Greer's attorney, Damon Chase, alleges that Swarttz's testimony will damage the state's criminal case because the CFO will testify that he never sent Victory checks to Greer, only to Johnson.

"If there is a bad guy, it's Delmar," Chase said.

But prosecutors allege that Greer had the Tallahassee office of Gray-Robinson set up Victory Strategies and hide his involvement by keeping his name off official corporate documents and having Johnson serve as its only officer.

Greer is suing the party, former chairman John Thrasher and Mike Haridopolos, president of the Florida Senate, in state circuit court in Sanford, alleging they cheated him out of a $123,000 severance package after he agreed to resign in early 2010 following disclosures about lavish party spending.

That's the case in which Greer wants to depose Swarttz. Lawyers for the GOP contend Greer's attorney should only be allowed to ask Swarttz about signing the party's checks to Victory and the party's contract with Victory.

"A disappointing end to a first year in office for West"

"In a year of congressional brinkmanship, freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West surprised many supporters and critics in July by endorsing a debt ceiling deal that aligned him with President Obama and Nancy Pelosi and against the tea party and Sen. Marco Rubio."

But the conservative firebrand's support for compromise only goes so far.

When House Speaker John Boehner and GOP leaders agreed Thursday to accept a two-month extension of a payroll tax holiday rather than the yearlong extension the House approved, West blasted the agreement as a triumph for "the politics of demagoguery."

Neither West nor anyone else formally objected, however, when the House quickly approved the deal on a voice vote Friday. It marked a disappointing end to a first year in office for West, who was one of the most visible and influential rookies in a GOP caucus where freshmen wielded unusual clout.

"Health-care executives want to scrap current system"

Aaron Deslatte: "A new group called Patients for Fair Compensation is pushing here for transformative changes to the medical malpractice system."

The group, founded by Georgia health-care executives, wants to scrap the current system that sees injured patients battle it out in the courts with hospitals, doctors and insurance companies.

Florida lawmakers have attempted for years to reduce awards and plaintiff-lawyer fees in medical malpractice cases. Gov. Jeb Bush won passage in 2003 of reforms that capped the "non-economic" losses that injury victims could collect in court.

But a recent report by The James Madison Institute, a conservative Tallahassee think-tank, noted that while the caps "slightly lowered" doctors' insurance premiums, "this did not directly reduce the cost of care in Florida."

The Patients group wants to replace the current tort system with a medical review board of practitioners, much like what's used in the Workers' Compensation system. Patient complaints would be reviewed by medical experts, settled and paid without going to court. ...

Instituting such a sweeping change in litigation-rich Florida would be a major coup — although its supporters concede the idea is likely a multiyear endeavor. State Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City Beach, and Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, have agreed to sponsor the legislation for the 2012 session that starts Jan. 10.

The group has an inside track with Gov. Rick Scott, a former Hospital Corporation of America executive. One of its founding members is Charles Evans, a former HCA regional president and board chairman for Solantic, the chain of urgent-care clinics Scott founded after he left HCA.

The governor has expressed support for their concept, they said.

In Florida, trial lawyers are staying mum for the moment.

"Barstool blues"*

Lloyd Dunkelberger: "Ending his first year in office, Gov. Rick Scott points to the creation of more than 120,000 new jobs in the state in 2011 as a significant step toward fulfilling his signature campaign promise to create 700,000 new jobs over seven years."

But the jobs added during Scott’s first year in office were about half the roughly 243,000 net needed annually for Scott to meet his pledge.

But in the fall, Scott backed off the campaign promise, saying instead that he was focused on the “creation of 700,000 jobs over seven years regardless of what the economy might otherwise gain or lose.”

Despite comments to the contrary during the campaign, including during a debate, Scott has insisted more recently that he has not backed off his campaign pledge, but had only ever promised to create 700,000 jobs — period. “Look at the ad,” he said.

At the current pace, Florida would not even regain the more than 900,000 jobs lost since the start of the Great Recession within seven years. ...

Many of the jobs added this year pay far less than those they replaced, raising questions about how robust Florida’s economic recovery will be. ...

Florida is tied for the sixth-highest unemployment rate in the country, well above the national average of 8.6 percent. ...

[C]ritics fault Scott for backtracking on his original jobs stance. They contend that, entering his second year, Scott is guiding the state toward an economic future based on low-paying jobs. ...

Much of the job growth was in lower-paying sectors such as retail stores as well as restaurants and bars, with average annual salaries in the mid-$20,000 range, according to a 2010 labor survey in Florida.

"No idea where Bondi's information is coming from"

"Billie: No idea where Bondi's information is coming from".

"A vital shield against exploitation and poverty"

The Saint Petersburg Times editors: "For 37 years, home health care aides who are hired to look after elderly or sick people and help them live at home have been shut out of basic federal labor protections."

Their hard, physical, low-paid work has been considered on a par with that of a babysitter and exempt from federal minimum wage laws and overtime rules. Finally, that is about to change. This month, the Obama administration has proposed regulations to bring home care workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The move is long overdue. ...

Republican lawmakers and business groups are opposed to the change and are fighting to get the rules modified before they are finalized. Opponents claim that the cost of providing service would rise and that the proposals might cause staffing agencies to cut back on each worker's hours to avoid paying overtime. Of course, those general arguments could be made for any worker in any industry. There is nothing new in Republicans opposing an expansion of minimum wage laws and other labor protections. But as has been well established from many decades of experience, those laws provide a vital shield against exploitation and poverty.

