Questionable bonuses, conflicts of interest and a ‘pay to play’ mentality is hampering taxpayer driven economic development efforts, according to a study conducted by Integrity Florida and paid for by Americans for Prosperity/Florida, a conservative advocacy group funded in large part by the Koch brothers.
Florida
Gulag Glimmers: Fewer Florida Ex-Felons Re-Offending after Prison, Freeing Beds
The percentage of inmates who commit another crime within three years of release has dropped from 33 percent for those freed as of 2003 to 27.6 percent for those freed as of 2008, reducing the total number of inmates admitted.
For Children’s Advocates, Scott’s “Florida Families First” Budget Blurs Reactions
Backers of early childhood education and an expansion of Medicaid were disappointed, educators were guardedly happy about raises, and others applauded more money for prevention services to keep youths out of the juvenile justice system, plus $145,360 for juvenile health and mental health.
Week In Review: The Return of Candidate Rick Scott and Other Surprises
Rick Scott, the little-known, populist, former tea party politician emerged this week as a sweet-talking alternative to the Rick Scott who got elected in 2010 promising to be stingy and mean, to “Get to Work” at slashing the size of government.
Florida Taxpayers Asked to Subsidize Pro Soccer on Top of NFL, NBA and Other Sports
Up to two Major League Soccer franchises would be eligible for subsidies given to other pro sports teams in Florida under a bill filed in the Legislature, a nod to Orlando’s bid to bring an MLS team to the area.
Eyeing Re-Election, Scott Ends Austerity: $4 Billion Extra Spending in $74.2 Billion Budget
Gov. Rick Scott’s $74.2 billion budget proposal unveiled Thursday is the largest in the state’s history and includes a $4 billion spending increase that targets constituencies Scott hopes to win back as he seeks re-election in 2014, among them teachers, environmentalists and what state workers will remain on the payroll.
Gov. Scott Floats $1.2 Billion Boost to Education, Including $480 Million for Teachers
Scott’s $2,500-a-year raise for Florida teachers, costing $480 million, would be included in the $1.2 billion increase for K-12 education, which would add to last year’s $1 billion increase, yet the total, if approved, would still be off the all-time high for per-student education funding.
With Gimmicky Interpretations, Gov. Scott Says 23 Colleges Meet $10K Challenge
Shedding light on the gimmickry, one college said it had met Scott’s challenge – as far as students are concerned. The cost of a degree at the school is about $13,700, but is less than $10,000 only when financial aid is taken into account.
“Don’t Miss the Signs”: In Florida, Campaign and Means to Report Child Abuse Broaden
Last year, the Florida Legislature passed the nation’s most protective child abuse reporting law. The state’s abuse hotline will accept reports of abuse committed by people other than parents and primary caregivers, such as a coach, teacher or neighbor.
Union-Busting’s Tasteless Florida Flavors
Labor union membership has been in precipitous decline since 1980, along with with a decline in job security, workers’ wages and benefits, and Americans’ standard of living. It’s not a coincidence, though the vilification of labor unions continues.
Transparency 101: Rick Scott’s Pay Raise Ploy
Florida’s “education” governor wants to give teachers a $2,500 across-the-board raise. Translation: He wants to get re-elected in 2014. He’s not popular. So he’s trying to win votes by any means necessary, argues Rhonda Swan.
Bad News for Counties: Juvenile Detention Costs Would More Heavily Burden Locals
Florida’s Juvenile Justice Department, in a case involving 14 local governments and the Florida Association of Counties, filed an order rejecting arguments that its interpretation of the law has improperly shifted extra costs to counties.
FRS RIP: Public Employees Hired After 2013 Would Be Shifted to 401(k)-Like Plan
A Florida House committee unveiled a proposal Thursday that would shift all future state employees to a defined contribution, 401(k)-style retirement plan that would gradually spell the end of the Florida Retirement System.
