amid Investigation" and "Judge: Rubio isn’t my tool in inquiry"

Grow up

"Miami-Dade's Cuban- American legislators once again are pushing for laws regulating travel and business between the United States and Cuba."

'Nobody understands it unless they've been through it. Some of them never will,'' said Rep. Eduardo ''Eddy'' Gonzalez, a Hialeah Republican, who along with Rep. David Rivera, the author of the Cuba travel bill, and Rep. Luis Garcia, a Miami Beach Democrat, are all pushing for measures related to Cuba.

''For us, it's personal because we grew up with our parents raising us with the American dream, but also telling us about how things were in Cuba before Fidel,'' Gonzalez said.

He has pitched a bill that would ban American doctors from practicing in the state if they traveled to Cuba for medical training.

"Political stunts"

The knuckle dragger "immigration bills" pending in the House are going nowhere. RPOFer proposals to deport illegal immigrants in Florida jail and denying food-stamp benefits to illegal-immigrant children are apparently being decried as "political stunts" by Marco Rubio. Surely Saint Marco is not breaking with his friends on the fringe?

"Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, the son of immigrants and the chamber's first Cuban-American presiding officer, is navigating a quagmire over immigration policy that could spill into his future job prospects."

Quietly, some of his Republican brethren have grumbled that a bevy of immigration bills aimed at deporting illegal immigrants in state prisons, denying food-stamp benefits to illegal-immigrant families and toughening employment standards have stalled in the chamber.

A Senate committee unanimously passed the proposal to force Florida local governments to enforce federal immigration laws, and a video showed up on YouTube blaming Rubio for standing in the way of progress.

The Internet spot, produced by a group called BorderControlNow.com, blames Rubio for "working behind the scenes to kill the very bills intended to help you and your family" and asks citizens to call the speaker and "demand that these bills be put to a vote."

Coincidentally, Rubio huddled with his lieutenants and plans to hold a workshop this week on the bills. This late in the 60-day session, a "workshop" could be tantamount to a kiss of death for a controversial bill.

Rubio says he's sensitive to legislators who want to look strong on immigration.

And with a potential Miami mayoral bid approaching for the term-limited lawmaker, he's one of them. ...

However, "I'm not sure what the state's role is. There's a difference between serious proposals that we can do to help things and political stunts."

Just look to Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, who exhausted much of his political capital as Republican National Committee general chairman by supporting President Bush's doomed immigration reform assailed by conservatives as "amnesty" for illegals.

"A resegregation of sorts"

"In Florida, the numbers are even more dramatic. In 2000, 53 of every 1,000 blacks spent their last years in nursing homes, compared with 33 of every 1,000 whites, the latest census figures show. The result is a resegregation of sorts, with blacks concentrated in nursing homes and whites in assisted-living facilities". "Nursing homes see shift in racial makeup of residents".

Lock 'em up

The Daytona Beach News-Journal editorial board: "Florida lawmakers stumbled into a sticky trap when they legislated tougher prison sentences in the late 1980s." Being unable to see farther than the ends of their noses,

every headline-grabbing crime story spurred them to cast a wider and more punitive net, with little regard to the cost, human or otherwise.

As a result, some dangerous people will almost surely never see the light of day. But thousands of inmates will spend far longer in prison than their crimes merit -- and their families and communities will suffer for it. Many people incarcerated in state prisons never commit another crime after being released, but the longer prisoners are behind bars the less chance they have of reclaiming productive lives.

Meanwhile, the public must bear the increasing cost of maintaining these expensive failure factories, with little assurance of greater public safety. Private prisons -- once touted as the answer to expensive corrections budgets -- haven't worked, sacrificing accountability while saving little.

Gotta do sumthin 'bout "double dippers"

The war on "double dippers" - the folks who are collecting a government pension while still getting a regular paycheck from taxpayers- continues full speed ahead: "At USF, it's hard to tell who's double-dipping", "'Double dipping' runs deep in region", "Some decide to skip their chance to double-dip" and "Strapped colleges are paying double-dippers".

