Given all those lush fringe benefits, who wouldn't want to be a public school teacher?

Or more to the point, let's put it this way. State Sen. John Thrasher, R-The Mr. Chips From Hell, wouldn't last five minutes in a Florida public school classroom before finding himself more dazed and confused than Sarah Palin contemplating a world atlas.

Yet Thrasher and a bunch of his fellow truants from reality in the Florida Legislature seem bent on making it more difficult for our public school teachers to achieve tenure, easier to fire them and more difficult to — teach.

Under Thrasher's proposal, current protections for classroom teachers' job security would be eviscerated and even more stringent requirements for end-of-year exams implemented and linked to educator evaluations.

Mad dog Charlie

William March on Crist's reverting to his history of attack dog campaigningy: "Bruised from a pummeling in polls and conservative media for six months, Gov. Charlie Crist is fighting back in the Republican U.S. Senate primary."

With his 18-year political career in peril, Crist, who has never held back from negative campaigning, is attacking opponent Marco Rubio.

He has ceased the frontrunner's strategy of ignoring Rubio, and criticizes him at every opportunity - though Crist usually calls him as "my opponent" or "the speaker."

In the speech, he repeatedly urged legislators to temper political rhetoric with practicality, a clear reference to the primary race.

"Taken to an extreme, conviction becomes inflexible, even destructive," Crist said. "We do a disservice to the people who elected us ... to elevate ideology over problem-solving."

The lines drew applause from Democrats but silent stares from many in Crist's own party.

In the interview, he called Rubio's claim to conservatism the "greatest fraud perpetrated on people," and added, "When this guy calls himself the real conservative in the race, I've got to point out that it's the opposite." ...

Recent polls have shown Crist as much as 18 points behind among GOP primary voters; the Real Clear Politics Web site gives Rubio an average 12-point lead in recent polls.

Keep your wingnut specula outa my ...

"Doctor, patient part ways over health care debate".

Pill mills

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "A raid this week by federal and Palm Beach County authorities on pain clinics owned by twin brothers Chris and Jeff George is a welcome sign that law enforcement considers prescription-drug trafficking to be a serious issue. Gov. Crist and the legislature must now take the problem just as seriously." "'Pill mill' raid should prompt Legislature to act".

Week 2

"On the agenda in Week Two in the Florida Legislature: Gambling and the budget. Less than a week old, the annual lawmaking session already has a big focus on the budget. A new revenue estimate for the upcoming 2010-2011 budget year comes out Tuesday and lawmakers are beginning to grapple with how to close an expected $3.2 billion shortfall." "Legislature taking aim at budget and gambling".

"Public Wants Stronger Reform"

Although not directly related to Florida politics, this dKos piece exposes the traditional media's, perhaps unintentional, misrepresentation of public opinion regarding HCR:

Barry Sussman, editor of the Nieman Watchdog Project at Harvard's Nieman Foundation for Journalism, goes beyond the headlines screaming public opposition to healthcare reform.

Comes now (Feb. 26-28) a McClatchy/Ipsos poll of 1,076 people that on first glance offers rocks to sling at Obama. The lead question asks, "As of right now, do you favor or oppose the health care reform proposals presently being discussed?” Forty-one percent said they favored them, 47 percent said they were opposed, and the rest said they were unsure. Those are numbers the Republican leaders could work with.

But the pollsters went a step further, asking those opposed – 509 people in all – if they were against the proposals because they “don’t go far enough to reform health care” or because they go too far. Thirty-seven percent said it was because the proposals don’t go far enough. Thus – are you ready for this? – the addition of an obvious, simple follow-up question completely turns the tables. The overall numbers switch to 59 percent in favor of health care reform, 30 percent against. Putting aside those with no opinion, it becomes 66 percent in favor of health care reform, 34 percent against. Some would call that a consensus, or these days, a super majority.

Whoa, what happened here: a plurality against health care reform actually is a landslide in favor of it? In the same poll? If other surveys turn up similar data, will Republican leaders stop citing public opinion as the basis for opposing Obama’s health care legislation? Fat chance.

He was quickly returned to his country club

"Trappers catch 200-pound wild hog in affluent Plantation Acres".

"More concerned with partisan rhetoric than bipartisan solutions"

Aaron Deslatte: "On the eve of a budget-balancing session in which they'll have to tap federal stimulus cash for the third year running [Tea-bagger alert!] , Florida's Republican legislative leadership held a press conference to call on Washington to rein in its expanding fiscal waistline."

Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, and House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, called on Congress to send a constitutional amendment to the states requiring a balanced federal budget.

"Unless something is done about federal spending, Florida will drown in debt," Atwater said, ignoring the $15.7 billion in federal stimulus cash he and other lawmakers have used to balance Florida's budget over the past three years.

But Atwater is running statewide for chief financial officer. So he, like a bunch of other Republicans and Democrats, is much more concerned with partisan rhetoric than bipartisan solutions.

Grayson

As reported yesterday, "FL-08: Grayson leads, er, Republican primary". Inasmuch as Grayson actually "has almost twice as much support among Republicans as all his Republican opponents combined", we look forward to seeing which super-lightweight-RPOFer the Orlando Sentinel will endorse against Grayson in the general.

"A glimpse of the gun lobby's hold on lawmakers"

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "Think members of the Florida Legislature were willing to take the proverbial bullet by opposing the National Rifle Association and its defense of a state trust fund as a Second Amendment issue? Wishful thinking. Floridians are about to get a glimpse of the gun lobby's hold on lawmakers. And this time, the issue isn't even about actual gun ownership. It's money." "Setting up gun fund as sacred cow is poor budget management".

Why build houses ...

... when we have plenty of freeway overpasses? "Florida officials last March heralded the arrival of $91.1 million in federal assistance devoted to uplifting neighborhoods struggling with abandoned and foreclosed homes. A year later, very little of the money has been spent, putting the state at risk of losing millions in housing dollars." "Florida slow to spend federal grant money to refurbish housing".

Everything for sale

"With the economy in the tank, a Florida lawmaker is considering an unusual idea to raise money: Let corporations pay to put logos on license plates. The idea of a letting corporations like Disney or Nike sponsor license plates is being floated by state Sen. Mike Fasano, a New Port Richey Republican and transportation budget chairman." "Company names may go on tags".

Praise from Charlie ...

... may not be as helpful as it used to be.

Nevertheless, "State Sen. Dave Aronberg, a Democratic candidate for attorney general, is trying to appeal across party lines with an eye toward the general election. He's portraying himself as a politician focused on principles rather than partisan warfare. The 'About Dave' page on his campaign Web site says, 'The Naples Daily News called him 'the real deal,' and Governor Charlie Crist has praised him as 'a rock star.''"

So Aronberg is correct. He's leaving out Crist's qualifier, that Aronberg is "almost" a rock star. But that still puts Aronberg on the big stage. We find his claim True.

It was a nice sound bite

"An outside financial advisor has warned water managers that plummeting revenues could leave them with a difficult choice between cutting operations and maintenance or sticking to Gov. Charlie Crist's controversial deal with the U.S. Sugar Corp. The memo, sent last month to the chief financial officer of the South Florida Water Management District, paints a bleak forecast, with deficits projected to increase to $110 million by 2012 if it pursues the $536 million land buy for Everglades restoration." "Financial advisor warns sugar land purchase for Everglades restoration could overwhelm South Florida Water Management District". See also "State expert: U.S. Sugar deal to create deficits".

Central Florida's two chamber blast

Aaron Deslatte:

A week after the GOP announced that state Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Lake Mary, had the votes locked up to be House speaker in 2014, word leaked out that freshman Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, is close to having enough pledges to lead his chamber over the same two-year period.

Short of a seismic shift in the November elections, Central Florida is already slated to have two of its own leading both chambers for the 2011-12 terms in Senate President-designate Mike Haridopolos, R-Indialantic, and House Speaker-designate Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park.

Rubio on the run

"Crist's U.S. Senate campaign on Friday accused his opponent, former House Speaker Marco Rubio, of ducking debating in their increasingly contentious Republican primary." "Senate candidates debate debating; lawmakers want fishing review; and more".

Okaloosa memories

"On Feb. 27, 2009, Okaloosa County Sheriff Charlie Morris got up early, put $5,000 in his pocket and stepped out of his hotel room at Caesar's Palace casino in Las Vegas. He walked into the waiting arms of FBI agents, who arrested him on charges of theft, fraud and money laundering." "One year after Okaloosa County sheriff's fall, agency shines resilient".

Never mind

Steve Bousquet: "When Gov. Charlie Crist signed the law in 2007 that abolished touch screen voting in Florida, one exception remained."

