"Contracting process intertwined with politics"

"Every year, nearly $51 billion, or about 57 percent of the state budget, is spent on contracts and agreements for goods and services, according to Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater. He sought legislation in the 2012 session that would have shifted oversight of the contracting process to his office, forcing a political distance between the bulk of state contracts, which are under the governor's purview."

The bill died and instead Gov. Rick Scott anointed David Wilkins, secretary of the Department of Children and Families, his new contract-reviewer-in-chief. Wilkins, a 29-year executive at the giant management and technology services company Accenture, knows how private companies can outmaneuver the state because he's been there. He managed million-dollar contracts between his company, other states, the federal government and other nations.

"Florida is no worse than other states,'' Wilkins said. "It's different because it may have more volume than most."

He says he sees room for improvement all over the place and wants to streamline and consolidate deal-making to give the state more leverage and negotiate better deals. He also wants to find a way to weaken the power of vendors.

"We can't compete with the vendors' skills,'' Wilkins said, noting that some companies are able to hold onto a contract for up to 10 and 20 years and "agencies can be intimidated."

"Just because you bought something one way in the past doesn't mean you have to buy it that way again,'' Wilkins said. "That's where the administration has to step up and stand behind these guys.'' ...

But Wilkins concedes "you probably won't ever take politics out."

"It's those big mega-contracts you have to look at," he said, "and those are the ones that come with big lobbyists.''

While the state has strict rules for single-source contracts, requiring them to undergo an aggressive review process if they are valued at over $195,000, the Legislature has exempted itself from such scrutiny.

When Scott's outgoing chief of staff, Steve MacNamara, was chief of staff in the Senate, for example, he violated no rules when he steered two technology-related contracts to friends and former business associates. ...

One man who spent 12 years trying to reform the state's contracting system is now convinced change is impossible.

Out here in the fields

The Tampa Bay Times editors write that the "story of vulnerable and powerless workers exploited in Florida's agricultural fields is as old as the state itself."

Getting a handle on farmworker mistreatment is exceptionally difficult. Drug-addicted or undocumented workers don't make good witnesses. They're afraid to stand up when their wages are stolen or conditions of work are degraded. And migrant laborers can be impossible to pin down as they move with the crop harvesting seasons, making investigations into human trafficking that much harder.

Abject desperation

"One of her potential Republican rivals recently depicted U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in a spiked collar, calling her 'Obama’s attack dog.' Another lost to the Democratic congresswoman by more than 22 percentage points just two years ago. Another was the butt of a joke on Comedy Central’s Daily Show when he tried to explain the anti-Muslim group he heads."

"Yet all see Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, as the polarizing Florida stand-in for President Barack Obama. That, along with the 2010 success of insurgent Tea Party candidates, fuels their hopes they’ll send her packing in November." "Democratic leader Debbie Wasserman Schultz targeted by Republican hopefuls".

"With FPL, customers are on the hook"

Randy Schultz: "Maybe the executives at Florida Power & Light got their training at JPMorgan Chase."

America's supposedly best-run mega-bank first acknowledged a massive trading loss that reeked of 2008 and the financial crisis. Then JPMorgan sounded like an airline company on a summer day of thunderstorms, when a 30-minute flight delay creeps into a two-hour delay. The loss that JPMorgan said was $2.3 billion is up to nearly $5 billion, and may go higher.

Three years ago, FPL executives got approval from the Florida Public Service Commission to increase capacity at the company's nuclear power plants in St. Lucie and Miami-Dade counties. The estimated cost was $1.7 billion. Last fall, the estimate had risen to between $2.3 billion and $2.5 billion. Last week, FPL revealed that the latest estimate is more than $3 billion. It may go higher.

With JPMorgan, taxpayers can watch from the sidelines. The bank made $19 billion last year, and there's so sign yet that even this loss will make anyone think of a public bailout.

With FPL, however, customers are on the hook. Because of a law the Legislature passed and then-Gov. Jeb Bush signed in 2006, FPL gets to bill customers for work on nuclear plants before the power begins flowing. If the costs come in higher, customers pay more. With almost all other plants, utilities cannot assess customers until the plant actually begins operating.

Chamber may have to disclose donations

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board: "A federal judge in March took a positive step by overturning regulations that permit tax-exempt groups to hide their donors, and it is that decision that the appellate court refused to set aside this week."

This does not affect the so-called super political action committees, which exist for political purposes and already disclose their donors. It does affect tax-exempt groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other conservative organizations such as Crossroads GPS and Americans for Prosperity that air attack ads against President Barack Obama and other Democrats. Liberal tax-exempt groups also are affected but spend far less on election ads.

If the ruling stands, the U.S. Chamber and other such groups will have to disclose all donations received since the beginning of 2011 if they air ads that refer to federal candidates, without advocating their election or defeat, and that run within 30 days before a primary and 60 days before the general election. The Chamber, which already has spent more than $3.4 million on these types of ads, is squawking. Other tax-exempt groups already are looking for another loophole to avoid disclosing their donors.

This is one campaign finance opinion that should stand. Voters can make more informed decisions about how to weigh the endless attack ads when they know who is paying for them.

Covering all the crosses

"In his forthcoming book, Rubio addresses another source of curiosity in his life: his unusual spiritual odyssey from Catholicism to Mormonism to the Baptist faith and back to Catholicism."

He has at various times in the past decade identified his denomination differently in the Florida Legislature clerk's handbook. He sees nothing odd about it. He and his mother and sister joined the Mormon church when they were living in Las Vegas in the late '70s. According to a family member quoted in Roig-Franzia's book, it was young Marco who convinced his family to return to the Catholicism.

"The truth is I have been a Catholic, and I am again — and I am, and I feel very strongly about the Catholic Church, but the bottom line is we found this (other) church that we liked," he explains about his decision to attend Christ Fellowship, a megachurch affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

He tries to attend Mass daily while in Washington. Jeanette was also raised Catholic but considers herself more of a devout Christian that a devout Catholic. The family attends two services on weekends, Mass on Sunday and Saturday evening services at Christ Fellowship. He only takes communion at Mass, he says.

Of Christ Fellowship, he says, "they're excellent teachers of the written word. They're excellent teachers of applicable — of how you apply the principles of Christianity and the powerful teachings of Christianity not just to your life but to eternity. We just liked the church. And my kids liked it and my wife liked it and our family liked it, and for a time, that's the only place I went to exclusively, but always felt called back to the Catholic Church and to the Catholic faith.

Entrepreneurs in action

"Historic Space Mission Aborted At Last Half-Second".

Unemployment falls in two-thirds of U.S. states

"The unemployment rate fell in two-thirds of U.S. states last month, evidence that modest economic growth is boosting hiring in most areas of the country."

And in many states, unemployment has fallen well below the national average, which was 8.1 percent last month. The rate was under 7 percent in 22 states in April. That compares with only 13 states in April 2011.

The Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate dropped in 37 states in April, the most in three months. Unemployment rose in 5 states and was unchanged in eight.

Nationally, the unemployment rate has fallen a full percentage point since August. Employers have added a million jobs over the past five months, though the pace of hiring slowed in March and April.

"Rubio and his political vulnerabilities"

"For freshman Sen. Marco Rubio, a rising GOP figure seen as a possible Mitt Romney running mate, there are questions about whether potential vulnerabilities in his personal and political background might hold him back."

The 40-year-old Florida lawmaker has close ties to a colleague accused of questionable financial dealings. He once was enmeshed in a controversy over the use of the state party's credit card for his personal expenses. Since emerging on the national political scene, he has faced increased personal scrutiny. There are conflicting details about his parents' immigration from Cuba and his recently disclosed ties to the Mormon faith.