Don't know about you, but I see absolutely no problem with this: "McCain lists his major sources of income as his Senate salary of $169,300 and a Navy pension of about $56,000. More: "Guv'ment double dippin' crooks"."

Beware "sharp-tongued bloggers"

Rumor has it that "Online political action can effect offline change". Check out Josh Hafenbrack's piece on how "social-networking portals, the video-sharing site YouTube and sharp-tongued bloggers are playing an increasing role in shaping policy and opinion, from the presidential campaign trail to county and city halls and the state Capitol."

Delegate dance

"Just in from The Associated Press: The Florida Democratic Party has chosen 27 party leaders and elected officials as delegates to the national nominating convention. ... It’s unclear whether these delegates will be seated at the convention." "Florida Democrats choose 27 leaders to be convention delegates". See also "27 Florida delegates chosen for Democratic National Convention".

Text this

Randy Schultz: "Even if this bill becomes law - it did fly through one Senate committee 8-0 last week, but no House votes have been scheduled - don't expect police to start cruising beside you to check for surreptitious calling. Like failing to wear a seat belt, this would be a secondary violation. You couldn't get a ticket - one point against your license and a $60 fine - unless a cop had stopped you for something else." "Put brakes on generation driven to text".

He might even wear a purple tie

"Barack Obama hasn't set foot in Florida since November, and he hasn't done anything besides private money-raising in the state since August. So when the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination finally returns to Florida, look for him to try to make a splash and show some love to America's biggest battleground state." "The Buzz: Obama expected to make splashy return to Florida".

Who knew?

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board advises that "Florida's social service agency spends $250 million per year to house people deemed not competent to stand trial. Most of them are mentally ill, and would be better served in a community-based mental health program, and at a much lower cost." "Florida wastes billions on competency restoration program".

Teachers skip school on Friday's, they cheat on the FCAT, ...

... and they even fail to teach journalists' how to edit (see below)

Sweet was the last of just 10 teachers whose certificates were been permanently revoked in that time.

Just when you thought it was safe to make a Chapter 119 request ...

"Another misguided bill in Tallahassee seeks a major exemption from Florida's exemplary open-government laws." "Sour smell of secrecy".

More from the "values" crowd

"Returned by state child welfare workers to an abusive home, Marissa Amora was beaten nearly to death at age 2. And then she waited. Four years, for a jury to order the Florida Department of Children and Families to pay for its neglect. Another two years, for a new governor and new DCF secretary who stopped challenging the court order to pay $26.8 million, most of it for her lifetime of medical care."

Now, the Legislature is ready to force Marissa - who at 9 is permanently brain-damaged, reliant on a feeding tube and able to express herself only as a toddler could - to wait again, and indefinitely.

'Ya reckon?

"Many poor children lacking dental care".

"Water torture"

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "Ultimately, conservation will save utilities money. To supply new residents, though, utilities must reduce consumption or find new sources. Conservation, for example, is cheaper than building a reverse osmosis plant to make salty water drinkable. But even if the low-cost water ride Floridians have enjoyed for decades is over, utilities won't encourage conservation - which, let's face it, is voluntary - if customers believe that they are being unduly penalized for conserving." "Saving but paying more? Head off water torture".

'Ya gotta problem wit dat?

Why is this an issue? The Miami Herald editorial board:

It makes no sense for South Florida counties to dump 300 million of gallons of lightly treated sewage into the ocean every day. Yet Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties have been dumping sewage in the ocean for decades, refusing to stop, they say, because it is too expensive to reclaim or clean up the dirty water.

Is that what Charlie means by "green"?

"Going green in Florida looks like more nukes and high-voltage transmission lines will be crisscrossing the state." "Florida may see more nuclear plants".

Charlie's been found!