Despite the machines' reputation for untrustworthiness, they would stay online through the 2012 elections for voters who are blind or have other physical disabilities.

By then, it was hoped, Florida would bless a paper ballot system accessible to the disabled, and touch screens would finally be a relic of elections past, like dimpled chad.

But now that 2012 is approaching, elections supervisors want to keep using touch screens for four more years, through 2016, or the next two presidential elections.

Is nothing sacred?

"Motorcycle chopper sales crash in tough economy".

No rigs

"Military backers told a House panel in no uncertain terms Friday that any talk of oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico better not hamper military operations in the region." "Backers of military in Florida oppose extensive drilling in Eastern Gulf".

Another lazy public employee

"Miami-Dade Police motorcycle officer in serious but stable condition after Hialeah crash".

Hasner gone

"Democrats have long touted House Majority Leader Adam Hasner’s Palm Beach-Broward seat as a pickup opportunity when Hasner leaves this year because of term limits. Republicans have roughly a 39-to-35 percent registration edge in District 87 and have been losing ground over the past eight years." "Dems recruit another candidate for open Hasner seat".

Burger King in a dither

"Bill would put calories on menus".

Charge

"The Democrats say that all contributions and expenses the party makes have to be reported to the state, but there are contributions and expenses filed with the Federal Elections Commission that aren't on the state report." "State Democrats file complaint against GOP". See also "Democrats file ethics complaint against GOP over finance reports".

Big of them

"The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the execution of a Death Row inmate so a hearing can be held to determine the validity of a new standardized IQ test that could spare his life by showing he's mentally retarded." "Florida Supreme Court stays man's execution over IQ test".

That was all well and good, but it is too bad Florida can't rustle up a few judges like this: "Texas judge says death penalty unconstitutional".

Bingo

"Florida taxpayers' tab in bingo-hall battle tops $6 million".

Florida's phony collective bargaining law

Jac Wilder VerSteeg exposes Florida's phony collective bargaining law; here's a taste: "To win federal Race to the Top money — awarded for innovation in education — Florida is negotiating with teachers at gunpoint."

The state wants a billion-dollar piece of the $4 billion Race to the Top pie, and on Thursday was named a finalist. Florida's main "innovation" is to impose on teachers a new evaluation system pegged to students' FCAT scores. Teachers unions hate that, and for good reason, given the FCAT's limitations.

Federal and state officials knew that unions would hate the idea. That's why the application emphasized signatures from each district's superintendent and school board chairman, but the union president's signature was optional. Of the 64 Florida districts that applied, only five unions signed on.

Florida's application advanced without union agreement, but districts can't actually get the money unless the new evaluation system is adopted after labor negotiations. How can this impasse be resolved?

No problem, the state says in its 323-page application. Teacher unions simply will be forced to accept new pay and tenure rules.

Before nakedly brandishing the gun, the application meanders through some pro-forma happy speak. The state promises to "work collaboratively with union representatives … We are hopeful that the unions will ultimately embrace this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to positively change the culture of teaching and the teaching profession."

After making those friendly noises, however, the state quickly builds its case for non-collaboration. Florida statutes, the application notes, require unions and districts "to participate actively in the negotiations with an open mind and a sincere desire, as well as making a sincere effort, to resolve differences and come to an agreement."

And what happens if, despite all these open minds, school districts and unions can't agree? "Florida law provides that the ultimate resolution of school district-teacher union disputes that reach impasse is by the district school board."

And there you have the gun to the head. If the teacher unions don't agree, school boards can make them accept the new rules anyway.

This threat comes from the top. Gov. Crist signed the application, as did state Education Commissioner Eric Smith. Attorney General Bill McCollum certifies that legal claims in the application are accurate.

As Crist and Rubio watch Florida burn ...

... Meek is on the job: "Meek backs reconciliation vote on health care reform".

"A hefty price tag"

"The decision was easy for Gov. Charlie Crist and legislative leaders as they watched the economy sputter and voters seethe in an election year. On the first day of session, the Legislature passed, and Crist signed, a bill that delays for two years a massive unemployment compensation tax hike for nearly a half-million Florida employers. But the relief is only temporary and it comes with a hefty price tag. The interest on federal loans to keep benefits flowing will cost $540 million by 2012." "State to pay $540 million on interest in loans to keep unemployment benefits flowing".

