•Christie's visit is now a political headache for Florida's re-election-seeking Gov. Rick Scott. He was supposed to reap publicity and financial benefits from the trip.

•The visit is now an opportunity for Democrats. They're deploying U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, to shadow the two men on Saturday in an attempt to put both on the hot seat.

Hoping to avoid protesters and television cameras — after national cable-news channels have talked about the trip for days — Republicans have gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid letting people know just where Scott and Christie, the new head of the Republican Governors Association, are holding their fundraising events. Republican insiders, including people who've raised substantial sums for Scott or have served in party leadership spots, said exact details are being kept, in the words of one, "super secret."

invitation for Saturday's first event, in Orange County at the Country Club of Orlando, has leaked out. Minimum suggested contribution for the VIP reception is $2,500; the general reception costs $1,000.

Democrats say they've learned, though state Republicans and the Republican Governors Association won't confirm it, that the second is in Palm Beach, at the home of Pepe Fanjul Jr., of the prominent sugar family. (That would put Christie on a bridge connecting the city of West Palm Beach and the town of Palm Beach, most likely the Royal Park Bridge or the Southern Boulevard Bridge.)

The third fundraiser is planned for the home of the prominent Fort Lauderdale lobbyist Billy Rubin, who is close to Scott. (Rubin's long list of recent clients includes the Fanjul family's Florida Crystals Corp.)

Neither Fanjul nor Rubin could be reached for comment through messages left at their offices. And Republicans are officially mum, except for this terse statement from Susan Hepworth, the Florida Republican Party's communications director: "We are grateful to have the RGA Chairman in town this weekend to do some events benefiting the RGA and Rick Scott's re-election campaign." Jon Thompson, the governors association press secretary, said none of the events would be open to the public or news coverage.

Aside from playing Hide-the-Christie - and God forbid having the two of them photographed together - Scott's insipid strategy appears to include referring to the big guy from New Jersey as merely the "the RGA Chairman" instead of actually mentioning Christie by name. Christie is apparently that toxic in the minds of Scott's comm folks.

One columnist is actually soliciting "Christie sightings? Send pictures and details, please. Email aman@sunsentinel.com, Twitter: @browardpolitics."

Did Precourt jump the gun?

"State Attorney Jeff Ashton asked Orlando's expressway board Friday to hold off hiring former state Rep. Steve Precourt as its next director because of an investigation his office is conducting of the toll-road agency." "State Attorney: Hold off on hiring Precourt at expressway".

Precourt has already resigned from the House, and will be replaced via a primary on March 11 followed by a general election April 8.

"Rick Scott’s busy week"

"After months without a second-in-command, he announced a pick who was well received and on Friday he unveiled his re-election team. He’s criss-crossed the state to tout populist initiatives, like a proposed 10-day, back-to-school sales tax holiday."

“This has been a big week,” Scott told the audience at the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s annual insurance summit Friday. “On Tuesday, I announced that we are going to be able to put more money into (the Department of Children and Families) to hire more investigators and also got to announce the next lieutenant governor of Florida, Carlos Lopez-Cantera. He’s going to do a great job.”

Republican officials say Scott will have the most expansive campaign in Florida history. He has raised more than $28 million through his “Let’s Get to Work” political committee.

Communications director Melissa Sellers is moving from the governor’s office to be campaign manager starting Tuesday. Before she joined the governor’s office in 2012, Sellers was a regional spokeswoman for the Republican National Convention in Tampa and chief spokeswoman for Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Tim Saler will be deputy campaign manager, and Matt Moon will serve as the campaign communications director. Both are moving over from the Republican Party of Florida.

Miguel Fernandez and Darlene Jordan will be co-finance chairs. Fernandez is chairman of MBF Partners, a health care firm based in Coral Gables. Jordan is a former Massachusetts assistant attorney general who was a national finance co-chair for Mitt Romney in 2008.

The team will likely come together this weekend as Scott travels the state for a series of fundraisers headlined by Christie. Democrats have promised to hound him every step of the way for associating with the embattled New Jersey governor whose administration is accused of causing a massive traffic jam as political payback. . . .