Another Dorworth mess

"The bank holding the $1.5 million mortgage on the Heathrow mansion of future Florida House Speaker Chris Dorworth is pushing again to take it away from him."

The Bank of New York Trust Company N.A. sued him and his now-estranged wife in 2008, saying they had failed for months to make their $9,700-a-month mortgage payment.

After years of delays, the bank on Monday asked a judge to enter a summary judgment — a formal finding that Dorworth is in default. It's the next step toward selling it at a courthouse auction.

"Republicans remained disgruntled"

"An agreement to extend the payroll tax cut and emergency unemployment benefits for two more months brought a sense of relief to members of both parties on Thursday, though Republicans remained disgruntled." "Florida members relieved by tax-cut extension".

"Standing up to bullying"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "So the Board of Governors is 'extremely displeased' that University of South Florida president Judy Genshaft had the audacity to replace an administrator she could no longer trust."

The board that oversees the state university system could learn a lesson from her about standing up to bullying instead of acting like a bully itself.

Genshaft replaced the chancellor of USF's Lakeland campus this week with good reason. Marshall Goodman answered more to state Sen. JD Alexander than to his boss as the two steamrolled their way toward severing the campus' ties with USF and making it an independent university. It would not have come to this if the Board of Governors had firmly rejected Alexander's scheme. Instead, the board created a long road map to independence for USF Polytech that Genshaft pledged to follow and that Alexander still does not like.

Next up, ads on high school football jerseys

"Fla. lawmakers considering allowing school bus ads".

Absentee ballot changes cut participation

"Absentee ballots for the Republican presidential primary will start hitting the mail Tuesday, but thousands of Florida voters who think they've signed up to get one may be surprised."

Elections supervisors say they fear many voters aren't aware that a 2010 election law change eliminated a provision that automatically sent an absentee ballot to every voter who had requested one in the previous election. And some blame ignorance of the change for a big drop in applications in advance of the Jan. 31 primary.

Occupy Jax

"Jacksonville cracks down on Occupy protesters".

"Other Republicans politely questioning if it was too much"

"Scott is a conservative Republican and the Legislature is overwhelmingly conservative Republican, but the sides clashed at the beginning of the year as Scott came in as a political outsider vowing to change Tallahassee. He surrounded himself with a team also made up of outsiders, announced his proposed budget at a tea party rally in a central Florida church and set an agenda that even had other Republicans politely questioning if it was too much." "Rick Scott has same goals, new approach".

Turkey Point expansion

"Federal regulators approved the design of a next-generation reactor that FPL has selected for a proposed Turkey Point expansion, but critics contend a 'fast-track' process could compromise safety of the AP 1000." "Reactor approval clears path for FPL".

The investigation comes on the heels of an FEC suit over a pattern of questionable contributions made to Buchanan’s 2006 and 2008 campaigns. Though the congressman wasn’t named as a defendent, his former business partner and a car dealership the two once co-owned were accused of offering reimbursements for money donated to his campaign and of violating excessive contribution laws.

The FEC eventually called the activity an “extensive and ongoing scheme” and fined his former dealership almost $68,000; Buchanan himself was never found to be at fault. But a recently leaked FEC report reveals that some members did doubt his innocence.

According to its website, the House Committee on Ethics has the jurisdiction to “recommend administrative actions to establish or enforce standards of official conduct” and must “report to appropriate federal or state authorities substantial evidence of a violation of any law applicable to the performance of official duties that may have been disclosed in a Committee investigation.”

Robaina again

"Former South Miami mayor Julio Robaina wants his old job back. Robaina, who also has served as a state representative, is challenging incumbent Mayor Philip Stoddard in the Feb. 14 election." "Robaina challenges Stoddard for South Miami mayor".

Charter

"A Miami lawmaker wants public charter schools to be more transparent.State. Sen Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami, filed a bill Wednesday that would require charter schools to post information about their management companies on their school websites."

Her proposal was submitted days after The Miami Herald concluded a three-part series examining South Florida’s $400 million-a-year charter school industry.

The investigation found that charter schools have given rise to a cottage industry of for-profit management companies, some of which have almost total financial control over the charter schools they run.

Charter schools receive public funding, but are under the purview of independent governing boards instead of local school districts.In South Florida, two-thirds of charter schools have contracts with management companies, entities that can provide accounting, payroll and academic services.

The companies charge fees ranging from 5 to 18 percent of a school’s income, and in many cases also control the land and buildings used by the school. Some set the rent at more than 25 percent of the school’s revenue, records show.

Herald reporters found a pattern of insider deals and potential conflicts of interest within the industry.

the House Education Committee, State Rep. Bill Proctor, said he would be willing to review any similar bills that might be filed in the House. But Proctor, a Republican from St. Augustine, said he believes charter schools will take a back seat to merit pay and higher-education reform during the upcoming legislative session, which will begin Jan. 10.

Redistricting and the budget will keep 'em busy

"When House members return to Tallahassee for the regular session, the speaker doesn’t expect there to be much time for items outside of redistricting and the budget." "House Floor Action to Be Reduced in 2012 by Redistricting, Budget".