HD 5

"A Democrat has thrown her hat and a monkey wrench into the ring in the special election for the District 4 state House. Navarre resident Jan Fernald paid her qualifying fee Friday to join the five Republican men campaigning for the job. Friday was the last day to qualify to run." "Democrat enters District 4 state House race".

A Broward thing

"The county's lawmakers agree someone needs to keep a closer watch on unscrupulous practices by officials. Broward's reputation became tarnished last year following indictments of School Board member Beverly Gallagher, County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion and former Miramar Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman on corruption charges."

Broward's ethics commission requested the state delegation craft a bill for an inspector general -- with Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, a Republican who heads the Legislature's finance and tax council, taking the lead.

That, some say, may be why the popular measure has gone awry. She is the lone Republican in the delegation -- and running for a Senate seat in a district that has a growing number of residents leaning left.

"I have to say that if there were two Democrats sponsoring this bill, I don't think it would be so difficult,'' said Rep. Ari Abraham Porth, D-Coral Springs, who leads the delegation and filed the bill. "And that, I really believe, is unfortunate.''

Sink, a Democrat running for governor, said that since McCollum took office, the number of prosecutions for Medicaid fraud has dropped from 727 in 2004-05 to 372 in 2008-09. Florida has the second highest number of Medicaid recipients in the nation, but ranks 39th in convictions per person in its fraud unit.

From the "values" crowd

"As university students lobbied for more money in Tallahassee, legislative leaders, faced with a deficit, were predicting more budget cuts." "More money for universities called unlikely".

This week in Tally

"Florida legislators began the grim business of budget-cutting on multiple fronts Thursday, with the House leader issuing a spending outline and a grim outlook. " "Florida budget outlook grim".

Paul Flemming on Gov. Crist ... the budget ... the Gun-permit trust fund". "It was a fine week of lame ducks, dollars and guns". Related: "2010 Legislative Session Daily summary".

"State House leaders proposed on Thursday to increase spending on health care and public education - but not enough to meet the rising costs of either of those areas. All told, state health care and education programs may have to shrink by $750 million next fiscal year." "Shortfall chokes House spending".

More: "In Tallahassee today: Medicaid costs, oil drilling and impersonating veterans", "House Speaker Larry Cretul's Budget Proposal Increases School Funds", "Recommendations could save Florida taxpayers $3.2 billion" and "It’s early — but the state budget looks bleak".

If you're bored, you can "Watch live video of the session".

RPOFer laff riot

"An exchange between Gov. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio in a conservative political journal this week marked the toughest rhetoric so far between the two Republican U.S. Senate primary opponents."

Rubio charged that Crist "cannot be trusted," and Crist shot back that Rubio's claims to conservatism are a "fraud."

They traded hard punches Wednesday and Thursday on the National Review Online Web site, www.nationalreview.com, the online version of a magazine known as an intellectual trendsetter for the right.

In an article Wednesday, Rubio blasted Crist for saying in a news interview that there might be parts of President Barack Obama's health care proposal that are worth saving, and that the nation's health care system needs change.

Crist had told a newspaper editorial board that he wouldn't scrap the Obama administration's health care proposal entirely, and he thinks Americans need better access to health care and lower costs.

"Again and again, from tax hikes to runaway government spending, my opponent has demonstrated he cannot be trusted," Rubio wrote on the site. "His recent comments, in which he broke ranks with Republicans and said he would not scrap the health care bill and process, is just the latest example."

Crist shot back in an interview Thursday, saying Rubio's claim to be a conservative is the "greatest fraud perpetrated on people," and citing recent revelations about Rubio's use of a Republican Party credit card for apparently personal expenses as proof.

Dirty water

"The Environmental Protection Agency agreed Thursday to a extend the public-comment period on proposed water rules that have been blasted by Florida politicians. The decision came after members of the Congressional delegation met with EPA chief Lisa Jackson. Jackson told the lawmakers she would extend the comment period for the proposed rules by 30 days, adding three more public hearings." "EPA to hold more hearings".

Begging for federal dollars

Don't hear much complaining from the tea-baggers about this: "Florida is among 16 finalists in the federal Race to the Top competition, which the state hopes will land it more than $1 billion to use on 'aggressive education reform' in public schools." "Florida a finalist in Race to Top grant".

Class size

"Class size proposal heading to state Senate vote".