“We are grateful to have the RGA (Republican Governors Association) Chairman in town this weekend to do some events benefitting the RGA and Rick Scott’s re-election campaign,” said Susan Hepworth, the Republican Party of Florida spokeswoman.

Note how Ms. Hepworth couldn't bring herself to utter the word "Christie."

Brown's district challenged

"The oft-maligned district represented by Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown is the target of a federal lawsuit by two voters arguing that it violates the U.S. Constitution. . . . Brown's district has long been controversial. In an effort to give minority voters a voice, it sprawls across eight counties as it winds from Duval County to Orange County, carving out enclaves of black voters to create a district likely to elect a candidate favored by African-Americans. That allows more Republican-friendly seats to be drawn around it." "Lawsuit challenges legality of Corrine Brown district".

Rick Scott discovers Puerto Rico

"Gov. Rick Scott on Friday announced that Eddie Fernandez, a Shutts & Bowen lawyer and past local Young Republicans president, will replace Orange County Clerk of Circuit Court Lydia Gardner, who died last year."

"The Puerto Rican-born Fernandez, 33, was considered an early favorite. Scott's interest in a Hispanic candidate for clerk may be part of larger push to build inroads within Orange's burgeoning Latino population." "Scott taps attorney Eddie Fernandez as Orange County's new clerk of court".

This appears to be another example of what Miami Herald columnist Fabiola Santiago wrote, with respect to Scott's Lt. Governor pick, of "Rick Scott want[ing] you, Hispanic voter, to forget his anti-immigrant policies, his massive cuts to public education, and his raid of voter rolls in an obsessive hunt for phantom non-citizens."

"Think of it as the Florida disease"

Fred Grimm: "The National Institute of Mental Health has identified a malady called 'intermittent explosive disorder,' a condition, NIMH reports, 'marked by episodes of unwarranted anger.'"

Add the proliferation of firearms, and IED can turn deadly. Think of it as the Florida disease.

“Unwarranted anger” surely describes Monday’s shooting in a Pasco County moviehouse that left a 43-year-old man dead and his wife wounded. Most Americans would categorize a deadly altercation over someone texting during the previews as “unwarranted,” though the shooter might find refuge in Florida’s famously permissive self-defense laws.

It was the utter banality of the dispute that held the country’s attention through a day’s news cycle (until a 12-year-old shot two fellow students at a Roswell, New Mexico, middle school on Tuesday). In a nation that records 30 gun-related murders a day (along with 162 gun maimings and 53 firearm suicides), the killing at the Wesley Chapel cinemaplex grabbed the collective imagination, because it added to the sense that in our gun-toting society, any damn idiot squabble could lead to homicide. . . .

According to NIMH, IED (excluding cases of bi-polar disorder and antisocial or borderline personality disorders) affects some 7.3 percent of adults. It seems as if we have more than our share in Florida. . . .

We’ve seen road-rage shootings. We’ve had angry drunks ejected from bars and coming back blazing. And more angry shootings are on their way: Just last week, the state’s gunslingers filed a lawsuit to force the University of Florida to allow students to keep guns in their dorm rooms.

That’s something worth pondering for the parents of Florida’s college kids, mindful that, nowadays, "intermittent explosive disorder" often comes locked and loaded.

Raw political courage

"Scott wants to expand back-to-school sales tax holiday".

Hundreds of teachers protest Scott's education policies

"A few hundred teachers marched down Biscayne Boulevard to protest high-stakes testing and education policies they believe damage public education." "Miami-Dade teachers march on Biscayne to protest Rick Scott’s education policies".

Notice how the writer of this Miami Herald piece carefully inserts the word "few", as opposed to leaving it at "hundreds of teachers". Just sayin'.

Newspapers are, after all just businesses out to make a profit; and with that comes a distinct political agenda, and that is especially true of the Miami Herald.

Entrepreneurs in action

"In Florida, it's practically impossible to escape one's poor decision thanks to dozens of websites that exist to repost mugshots and charge offenders to take them down. The effect of this cottage industry on vulnerable offenders is well-documented, and it can cost thousands of dollars to clear one's Google search results after being charged with a crime."

