In the Public Interest posted thousands of emails on its website that it says show how the Foundation for Excellence in Education, sometimes using its affiliated Chiefs for Change group, wrote or influenced legislation that benefited its "corporate funders."

It said the foundation, for example, helped write a law to increase the use of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, which would benefit Pearson, the test contractor -- and a foundation donor.

Among Public Interest's findings:

• In New Mexico, [the Foundation for Excellence in Education (FEE), founded and chaired by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush] acted as a broker to organize meetings between their corporate donors and individual Chiefs.

• Maine moved the FEE policy agenda through legislation and executive order that would remove barriers to online education and in some cases would require online classes - including eliminating class size caps and student-teacher ratios, allowing public dollars to flow to online schools and classes, eliminate ability of local school districts to limit access to virtual schools.

• In Florida, FEE helped write legislation that would increase the use of a proprietary test (FCAT) under contract to Pearson, an FEE donor.

• Foundation for Excellence in Education CEO Patricia Levesque urged state officials to introduce SendHub, a communications tool, into their state's schools. News reports indicate that Levesque's boss, Jeb Bush, is an investor in SendHub.

• FEE staff sought legislation that would count the state test, known as FCAT, as more than 50% of the state's school accountability measure. FEE staffer Patricia Levesque wrote to a state official that she had negotiated the related language with state legislators, who were now "asking for the following which, the Foundation completely supports: FCAT shall be 'at least 50%, but no more than 60%' of a high school's grade." Pearson, the company that holds the $250 million FCAT contract and sponsors FEE through its foundation, has an obvious financial stake in ensuring that FCAT continues to be at the center of Florida's education system.

• Levesque writes, "I think we need to add a sec onto this bill to give you/the department authority to set a state‐approved list of charter operators or private providers so districts can't pick poor performers to implement turnaround." At least one FEE donor, the for-profit Florida-based Charter Schools USA, could benefit from being placed on such a state-approved list.

• Charter Schools USA also could benefit from a "parent trigger" law, the passage of which, as Nadia Hagberg of FEE wrote, was the goal of a partnership between Bush's Florida-based organization (the Foundation for Florida's Future) and Parent Revolution: "The Foundation for Florida's Future worked closely with [Parent Revolution] throughout the process in Florida and they proved to be an invaluable asset." Parent trigger, which failed to pass during Florida's last legislative session, is a mechanism to convert neighborhood schools to charter schools.

Scott faces scrutiny about his budget math

"Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday will send the Florida Legislature a $74 billion budget that he says would boost spending in schools by $1.25 billion, but some of that money will not reach students."

As Scott touted the figure on Wednesday, more than one-third of the money, $480 million, would pay for a $2,500 teacher pay raise that must be approved by county school boards and negotiated in union contracts, if it survives a skeptical Legislature.

An additional $297 million of the education increase would shore up an unfunded liability for teachers’ pensions in the Florida Retirement System, and $118 million would keep up with enrollment growth as more than 20,000 new pupils are expected in Florida schools next fall.

Scott, who will release his budget at a 2 p.m. news conference in Tallahassee, will face more scrutiny about his budget math. But in prepared remarks at an Associated Press forum Wednesday, Scott took credit for a rebounding Florida economy and said the “tough choices” he made, such as reducing state debt and shrinking the state work force, make new spending possible.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/30/3209281/gov-rick-scott-pitches-125-billion.html#storylink=cpy

Privatization madness

The Tampa Bay Times editors: "State officials are pledging reforms at the largest work-release program in the state. But the evidence of lax state oversight should give pause to the continued campaign in Tallahassee to privatize more of the state’s corrections services." "Perils of privatization".

Foreclosure fever

"Miami among top cities to snag foreclosed homes". See also "Ranking: Brevard top spot for buying foreclosures".

"Florida would save money — not lose billions as Scott has argued"

"Florida would save money over the next decade — not lose billions as Gov. Rick Scott has argued — by accepting Medicaid expansion under federal health care reforms, according to a detailed economic study."

Miami-Dade legislators and health care industry leaders, getting together on Monday, heard about the report by Georgetown University — the most positive yet on a highly debated provision of what is often called Obama-care.

Rich criticizes Scott for prioritizing "right-wing agenda"

"Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Rich blasted Gov. Rick Scott on several fronts Wednesday, saying she would be best suited to get Florida back on the right track. Rich criticized the first-term governor and Republican Legislature for prioritizing 'a right-wing agenda' she said is harmful to the state." "Democratic gubernatorial hopeful blasts governor".

Not much

Nancy Smith on "What Sets Don Gaetz and Will Weatherford Apart".

Republican laff riot

"A look at Florida's troubled election this past fall prompted some finger-pointing and back-tracking today."

A panel of top party officials, two election supervisors and two legislators had a confrontational discussion about the 2012 election at The Associated Press' 19th annual legislative planning meeting.

It was clear that Democrats and Republicans remain deeply divided over who deserves the blame for the long lines and other problems that delayed Florida's votes from being counted quickly.