Text message Chapter 119 loophole?

"Florida public records laws are often called among the toughest in the nation. But that was b4 txt msging. The state updated its public records rules last year to advise that text messages, Facebook comments, Tweets and other communications on "emerging communications technologies'' might be public records, depending on their content."

If the message is "C U 4 lunch,'' it's not a public record. If it's a message conveying information about something that is coming up for a vote, it might be.

But who's keeping copies of those? No one, it appears.

PBC epicenter of opposition to Florida's new voting law

"Palm Beach County is emerging as an epicenter of opposition to Florida's controversial new voting law that supporters say will curb voter fraud but critics call a part of a scheme to deny many Floridians the right to vote in next year's elections." "Palm Beach County an epicenter of opposition to Florida's new election law".

"Florida home sales up, prices flat"

"There were 12,996 home resales last month, but the median sale price decreased $500 from the same time last year to $130,100." "Florida home sales up, prices flat in November".

Pollution advocates gear up

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday released controversial new air-pollution standards that have been long sought by environmental and health advocates but could force expensive upgrades at some Florida power plants." "EPA Puts Out New Air Pollution Standards".

In the hole

"Florida officials in 2003 changed policy to prohibit inmates from advertising for pen pals or getting mail from pen pal groups. It said the change was made after receiving complaints from victims and their families who saw prisoners' ads." "Appeals court sides with Dept. of Corrections in pen pal ad case".

"Insurers have faked some of its 'crises' to pump up profits"

The Sun Sentinel editorial board: "A new study by the Americans for Insurance Reform should reverberate in Tallahassee as Gov. Rick Scott and state lawmakers prepare to reform no-fault auto insurance, or PIP. The project of the New York Law School's Center for Justice and Democracy claims insurers have faked some of its 'crises' to pump up profits and concludes that the professed need for premiums to outpace claims and other expenses is simply a myth." "PIP reform needs sworn testimony".

A good spot for a casino

"The Miami area is the main focus of most casino operators but Broward County also is vying for attention." "Investors search South Florida for prime casino spots".

Pre-session teacher bashing

This from the usual suspects: "Teachers' Hourly Compensation Doubles Up Private-Sector Average".

What's wrong with Hillsborough?

"Hispanic groups object to districts".

Criticism from a very unlikely place ... Seminole County

"Florida's tax-credit scholarship program for low-income students is 'a travesty' and 'part of the agenda' to weaken public schools, Seminole County education leaders say. Their main complaint:"

There's little known about what the nearly 38,000 students in the program are learning in exchange for the $175 million spent this year to send them to private — most often religious — schools.

Such public criticism of the scholarship program, which is very popular among conservative Republicans running the state, is rare.

But education leaders in Seminole, with its high-performing schools, have been more vocal lately as they struggle to find ways to cut more than $22 million from next year's budget. Already, the district has closed one school and is expected to shutter perhaps three more, in addition to other cutbacks.

They blame the tax-credit scholarship program for siphoning off taxpayer dollars just when school districts across Florida most need the money.

Under the program, low-income parents dissatisfied with public schools can send their children to private school at taxpayers' expense. Taxes that are otherwise due to the state instead go to the scholarship fund, which is projected to hit $250 million next year.

Seminole school-district officials also see a double standard that other school leaders across Florida object too as well.

The state, they contend, has created a huge gap in its education-accountability system by largely exempting the scholarship students and the schools they attend from the academic standards that public schools face.

"He kept $1 million in cash handy for payoffs"

"In transcripts from his deposition, the convicted Ponzi schemer says, 'We were handing out money like Santa Claus hands out candy canes.'" "Rothstein says he kept $1 million in cash handy for payoffs".

RNC "mostly false" about DWS

The Republican National Committee and its associated mouthpieces can't handle Debbie Wasserman Schultz:

Did Wasserman Schultz really insist that unemployment did not go up during Obama's term, as propagated by the Republican National Committee? No. Wasserman Schultz insisted something else — that it hadn't gone up precipitously and that it is not going up. We rate the RNC's claim Mostly False.

They are the ones who failed to support bipartisan legislation to extend the payroll tax cut that was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate. They are the ones who rejected an extension of long-term unemployment benefits for 3 million Americans. And they are the ones who should be held accountable in the next election for their callous indifference to the needs of their constituents.

Voters tend to like their own representatives more than Congress as an institution, but they should hold them accountable for this failure. U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor, Richard Nugent of Brooksville and C.W. Bill Young of Indian Shores voted with their Republican colleagues on Tuesday to effectively reject the Senate compromise. Last week in the Senate, even Republican Marco Rubio joined with Democrat Bill Nelson and voted for the temporary extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, leaving the next round of political fighting until March. But the House Republicans were more interested in joining the most extreme members of their own party and propping up a weak House speaker than in representing the best interests of Floridians.

A no-brainer

The Sun Sentinel editorial board: "Restoring felon rights a no-brainer".

FEC says "more likely than not" Buchanan broke election laws

"Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan claimed he'd been "completely exonerated" in an elections investigation. In a just-released report, however, the FEC said evidence suggested 'it is more likely than not' that the Sarasota Republican did break federal election laws."