In 2011, Wired broke the story on how Florida's insanely liberal public records coupled with some algorithm profiteers were making a killing through humiliation tactics. The magazine piece focused on florida.arrests.org, which is run by a ex-con. Last October, the New York Times wrote about how mugshot sites tarnish peoples' lives long after they've been cleared of -- or served time for -- the crimes they've been charged with. (Full disclosure: Both New Times papers have re-posted mugshots in regular blog features.)

But all that might be about to change. Late last year, the New York Times reported that Google, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and PayPal wished to sever their ties with the industry.

The latest blow came last Friday, when a Tampa judge found that the republishing of mugshots for profit is in violation of a state statute.

Scott wants Hispanic voters to forget his anti-Hispanic policies

Fabiola Santiago writes that "Gov. Rick Scott wants you, Hispanic voter, to forget his anti-immigrant policies, his massive cuts to public education, and his raid of voter rolls in an obsessive hunt for phantom non-citizens."

Never mind his lack of support for undocumented college students who pay outrageously higher tuition fees, can’t get a driver’s license, and have staged sit-ins in Tallahassee to get his attention — with no response.

Or the curtailed voting hours that disproportionally affected Hispanic and African-American voters. Or his refusal of federal funds for transportation and Medicaid.

You’ll forgive the last three years of his administration, the tea party governor thinks, because he has put a Hispanic name on his reelection ticket.

After keeping the job empty for 10 months, Scott announced this week that his lieutenant governor will be Carlos López-Cantera, a former Cuban-American legislator from Miami and now Miami-Dade’s property appraiser. It’ll be a historic first for the state when he’s sworn in on Feb. 3.

And oh, yes, Scott had lunch Thursday at La Carreta!

All the love is only a bid to boost Scott’s appeal among the state’s growing Hispanic voters and the largely ignored urban dwellers of South Florida adversely affected by Scott’s policies.

All the love is only a campaign strategy to fix the image of an uncommunicative and unpopular governor facing reelection and low poll numbers.

Too little, too late. . . .

He’s hoping that seeing López-Cantera’s good name on the ballot will automatically give the governor’s record a pass.

But I wouldn’t bet on it.

Crisafulli questions Senate water proposals . . . but where will he be on tax cuts?

"The Republican majority leader and House speaker-designate in 2015 says he's been given a lot of latitude by House Speaker Will Weatherford to work on water issues. He questioned a Senate proposal to spend $378 million a year on springs and another to spend another $220 million to benefit Lake Okeechobee, Indian River Lagoon and the Everglades. 'We don't have that type of money to put into those types of projects,' he said." "Crisafulli questions Senate water proposals, says House working on own bills".

"Special Election Darling Sinks to Top"

"In a tossup district in a tossup state, Democratic darling Alex Sink has a lot going her way: national media attention, in-state name recognition and a fat pile of cash. David Jolly, her newly crowned GOP opponent, has none of the above." "Florida's Special Election Darling Sinks to Top With Out-of-District Cash".

"Attacks on Lopez-Cantera"

The Sunshine State News: "Democrats and liberals made an effort in the latter half of this week against incoming Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, hitting Gov. Rick Scott’s new understudy on a host of fronts -- but they could be undermining the candidate they plan to run against Scott."

The Florida Democratic Party took aim at Lopez-Cantera on Thursday for his “ultra-conservative record” in Tallahassee, slamming the new lieutenant governor for backing cuts to the education budget, supporting energy exploration including drilling in the Gulf in 2009, backing mandatory ultrasounds for women considering having an abortion and backing “big taxpayer handouts to some of Florida’s biggest corporations” back in 2007.

In their attacks on Lopez-Cantera, the Florida Democrats could also be hitting the front-runner for their gubernatorial nomination. Former Gov. Charlie Crist, then a Republican, served as governor in 2007 and backed the budget and incentive programs the Florida Democrats are now hitting Lopez-Cantera for backing. While he opposed drilling in the Gulf after the 2010 oil spill and after leaving the GOP to continue his U.S. Senate bid with no party affiliation, Crist supported drilling back in 2009 -- the same time the Florida Democratic Party called out Lopez-Cantera on.

Run, Jeb!, Run

"Barbara Bush on Jeb running for president: 'I hope he won't".