Democrats charged that a decision by the GOP-controlled Legislature in 2011 to cut back the number of early voting days was designed to hurt President Barack Obama and it backfired.

"Gov. Scott and the Republican Legislature needed to fix something that wasn't broken," said Scott Arceneaux, executive director of the Florida Democratic Party.

Republican Party of Florida chairman Lenny Curry insisted that the changes were not partisan even though there have been reports that a lawyer affiliated with the party helped draw up the initial version of the law.

Teacher evals on the ropes

"Questions are continuing to mount about the future of Florida's new teacher evaluation system, with Senate President Don Gaetz becoming the latest state official to wonder if the system needs to be overhauled." "Concerns Mounting Over Teacher Evaluations".

The Rubio apologists get to work

Joe Henderson: "Rubio was a hard-liner on immigration in his successful 2010 Senate campaign, "

but a lot of things are changing. Hispanics turned out in large numbers the last two elections for President Barack Obama, and GOP leaders like Rubio seem to finally understand it's time to try Plan B.

That's what Gov. Rick Scott does every time he gives a speech on how we need to put lots of money back into public schools. No less than Rush Limbaugh, who whipped up much of the anti-reform fever with his overheated rhetoric, sounded a less-frenzied tone after Rubio appeared on his show the other day.

"Full-Time Legislature?"

"Could We Have a Full-Time Legislature?" Nancy Smith: "Full-Time Legislature? Please, God, No!"

That prostitute thing

"The FBI raided the office of a South Florida eye doctor who last year was accused of providing prostitutes to longtime ally Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat." "FBI raids West Palm Beach office of doctor tied to U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez".

Scott flack booted

"Brian Burgess, the combative communications director for the Republican Party of Florida, is returning to the private sector less than five months after taking over as the party’s top communicator."

Burgess would not return emails or telephone calls, but was shown the door at the party after he did not answer questions from the Tampa Bay Times about a rescued Labrador retriever adopted by Gov. Rick Scott.

Scott publicly adopted the dog during the 2010 campaign and held a contest to name it — people chose Reagan — but Scott returned the dog shortly after taking office in 2011.

The resulting publicity outraged animal lovers across the state who accused Scott of adopting the dog as a campaign gimmick.

Hughes’ firm has consulting contracts with the Republican Party of Florida, the Florida Chamber of Commerce and other conservative groups. He has been paid more than $195,000 for campaign work since 2010, including $92,000 from the state party.

Burgess began working for the state party in September after 18 months working in the governor’s office. Burgess previously worked for a Washington public relations firm that handled communications for Scott’s gubernatorial campaign.

Funny that

"Gov. Rick Scott and state legislators will soon decide whether Florida should extend health insurance coverage to nearly 1 million residents, and those officials all get their plans from the state, many paying less than state workers. Scott, as well as the three other Republican members of the Cabinet, and nearly all state lawmakers are enrolled in Florida's health insurance plan. For Scott, the cost to cover him and his wife is less than $400 a year. A total of 107 out of 120 members of the Florida House pay the same or less for coverage." "Florida leaders who will decide Medicaid expansion get bargain on insurance".

Megachurch World

"Orlando ranks seventh among megachurch cities".

Rubio back tracking on immigration

The Miami Herald editors: "The rapidly changing mood in Washington on immigration, particularly evident in the willingness of prominent Republicans like Sen. Marco Rubio of Miami to challenge diehard opponents of reform within their own party, represents a significant milestone in the long fight to ensure fairness for everyone living within America’s borders." "Immigration’s moment arrives". See also "Marco Rubio Takes the Lead in Immigration Reform". Related: "Mario Diaz-Balart: Time to Deal in ‘Reality’ on Immigration Reform". The Tampa Bay Times editors point out that Rubio - whose immigration ideas "closely mirror" the President's longstanding position on immigration - is desperately seeking to differentiate himself from Obama, so here's Rubio's scheme:

Shortly after Obama finished speaking, cracks emerged between the White House and the group of eight senators [including Rubio], which put out their proposals one day ahead of the president [actually no, the President immigration plan has been clear since last year]. Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, one of four Republicans in the group, criticized Obama for not making a citizenship pathway contingent on tighter border security, a central tenant of the lawmakers' proposals.

"This provision is key to ensuring that border security is achieved, and is also necessary to ensure that a reform package can actually move through Congress," Flake said in a statement.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is seen as an influential party voice on an issue that cost Republicans in last year's voting, said he was "concerned by the president's unwillingness to accept significant enforcement triggers before current undocumented immigrants can apply for a green card."

More: "Rubio's exit strategy takes shape".

A start

"Bills: Pay Florida teachers $10,000 more a year".

The best he could do?