The country is only just starting to get to know Rubio and his political vulnerabilities, though Florida residents know both well.

Both Rubio's ties with U.S. Rep. David Rivera, a fellow GOP freshman who now is facing a federal probe into tax evasion, and the state party credit card matter surfaced during Rubio's 2010 Senate campaign. While they didn't have much effect, that doesn't mean they would get a pass on the national stage. ...

Rubio and Rivera met in 1992, during the campaign of former Republican Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a fellow South Florida Cuban-American. The two rose through the ranks in the Statehouse with Rivera oftentimes playing bad cop to the more congenial Rubio.

During the legislative session, they shared a Tallahassee town house, which a bank began foreclosure proceedings on in 2010. Rubio and Rivera made only partial payments on that mortgage for five months in 2010; at that time, he held jobs as a consultant and professor. Rubio has said the missed payments were due to a dispute over the terms of the mortgage.

State officials closed a criminal probe into Rivera's personal financial dealings without filing charges but didn't clear him entirely. They cited Florida's brief statute of limitations and its lax campaign finance laws for not charging him with living off of his campaign funds and failing to disclose his income.

In the last year, Rubio has publicly kept some distance from Rivera and has said that his friend has some issues he must address on the campaign trail. Still, Rubio threw a small Washington fundraiser for Rivera last week. So far, Rubio hasn't faced blowback from his friendship with Rivera. ...

If Rubio were to end up on the GOP presidential ticket or mount his own national campaign in the coming years, he all but certainly would face questions about the scandal over the use of state GOP funds when he was the speaker of the Florida House.

The head of the party, Jim Greer, was forced to resign following revelations he and his second-in-command charged $1.5 million on party credit cards, much of it on luxurious hotels, fancy restaurants, chauffeured sedans and lavish entertaining. Greer's trial is set to start July 30, just ahead of the Republican convention, and many Republican observers anticipate he will detail unethical use of party money by other high-ranking GOP officials.

Rubio spent more than $100,000 on the party card between 2006 and 2008, paying off about $16,000 in personal expenses and claiming the rest as official party business. His records from 2005, when he was lobbying to become Florida House speaker, never were released. When asked about using the party card for personal expenses, Rubio has said he sometimes just pulled the wrong card out of his wallet and he has called it a "lesson learned."

He also has had to answer criticism for how he spent money donated to two political committees he formed - including payments to relatives. He has acknowledged the bookkeeping for at least one of the accounts was sloppy.

Then there's his family's background.

Rubio long claimed his parents fled Fidel Castro's rule. But it was recently disclosed that they arrived several years before Castro took power, although they quickly embraced the Cuban exile community as Castro turned toward communism. Rubio has said the dates he gave were based on his parents' recollections.

"Biggest spenders are also major vendors with the state"

Aaron Deslatte writes today about "the amount of cash Florida lobbyists are able to extract from corporations, interest groups and local governments seeking Capitol influence", explaining that "many of the biggest spenders are also major vendors with the state."

Take HNTB Corp., the Kansas City-based engineering firm hoping to capitalize on the "public-private partnerships" for toll roads in Florida – a key piece of Gov. Rick Scott's vision for transportation expansion. ...

The company, which has regional offices in Lake Mary, was paid $64 million in taxpayer money last year and has collected $29.2 million through the first half of this fiscal year. And with that has come lobbying expenditures.

HNTB paid lobbyists $380,000 in 2012, the third-highest of total for any company, as closed-door negotiations over the Wekiva Parkway between Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando; Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority officials; and Central Florida local governments nearly derailed during session.

AT&T, the telephone giant trying to survive in a wireless world, remained the top spender, with $1.6 million paid to 36 different firms. AT&T has more than $10 million in contracts with various state agencies this year, but their objective in Tallahassee wasn't selling phone-plans. The company – with the help of Verizon Communications and other telecoms -- won passage of tax changes that could save them between $35 million to $300 million a year in communications-services taxes.

GEO Group, the Boca Raton private prison management company, is another that has received $45 million in taxpayer dollars this year and spent $305,000 on lobbyists in the first quarter. GEO was one of two prison companies pushing to privatize South Florida prisons. The issue capsized in the Senate – but with Scott, House Republicans and incoming Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, on board, it is sure to re-surface next year.

Speaking of issues that will resurface, there's Malaysian-based Gentling, a new fish that has been a godsend to the lobbying crowd, throwing down $760,000 to 16 different firms as it tried in vain to win passage of a "destination casino" bill that would have allowed it to transform bayfront Miami into a Sunshine State version of Vegas.

Puerto Rican voters

"Florida's Puerto Ricans urged to register, vote".

"Key tasks remain for RNC"

"With the Republican National Convention 100 days away, the Tampa Bay Host Committee celebrates tonight with an invitation-only party at the Harborview Center in Clearwater. ... The location of the Secret Service's security perimeter is arguably the biggest logistical decision of the convention. Traffic, protests, downtown business and life on Harbour Island — it affects them all." "With 100 days to go, key tasks remain for RNC". See also "Key facts about the Republican National Convention in Tampa" and "When it's time to speak at the Tampa RNC, who will get to grab a mic?".

"Governor making his fifth overseas trip"

"Rick Scott travels Sunday to Spain with a 70-person delegation of Florida business leaders and officials, with the 'let's get to work' governor making his fifth overseas trip as the state's chief executive. Scott's office drew a distinction Friday between Spain and missions led last year to Israel, Canada, Panama and Brazil. Instead of a pack of Florida corporate execs looking to sell their wares to foreign markets, this week's trip is designed to spur Spanish investment in Florida."

Accompanying him are executives from Florida Power & Light, sugar giant Florida Crystals, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Miami's Dosal Tobacco Corp., and the law firms Holland & Knight and Gray/Robinson, which represent dozens of firms with business before state government.

Palm Beach County-based Florida Crystals, for example, is a central player in Scott's push to advance Everglades restoration and a heavy contributor to the Scott's 2010 election campaign.

"When hate is what you’re selling, always go low"

The Miami Herald's Carl Hiaasen: "Joe Ricketts has decided not to spend $10 million on hate. Good call.

Ricketts is a billionaire, having founded TD Ameritrade, a company that promotes online stock trading by ordinary folks. You’ve seen the commercials on television.

Up until a few days ago, a circle of well-known Republican strategists had been coaching Ricketts to use his wealth to make America hate President Obama.

They’d seen the polls showing that the president is generally well-liked, even by many voters who don’t approve of his economic policies. In the most recent Gallup survey, Obama likeability rating was 60 percent. Some Republicans believe that Mitt Romney, whose likeability ratings are dismal (only 31 percent), has no chance of victory unless Obama’s image is dragged down.

However, unlike Romney, the Ricketts assault team had no misgivings about playing the race card. According to the New York Times, a game plan recently presented to the Ricketts family rather glumly conceded that voters “still aren’t ready to hate this president.”

The question is why Republicans would attempt something as risky as using the disavowed commentary of a black preacher to attack Obama. Why spend $10 million of a fat cat’s money on an advertising barrage that’s bound to dredge up the worst kinds of reactions?

Unless that was its purpose — not to implant racial fears so much as to fire up the bigots who are already out there, and make sure they go to the polls. Romney isn’t a racist, but some in his party clearly believe he can’t win without a heavy turnout of people who cannot stomach the notion of a black guy in the White House.

Those are the votes that the banner planes were after. When hate is what you’re selling, always go low.