Ethics violation

"Ethics Commission: state employee broke 'revolving-door' law".

SBA gets a pass

"A two-sentence letter announced the end of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission inquiry into the state agency that manages $138.5 billion in retirement funds."

A two-year federal investigation into possible fraud at the Florida State Board of Administration, which manages $138.5 billion in retirement funds for state and local governments, ended this week with no action taken. ,,,

"This investigation has been completed as to the Florida State Board of Administration, against whom we do not intend to recommend any enforcement action by the commission,'' wrote Eric R. Busto, assistant regional director for the SEC's Miami office.

Busto then attached a copy of a 1972 securities act that indicated the SEC could reactivate the investigation if it deemed necessary and that the termination letter "must in no way be construed as indicating that the party has been exonerated or that no action may ultimately result from the staff's investigation of that particular matter.''

The SBA manages state employee pension funds and dozens of other investments for state and local governments, including 1 million current and future retirees. The SEC had been investigating whether the SBA and three large Wall Street firms had misled the public about the risk and liquidity of securities the state purchased from the firms.

The securities sold to the state by JPMorgan Chase, Credit Suisse and the now-defunct Lehman Brothers plummeted in value in late 2007, leading to the implosion of an SBA-managed local government pool that year.

Gambling

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "The Legislature and the Seminole Indian Tribe appear close to striking a deal to finally give Florida a portion of the proceeds from blackjack and other table games added to the Seminoles’ casinos nearly two years ago. The pragmatic negotiations appear headed in the right direction." "Gambling deal looks like good bet".

"Fiscal frauds"

Scott Maxwell offers up "Double-fisted slugs to Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist — a couple of political hypocrites who preach fiscal responsibility to everyone but themselves."

Rubio continues to yammer on about wasteful spending, even as he makes headlines for racking up more than $100,000 worth of credit-card charges on the GOP's American Express — everything from the simply pricey ($600-a-week car rentals, according to The Miami Herald) to the seriously questionable (plane trips for which Rubio double-billed both taxpayers and the Republican Party).

A lot of people can rightfully criticize his spending … but Crist ain't one of 'em. This is the guy, after all, who managed to spend a whopping $430,000 on a European "trade mission," during which his wife helped him rack up $1,300 worth of room-service and mini-bar bills. Yet, in criticizing his opponent in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, Crist actually had the audacity to claim: "I'm the most frugal, cheap guy you'll ever meet."(Only if Paris Hilton and Donald Trump are the only two people you've ever met.) Basically, what we have here are two so-called "conservatives" accusing each other of being fiscal frauds. How about we find some common ground and agree they're both right?

NASA

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "President Obama outlines lackluster, fuzzy NASA mission".

Florida Forever

"Florida Chamber, environmental groups will lobby to revive Florida Forever".

Local traffic cameras

"Bills suggest state should monitor local traffic camera laws".

Entrepreneurs in action

"The federal government has called American Pain a 'pill mill.' But the Lake Worth pain clinic operated more like a factory, churning through 250 patients a day, paying doctors as much as $44,000 a week, and distributing more than two million painkillers in a single year. " "Raided Lake Worth pain clinic handed out 2 million pills in a year".

Voucher madness

"A state-financed program that gives tuition vouchers to thousands of low-income Florida students to attend religious schools may get a boost in funding while cash-strapped public schools face more cuts." "As public schools face cuts, vouchers may get big boost".

RPOFer "bare-faced double-talk"

The Daytona Beach News Journal editors ask: "Can there be such a thing as bare-faced double-talk? Florida legislative leaders apparently don't see a problem with it. Legislative leaders kicked off the opening day of the 2010 legislative session with a rant at Congress for fiscal irresponsibility, and House Speaker Larry Cretul and Senate President Jeff Atwater are backing a resolution that would scold the nation's leaders for deficit spending."

But with the new legislative session only a few hours old, state lawmakers fast-tracked a bill that extends jobless benefits and puts off an increase in the state's unemployment tax, replacing it with massive loans ... from the federal government. Gov. Charlie Crist -- who correctly pointed out that Floridians benefited significantly in the past years from federal stimulus spending -- signed the bill minutes before he made his final State of the State speech Tuesday night.

The Chamber snaps its fingers ...

"Crist signs bill delaying unemployment tax increase".