"The Department of Economic Opportunity is one of the most critical agencies in Gov. Rick Scott’s administration, and it has run through four directors — two permanent, two interim — since it launched 16 months ago. After the fleeting tenures of three bureaucrats and a banker, Scott’s handpicked director, Jesse Panuccio, began his term as the agency’s fifth director three weeks ago. Panuccio, a 32-year-old attorney, is an outside-the-box choice for jobs chief. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 2006 and has been on Scott’s legal team since 2011, becoming the governor’s chief litigant last year."

Throughout Panuccio’s brief professional career, he has fought legal battles in support of conservative causes ranging from gun rights to traditional marriage to state’s rights. His new position will require a full embrace of Scott’s conservative job-creation agenda: less regulation, taxation and litigation.

Entrepreneurs in action

"Nursing home executives investigated by The Palm Beach Post charged in $2.75 million Medicaid fraud".

Florida Gambling Review

"Florida Rep. Rob Schenck, R-Spring Hill, has been named chairman of the House Select Committee on Gaming by House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel. And as with the Senate Gaming Committee, the House effort is viewed as a two-year endeavor." "Rob Schenck to Head House’s Two-Year Florida Gambling Review".

Enuf with the private sector

"Look Which Former Reps Want Their Jobs Back in 2014".

New complaints

"Clarence Shahid Freeman, a Palm Beach County Democratic Party activist under investigation in a 2012 case for allegedly taking funds for legal help he never provided, was the subject of criminal complaints for the same alleged offense filed by at least four other persons in recent years, although no criminal fraud charges were filed in those cases."

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office records show five complaints filed between 2003 and 2009 where Freeman was accused of accepting money under false pretenses.

For the first time in three years, a slow but steady economic recovery means Scott will have more tax money to spend — not less. But Scott, who ran as a small-government conservative, has rankled state lawmakers by calling for a $2,500 pay raise for every full-time teacher at a cost of $480 million, in effect sweeping much of a modest projected surplus, and declaring teacher pay a higher priority than other needs.

A year after championing a 3 percent raid on teachers’ salaries, Scott has decided they are underpaid, and they now make up a prized constituency. For three days, Scott toured schools in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Gainesville and Orlando to amplify his call for higher teacher pay.
“Our revenues are up. We have a projected surplus now,” Scott said Friday in St. Petersburg. “If we’re going to have a great education system, we’ve got to take care of our teachers. They’re doing the right things.”

But his fellow Republicans in the Capitol aren’t yet convinced that Scott is doing the right thing.

His call for across-the-board teacher pay hikes unnerved lawmakers who say he didn’t specify where the money would come from and that it contradicts a state policy of linking pay to classroom performance.

The state subsidies ($1.6 million in a tax deal to one company alone) also extend to industries that make violent video games and violent television shows and movies — in all, $10 million in economic incentives.

This corporate welfare was doled out by a largely Republican Legislature and a Republican governor.
Aren’t they supposed to be the party against entitlement funding?
The state justifies the subsidies by saying these industries create jobs, but the government’s all-out endorsement and legislative record points to more than job-creation motives.
In recent years, the Legislature has expanded gun laws that make it easier to buy, transport, and even justify the use of firearms in questionable cases, as studies of the “Stand Your Ground Law” have shown.
While all sorts of other state fees have increased, the Florida Legislature cut the cost of getting a weapons license by $5 – maybe not a big deal money-wise, but in as tough a budget year as 2012 was, it says a great deal about our lawmakers’ priorities and values.

Look no further than their boast that Florida has more than one million people who have concealed weapons licenses.

Nationally, the state ranks first in gun ownership and 49th in mental health funding.

Tant won on a 587-to-507 vote over Hillsborough County Committeeman Alan Clendenin. She succeeds Rod Smith, who opted not to seek another two-year term.

Tant assumes leadership of the Democratic Party in America’s largest swing state, where President Barack Obama has won the past two presidential elections but where Republicans have controlled the governorship and state legislature since the 1990s.
Tant, 51, has raised money for President Barack Obama, Sen. Bill Nelson and other Democrats. She was elected chairwoman of the Leon County Democratic Party in December, but does not have a long history with the grass-roots activists around the state who control most of the votes under the party’s weighted voting system.
Tant overcame her initial lack of grass-roots backing with some big-name endorsements, including those of Nelson, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and most of the state’s Democratic congressional delegation.

The state law, on the books since the late 1980s, prohibits local governments from enacting gun and ammunition ordinances. That had widely been ignored for some time, and local governments made regulations. Palm Beach County outlawed guns in child care facilities and government buildings and made it illegal to fire a gun east of 20-Mile Bend, which would have addressed Lowe’s concerns.

But in 2011, Gov. Rick Scott signed a measure that put teeth into the state restriction: Local officials could be fined, removed from office and responsible for their own legal bills they’re sued over local gun ordinances.

But Gov. Scott, like the Florida Legislature, seems much less concerned about the far more serious expenses regarding the state-run insurer. That would be the expenses to Citizens policyholders from the ongoing attempt to make Citizens hurricane coverage unaffordable, even though state law requires Citizens policies to be “affordable,” since for customers Citizens is often the only option.