Sales tax collections running ahead of forecasts

Lloyd Dunkelberger: "The latest report from the state Department of Revenue showed sales tax collections — the main financial engine for state government — have been running ahead of forecasts. In April, the state took in $1.93 billion in sales taxes, some $53 million above the original estimate. For the fiscal year, sales tax collections are running ahead of the estimate by about $162 million through April." "State revenue growth steady despite uncertainty".

Hillary favored by double digits over Jebbie, 30 points over Scott

Anthony Man points out that "Florida voters like Hillary Clinton. The secretary of state, unsuccessful 2008 presidential candidate, and former first lady enjoys a nearly 3 to 1 favorable to unfavorable rating among the state's voters."

At 68 percent, her favorability was the highest among seven politicians in the May poll by Suffolk University/WSVN-Ch. 7. A quarter of the state's voters had an unfavorable view of Clinton

No. 2 is former Gov. Jeb Bush, whose scores were 56 percent favorable and 34 percent unfavorable.

What's their secret? "They're not running for anything," said Kevin Hill of Weston, a political scientist at Florida International University. Both have been polarizing figures, but Hill and Joseph Uscinski of the University of Miami said that was years ago.

Last place went to Gov. Rick Scott, who was viewed favorably by just 37 percent of voters and unfavorably by 45 percent.

Both President Barack Obama (50 percent favorable to 45 percent unfavorable) and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney (42 percent to 45 percent) are floating around the middle.

Reforms die, as ALF "residents dying at rate of one a month from abuse and neglect"

"As state leaders launch two new efforts to improve troubled assisted living facilities, advocates blast lawmakers for killing previous reforms that could have saved lives."

Lawmakers have come under fire in recent months for failing to heed the warnings of a Miami-Dade grand jury, the governor’s task force and a legislative investigation — all of which blasted ALF regulators for refusing to shutter and discipline homes that repeatedly break state law.

The investigations followed a series of stories in The Miami Herald that showed residents were dying at the rate of one a month from abuse and neglect.

In addition to the task force, the state Department of Elder Affairs announced this week it has started a committee that will look to create new rules for running the roughly 2,850 homes.

But just like the work group, the committee has also drawn criticism that it has too many industry leaders, and too few people representing the residents.

Florida does not enter this effort to remove noncitizens from the voter rolls with clean hands. In 2000, African-American men were wrongly denied the vote because of an error-ridden felon list. In 2004, another faulty felon list was compiled but was scrapped after a public outcry. In 2011, the Republican-controlled Legislature passed legislation making it harder to conduct voter registration drives and to access the polls, disproportionately impacting minorities and Democratic-leaning groups.

There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Florida. There is plenty of evidence that Republicans in Tallahassee have made it more difficult for minority residents to register to vote and to remain on the rolls even if they are citizens. Even if the Scott administration's effort is well-intended, this is no fair way to ensure the voter rolls are accurate. Voter fraud is far less an issue in Florida than state elections officials interfering with the right to vote.

State officials announced late Thursday that the Florida agency that handles driver's licenses plans to check a federal database to verify the citizenship status of those initially identified as being in Florida legally but ineligible to vote.

But state officials have also said there may be as many as 182,000 registered voters who are not eligible to vote. The move to remove the voters from the rolls comes just months before the critical 2012 elections where Florida is expected to be one of the states that could determine the election.

Local election supervisors this week complained to state officials that the original list was based on old information taken from 2011 and that they had already found inaccuracies in it.

The names will now be checked with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

ECOs upheld

"A federal appeals court Thursday quickly rejected a constitutional challenge to a 2010 Florida election law regulating some outside groups that run political ads or send mailers. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta issued a brief ruling that upheld the law, which places requirements on what are known as 'electioneering communications organizations,' or ECOs." "Appeals court upholds Florida's 'electioneering' law".

LeMieux, Mack exchange attacks

"The battle between the two leading Republican candidates for U.S. Senate -- George LeMieux and Connie Mack -- intensified Thursday as they exchanged attacks, LeMieux's launched on national television." "Battle Between George LeMieux and Connie Mack Intensifies".

What's a Klansman to do?

"Fifty-seven percent of Florida's children younger than 5 were minorities in 2011, according to the new census estimates." "More minority births signal major shifts ahead for Florida".

Scott stumbles over managerial performance

The Miami Herald editors: "When Rick Scott ran for governor, he waged a classic outsider’s campaign, vowing to clean up state government as only a no-nonsense businessman could. Voters took him at his word — which makes it all the more surprising that he has now stumbled twice over managerial performance."

Not even a year-and-a-half in office, Mr. Scott is bringing in a third chief of staff to help him run state government following the resignation of Steve MacNamara, who is leaving under pressure, effective July 1. His departure follows a series of Herald news reports about his role in steering no-bid contracts to friends, as well as heavy-handed interference in staffing decisions across state government.

Seven of Mr. Scott’s agency heads or top deputies have resigned during his tenure. This kind of turnover and the allegations swirling around Mr. MacNamara are not what voters expected from a Scott administration. “The deal-makers are crying in their cocktails,” Mr. Scott exulted when he won the Republican nomination.

Meanwhile, Mr. MacNamara isolated the governor from other members of the administration. Agency heads that used to meet weekly with the governor were now meeting with his chief of staff instead, making Mr. MacNamara the go-to guy for all things.

He reached into agencies to remove some workers and install others. Worse, he was accused of steering contracts to well-connected friends and engaging in secret deals with special interests.

Puffing Marco

"A candid interview with Marco and Jeanette Rubio".

"Why cause such a predictable panic in the first place?"

The Miami Herald editorial board: "This latest FCAT fiasco falls squarely on Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson. He was warned by superintendents there should be more time to take in the new measurements, as Florida moves to the next level. At least he acted quickly to inject some sanity into the process on the writing exam, but why cause such a predictable panic in the first place?" "FCAT writing fiasco".

Fred Grimm: "Florida, not kids, flunked FCAT testing". See also "Anatomy of FCAT Failure: School Districts Didn't Read or Heed Writing on the Wall".

"Cuban-Americans in Congress Outraged"

"The Cuban-American delegation in Congress is strongly criticizing the U.S. government for an 'enormous mistake' in granting a visa to Raul Castro’s daughter, who plans to attend a conference next week in San Francisco. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Miami, posted video on YouTube in both English and Spanish calling the U.S. State Department's decision to issue a visa to Mariela Castro Espin "shameful."" "Cuban-Americans in Congress Outraged Over Visa Approval for Raul Castro's Daughter".

Political mail

Scott Maxwell: "Don't spend tax money on political mail".

Never mind

"After repudiating a conservative group's plans to attack President Obama's ties to his fiery former pastor, Mitt Romney on Thursday accused the Obama campaign of being "focused on character assassination" for its attacks on Romney's business background." "Rev. Wright not an issue, Romney says; candidate stops in Boca". See also "Tonight: on the campaign trail with Mitt Romney in Boca Raton".

"Fallout from potentially significant rate increases"

"Facing fallout from potentially significant rate increases, members of a Citizens Property Insurance Corp.committee said Thursday that they need to do a better job of working with lawmakers, news media and the public as they formulate 2013 premiums for the state-backed insurer." "Citizens panel: Shrinking policyholder base requires higher insurance rates".

Supervisors at their summer meeting Wednesday peppered state Division of Elections officials with questions about the credibility of a list of up to 180,000 potentially ineligible voters identified by matching voter registration data with driver's license records.

Included on the list were people who were born in the U.S. and immigrants who have become naturalized citizens, as well as many who registered to vote believing it was part of the process required to get a driver's license, the supervisors said.

"We don't have confidence in the validity of the information," St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections Gertrude Walker said. "I'm concerned about the voters' confidence with these constant headlines about deaths and non-citizens. It just doesn't build confidence."