"Besting Bondi"

"The two Democratic candidates for state attorney general, George Sheldon and Perry Thurston, agreed on almost every issue in a Tampa appearance Friday and said their contest would be settled on the question of who’s most likely to beat Pam Bondi."

In a joint appearance at the Tiger Bay Club of Tampa, there were hints one or both might consider dropping out of the race to leave the field clear for the other to challenge Bondi, the Republican incumbent.

Asked whether they’d be willing to end their candidacy, neither said yes, but neither firmly denied it.

"Yacht woes"

"Miami Beach leaders reject legal action to fix yacht woes".

Funny that

The Tampa Trib picked up this AP story

A former Montana judge who was being investigated for forwarding a racist email involving President Barack Obama sent hundreds of other inappropriate messages from his federal email account, according to the findings of a judicial review panel released Friday.

Although the piece in the online Trib was lengthy, comprised of 13 paragraphs, it somehow failed to include this passage from the complete AP story:

Cebull was nominated by former President George W. Bush and received his commission in 2001.

"Social and tax issues on the ballot increase turnout"

Aaron Deslatte: "Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan — Crist's employer — says he has invested $2.8 million in the marijuana drive to help end the hypocrisy of people forced to seek it illegally to ease their pain. The Florida Chamber of Commerce and other groups backing incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Scott call the initiative a smoke screen to gin up voters for Crist."

They both make valid points.

Political-science researchers for years have found evidence social and tax issues on the ballot increase turnout, although the effect is often marginal and varies by issue.

Even the act of gathering more than 1 million signatures for the drive can have a mobilization effect on "irregular" voters when the question reaches the ballot, according to one 2012 study in the journal Political Behavior by researchers at the University of Arkansas and University of Florida.

"It certainly should have a mobilizing effect. It very well might be marginal, but in a close election it could be determinative," said UF political scientist Daniel Smith, one of the co-authors.

With Gov. Rick Scott's incumbency and head start — Democratic leader Charlie Crist did not enter the race until Nov. 11 — the Republicans have an overwhelming early lead in money.

Combined, Scott and the Republicans raised $43.2 million last year, and Crist and the Democrats raised $8.6 million.

Florida's $3,000 maximum contribution law for candidates' official campaign committees is largely being legally bypassed in the governor's race. Candidates and political donors are turning as never before to independent political committees, which are able to collect and spend unlimited amounts.

Though independent groups, including Gov. Rick Scott's Let's Get to Work committee, were players in the 2010 election after court decisions increased their freedom, they now dominate.

"The trend of change has accelerated. It's going to continue accelerating," said Walt Dartland, vice chair of Common Cause Florida, which advocates campaign-finance reform. . . .

This year Scott has not contributed any of his own money, and it appears he may not have to. Last year, Let's Get to Work raised $23 million. That included more than 100 checks of more than $50,000 each. The committee got $1 million each from three Republican donors: Mike Fernandez of Coral Gables, Lawrence DeGeorge of Jupiter and William L. Edwards of Hollywood. The Florida Chamber of Commerce gave $655,000, and Florida Power gave $555,000.

Questions to answer

"Florida voters may have conservation, marijuana questions to answer".

Absentee ballot information remains public

"Miami-Dade County will no longer block the public from obtaining key information that has helped detect attempted voting fraud."

Overturning a decision by his appointed elections supervisor, Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Thursday that Internet Protocol addresses for absentee-ballot requests submitted online are public record.

Gimenez explained his position in a memo to Commissioner Xavier Suarez, who had asked the mayor to use his executive authority to make the IP addresses available. Supervisor of Elections Penelope Townsley had said she would keep them secret.

Short election cycle

"The increasing number of independent voters should be a coveted demographic among candidates who run in Pinellas County. Voters who don’t identify themselves with a single party are often credited with helping President Barack Obama carry the county in the last two presidential elections, and winning the county for gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink, a Democrat, in 2010."

“No candidate today can afford to ignore the independent voter because increasingly more Americans are classifying themselves as independents,” said Darryl Paulson, a University of South Florida political science professor emiritus.

Yet to expect Congressional District 13 hopefuls David Jolly, a Republican, and Sink to aggressively court independents ahead of the March 11 special congressional election would be naive, he said.