"Florida lawmakers thought reintroducing physical education to the state's public schools was going to be no sweat. Turns out, it's an ongoing workout. Many elementary schools are not fully complying with the spirit of the new mandatory physical education requirements — 150 minutes of P.E. weekly — and lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Crist aren't satisfied." "Despite money problems, lawmakers want school children in P.E.".

Election law "experts" chime in

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Our position: Sen. Nelson's election reforms have some good ideas among bad ones".

The CSX thing

After being asleep at the wheel - while the West Florida traditional media beats up on CSX ("Secret Deal For Railroad Hub Lays Bare Shady Practices At DOT") - a slumbering midget yawns and stretches: "Commuter rail: Don't let fools knock it off track".

Conflict?

"The [Brevard County] leader of The Nature Conservancy said there is no conflict between the organization funding the political campaign for $60 million in bonds to buy conservation land and later receiving a $278,000-a-year contract to negotiate on the county’s behalf." "Nature Conservancy denies conflict in its political contributions".

Sunday Ruth

Daniel Ruth responds to his critics on The Tampa Tribune editorial board with the usual panache, but at the close of his column lapses into a dream: "Following a column on the Legislature's budget struggles, LaraDiamond weighed in with ..."

Wait a minute! With a name like LaraDiamond, doesn't that sound like some pulp fiction Raymond Chandleresque femme fatale? But I digress.

Lara mused: "Amen, Brother Daniel! When people complain about paying taxes, I always wonder if they think things like roads and garbage collectors just fall from the sky.

"Each time you blindly vote for a person simply on the basis of a promise to cut taxes, you vote to reduce these things and so many others you take for granted."

And then I'd like to think LaraDiamond lit up a cigarette, poured herself a martini, slipped into a slinky evening gown complete with stiletto heals and went looking for - trouble.

A fine idea at the time ...

"Called 'A Business-Community School,' the program was created two years ago by the state Legislature. The intent was to reduce crowding, offset construction costs, use available space smartly and strengthen public/private partnerships." "Few takers for plan to teach kids at work sites".

We don't need no stinkin' constitutions

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "The Florida Legislature is persistent in efforts to undo or marginalize constitutional amendments that the voters of the state approved in 1998 or thereafter." "Undoing amendments".

Good luck

"Bill argues more than abstinence is needed".

Been to a City Commission meeting lately?

Because these folks - most of whom are well intentioned - are, like the rest of us, not "well-versed in business management*, complex tax issues, planning, budgetary spending and the dynamics of the legislative process".

"The job used to be so simple: show up at meetings, listen to the public's concerns, vote on ordinances and a yearly budget prepared by staff. But with the seemingly endless barrage of mandates coming from Tallahassee, the demands on Florida's municipal leaders are increasing. Nowadays, municipal leaders need to be well-versed in business management, complex tax issues, planning, budgetary spending and the dynamics of the legislative process." "No Longer A Part-Time Job".

- - - - - - - - - -
*As has been demonstrated over the years, the last thing an elected official needs is any more versing (well or otherwise) in "business management".

Why not make it $253 gazillion

"A jury awarded nearly $253 million to the children of one of Fidel Castro's former friends who died in jail — a judgment that was seen more as a political statement against the Cuban government than as a financial windfall." "Kin of Castro ex-ally awarded windfall" ("Cuba's government was served with court papers but chose not to be represented in court.")

The Traditional Media in action

As of 9:30AM, there are four separate links on The South Florida Sun-Sentinel's "Region/Florida" page to articles about topless fishing trips.

Gotta problem being "institutionalized"?

Six "nursing home residents backed by the AARP Foundation have filed a class-action lawsuit against the state of Florida under the Americans with Disabilities Act, citing a 1999 court ruling that helped spring mentally ill people from big, impersonal hospitals. Plaintiffs in the nursing home case say they are in the same boat. They could live more cheaply in home-like settings, they say, if only the state would shed its bias toward institutions."