The current non-citizen purge effort raised the specter of the 2000 felon voter list, in which thousands of eligible voters were erroneously removed from the rolls in an extremely close presidential race after being misidentified by the state. And the state scrapped a similar effort prior to the 2004 election when it became clear the list was error-riddled.

Pasco County Elections Supervisor Brian Corley said he was frustrated that elections officials waited until just months before the November election to release the non-citizen lists. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the state Division of Elections had been working on the issue for at least a year, Corley said.

"It's not about laying blame but we're the ones dealing with angry voters and the perception of being partisan and racist," said Corley. Two of the 13 voters on Corley's list were born in the U.S. One was misidentified by a clerical error.

But Detzner insisted the purge effort was not politically motivated.

Rick Scott appointed Detzner to the post in January. Detzner, who spent much of his Tallahassee career as a lobbyist, briefly served as Secretary of State after working as the agency's chief of staff under Jim Smith in 2003. Smith took over after Katherine Harris, who presided over the 2000 presidential recount debacle, resigned to run for Congress.

So much for vaunted GOPer "accountability"

Beth Kassab: "The problem we need to understand is how Florida can be so gung-ho for accountability, but quickly pivot to 'never mind' at the first sign of trouble. When the state released the writing scores, which were graded under a tougher set of standards, educators spun themselves into a frenzy faster than the Tasmanian Devil. The state Board of Education responded by lowering the score schools will be graded on." "FCAT standards need to be higher if we want kids to improve".

Tom Lyons: "It's as if the Department of Education's idea was to give teachers a poke in the eye, and didn't much care that kids would also feel the punch." "Scoring for FCAT writing test misses mark".

Fred Grimm: "Proficiency under pressure — that’s what we test for. Right?"

Yet the state superintendent, the state board of education and NCS Pearson, the giant testing corporation with a four-year, $254 million contract to administer the state’s standardized test regime, seem to suffer no such accountability. Their competence, their proficiency under pressure has been tested this school year. They flunked and flunked spectacularly.

Mittens off to the Country Club in north Tampa

"After his morning speech in St. Petersburg,"

Romney headed to the Avila Golf & Country Club in north Tampa, where some 200 supporters gathered, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, and incoming Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford.

Guests paid as much as $50,000 to attend the fundraiser. Ambassador Mel Sembler of St. Petersburg said Romney's two-day fundraising swing through Florida, including stops in Miami Wednesday evening and Jacksonville and Boca Raton today, should bring in about $10 million.

Romney on Wednesday also weighed in for the first time on efforts by the state GOP to ensure that they can send as many activists as possible to the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum Aug. 27-30. The national party cut the state's delegation in half to 50 as punishment for scheduling an earlier-than-allowed primary, and Florida Republican leaders want Romney to step in so that the biggest battleground state and host of the convention receives some leniency.

"I don't have an announcement today, but you can imagine given the big boost that I got from the people of Florida, the Florida delegation has a very warm spot in my heart, so I'll work with the Republican National Committee, which ultimately sets the rules, and you'll know which way I'm pulling," Romney said in the interview. "There's no question I have a very warm spot in my heart for the Florida delegation."

"Event Zone" follies

"The Tampa City Council will take its second and final vote today on Mayor Bob Buckhorn's proposed 'event zone' ordinance aimed at controlling protests during the Republican National Convention." "City Council to vote on RNC 'event zone' rules".

What's wrong with Hillsborough?

"Citing an increase in early and mail-in voting, the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office plans to reduce the number of polls and precincts for November's election. The number of polling locations will be reduced from 285 to 270 and the number of precincts will drop from 383 to 347. The reductions will save the county about $105,000 this year. The Hillsborough County Commission has approved the proposal; the changes also must be reviewed and approved by the Department of Justice before they can go into effect." "Hillsborough to reduce number of polls, precincts".

"Appetite for Gaming in Florida Growing"

"As Florida legislators continue to side with gambling's opponents, including the Florida Chamber of Commerce, to hold off efforts from national and international casino operators seeking to expand their gaming options, more than $1 million went to lobbyists during the first quarter of 2012, as the regular legislative session was under way and an extremely high-profile bill to create a gaming commission was debated and eventually left for dead on the House floor." "Appetite for Gaming in Florida Growing and Clearly Palpable".

Fla-baggery

"How 'tea party' are Florida's freshmen members of Congress? That's the question the Club For Growth asks in a voting survey that 'evaluates lawmakers based upon their commitment to limited government and pro-growth policies.'" "Tea thermometer".

Mitt and Mini-Mack

"U.S. Rep. Connie Mack got a boost for his bid to challenge Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in November when he won heavy praise from former Gov. Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate -- but another Republican could be entering the contest soon." "Mitt Romney Backs Connie Mack in Senate Race Even as Dave Weldon Looms". See also "Romney holds first Florida rally since primary" and "Romney, Obama camps exchange jabs as Romney starts Florida swing, endorses Mack".

Scott's fifth junket

Lloyd Dunkelberger: "Scott heads to Spain this week on his fifth foreign-trade mission to help boost his jobs agenda." "Scott's job-growth travels take him to troubled Spain".

Luvin' their Rick

"The Republican Party of Florida is airing a new TV ad that praises Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature for reforming the no-fault car insurance system. Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford stars alongside Scott in the 30-second video." "Florida GOP ad touts Scott on car insurance reform".

Entrepreneurs in action

"The cost of increasing the capacity at Florida Power & Light Co.'s four nuclear reactors has escalated to $3 billion, a jump of roughly $600 million since the company's estimate last year." "FPL adds $600 million to cost of nuclear reactors' project".

Winding up the Stepford Voters

Kevin Derby: "While Republicans control every state Cabinet office and hold veto-proof majorities in both chambers of the Legislature, Barack Obama carried Florida in the 2008 elections, and on Wednesday the GOP put the Democrat[ic] incumbent on notice that they intend to take the Sunshine State back in November."

But Romney faced heavy fire from Obama’s allies on Wednesday. Staff from the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank closely allied with the Obama administration, slammed Romney for holding a fundraiser hosted by Dr. Phil Frost, the chairman of the board of Teva Pharmaceuticals which creates Plan B pills and other forms of contraception.

Florida Democrats also came out to bash Romney. State Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, held a media appearance outside of Romney’s event in St. Petersburg and tore into the Republican candidate.

While polls have shown that the Sunshine State will be up for grabs -- yet again -- in November, Romney is receiving some air support in Florida and other key states from a super-PAC that has helped Republicans across the country.

On Wednesday, Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (Crossroads GPS), a conservative political group affiliated with Republican strategist Karl Rove, unveiled a new ad that will run in Florida and nine other battleground states that hammers Obama’s record on economic issues.

Crossroads GPS has sunk $25 million -- including $1.5 million in the Sunshine State -- on the ad, which will start airing on Thursday and will run until the end of May. The ad is also being run in nine other states that Obama carried in 2008 which Republicans hope to carry in November -- Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

"Summer of higher education task forces"

"This could be the summer of higher education task forces. In a move signaled earlier this month, Board of Governors Chairman Dean Colson announced a new panel that will help craft a strategy for growing the number of bachelor's degrees issued by Florida institutions." "Board of Governors creates another study group for state universities".

"Mud is flying"

Matt Towery: "Connie Mack IV is facing a candidate who ironically has already served in the U.S. Senate, having been appointed to an open seat by then-Gov. Charlie Crist. Former Sen. George LeMieux served a relatively short time in the Senate, keeping his promise not to run for re-election, and thus opening the door for the GOP's rising superstar, Sen. Marco Rubio."