The two candidates are trying to appeal to voters in all parties. Sink met with independent elected officials from the district Thursday, and Jolly campaign spokeswoman Sarah Bascom said the campaign “intend(s) to reach out to every voter.”

But reaching independents is difficult. People shed their party affiliations, or never adopt one in the first place, for different reasons.

"Embarrassment to Gov. Rick Scott"

The Tampa Trib editors "Months after unveiling a $63 million upgrade to its unemployment website, the state continues to struggle to process claims from thousands of unemployed Floridians who depend on the money for rent and food."

But news that the federal government is sending U.S. Department of Labor employees to Florida to help fix a broken website can hardly be greeted with optimism considering the troubles with the Obamacare website.

Their arrival, at the urging of Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, is more likely to bring embarrassment to Gov. Rick Scott than a quick fix of the unemployment system’s problems. That said, Scott needs to make this problem a priority and hold accountable the people responsible for the mess.

Bean counters run wild

"Any university that doesn’t receive at least 26 points under the new 50-point system will lose 1 percent of its state funding in 2014-2015." "New performance model for Florida universities penalizes low performers".

Williams to seek re-election to House

"Rep. Alan Williams will seek re-election to the Florida House and will not run for a seat on the Tallahassee City Commission. At least two of the five primary challengers he has drawn have said they would drop their bids if he decided to stay in the House. " "Campaign Note: House: District 008".

"Scott and Black Legislative Caucus Clash"

"Rick Scott and Black Legislative Caucus Clash After Missed Meeting". Background: "Florida black lawmakers snub governor".

Crist swoops in to Tallahassee

"Former Gov. Charlie Crist stopped in Tallahassee on Thursday to raise cash as part of his campaign to reclaim the Governor's Mansion, this time as a Democrat." "Crist swoops in for Tallahassee fundraising". Crist laments that "Scott's ethics, education and environmental policies have broken his heart." "Crist: My heart is broken".

Jolly

"Jack Latvala, Allen West Lose as David Jolly Triumphs".

NJ GOPer scandal comes to Florida

"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie faces one of his first major tests since his backyard political scandal erupted: reassuring top Republican donors that he has taken steps to address allegations of political payback in his home state and that he remains a viable presidential contender for the party's establishment."

Christie, who leads the Republican Governors Association, will travel to Florida this weekend for a series of fundraisers to help Republican Gov. Rick Scott. It will be his first out-of-state trip since the scandal involving lane closures at the George Washington Bridge escalated.

Florida Delegation Backs Federal Spending Bill

"Florida Delegation Overwhelmingly Backs $1.1 Trillion Federal Spending Bill".

Really?

"State to spend $2.8 million on 'Florida Welcomes You' signs". And our Highway Patrolmen get paid, what?

Sink Vows Bipartisanship

"Alex Sink Vows Bipartisanship Even as DCCC Backs Her".

Scott focuses on voter-rich Miami-Dade

"Rick Scott focused on voter-rich Miami-Dade County this week as he looks to shore up his support in November."

Around 475,000 Miami-Dade residents voted in 2010, which made up about 9 percent of the total number of Floridians who cast their ballots. Alex Sink beat out Scott in Miami-Dade, 56 percent to 42 percent in 2010. Other Republicans did better, though. In the 2010 Senate race, local boy Marco Rubio took 45 percent here while Democrat Kendrick Meek, another favorite son from Miami-Dade, carried 30 percent (well above the 20 percent he took across the state) and Charlie Crist’s no-party-affiliation bid got 25 percent.

"A whole lot of hardscrabble lobbying going on"

Nancy Smith wonders "What if Charlie Crist wins? Florida Atlantic University board members might want to think that one through before they hand George LeMieux the keys to the kingdom. Though the board is due to choose the university's new president from a three-candidate shortlist Friday, insiders tell Sunshine State News the selection might already be in the bag for Gunster lawyer LeMieux. There's been a whole lot of hardscrabble lobbying going on." "One Last Word to the Wise on George LeMieux ...".

Diane Ravitch begs to differ: "StudentsFirst, the organization created by Michelle Rhee to promote her ideas about fixing schools by high-stakes testing and choice, has issued its second state-by-state second state-by-state report card.">report card."