Charlie's "swan song speech"

Bill Cotterell notes that "We're all pretty much accustomed to governors slipping a few crowd-pleasing applause lines into the annual State of the State speech, or using an eye-catching prop to make a point."

probably no governor has basked in so many broad smiles, or heard such enthusiastic applause, as Gov. Charlie Crist encountered during his swan song speech at a joint legislative session on Tuesday evening. The trouble is, not everybody who was smiling was also applauding — and the members on their feet were almost all Democrats.

The Republican governor made a strong, reasoned defense of his administration's use of federal stimulus money for "problem solving" that he said saved thousands of jobs for teachers and cops, among others. Using stimulus money to balance the current fiscal budget avoided tax increases while maintaining a necessary level of state services.

Crist didn't name former Speaker Marco Rubio, his rival in the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate, or specifically mention the Tea Party voters when he spoke about extremists who are unwilling to compromise. But you'd have had to be napping not to guess whom Crist was talking about when he asked legislators to shun "hollow ideological posturing that achieves nothing."

Charlie's gamble

Mike Thomas:

Charlie Crist could beat Marco Rubio in a general election.

He could beat Kendrick Meek in a general election.

But could he beat Rubio and Meek in a general election?

Judging by his State of the State speech, it seems Crist either is thinking about it or he has taken up smoking hash.

He certainly wasn't trying to endear himself to the conservatives with his Tuesday address to legislators. Here is a guy getting killed by right flight, and he was throwing out red meat to the Democrats. They gave him a standing ovation as he endorsed the stimulus and derided conservative ideologues.

Republicans sat on their hands. The only thing missing was Joe Wilson shouting, "You lie!''

"Chill the coziness"

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Florida legislators are talking more about job creation and budget shortfalls this session than about reforms of any kind -- except when it comes to the Public Service Commission, the state's utility regulator. The PSC is rightly a reform target in Tallahassee after its chummy relations with Florida Power & Light were exposed in 2009. Specifically, lawmakers want to limit communications by PSC commissioners and their staffs with utility officials to on-the-record, open meetings. This is a much-needed fix that should sail through the Legislature." "Reform PSC now".

GOPer games

"Volusia County officials said in a news release this week that some residents thought the GOP's "Congressional District Census" was the real one. The actual Census will be sent to every U.S. household on March 15. Residents are required to return them by April 1. Democrats are criticizing the GOP for printing the words 'Do Not Destroy Official Document' and 'census document' on the envelope." "GOP 'Census' mail confuses some Volusians".

Crist on the attack

"Crist's campaign is openly asking what former House Speaker Marco Rubio knew about Ray Sansom's dealings with a Panhandle college." "Charlie Crist jumps on Marco Rubio, Ray Sansom similarities".

From the "values" crowd

"A group of blind residents is protesting a proposal in the Legislature to delay voting by paper ballot until 2016 for voters with physical disabilities." "Blind decry bid to stall paper ballot".

Veterans benefits

"Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink unveiled an initiative Wednesday aimed at ensuring that the state's 1.7 million veterans tap into all the benefits available to them." "Sink announces push to help veterans with benefits".

Here they come

"Florida's population bounces back - just barely". See also "Population decline is over for Florida, UF study shows".

Gambling compact

Jeremy Wallace: "Less than 24 hours after imploring the Legislature to approve a gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist met with the lead House negotiator to continue to press the issue." "Bradenton's Rep. Galvano and Crist discuss gambling compact".

RPOFers want to "unleash even more special-interest spending"

"Florida legislative leaders are proposing election-law changes that could unleash even more special-interest spending in state elections but require that the millions of dollars pumped into races be fully disclosed to the public." "Election-law change would reopen spending, add full disclosure".

"Allowing them to more quickly raise premiums"

"Florida lawmakers are again seeking to loosen rules on property insurers by allowing them to more quickly raise premiums to recoup the costs of buying reinsurance' and other expenses."

The move is the second act of a push by the Legislature to scale back some of the reforms it rushed to pass in 2007, after property-insurance premiums exploded in the wake of the busy 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons.

But one piece of the legislation unveiled Wednesday drew quick criticism at its first hearing before the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.

Among other changes, the bill, SB 2044, would allow an insurer to pass along to its customers any losses it suffered from discounts offered to homeowners who hurricane-harden their homes with improvements like storm shutters or new roofs. Insurers who can prove to the state that they suffered financial losses from the discounts could recoup them by raising rates on all homeowners.