The report also said that there were "legitimate questions'' about Buchanan's credibility and that an affidavit in which he and former business partner Sam Kazran said they knew nothing about reimbursements could indicate Buchanan was trying to hide his involvement.

But the FEC's Office of General Counsel had "significant concerns'' about Kazran's credibility, too. Faced with conflicting testimony and a shaky witness in Kazran, the commission closed its case against Buchanan last winter.

Asked for comment about the report, which was prepared in January but not released until Tuesday, Buchanan's Washington lawyers called it a "marvel of one-sided advocacy.''

"No amount of overstatement, distortion or speculation by (general counsel) can transform what occurred in this case into a violation of federal laws,'' the lawyers said. "It's time to … rightly conclude from the facts that no laws have been broken.''

Romney County Chairs in Florida

"Mitt Romney Announces County Chairs in Florida".

Don't expect much

"The House Speaker says that during this coming session that he intends to stick to the committee process from the 2011 session and not take up any Senate bills 'whose House companion had not reached the House Calendar.'" "Cannon: Don't expect 'major floor action' early in the session".

Scott talks Energy

"Governor says he's still working on energy issues and isn't deferring to Putnam".

Number of Floridians with private health insurance continues to decline

"According to a new report from the Florida Health Insurance Advisory Board, the number of people in Florida with private health insurance has continued to decline."

Last year, Florida had the third highest percentage of residents without insurance, according to U.S. Census data. The 2010 Census information (.xls) finds that from 2008 to 2010, Florida’s average percentage of uninsured people was 20.7 percent. The national average for uninsured citizens was 15.6 percent.

Florida is also currently leading the fight against the federal health care reform law — a law written to expand health insurance coverage in the county. Florida and 25 other states have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of the law. Hearings will commence in March.

Florida has been thwarting the implementation of the Affordable Care Act since its passage. According to research by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Florida is one of only five states returning grants awarded by the federal government to implement the state exchanges, as well as a slew of other grants meant to assist low-income or at-risk communities in the state. State officials have also said they will not be creating a state exchange until the Supreme Court decides to uphold the health care reform law.

"Nurses protest staffing levels"

"HCA nurses protest staffing levels".

Scott has reversed course on 'Glades

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "The halting state-federal effort to restore the Everglades has taken a positive turn. Congress authorized $142 million for the project next year, clearing the way for new construction that will vastly improve water flow into the River of Grass. And Gov. Rick Scott has reversed course and proposed a more serious starting point for state funding next year. This new spending does not entirely make up for recent cuts, especially at the state level. But it strengthens the federal-state partnership at a critical time." "Welcome new funding for the Everglades". Related: "Everglades restoration is bipartisan, Nelson says".

"Mounting criticisms against Bondi's handling of foreclosure crisis"

"Evicted this week from his home of 40 years, retired Orange County firefighter Booker T. Perry and a new coalition added to the mounting criticisms against Florida Attorney General Bondi's handling of the foreclosure crisis."

A teary-eyed Perry stood on the front steps of his white-brick home Wednesday and recounted that he received only one foreclosure notice before his eviction and the rest of the legal filings went to an attorney hired by his estranged wife. He never saw them.

Flagstar Bank recently sold the house to an investor who purchased it for $17,000 and ordered the eviction, which occurred five days before Christmas.

Enough with the guns in child care centers

"Months after lawmakers approved a measure to overrule cities and counties with get-tough gun laws, a Palm Beach County lawmaker on Tuesday introduced a bill to begin restoring some limits on where residents can carry guns. Saying she hopes to at least generate debate, Rep. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, filed a proposal (HB 1087) to bar handguns from child care centers and government buildings." "Berman Bill Would Restore Some Gun Limitations".

Scott don' like Education in the Cabinet

"The governor says putting the Education Commissioner in the Cabinet as a statewide elected position would make the post too political and hurt education outcomes." "Scott smacks down proposal to move education commish to Cabinet".

Ricky's "tax increase" dance

"Gov. Scott says he would sign Internet sales tax bill, with caveat".

Scott proposes to cut road spending cut by $1.2 billion

Lloyd Dunkelberger: "Major road projects across the state may be delayed or canceled next year, as dwindling fuel taxes undermine Florida's road-building budget and its role in Florida's economic revival."

The state's road budget would drop by about $1.2 billion under the spending plan Gov. Rick Scott sent to lawmakers this month.

Internet cafes

"If Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam wades further into the state gaming issues, his focus will be on the adult arcades that are commonly referred to as Internet cafes."

An existing jumble of state laws makes it difficult to regulate the store-front businesses and legislators were unable to reach consensus in the spring on the issue.

Legislators are expected to confront the issue again in the 2012 session.

2012 Session Outlook

2012 Session Outook: "Insurance" and "Health Care".

Census numbers has Florida closing in on N.Y.

"Florida now has 19.1 million residents, making it the nation's fourth most populous state." "Florida tallies 3rd largest population increase". See also "Growth spurt since 2010 census has Florida closing in on N.Y. for No. 3 spot".

Scott backing off casinos?

"Scott said Wednesday that a bill that would allow for three Las Vegas-style casino resorts in South Florida will be tough to pass in the 2012 legislative session." "Scott: Casino bill will be tough to pass in 2012 legislative session".