Mud is flying in this overlooked contest, and as has been my policy over the years, I do not get into the mud. Both candidates, as to their voting records and positions, seem perfectly acceptable to the GOP electorate. But LeMieux suffers from less name identification and the unfair shadow of former Gov. Crist, once a hero to Republicans in the state and now a pariah.

But LeMieux in fact built quite a conservative resume for himself in his short stint in the U.S. Senate. He voted against Obamacare and against raising the debt ceiling on more than one occasion, and opposed thousands of earmarks.

In straw polls that have taken place recently among Republican and conservative groups where both candidates have appeared, LeMieux has emerged the winner. He touts the fact that during his short time of service he proposed more spending cuts than all but one of the members of the Senate. He notes that he voted to cut federal spending by $900 billion and voted to terminate TARP and use any remaining finds to reduce the deficit.

That record helps him shake any doubts about having worked for, and being appointed by, Crist. And it is winning him the support of some major tea party-backed political names, such as former presidential candidate Herman Cain.

But LeMieux faces one significant challenge: Both he and his opponent have relatively little cash on hand to fight it out in Florida's numerous and expensive major media markets.

At the trough

"In the first three months of 2012, legislative lobbyists in Florida may have posted their highest single-quarter earnings since record keeping began. The increase was fueled in part by increased spending by gaming and transportation interests." "Legislative lobbyists may have had their most lucrative session ever".

Greer, Crist and Saunders mix it up

"The message to former Gov. Charlie Crist from good friend and confidante Jim Greer was ominous-sounding:"

"Listen, I just wanted to call and tell you something as a man, not like these other people that have put knives in your back and never had the courtesy to call you directly or talk to you."

Just about a year after Greer was indicted on felony charges of organized fraud, theft and money laundering, Crist found on his cellphone the voicemail and a text message from the former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.

To Crist, it sounded as if Greer was attempting to extort money from him, and Crist called the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to report the messages.

"Absolutely not,'' Greer said. "I didn't even know Crist said that until seven or eight months later. There was nothing in that voicemail that would imply anything like that whatsoever.''

Later in an email, Greer wrote: "I was simply telling him man-to-man that our friendship was over, that I could not understand why he lied about the fundraising and the fact that I had done everything he directed me to do as Chairman of the Party, which now has cost me dearly. . . . One thing people used to tell me about Charlie that I never believed until the end is that loyalty is not a part of his makeup once he no longer has a use for you, something my family and I sure found out the hard way."

Greer is in Seminole County awaiting trial. He was able to hang onto his house with some help from the bank.

"It's been pretty tough, but my lawyers tell me some day there will be a big check coming my way,'' Greer added.

Greer's wife, Lisa, was much more outspoken. Writing on her Facebook page, she said the messages were left after Crist's "minions'' kept calling Greer and begging him to leave information about Crist out of the book he is writing.

"I once loved and trusted Charlie Crist," she wrote. "I now know he would whore himself out to anyone that will put him in power again. I am sick of the games and lies, I have a family to protect and a precious baby girl on the way, the truth must come out to clear Jim's name."

"Family-tourism capital ground zero in the fight for worker benefits"

"Nearly half the workforce in Orlando receives no paid sick time, forcing them to choose between going to work sick or losing a day's wages, workers-rights groups say. So on Wednesday, a coalition of activists launched a ballot initiative that would require Orlando businesses to provide paid sick time, making the nation's family-tourism capital ground zero in the fight for worker benefits." "Activists launch drive to require paid sick time in Orlando" ("A restaurant workers' group is pushing a paid sick time ordinance in Miami-Dade County but hopes to have it approved by county commissioners.")

Scott encourages "discriminating pricing scheme"

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board: "The discriminating pricing scheme being considered by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. with the encouragement of Gov. Rick Scott would not be tolerated from private insurers. Yet the state-run insurer's bad idea to jack up the price of policies for new customers by up to 30 percent will get another hearing today by a Citizens Board of Governors committee. That should be its last stop. Such a scheme has no place in a government-backed insurer either." "Citizens Property Insurance floats a terrible pricing idea". Background: "Citizens' Committee to Review Dramatic Rate Hikes" and "Citizens again to review plan to raise rates for new customers".

It’s the name of a former medical equipment manufacturer in Miami that Romney’s venture capital firm bought and then closed in the late 1990s, walking away with $242 million in profits.

“Obviously you need to make a profit to be successful,” Cindy Hewitt, Dade Behring’s former human resources officer, said Tuesday, at a Miami news conference organized by President Barack Obama’s campaign. “My concern is when businesses are used to generate wealth for a small number of people and businesses are run to the ground and the lifeblood is sucked out of it and all of their employees lose their jobs.”

The case of Dade Behring in Miami, where some 850 jobs were lost while Romney led Bain has been well-documented. But there’s a new wrinkle: The company under Bain’s leadership sought and received millions of dollars in tax breaks for creating jobs in Puerto Rico — shortly before closing its facilities, costing nearly 300 jobs.

At the heart of Romney’s presidential campaign is an argument that his successful business record makes him best equipped to turn around the economy. Democrats are aiming to turn his [claimed] strength into a vulnerability — a strategy that has worked before.

Romney started and led Bain Capital from 1984 to 1999, when he left to lead the Salt Lake City Olympics. He became extremely wealthy in the process, and investors profited mightily. But along with the Bain success stories are multiple examples of businesses that went bust and employees who lost jobs.

No problem: just lower the passing grade

"Shocked by dismal results on this year's writing FCAT, the state decided today to lower its definition of proficiency in order to insulate schools' crucial A-to-F grades from the plunge." "Back to the future: State reverts to old 3.0 grading scale to help bolster FCAT writing scores".

"An emergency meeting of the state Board of Education on Tuesday lowered the passing scores on the 2012 FCAT writing exam in an effort to hold districts 'harmless' over plummeting test performance." "Holding Schools 'Harmless,' State Lowers Bar on FCAT Writing Scores". See also "Florida board lowers FCAT writing test passing score" and "Education board lowers FCAT writing standards after scores plummet". Meanwhile, "Schools won't be held accountable for this year's low FCAT writing scores".

"Public anger at the overuse of high-stakes standardized tests finally boiled over"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "The Florida Board of Education was in crisis mode Tuesday, holding an emergency meeting by telephone to change on the fly the illogical scoring of this year's FCAT writing test. Public anger at the overuse of high-stakes standardized tests finally boiled over, as more than 800 people listened in to the conference call and queued up to question how this mess happened — and what it means for their children and their schools. What it means is that there is too much emphasis on standardized tests and that the state's manipulation of the rules render the test scores meaningless."

The so-called solution? The Board

dropped the passing score to 3 (out of 6) instead of keeping it at a 4. That makes the results look more plausible and avoids the inaccurate perception that student performance dropped off a cliff overnight. But that answer is only a stopgap, and it raises significant issues about the meaning and the value of the FCAT, which affects everything from school grades to teacher bonuses.

Those are issues that the board and Education Commission Gerard Robinson need to revisit if Florida's accountability system is to retain any of its quickly collapsing credibility. Robinson's failure to anticipate this mess also erodes confidence in his ability to chart a clear path for education in this state.

Million dollar babies

"With an early legislative session speeding up action in the Capitol, at least three lobbying firms collected more than $1 million in fees during the first three months of the year, according to new reports."

The reports also show that an additional eight firms raked in between $500,000 and $999,999 for their work in the Legislature. Those totals could grow, as lobbyists faced an 11:59 p.m. deadline Tuesday for filing quarterly compensation reports.