Cheap cigarettes

"Big tobacco got its comeuppance in Florida in 1997 when, in an out-of-court settlement, it agreed to pay an estimated $11.3 billion over 25 years to compensate the state for the costs to the public's health from smoking-related illnesses. Tiny Dosal Tobacco, a South Florida company with less than a 1-percent market share at the time, wasn't part of the settlement. Today, Dosal's not so tiny. Its Romy, 305's and other brands make up 20 percent of all cigarettes purchased in Florida. It's the state's third biggest cigarette vendor." "Pay a fair share".

A Republican thing

The Tampa Tribune editorial board neglects to mention which political party was responsible for the delay: "Approve Sanchez promptly for international trade post".

911 bill

"A House member wants to block release of 911 tapes and exempt them as open records to protect victims from further trauma by public release." "House to hear 911 bill: Measure would exempt tapes from open records laws".

Priorities

The Senate yesterday passed

a bill that would put a "lock box" on a trust fund paid for by gun owners to process their concealed weapons permit applications, making it one of a select few trust funds off-limits to lawmakers.

Over the objections of some Democrats, the Senate approved a measure that would bar lawmakers from dipping into the trust fund to spend on anything other than processing concealed weapons permits. The fund is financed by a $117-per-permit fee collected from permit applications.

Only four of the state's 400-plus trust funds are now off limits.

GOPers want federal cash

"Space Coast lawmakers lobby for economic aid as 9,000 aerospace jobs disappear this year". See also "Florida fighting to keep NASA jobs".

Ferre

"Maurice Ferre, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, wants to convince voters that he will be a good steward of their tax dollars. He served as Miami's mayor from 1973 until he lost in 1985 and says that he left the city in good financial shape. That's notable because, these days, the city is plagued with budget shortfalls and under a federal investigation about its finances." "Pot of gold that Maurice Ferre left Miami doesn't add up".

RPOFers want to negotiate teacher contracts

"Two key education bills filed recently in the Florida Senate would lead to dramatic changes in teacher-pay plans and high school graduation requirements, if adopted. The first would force Florida school districts to develop merit-pay plans for teachers -- or risk losing state money." "School bills would lead to dramatic changes".

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board thinks "the Republican-led Legislature needs to tread carefully as it looks to overhaul teacher tenure. An approach that focuses on punitive measures for both districts and teachers, more than on incentives and reasonableness, could easily backfire and drive even good teachers away." "Risks of radical tenure plan".

Meantime, "State economist: School funding down $1 billion for next year".

"State court system is being slammed"

The Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "It's that time of year when the Florida Supreme says "Look, we really need more judges," and the state Legislature says 'Hmm, not this year.'"

But the state court system is being slammed. One obvious culprit: Foreclosure cases more than doubled in the period from July 2006 through June 2007, and have climbed precipitously since then. In 2003, virtually all foreclosure cases were resolved within a year, but as of 2008, that clearance rate was down to 48.2 percent.

Most circuits have made changes to ensure that criminal and family-court cases are heard in a timely fashion, but those courts are suffering from the loss of case managers, clerks and other workers who boosted efficiency. Meanwhile, the sheer bulk of foreclosure cases is clogging other pats of the court system, and taking a serious toll on the state's economy. A 2008 study by a Washington think tank pegged Florida's economic loss due to foreclosure delays at $17 billion a year and growing.

The fiscal impact of the cuts runs through the court system. A few years ago, many counties contracted with local attorneys to serve as magistrates for traffic court, handling cases more quickly and less expensively. Now the magistrates are gone -- and county court judges are picking up those duties. In other parts of the court system, high-paid judges are performing clerical duties.

Meanwhile the Legislature has cut court budgets by 10 percent and failed to approve any new judges in the past three fiscal years. Lawmakers did make one smart move in 2008, setting up a trust fund that should eventually provide stable funding for the court system, but it's not producing enough money yet.

They are rummaging through the legislative salvage yard for proposals that won't cost money because the annual session that opens Tuesday will be dominated by a $3.2 billion budget gap in an unusually busy election year.

Lawmakers will consider anti-corruption measures, shifting tax breaks from one group to another, and attaching the "jobs" label to anything that has a prospect of saving money or attracting new employment.