Amendment would "virtually require taxpayer funding of religious activities"

"Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, one of the many groups challenging a 2012 ballot measure that would eliminate restrictions on state funding for religious institutions, says a recent rewrite of the proposed amendment is still misleading."

This week, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi rewrote the amendment, as ordered by a Leon County judge a week ago. However, she only made a minor tweak that was pointed out by the judge.

Groups maintain the small change has not made the ballot measure less misleading. Howard Simon, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, said "the proposal continues to mislead voters by failing to inform them of the chief purpose and actual impact of the amendment – to virtually require taxpayer funding of religious activities of churches, mosques and synagogues."

Americans United, which joined the ACLU in challenging the amendment, says in a press release today that "the Florida attorney general’s rewrite of a religion amendment scheduled for the November ballot is disappointing."

"Neither scientifically nor constitutionally sound"

"The bill introduced by state Rep. Daniel Davis, R-Jacksonville, is similar to a handful of bills seen last year in legislatures across the country: so-called 'fetal pain' bills that have been found to be 'neither scientifically nor constitutionally sound.' Current law protects a woman’s right to have an abortion up to 22-24 weeks, at least." "‘Fetal pain’ bill sponsor defends measure".

"Harsh, disheartening consequences"

The Sarasota Herald Tribune editorial board: "The state Board of Education has approved new passing scores for standardized tests, raising the ante in its already high-stakes student assessments."

So why are we not surprised that part of the resulting costs could be paid through increased lottery ticket sales?

But the tests are not a game for the third-graders and high school students who have to pass them in order to advance. Failure means that a 10-year-old may be held back a grade while his or her classmates go forward. The teenager who fails can be denied a diploma.

Those are the harsh, disheartening consequences of failing the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test at those grade levels.

Redistricting

"When state lawmakers came to Daytona Beach in July to solicit voter views on the once-a-decade process of redrawing political boundaries, the message they heard repeated time and again was this: Create compact districts that give us a greater say over our representation. For the past 10 years, Volusia County voters have been divided among three congressional, four state Senate and six state House districts. Flagler County has had two of each. That would change under any of the proposals being studied this week in Tallahassee." "New voting districts propose fewer representatives in Legislature, Congress".

"The capital is awash in egos gone wild"

Daniel Ruth: "Only in that strange and mysterious land of Tallahassee, the Potemkin Village of the Panhandle, would elected representatives who are more ehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifthically compromised than a Dale Mabry brass-pole-swinging floozie lather themselves up in conflicts of interest without a scintilla of embarrassment."

Think about this. Illinois' Rod Blagojevich picked the wrong state to get indicted as governor. In Tallahassee, they would be erecting statues honoring his chutzpah.

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-It Was a Dark and Stormy Night, shamelessly palmed $150,000 in public money from a community college to pen an unreadable tome on Florida political history that makes a finger painting look like The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Waaaaa!, is extracting his revenge on higher education because he didn't get his way on splitting off USF Polytechnic as an independent campus.

The latest example of the Florida Legislature treating its responsibilities as if they were little more than a yummy feeding trough full of Beluga caviar, begins, but hardly ends, with Port Richey Republican state Rep. John Legg, who used his juice in Tallahassee to benefit a charter school run by a nonprofit he helped found.

Igniting an "Enduring Cultural Transformation"?

"The leader of an influential anti-gay, anti-abortion Florida group has issued a new fundraising pitch to help gin up support for the work of its “Ignite an Enduring Cultural Transformation” campaign during the state’s upcoming legislative session." "Family Policy Council president asks for help funding ‘aggressive’ 2012 plan".

How convenient

Jeremy Wallace: "U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan was one of five Republicans in Congress to miss a vote on a proposal to extend the payroll tax cut for another two years." "Vern Buchanan misses vote on payroll tax cut".

Session Outlook

"Session Outlook: The 2012 Florida Legislature".

Awake the State

"Awake the State will hold protests targeting Gov. Rick Scott and the GOP-led Legislature all over the state on the first day of Florida’s legislative session, Jan. 10." "Awake the State plans rallies for first day of legislative session".

One-way bus tickets

"After placing 7,000 people in shelters and housing programs earlier this year, Fort Lauderdale is considering an alternative solution to homelessness -- buying those without a roof over their heads a one-way bus ticket out of the city, The Palm Beach Post reports." "Florida City May Buy One-Way Bus Tickets For Homeless To Clear Streets".

Putting the brakes on Charter madness

"Two school boards in Central Florida were faced with a similar dilemma this fall — either approve a charter school application that board members felt was lacking, or face a fight with the state."

Seminole County embraced the fight, filing suit against the state Board of Education and rejecting the applicant, a school that would be managed by Charter Schools USA.

Orange County, by contrast, grudgingly accept an application backed by charter management company Academica after being told by their lawyers that they had little chance to win an expected appeal by the company.

Both Seminole and Polk county schools filed suit in Leon County earlier this month, asking a judge to clarify parts of an untested new law that allows "high-performing charter school systems" to replicate their programs in other school districts.

The legislation, which was embraced by Florida-based charter management companies such as Academica and Charter Schools USA, gives local school boards minimal rights to reject such applications, then gives the rejected schools access to a special appeal process.

"It totally takes away the board's absolute authority to decide who opens a school in the district," said Darvin Boothe, who lobbied the Legislature against the new law on behalf of Seminole schools.