The three firms that topped $1 million were Ballard Partners, Ronald L. Book PA and Southern Strategy Group. The reports don't give the exact totals collected by the firms, but they detail some of the largest payments made by clients.

Ballard Partners, for example, collected $77,000 from Automated HealthCare Solutions Inc., a technology company that opposed bills aimed at limiting how much doctors can charge for dispensing drugs to workers-compensation insurance patients. The bills ultimately died.

Book, meanwhile, collected $50,000 or more from five clients, including $50,000 from Florida Power & Light and $50,000 from West Flagler Kennel Club, a pari-mutuel that was involved in a fierce debate about whether lawmakers should allow up to three resort casinos in the state. The casino proposals failed to pass the House or Senate.

With reports still being filed Tuesday, it is too early to compare lobbyist compensation during the first quarter with the same period in previous years. But a once-a-decade redistricting process caused the 2012 session to begin in January and end in March, squeezing it all into the year's first quarter — unlike typical years when the session starts in March and ends in early May.

The reports list the clients represented by lobbying firms and give broad ranges of the total amounts of money that firms collect. The eight firms that reported receiving between $500,000 and $999,999 were Colodny, Fass, Talenfeld, Karlinsky & Abate: Dutko Worldwide; Johnson & Blanton; Foley & Lardner; Fowler White Boggs; Smith, Bryan & Myers; The Rubin Group; and Tsamoutales Strategies.

Among the biggest corporate spenders this year appears to be AT&T, which successfully backed a bill that made changes in the state's communications-services tax. The reports show AT&T paid $50,000 or more to at least seven lobbying firms; paid between $40,000 and $49,999 to seven other firms; and paid $30,000 to $39,999 to five firms.

Well, there are only so many 7-11 jobs

"Public employees constitute the biggest block of workers in 51 of Florida's 67 counties, a new TaxWatch survey shows. And in 40 counties, government workers make up two of the three largest employment groups." "Government Sector Dominates Florida Work Force, Study Finds".

Rubio sets himself up for failure

"The Florida Republican, who is huddling with Senate leaders from both parties this week, is emerging as a prominent player in the contentious debate over immigration. His search for an acceptable compromise on the long-sought DREAM Act has drawn tentative support across the party divide, raising the chances for passage in this election year. Of course, the encouraging words from political adversaries could set up Republicans for blame if his fledgling proposal gets killed by conservatives in the U.S. House. But for the moment, Rubio's plunge into the prickly politics of immigration adds some substance to his rise as a national figure."

Rubio, who plans to unveil his bill in a few weeks, has consulted with opponents and proponents of the DREAM Act. In a videotaped message to Floridians, he said his proposal would provide non-immigrant visas but deny in-state tuition rates and welfare benefits.

He also has consulted with many of the "dreamers" — undocumented children who yearn for a chance to become legal, get drivers' licenses and work permits. They want the full DREAM Act, which would include a path to citizenship. But many would settle for Rubio's more-limited version, a chance to at least live and work here legally.

"These kids have been in legal limbo for far too long, and their lives have been on hold for far too long," said Cheryl Little, executive director of Americans for Immigrant Justice, based in Miami, which represents dreamers and other immigrants. "We need to extend a lifeline to them now. Even if it's temporary relief at this point, I think most of them will go ahead and take it because they need to move on with their lives."

Little, who has talked with Rubio about his as-yet unwritten bill, remains doubtful about its prospects. "While I think there's likely a fair amount of support in the Senate," she said, "I'm very concerned there's not sufficient support in the House."

In fact, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, already has warned that in this "very hostile political environment," chances of passing even a limited version of the DREAM Act "would be difficult at best."

"Tangled in partisan politics"

"A proposed charter amendment that would make Osceola County Commission races nonpartisan has become tangled in partisan politics." "Drive to change Osceola elections mired in partisan disputes".

Just what Florida needs: the "Jacksonville Cavalry"

"Adam Hollingsworth, Jacksonville Cavalry".

Enuf FCAT

"A national resolution to urge education administrators to rely less on standardized testing is gaining a wave of support in South Florida." "Time Out From Testing Resolution To Abandon FCAT Gains Momentum In South Florida".

GOP Candidate Depicts Wasserman Schultz in Dog Collar

"Businessman Ozzie deFaria is running in the GOP primary in Florida's 20th Congressional District for the chance to take on Wasserman Schultz in November. He has launched a website devoted to mocking Wasserman Schultz, saying she is 'Nancy Pelosi's East Coast Twin and Obama's biggest Attack Dog.' At the top of the site is a photo of the congresswoman, manipulated to show her in a dog collar". "Debbie Wasserman Schultz Depicted In Dog Collar On GOP Candidate's Website".

The best the RNC could do?

Kevin Derby: "The flurry of Republican National Committee (RNC) conference calls with the media Tuesday focused on key battleground states in the presidential election -- and in those calls Florida featured an unlikely speaker in U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla."

On Tuesday, Ross went to bat for the RNC, attacking President Barack Obama’s managing of the economy and the federal debt in his call with the press. ...

Ross bashed federal spending under Obama’s watch, hitting him on everything from taxpayer dollars going to Solyndra to signing the health-care law back in 2010. The Florida congressman attempted to contrast Obama’s record with that of Republicans in Congress and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, the presumptive Republican candidate who will challenge Obama in November.

Ross said he had high hopes for Romney, saying the former Massachusetts governor would make “one of the strongest presidents fiscally we’ve seen in decades” and insisting that he had “a history of being fiscally prudent.”

47 million gallons of untreated human waste dumped in SoFla

"Miami-Dade County’s antiquated sewer system has ruptured at least 65 times over the past two years, spewing more than 47 million gallons of untreated human waste into waterways and streets from rural South Miami-Dade to the ritzy condos of Brickell Avenue to the Broward County border." "Miami-Dade’s leaky pipes: More than 47 million gallons of waste spilled in past two years".

Greedy teachers

"Seminole teachers get $500 bonus, but no raise".

Government work

"The Florida Department of Education has resolved a contract dispute between companies vying to provide a testing system tied to the state's Race to the Top grant after the company that originally won the bidding agreed to steer some of the business to the company challenging the decision."

The department in April awarded the contract for a computer-based testing system, worth tens of millions of dollars, to NCS Pearson [the same company that graded the controversial FCAT tests].

Another company in the running for the contract, CTB/McGraw-Hill, challenged the decision with the Division of Administrative Hearings and asked an administrative law judge to give the department a chance to resolve the dispute "by mutual agreement."

The case, which had been set for a hearing next week, was officially dismissed on Monday, and the department said in a filing Tuesday that it would award the contract to Pearson.

The companies agreed to a settlement in which CTB will supply some of the test questions to Pearson, which will pay CTB $4.6 million.

"Nelson riled up by a misleading attack ad on Medicare"

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., is riled up by a misleading attack ad on Medicare. Sen. Nelson is so riled up by the ad's claim that his vote for the Affordable Care Act will lead to $500 billion in cuts to seniors that he has asked Florida TV stations to stop running the ad. Sen. Nelson, though, had no problem misleading voters about his attempts to amend the law and score political points."

The latest distortion comes from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, one of a series launched against Democratic candidates in Florida. The ad calls the Affordable Care Act "a nightmare for Florida seniors," and questions whether Sen. Nelson considered "the consequences when he cast the deciding vote for Obamacare," since "seniors will see $500 billion in cuts."

Those supposed cuts are actually needed savings for Medicare. Calling them "cuts" has been a GOP strategy to scare seniors, and the charge has been around since before President Obama signed the law in March 2010.