The highest scoring states are not those whose students have the highest achievement on NAEP; that would be Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

No, the highest scoring states are those that do what Rhee did in D.C., the nation’s lowest-scoring district on NAEP.

She awards points for “elevating the teaching profession,” which means tying evaluations of teachers and principals to test scores, eliminating teacher tenure, eliminating collective bargaining, awarding bonuses to teachers whose students get higher test scores, and opening teaching jobs to teachers who have no certification or other credentials. . . .

She awards points for “empowering parents,” which means that a state gets higher scores if it offers charters and vouchers and has a parent trigger so that parents can hand their public school over to a charter corporation. . . .

The highest scoring states: Louisiana: #1; Florida (#2); Indiana (#3); Rhode Island (#4); D.C. (#5).

Massachusetts: (first in nation on NAEP): D (#21 on Rhee’s report card);

New Jersey: (tied for second place in the nation on NAEP): D (#31 on Rhee’s report card);

Connecticut (tied for second in the nation on NAEP): D+ (#24 on Rhee’s report card).

It is ironic that an organization that wants states to rank teachers, students, and schools in relation to student test scores issues a report card that evaluates states without any reference to student test scores. Clearly, the rankings have nothing whatever to do with any academic outcomes for students. These are the states that comes closest to complying with Michelle Rhee’s ideological preferences: privatization and dismantling the teaching profession.

Good luck with that

"Democrats say they will push for the Legislature to expand Medicaid coverage using federal dollars, but Republicans say that remains unlikely." "Expanding Medicaid an uphill battle in Florida Capitol".

Yee haw!

"Florida universities now allow guns on campus".

Scott selects property appraiser as lt. governor

"The former state lawmaker and current Miami-Dade County property appraiser is the first Hispanic to hold the position." "Gov. Rick Scott announces Carlos Lopez-Cantera as new lt. governor". See also "Scott names Carlos Lopez-Cantera as lieutenant governor", "Scott picks Lopez-Cantera as lieutenant governor", "Rick Scott Announces Carlos Lopez-Cantera as Lieutenant Governor" and "Lopez-Cantera named state’s first Hispanic lieutenant governor".

The Miami Herald editors think it is a "Smart choice for No. 2".

Rewrite of Florida's charity laws

"Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, whose duties include protecting Florida’s consumers, said the changes to the law will help Floridians make more informed choices about the charities they patronize." "Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam proposing 'complete rewrite of Florida's charity laws'".

Coast-to-Coast Connector

"Vetoed by the governor last year, an effort to link both coasts with a bicycle and pedestrian path across Central Florida is on the move again in the Legislature." "Andy Gardiner: Coast-to-Coast Connector Picking Up Speed".

More Sunshine Law exemptions?

"Sunshine law exemptions in the works".

Florida's "jobless website woes"

"Frustrated by problems plaguing Florida’s $63 million unemployment website, state lawmakers this week said they are set to take action to rescue a system that many claimants can no longer depend on for money to pay rent, food and bills." "Lawmakers to tackle Florida’s flawed unemployment website". See also "Labor Dept. officials heading to Florida to probe jobless website woes".

"Selective corporate welfare"

Scott Maxwell: "So Rick Scott wants to set a new record — and spend more tax dollars on tourism promotion than any governor before him."

We're talking $100 million — more than triple what it was a few years ago.

This kind of record-high spending concerns me.

Partly because we already throw gobs on tax dollars at this. Orange County alone has spent $105 million in the last three years.

Partly because it's selective corporate welfare — subsidizing one industry over others … and one of our lowest-paying industries at that.

Rethinking nonviolent drug crimes

"With Broward-led spike in prison population, lawmakers look at non-violent drug crimes".

Lobbyist wins CD 13 GOP primary

"David Jolly won the Republican primary Tuesday, earning a chance to face former state CFO Alex Sink in a special election in March for the congressional seat left open by the death of longtime U.S. Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla. Jolly, an attorney who worked as an aide to Young and as a lobbyist, defeated retired Marine Gen. Mark Bircher and state Rep. Kathleen Peters, R-St. Petersburg, in the primary. "

Democrats quickly fired away at the new nominee. “The choice for voters in Pinellas County couldn’t be more clear: Alex Sink, a business leader and common-sense problem solver, and David Jolly, a Washington, D.C., lobbyist who worked as a shill for the highest-bidding special interest,” said Andy Stone, a spokesman for House Majority PAC, a Democratic super-PAC. “This is a district that Republicans have held for decades and they will undoubtedly go to the mat to keep it. House Majority PAC is prepared to do whatever is necessary to make sure the distorted attacks on Alex Sink we know are coming don’t go unanswered.”