Seminole's suit contends that the law doesn't define what it means to "substantially replicate" a school. In that county's case, the application says the new K-8 school would be a copy of an A-rated middle school, North Broward Academy of Excellence Middle School.

The Broward County school has 345 students in grades 6 to 8, while the application for Renaissance Charter at Seminole would have 1,415 students in kindergarten to grade 8.

Ned Julian, the Seminole board attorney, said the law's language is too vague to stand up in court.

West sidesteps a scolding

"Allen West Avoids House Scolding" Background: "House Democrats introduce resolution condemning West’s Goebbels comment".

Bondi gets amendment to permit state money for religious institutions back on ballot

"A question asking Florida voters to do away with a century-old constitutional prohibition on using state money for religious institutions is back on the ballot for now after Attorney General Pam Bondi rewrote the ballot summary as is allowed by a new state law." "Bondi uses new law to put measure back on ballot; would allow taxes to go to religious institutions".

"Attorney General Pam Bondi has resubmitted ballot language a week after a Leon County judge agreed with critics that the wording of the 'Religious Freedom' amendment was too 'ambiguous.' The revised ballot summary for Amendment 7 on the November 2012 ballot adopts suggestions from Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis, the attorney general’s office stated in a release." "Bondi Revises Ballot Language for 'Religious Freedom' Amendment".

While the rest of us were whining about his pension

"Lakeland officer shot Sunday has died".

"What took Genshaft so long"?

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "It turns out that Judy Genshaft is still president of the University of South Florida. She finally moved decisively and appropriately Tuesday to remove the chancellor of USF Polytechnic who had been conspiring with a powerful state senator to make the Lakeland campus an independent university. The only question is what took Genshaft so long to deal with a top administrator who was on his own mission and had forgotten the name of his boss." "Genshaft shows who's boss". Background: "USF Polytechnic chancellor fired".

Occupy Florida

"Occupy Wall Street-inspired groups from around the state have begun to draft proposals to be handed to House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, on the first day of the Florida legislative session, Jan. 10." "People’s Convention of Florida drafts proposals for 2012 session". See also "Occupy Tampa supporters angry about protester’s prolonged detention".

Industry groups seek to defund Florida water standards

"A number of industry groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the Fertilizer Institute, are calling on Congress to include a provision that would defund a set of Florida-specific water quality standards in the 2012 appropriations bill." "Industry groups want Congress to defund EPA water rules".

Gingrich runs wild in Florida

"GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich today announced campaign chairs and co-chairs for all of Florida’s 67 counties." "Gingrich announces Florida campaign leaders".

"Motivated by politics rather than sound education goals"

Bill Maxwell: "Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson wants to raise the minimum scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test for grades 3-10. Without evidence, he claims the tougher test will help our high school graduates become college-ready." Maxwell

spoke with nine-year veteran Melissa Heeren. This term, she teaches AP Computer Science and Introduction to Information Technology at Lakewood High in St. Petersburg.

How would higher FCAT cut scores impact teachers and their students?

"Teachers define goals and learning objectives before creating a lesson plan. My biggest question is: What is the goal of the higher cut scores? What are we trying to do? Is the concern that the current cut scores allow unqualified students to graduate from high school?

"Where is the data analysis identifying this problem? In the absence of solid answers to these questions, the move to raise the cut scores seems motivated by politics rather than sound education goals."

Raw political courage

"Scott Wants Lottery Sales Increased to Help Schools".

Buying an election

"On Tuesday, the team at Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies unleashed their latest volleys against President Barack Obama and Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. The two Democrat incumbents are expected to face tough fights in Florida as they seek re-election in 2012." "Conservative Group Continues to Fire Away at Obama and Bill Nelson".

"Florida's controversial Medicaid Reform experiment"

"Five years of Florida's controversial Medicaid Reform experiment in managed care are already in the books. From the outset, permission to operate Reform was contingent upon the state's promise that access would be protected, as confirmed through ongoing analysis of patient-level 'encounter data'. Yet that data and any meaningful programmatic analysis of it remain inexplicably unavailable. But alternative sources of data corroborate the mounting anecdotal reports of problems with access in Reform." "Access to Care Plummeted In Medicaid Reform Experiment".

"Thousands of Floridians have given up looking for work"

"The improvement is not as good as it appears, however, because of Florida's population growth and the fact that thousands of Floridians have given up looking for work, at least temporarily, and are no longer counted among the jobless." "Florida unemployment drop among best in the country".

West joins GOP-Bagger rebellion

"South Florida Congressman Allen West has joined a rebellion brewing among House Republicans who refuse to vote for legislation that would extend special unemployment benefits for two months and also extend the current cut in the payroll tax." "Allen West rebels against unemployment benefit stopgap".

Skewed reporting on recycling goals?

"The Legislature in 2010 passed a recycling bill that allowed burning garbage to produce electricity to count toward meeting the state's 75-percent recycling goal established two years earlier. But lobbyists and legislators said they didn't realize that the bill could allow some counties to claim recycling rates in excess of 100 percent." "Statute may require state rule that could skew reporting on recycling goals".

Rubio blames Reid

"U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio battled the White House and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Monday over who sank the nomination of a Puerto Rican woman that all of them wanted to be ambassador to El Salvador." "Rubio battles White House over ambassador riff".