In fact, the law slows the cost growth of Medicare from nearly 7 percent in 2019 to 5.3 percent, through reductions in provider payments and efforts to reduce waste and fraud. It protects guaranteed benefits and provides new benefits and services. It eliminates over time the "donut hole" for seniors receiving Medicare's prescription drug benefit. The law also eliminates $136 billion in subsidies to insurers that provide benefits through private plans known as Medicare Advantage. ...

Democrats have been just as misleading in their claims about changes to Medicare in the House Republican budget of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. They claim that the Ryan budget would "end Medicare as we know it." In an ad from the liberal Agenda Project, a Paul Ryan look-alike throws an elderly woman from her wheelchair off a cliff. In fact, Medicare would not die under the Ryan budget, and current beneficiaries and those who join over the next 10 years would not be affected.

A real yawner

"Live Video: Romney speaks at campaign stop in St. Petersburg".

"Controlling protests at the Republican National Convention"

"The Tampa City Council will take a final vote this week on Mayor Bob Buckhorn's 'event zone' proposal aimed at controlling protests at the Republican National Convention. The temporary ordinance spells out the rules that protesters and other downtown visitors must follow during the week-long convention that starts Aug. 27." "RNC 'event zone' goes to final city vote".

This way to the Mons

"RNC media in Tampa for early look at venues".

Palm Beachers don' like unions

"The stagehands union has filed another charge with the National Labor Relations Board in its long-running dispute with the Kravis Center."

The union and the center have been at odds since talks broke down in September 2000 and the Kravis stopped using union stagehands in Dreyfoos Hall.

The union filed its first charge in March 2001. In December 2008, a federal appeals court upheld two lower-court rulings that the center had engaged in unfair labor practices when it ejected the union. The center resumed hiring union workers in March 2009.

The union filed a second charge in March 2011, alleging that the Kravis acted illegally when talks faltered in January 2011 after two years of negotiations and the center imposed its final offer. The board has combined the cases, Diaz said.

The board has not finished computing the amount the Kravis owes workers for back pay for the period when it did not employ union workers. The union and the Kravis disagree on the amount, which the union claims is at least $3.6 million.

Scott: "the most important thing is all the grass roots [sic]"

"Gov. Rick Scott, who spent more than $70 million of his own money to lift himself from political obscurity and win office in 2010, told Republican activists tonight that money won't be the most important factor in America's largest swing state this year."

"It's important to be able to raise the money to be able to run the ads that we need to run to win these races," Scott told a crowd of about 250 at a Boca Raton Republican Club dinner. "But the most important thing is all the grass roots." ...

Scott got a standing ovation from the crowd at the Town Center Marriott and was applauded when he highlighted his conservative fiscal policies. ...

Scott is not scheduled to join presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney when Romney campaigns and raises money in Florida on Wednesday and Thursday.

Romney avoids Scott

"Mitt Romney will make some money stops in Florida on Wednesday and Thursday, including a $50,000-a-plate dinner at private equity mogul Marc Leder's Boca Raton home. Romney visits the Tampa home of Dick and Cornelia Corbett on Wednesday afternoon, then heads to Coral Gables for a reception at the Biltmore and a dinner at the home of Phil and Pat Frost." "Romney's Florida fundraising includes $50,000-a-plate dinner in Boca Raton".

Romney is avoiding Scott: "Scott is not scheduled to join presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney when Romney campaigns and raises money in Florida on Wednesday and Thursday."

Real estate industry is continuing to improve

"A survey of real estate professionals finds sentiment in the industry is continuing to improve, reaching levels not seen since the middle of 2007." "Real estate pros say things are looking up, survey says".

Race to the bottom

"GOP Senate Candidates Continue to Clash Over Conservatism".

Runnin' Citizens like a bidness

"If Citizens Property Insurance Corp. moves forward with a controversial plan to uncap rates for new customers, the price to join state-run insurance will increase by an average of 30 percent next year."

Data prepared for a Citizens committee meeting on Thursday show the plan would lead to significantly higher premiums in most cases and homeowners, in some parts of the state, would pay twice as much as their neighbors for the same coverage.

It’s not a problem of their making, and that only adds to their frustration.

As the elections officials convene, they are simultaneously seeking to verify the legal status of about 2,700 voters who were red-flagged by the state motor vehicle agency as non-U.S. citizens and thus ineligible to vote. Problem is, some of those can legally vote.

Scott's Spanish junket

"Gov. Rick Scott is off to Spain this weekend, leading a four-day business development mission that will also include a meeting with King Juan Carlos and a whiff of Florida's upcoming quincentennial celebrations. Scott will be joined on the trip by first lady Ann Scott, three staffers from their offices, along with more than 60 officials from various government offices and private businesses on the excursion, focused on increasing opportunities for companies from Spain -- Florida’s 34th largest trading partner -- to invest, grow and create jobs in Florida." "Rick Scott Takes Business Development Road Show to Spain this Weekend".

Hollingsworth - The best Scott could do?

"Sixteen months into the job, Gov. Rick Scott is welcoming his third chief-of-staff in what even allies Monday said began looking like a 'Goldilocks' approach toward running the state's top executive office." "New engineer for Gov. Scott's train; Can Hollingsworth put the gov on track to popularity?"

Bill Cotterell: "Hollingsworth is not a Capitol insider, but knows his way around Tallahassee. He has handled public relations and lobbying for CSX Corp., was appointed by Scott to the Florida Republican Executive Committee and served as staff chief to former Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton. In that role, he oversaw elimination of about 700 non-police jobs and a restructuring of agencies in the big port city."

Hollingsworth heads Parallel Infrastructure LLC, the right-of-way division of the Jacksonville real estate firm Flagler Development Group. As Peyton's right hand, he managed the mayor's daily operations, policy agenda and relations with municipal entities.

He left city hall in 2010 to help in Scott's campaign and was credited with helping the "outsider" patch things up with the Republican Party of Florida leadership, which had backed then-Attorney General Bill McCollum for governor in the primary. Hollingsworth also advised Scott's transition team after the general election.

Asked whether he plans to stay on the GOP state executive committee, Hollingsworth said, "That's a decision the governor will consider."

"Veterans Choose Obama Over Romney"

"The veteran vote in the 2012 election is trending toward Barack Obama. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found that Obama would beat Mitt Romney by as much as seven percentage points in November." "Here's A Shocker: Veterans Choose Obama Over Romney".

The Week Ahead

"The Week Ahead for May 14 to May 18".

Florida's universities among the best in the nation?

Lloyd Brown - former speech writer for Jeb Bush - writes that former mayor of Jacksonville John Delaney, who is now (miraculously) the University of North Florida president, says that the "United States has the best universities in the world, [and he actually believes that] Florida is among the best in the nation, despite cutbacks and being well below the average in spending per student." "Higher Education Task Force Shouldn't Focus Only on Money".

Made in Florida

"George Zimmerman's gun: 9 mm from Cocoa is small, lethal".

Super PAC hits Florida

"A super PAC supporting President Barack Obama is airing a new ad in five states questioning Republican Mitt Romney's commitment to workers. Priorities USA Action is airing the ad in Colorado, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. It comes a day after the Obama campaign released a similar ad attacking Romney's past role as head of private equity firm Bain Capital." "Pro-Obama ad backs up case against Romney".

Media does "as ordered by" the Chamber of Commerce

"Seeking to extinguish an issue that burned Democrats in the last congressional elections, Sen. Bill Nelson today asked Florida TV stations to stop running a U.S. Chamber of Commerce ad that says Nelson's 2010 vote for the federal health care law will hit seniors with $500 billion in Medicare cuts."