Cream rises to the top

"Former legislator Steve Precourt to get $185,000 to run toll-road agency".

Scott needs to get over it

"Gov. Rick Scott has made his point about drug-testing welfare recipients. Now it's time to stop, accept that the courts say the policy is unconstitutional, and get on with the important business of keeping Florida's economy on an upward tick."

But the governor doesn't seem inclined to accept that he's lost. He stubbornly insists on appealing every time a judge shoots down his attempts to test welfare recipients for possible drug use.

Scott's latest loss in this long battle came earlier this month, when U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven ruled that testing all welfare recipients for drug use violates the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. As she did more than two years ago in shooting down the drug-testing policy, Scriven emphasized that there is no pervasive drug problem among welfare applicants, including the poorest in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. . . .

Scott keeps pushing for this idea, undoubtedly trying to appeal to his conservative base in an election year. A 2011 Quinnipiac poll showed Florida Republicans supported the drug-testing policy, 90 percent to 8 percent.

Read "Scott's filing with the U.S. Supreme Court".

Small world

"$20,000 from Disney helps Eisnaugle's bid for speaker".

"Scott's weekend pandering backfired"

Beth Kassab: "Gov. Rick Scott's weekend pandering backfired. Cursive is suddenly a hot new skill in our high-tech world. And paranoia that Common Core is an attempt to dumb down education is met with recommendations to ... dumb down Common Core." "Keeping up with Common Core insanity" (subscription required). See also "State proposes changes to Common Core standards" and "State set to tweak learning standards".

More Marco: "War on Poverty spurs political, academic battles".

In full on wanna-be-preznit mode, Rubio tries to cover his teabagger tracks before a national television audience this morning.

"Two-Sided Attacks Fly"

"The attacks continue in the special election to fill the Pinellas County congressional seat that had been held by U.S. Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., for more than 40 years." "Two-Sided Attacks Fly in Pinellas Congressional Battle". More CD13: "Final District 13 debate covers climate issues".

Scott promises . . .

"Gov. Scott promises changes to school standards". See also "Rick Scott Looks to Calm Nerves over Common Core". See also "Gov. Rick Scott hints at 'Common Core' alternative for Florida".

Moderate Republicans MIA in Florida

Nancy Smith: "Rick Scott clawed his way to the highest office in the state alone. Nobody but the tea party had his back. To win re-election, he might have to do it alone again -- at least, without the support of moderates of star quality."

Let's say Chris Christie escapes a George Washington Bridge tarnish. Even if he's still good as gold, he's probably the only top-drawer moderate Republican who can throw an arm around Scott's neck and have it mean something in Florida.

"Everybody wants a soda"

Aaron Deslatte: "It's a legislative adage that it's better to have no money than a little bit. In tight fiscal times, Florida's budget writers can earnestly say no to interest-group demands. When there's some lose change kicking around, everybody wants a soda."

That's why it'll be interesting to watch lawmakers this year balance the wish lists for business incentives with the push to provide some populist tax relief.

Although the state's economic-development agencies have drawn flak for incentive projects that haven't produced promised jobs, lawmakers themselves are angling to give tax breaks to Daytona International Speedway; Major League Soccer stadiums in Orlando and Miami; and telecommunications companies.

Wall street lapdogs are back with pension deform

"Last year, legislation that would have closed the Florida Retirement System pension plan to new hires easily passed the House with Weatherford’s backing. It died in the Senate amid uniform opposition from Democrats, who were joined by eight Republicans who voted down a scaled-back version of the proposal. Now, as they head into the legislative session set to begin March 4, they are preparing to revive a legislative push to overhaul the pension benefits for new teachers, state workers and other public employees." "Pension reform talk is back for 2014 session".