"It seems to violate the essence of all that is Florida"

Frank Cerabino: "Florida is apparently a welcoming place to grow old, unless you happen to be a judge."

For the past 40 years, we've had a state law that makes judges retire at the age of 70, which in pockets of Boynton Beach is regarded as middle age.

At 70, some people around here are still on their middle spouse. So to relegate a seasoned jurist to a mandatory retirement at such a sprightly young age seems like a prescription for filling golf course clubhouses, card rooms and coffee shops with way too many know-it-alls.

People who are not ready to end their days toiling in the realm of guilt or innocence are being unnecessarily herded into the realm of paper or plastic.

It seems to violate the essence of all that is Florida.

At the trough

"Orlando agency prepares for $300M bid for warship training".

"And then there's Florida"

Scott Maxwell: "A.G.'s in Arizona, California, Michigan and Nevada have used everything from lawsuits to criminal subpoenas to go after the fraudsters trying to improperly evict families from their homes."

And then there's Florida.

Here, the biggest news Pam Bondi's office has made on the foreclosure front was for ousting two of her top fraud investigators.

Oh, and also when one of her top advisors left to work for a firm her office was investigating.

Something stinks.

The liberal media?

The wild liberals on the The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board love privatization: "After months of debate, the future of Pinellas County's EMS system should come into sharper focus today. The County Commission is expected to vote on further prioritizing the dispatching of emergency vehicles, changing how taxpayers could pay for the system and experimenting with a lesser role for the private ambulance company that transports patients to hospitals. Those decisions will reveal whether the commission is more interested in saving taxpayers money or protecting the jobs of [unionized public employee] firefighters." "Make EMS more efficient".

Empty suit swings at Nelson

"GOP Hopeful Craig Miller Takes Aim at Bill Nelson".

EB-5 immigration visas

The Orlando Sentinel editor: "The EB-5 immigration visa can be a win for Florida and the United States. It works like this: In return for investing $500,000 in a depressed zone, or in a rural area, or $1 million anywhere else, a foreign national and his family are granted the visa for entry and residence in the United States. If that investment creates 10 jobs for at least two years, that visa becomes permanent."

Since it began in 1990, the program is credited with creating 34,000 jobs. Today, at a time when business financing is tight and unemployment is high, the EB-5 makes more sense than ever.

That's certainly the case in Florida. South Florida has been a hemispheric gateway and crossroads for decades, and it attracts billions of dollars a year in foreign investment. But such investment also has been growing in Central Florida. In figures compiled by Enterprise Florida, the state economic development agency, the Orlando metro area trailed only Miami and Fort Lauderdale as a magnet for investments from abroad.

Petitions for EB-5 visas from Latin American countries have increased by about 71 percent, with Venezuela and Mexico being the most active. Given Florida's deep links to the Americas, a spike in investment from the hemisphere is bound to boost our state more than most others.

Local redistricting

"Miami-Dade Commission approves redrawn electoral district boundaries".

Sorry Ricky

"FAMU trustees reject Gov. Rick Scott's request to suspend school president". See also "FAMU Board to Rick Scott: Mind Your Own Business".

The charter school movement set off another entrepreneurial frenzy, particularly in Florida, which now has 519 charters, 200 of them in Broward and Miami-Dade. ...

Maybe charter operators are just savvy marketers, who know how to avoid difficult students who could bring down the overall test scores and damage the school brand. The Herald’s series on the charter movement last week revealed some discomfiting statistics indicating some of the more successful charters in Miami-Dade indulge in clever cherry picking.

But the long range effect of luring away high achievers from traditional schools would result in something quite the opposite from the original goals of the Bush school reforms. The kids left behind by No Child Left Behind would be the very children, most of them poor, that the reforms were supposed to rescue. “When you’ve siphoned away all the successful kids, only poor kids will go to public schools,” warned Diane Ravitch, a longtime voice for reform and a chronicler of failed reforms (which you might have guessed from the title of her most recent book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education). She said public schools, if the charter system isn’t fixed, will evolve into repositories for the unwanted, where we train poor kids to take the big test. Not to learn.

The Miami Herald’s series, Cashing In On Kids, by Kathleen McGrory and Scott Hiaasen, charted how so much public money going into these nominally non-profit ventures finds its way into the accounts of for-profit management companies. And how the operators of the management companies often double as the charter school’s landlords. Sometimes you’re not sure whether to call these people educators or real estate profiteers. ...

But if you’re bothered by the money grubbing ways of the education reform movement, too bad. They’ve got money (thanks to NCLB) to write campaign contributions. They’ve got money to hire lobbyists. They’ve got the political juice. And you don’t.

Mack's earmark problem

"Mack, a candidate for U.S. Senate, is fending off his fellow Republican opponents who are bashing him for voting for billions of dollars in earmarks since his election to Congress in 2004." "Earmarks U.S. Rep. Connie Mack delivered could hurt him in Florida Senate race".

Sheriffs don' like gambling

"Sheriffs oppose casino legislation".

High-profile claims bills

"Emotion-packed bills that would compensate two men whose lives were turned upside down by governmental mistakes will get another chance during Florida's 2012 legislative session after the measures died in the frantic final hours of the 2011 session. They are among several high-profile claims bills lawmakers will consider in the session that begins Jan. 10."