A letter from Nelson attorney Kendall Coffey says the new ads are untrue and stations have "a duty to protect the public from the spread of false information and deliberate deception."

In Palm Beach County, WPTV Channel 5 rejected Nelson's plea.

"We reviewed the content of the letter and determined that we will continue to air the spot as ordered by the client," [(an unfortunate double entendre if there ever was one)] said WPTV Vice President and General Manager Steve Wasserman.

Two-term Democrat Nelson is up for reelection this year. U.S. Rep. Connie Mack and former appointed Sen. George LeMieux are the leading Republican contenders to face him in November.

The health care law is unpopular in Florida, with 53 percent of Sunshine State voters favoring its repeal in a recent Quinnipiac University poll.

Republican claims that the law will cut Medicare have been called "misleading" by the nonpartisan FactCheck.org.

Another fine Jebacy

"Panicked state education officials will hold emergency talks Tuesday after early results show that about two-thirds of Florida students failed this year's tougher new writing portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Locally, at least one superintendent called for an audit of the results and scoring procedures, arguing that it is not possible the scores dropped so precipitously in one year. ... The 45-minute test is scored by two readers from Pearson, a testing firm."

"These results raise serious and important questions about the validity of these scores," [Manatee County Superintendent Tim] McGonegal said. "Why did we have a 54 percent drop? It's not the kid. It's not the teacher. It's something to do with the scoring that Pearson has done."

Here's a solution - lower the passing grade

Michael Peltier: "In the short term, the [State Board of Education] is proposing to lower the passing threshold from 4.0 to 3.5 -- a reduction that would dramatically increase the number of students having passing scores, but the number would still be significantly less than the 2011 scores." "FCAT Writing Scores Plummet, Force Question: What to Do?" See also "State officials rush to change standards for FCAT after writing scores plunge".

Meanwhile, back at the ranch: "State schools chief Gerard Robinson defends FCAT".

Where does mini-Mack live?

"LeMieux supporters in the Legislature, including two state senators who face term limits -- Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, and Steve Wise, R-Jacksonville -- and five Republicans in the Florida House: Dennis Baxley of Ocala, Rachel Burgin of Riverview, Larry Metz of Yalaha, Jimmie Smith of Lecanto and Ritch Workman of Melbourne -- sent a letter to Mack demanding he release his travel records. The LeMieux team has looked to score political points by insisting that Mack has more ties to California -- home of his wife, U.S. Rep. Mary Bono Mack -- than he does with the Sunshine State." "GOP Senate Hopefuls Continue to Clash as Primary Enters Last Three Months". Related: "Water records suggest Mack comes home to Florida — sometimes".

"All about Steve"

Daniel Ruth: "This is always the kiss of death. Just a few days ago, Gov. Rick Scott took time out from his hectic schedule of reducing state government to the size of a food truck to praise his chief of staff, Steve MacNamara, who learned the art of executive management from Tony Soprano."

Scott pledged his unshakable loyalty to MacNamara. He said his bureaucratic knee-capper was doing a great job and lashed out at the Tallahassee press corps for being "mean" to the chief of staff. ...

There is that old adage in journalism about blaming the messenger for the message. The news media didn't hound MacNamara out of office. Reporters merely pointed out that the governor had hired one of Tallahassee's most inside of insiders to provide a tutorial on how to wield power and help lobbyists.

It is always one of the more entertaining Kabuki dances in political life to watch a governor or president confronted with the chicanery of an underling.

Mean? How mean was it for MacNamara to engineer the ouster of the state's film commissioner to make room for the daughter of a friend?

Interfering? How many state agency heads found themselves coming to work and essentially discovering a hologram of MacNamara sitting at their desks?

For a guy who has spent the better part of his adult life manipulating the levers of power in Tallahassee, MacNamara failed to grasp one of politics' most essential truths.

Sooner or later, if you mug enough people, it's all going to come back to haunt you. And when the governor promises he has your back, it's only to better position the knife.

'Ya think?

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Miami-Dade must balance protection of natural resources with economic-development goal". "Don’t abandon the environment".

Miami to Orlando train proposal

"A Coral Gables development company expects to have a study completed next month that could determine whether it builds a privately funded $1 billion train linking Miami with Orlando. If the ridership study finds enough demand, Florida East Coast Industries could begin construction next year, Husein Cumber, executive vice president of Florida East Coast Railway, an affiliate of FECI, said Monday." "Miami to Orlando train proposal rolling down the planning tracks".

"Executive office of the governor is a mess"

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Rick Scott campaigned as a CEO type who would turn around that floundering enterprise known as state government. After 16 months of Rick Scott, the executive office of the governor is a mess."

On Saturday, chief of staff Steve MacNamara resigned, following multiple reports by Mary Ellen Klas of The Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau that he had used the office to help his friends and punish those who annoyed his friends, while injecting himself into aspects of state government outside of his authority. Mr. MacNamara had been recruited 10 months ago as the Tallahassee insider - staffer to legislative leaders, lobbyist - Gov. Scott needed after first surrounding himself with aides who had worked on his national campaign to oppose President Obama's health care reform but knew nothing about Florida and state issues.

Barely a week ago, Gov. Scott had said Mr. MacNamara was "doing a great job." Now, the governor will start over with a third chief of staff, Adam Hollingsworth. Mr. MacNamara's cover story is that media distractions are forcing him to leave early; he was to depart at the end of the year. No cover story, though, can change the image of a governor who is trying to remake Florida at a time when he can't even manage his own department.

Statewide email consolidation

"Scott vetoed a measure that would have eliminated the statute calling for statewide email consolidation, but there is still language in the budget that blocks new money going to the project. That means the state will either have to work out an arrangement to keep the system in place for more than 5,000 employees who have already been moved into the new system, or begin moving them out." "State may need to start undoing email consolidation".

Is Scott returning to his Fla-Bagger roots?

Lloyd Dunkelberger: "Here are four questions in the wake of the resignation of Gov. Rick Scott’s chief of staff Steve MacNamara, who will step down on July 1. He will be replaced by Adam Hollingsworth, a former chief of staff to a Jacksonville mayor and a key campaign adviser during Scott’s 2010 election."

1. Does this mean Scott is returning to his Tea Party roots, which spurred his run as an outsider lambasting the “dealmakers” of Tallahassee?

MacNamara’s résumé made him the ultimate Tallahassee insider. In fact, MacNamara’s departure was hastened by criticism that his past relationships were unduly influencing administration policy, particularly among the governor’s numerous agencies.

On the surface, the appointment of Hollingsworth, who was part of Scott’s anti-Tallahassee campaign, may signal an effort by Scott to re-center his administration.

But Scott, like all governors, is finding campaign promises are not always so easy to achieve. His record has been a mixed bag when it comes to curbing state government.

He amplified his Tea Party connection last year by killing the federal high-speed rail system for Florida. But at the same time, he approved the SunRail system for Central Florida, which may prove to be a costly venture. ...

2. Will MacNamara’s departure hurt Scott’s relationship with the Legislature?

3. Will Scott take a more contentious stand with the media?

4. How does MacNamara’s departure impact Scott’s re-election plans?

Charter madness

"Manatee approves all-girls charter school".

GOP plan: dumb 'em down and get them to the polls

"Florida is among eight key states targeted by Crossroads Generation, a new venture to sway the youth vote to the GOP."

Crossroads is an effort from the College Republican National Committee, Young Republican National Federation, Republican State Leadership Committee and American Crossroads. ...

In the last three general elections -- 2004, 2006, and 2008 -- young voters have given the Democratic Party a majority of their votes, and for all three cycles they have been the party's most supportive age group, according to the Pew Research Center.