With nearly two dozen members of the House and Senate, the governor, lieutenant governor and three of the four Cabinet members seeking higher office, everyone is treading lightly. Few politicians want to be identified with anything that's remotely controversial, so initiatives on oil drilling, property insurance and health insurance reform will likely be delayed until next year.

Just as jumping and removing pegs from the board becomes harder with every turn, "it's getting tougher and tougher every time to resolve all of our budget questions with the amount of money available to us," said Galvano, R-Bradenton. "It'll be very difficult, and some very hard decisions will have to be made."

Those decisions promise to dominate the upcoming session in which lawmakers will struggle to come up with ways to fill a budget shortfall that could exceed $3 billion next fiscal year.

Cuts to health care. Cuts to prisons. Cuts to universities.

Like it or not, every part of the now-$66.7 billion budget will probably suffer, said Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.

No $133.75 barber shop visits for Atwater?

"Unlike some other Republican bigs entrusted with state GOP-issued American Express cards, Senate President and chief financial officer candidate Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, says he never used his card for anything like a $3,600 dinner at The Breakers or a $133.75 barber shop visit." "To his credit, Atwater says his spending an open book".

GOPerettes a factor?

"The 2010 elections are filled with opportunities for conservative gains, if Republican women organize and unify, two veteran GOP leaders said Sunday." "Women of GOP could be factor this fall".

Privatization alert

"As Medicaid swells in cost and number of recipients, some Republican legislative leaders are increasingly interested in putting more of the program's patients into HMOs, giving the private companies more control over the state-federal program for the poor." "As costs rise, lawmakers eye HMOs".

"Plenty forgiving"

"Amid revelations about how Republican U.S. Senate front-runner Marco Rubio wielded his Florida GOP credit card as state House speaker (not exactly conservatively), it seems some of his most vocal conservative supporters are plenty forgiving." "Times: Supporters dismiss Marco Rubio's use of Florida GOP credit card".

Census

"On March 15, the U.S. Census Bureau will mail out questionnaires to 130 million households. The forms should be filled out and mailed back by April 1 — Census Day." "To be counted, here's what counts with the 2010 census".

"Not a great sign"

"Not a great sign for a campaign already facing widespread doubts about its strength and stability: Marc Farinella, general consultant to the Alex Sink gubernatorial campaign, has left the campaign. ... Sink's new general consultant is Ken Morley, who managed the 2008 campaign of Gov. Jay Nixon in Missouri and Sen. Ben Cardin in Maryland in 2006. He also managed Scott Maddox's short-lived gubernatorial campaign in 2005." "Shakeup on Sink campaign".

Unemployment

The Daytona Beach News Journal editors: "For the unemployed, two benefits count for more than any other in staving off poverty or bad health: unemployment checks and continued health insurance coverage under COBRA. Congress did its job for those who didn't have a job in 2009. It extended unemployment benefits past the usual 26-week limit. It also made COBRA affordable by subsidizing two-thirds of premium costs. But eligibility to sign up for those extensions ran out Sunday. It's not hyperbole to say that extending them through the end of the year is vital."

The recession may be officially over, but in reality -- and in Florida especially -- it's nowhere near over. More than 1 million Floridians are unemployed. The unemployment rate, hovering near 12 percent, continues to rise. Unemployment compensation for Floridians, at $275 a week before a federal supplement of $25 is included, is the fourth-lowest benefit in the nation, making it difficult to survive on, but crucial as a supplement to savings and loans from friends and family. Those checks also inject money in local economies, providing a continued stimulus to small businesses while helping the unemployed keep their homes longer as they look for work.

Extending unemployment benefits is only half the job. The other half is extending the COBRA subsidy.

Unless lawmakers act, the minimum tax will increase from $8.40 to $100.30 for each employee, a jump that would hit already struggling businesses and add to their challenge of either laying off employees or not hiring new ones. Either would only make the job market worse, the economy more insecure. ...

A delay will help employees temporarily, and give lawmakers time to work on a more long-lasting solution.

Keeping up appearances

"Crist, Atwater and Cretul on mission to keep up appearances during Legislature's 2010 session" "Trio on a mission to keep up appearances through session".

Gambling

"Legislators resume attempts to come to a gambling agreement with the Seminole Tribe as other players push to add more games and gambling options." "Gambling issue back on table for Florida Legislature".

They said it

The Tampa Tribune editorial board wants us to "Remember value of prisons".