One measure would benefit Eric Brody, who suffered brain damage and paralysis when he was 18 after a speeding Broward County sheriff's deputy - running late to work - crashed into his car in 1998. He is seeking more than $15 million - under Florida law, a government agency can't pay an individual lawsuit award or claim for more than $200,000 without approval of the Legislature and governor.

Another is for William Dillon, who spent 27 years in prison for a Brevard County murder he didn't commit. He is seeking more than $810,000.

Oiling the feet of millionaires

The Miami Herald editorial board oils the feet of millionaires this morning in "What leadership can do".

Can JD Alexander make USF feel the pain?

"State Sen. JD Alexander wields a lot of power."

Now, in his last year as a state senator, he has his sights on the University of South Florida.

USF opposed Alexander's plan to turn USF Polytechnic into an independent university, and a state board gave USF a win when it delayed the separation. Since then, Alexander has berated USF's leaders, demanding they be investigated and advocating that another university take over the Poly campus in Polk County.

So what's next?

Can Alexander, a Lake Wales Republican who's in charge of the Senate Budget Committee, make USF feel the pain when lawmakers convene in Tallahassee next month?

Frustrated lil' Teabagger

"Marco Rubio's first year in the nation's capital has made him a deeply frustrated senator. Florida's rising political star — full of expectations after a productive stint in the state Legislature and a come-from-behind victory in his 2010 U.S. Senate race — ends a bruising year in Washington with little sense of accomplishment and a dismal outlook."

His allies in the tea party movement remain supportive, even while lashing out at the rest of Congress. He has gotten along on Capitol Hill without becoming a Beltway insider, they say.

"One thing that stands out was the effort by his office to communicate with the grass roots," said Tom Tillison of the Central Florida Tea Party Council. "They make an effort to ask our opinion. It's rare that you see that from any politician."

Tillison and others on the political right say that Republican candidates in the current campaign cycle are following Rubio's example and that he has the clout to affect election results in Florida.

"He definitely has a big stick," said Everett Wilkinson of Palm Beach Gardens, chairman of the South Florida Tea Party. "If he decides to use it, it will be felt. Whoever is the GOP presidential nominee will have to take him into consideration as a possible running mate or just as someone to work with to get the votes they need."

Columnist whines about workers with courage to fight for pension benefits

Tom Lyons whines that "many taxpayers won't have [a pension] at all." "Police pensions simply too high".

"Deck is heavily stacked in favor of charter schools"

"The number of charter schools is exploding across the country, with Florida leading the way. And the relationships that some state lawmakers have with them are raising hackles, especially as they play key roles in making it easier for charters to operate here."

Such criticisms have haunted some key Florida lawmakers.

Miami Republican Rep. Erik Fresen, chairman of the House K-20 Competitiveness Subcommittee, faced ethics charges this year after voting for a bill giving "high performing" charter schools an easier path to expansion. He was accused of failing to disclose his family's involvement in charter operator Academica, where his sister is vice president.

Though absolved by the state Ethics Commission, Fresen to many personified the cozy ties, particularly in contrast with Tampa Democratic Rep. Betty Reed.

She abstained from voting on the same bill because her daughter is a charter school principal.

Miami Republican Sen. Anitere Flores, the Senate majority whip, got her share of attention when she won a job leading Academica's new college-level school shortly after pushing through a bill allowing virtual charter schools into the state. Academica proposed such schools across Florida soon after.

Pasco County Republican Rep. Will Weatherford, the House speaker-designate, caught flak for submitting a new charter school application with the wife of fellow Rep. Richard Corcoran soon after the lawmakers voted for the bill that snared Fresen. The Pasco School Board rejected their proposal.

Sen. John Thrasher, a one-time charter school lobbyist, has proposed charter school law changes. Rep. Seth McKeel, a director of the McKeel Academy charters in Polk County, has voted for such laws.

The lawmakers have friends inside the business pushing for easier access, including former Rep. Ralph Arza, now with the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools; former Education Commissioner Jim Horne, now chairman of the Florida Charter School Alliance; and former Rep. Frank Atkisson, now business director for Mavericks in Education, a charter firm run by Vice President Joe Biden's brother.

The support extends into the executive branch, as well.

Gov. Rick Scott included more charter than traditional school executives on his education transition team. He signed off on the bills expanding charters in Florida and also on a budget that funneled state school construction funding to charters.

The Education Department has shared in the enthusiasm, too, creating a $30 million fund for charter startups with the backing of a venture group supported by conservative donors such as the Walton and the Dell foundations.

Such a confluence of forces has brought skeptics to conclude the deck is heavily stacked in favor of charter schools.

Not much

Scott Maxwell asks "Your congressional reps: What have they done for you lately?".

Romney not worried about Gingrich's Florida lead

"Absentee voting in Florida's primary is just around the corner, and Newt Gingrich is trouncing Mitt Romney by an average of about 18 percentage points, according to Florida polls. And yet there's virtually no sign of worry from the Romney camp. The former Massachusetts governor's allies here are remarkably calm about Gingrich." "Romney's camp calm over Gingrich".

Old judges

"Florida judges ask to have mandatory retirement age raised".

FCAT follies

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: ""FCAT: Go higher but slower on cut scores".