The words "overhaul" and "reform" are of course code for eliminating the existing defined benefit system for new employees and replacing it with a 401(k)-like system that has the Wall-Streeters drooling.

Keep them blue-staters a comin'

"Each year, New York sends more people to live in Florida than does any other state, according to tax statistics compiled by the Internal Revenue Service." "New York feeding Florida growth".

Time to get out of execution business

Carl Hiaasen writes that it is "time for Florida to get out of the costly execution business, and let cancer and clogged arteries do what the justice system can’t." "Let’s put an end to the executions".

More than a million Florida workers make less than $10.10 an hour

"Can you get by in Florida on earnings of $7.93 an hour?"

Florida's minimum wage rose by 14 cents on Jan. 1, which makes it 68 cents higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 but still leaves hundreds of thousands of workers in the state hovering near the poverty line.

Now President Barack Obama wants to give them and millions of others across the country a raise to $10.10 an hour by 2016 through a gradual increase in the federal minimum wage. More than a million Florida workers would benefit because they now make less than $10.10 an hour, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

Another privatization flop

"The debate over what to do about Palm Beach County’s troubled bus service for the elderly and disabled is about to start up again."

In the first of three meetings about Palm Tran Connection, county commissioners on Tuesday will consider a settlement deal that would allow Metro Mobility Management Group out of its five-year, $90 million contract to operate the para-transit service.

On Jan. 28, the commission will hold workshops to discuss possible changes to the service, including whether to have the county operate Palm Tran Connection or hire another private firm.

Scott promises "big" FlaGOP win

"Gov. Rick Scott told loudly cheering Republicans on Saturday the party will "win big" in November by contrasting Florida's job growth during his tenure in Tallahassee and appealing to conservative ideals of personal responsibility and economic opportunity."

In his 20-minute pep talk to the Republican Party of Florida state committee, the governor did not mention former Gov. Charlie Crist, his predecessor who is now running against him as a Democrat. Scott, though, pointedly noted that "it always is easier to campaign than it is to govern," and drew sharp contrasts between Florida's job gains and economic growth in the past three years and the state's experience in the national recession under Crist.

"This is going to be a big election year," Scott said. "We are going to win big in the state."

Scott pushes $100 million handout

"If granted by state lawmakers, the state funding for the public-private tourism promotion organization would jump nearly 60 percent over current funding." "Gov. Scott wants $100 million for Visit Florida".

"Nonstop stench"

"On Friday, leaders in Tallahassee reacted to Steve Precourt resigning his seat in the Florida House to take over as executive director of the Orlando Orange County Express Authority (OOCEA), calling for a special election to replace him and naming a new chairman of the State and Local Affairs Committee."

After being chosen earlier in the week for the position, Precourt, who represented parts of Orange County, announced on Thursday he would accept OOCEA’s offer.

Meanwhile, the locals ain't happy - Scott Maxwell puts it this way: "Nonstop stench at expressway proves board needs to be replaced".

Yee haw!

"UF sued by Florida gun-rights group over campus firearm rules". More: "Florida law to legalize warning shots passes Senate panel".

Meanwhile, "Florida Gun Rights Advocates Discuss Their Secret Weapon at Capitol Rally".

"Lamebrained idea"

"Fred Grimm: Lamebrained idea: Kids working for pols".

Is 65 percent threshold is too high?

"Water customers could petition the state’s Public Service Commission to shut down private, for-profit water and sewer utilities if a new bill sponsored by Pasco state Sen. Wilton Simpson wins approval in the Florida Legislature this session."

Simpson, R-Trilby, sponsored the Consumer Water Protection Act in October but said he has rewritten the bill, which is slated to go before the Senate Communications, Energy, and Public Utilities committee Tuesday.

“I wanted to file a bill to put the private utilities on notice,” Simpson said. “I want this to become law — it’s important that it does.”

Under the new provisions, the PSC could cancel a utility company’s certificate of authorization to operate a water or sewer system if 65 percent of its customers sign a petition. If the utility cannot prove it’s operating in the public interest, the PSC could place the system in receivership until it’s sold to another operator. . . .

Ann Marie Ryan, a member of the Summertree Water Alliance, said the homeowners’ group supports the bill but worries that the 65 percent threshold is too high for communities with a large number of seasonal residents.