As Gov. Scott Calls for $2,500 Teacher Raise, Reactions Are More Skeptical Than Jubilant
Even in Flagler County, teachers and the school board chairman reacted to Gov. Rick Scott’s proposal with a mixture of skepticism and guarded optimism, as questions about math, political motives and local control abound.
Tax on Guns and Ammo Would Pay for Florida’s “Safe Schools Trust Fund”
Tax collected on the sale of ammunition and guns would go into a “Safe Schools Trust Fund,” to pay for additional guidance services and school safety measures under legislation filed in the House.
After Abuse at Girls’ Lock-Up, Promises of More Oversight from Florida’s Juvenile Justice
In the wake of allegations of abuse by staffers at a girls’ lockup in Milton, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice is tightening its oversight of private residential facilities – adding interviews with youths and a partnership with the non-profit Annie E. Casey Foundation to its monitoring procedures.
In a Calculated Shift, Gov. Scott Wants Early Voting Days Decided by Local Supervisors
Gov. Rick Scott two years ago signed a law restricting early voting days to eight. His shift back to allow up to 14 days would give local supervisors more choice, but could also be an unfunded mandate: if supervisors don’t have the money to expand voting days, they’ll take the political blame for not doing so.
Public Employees Lose as Florida Supreme Court Upholds 3% Pension Dip
Last Updated: 12:55 p.m. The Florida Supreme Court, in a much-anticipated but very divided 4-3 ruling, today sided with the Legislature, and against public employees, by upholding a 2011 law that requires all public employees to contribute 3 percent of their pay to the Florida Retirement System, a pension fund. In a majority opinion by […]
Trayvon Martin’s Mother Calls for Repeal Of Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law
Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, said the Stand Your Ground law protected her son’s killer, George Zimmerman, who pursued Martin before a violent confrontation when Zimmerman shot the 17-year-old boy.
Bill Filed to Repeal Florida Prohibition On Doctors Asking Patients About Guns
Sen. Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens, filed the measure (SB 314) to repeal the 2011 “Firearm Owners’ Privacy Act,” which isn’t currently being enforced because a federal judge threw it out in July. The state, however, is appealing that ruling.
Senate Committee Approves Drone Ban in Florida Skies, With Some Police Exceptions
The ban on unmanned drones used by police in Florida would include exceptions for use with a search warrant or in certain cases, as when a child in danger. The measure (SB 92) was approved unanimously Tuesday by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.
State Health Agency Corrects Inflated Costs of Obamacare Scott Had Used to Oppose Reform
Florida’s costs could be as low as $3 billion over 10 years — a huge drop from the nearly $26 billion figure that AHCA produced in a report last month. Even with the changes, it appears that the Scott administration believes that the state’s final tab over 10 years would be higher.
Proposing a Constitutional Amendment To Limit Proposed Constitutional Amendments
In the wake of an election in which voters had to wade through 11 constitutional amendment proposals put forth by legislators and complained of long voting lines, a Democratic state senator wants to limit how many ballot questions lawmakers can pose to three.
John Thrasher, Travis Hutson, Plus One: Airing Out Flagler’s Legislative Delegation
The inaugural guests on Milissa Holland Live Friday on WNZF will be Holland’s ex-opponent Rep. Travis Hutson, and Sen. John Thrasher, as Holland hosts an informall follow-up to December’s at-times contentious legislative delegation meeting on short-term rentals and other issues of local concern.
Bill to Repeal “Stand Your Ground” Is Filed In Florida, But May Be Dead on Arrival
Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, filed the measure on Wednesday, but it would have to get past Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, who co-sponsored the self-defense law in 2005, though Baxley has often said that the law was never intended to protect those who pursue their victims.
Florida’s Election System Disgrace: Too Few Precincts or Too Long Ballots?
The ballot was long in part because the Legislature exempted itself from a 75-word limit on ballot summaries that applies to interest groups that put forth proposed amendments. And in some cases, the entire text of the amendment was listed.
In Latest Obstacle to Jobless Benefits, Florida Moves to Computer-Only System
Between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31, nearly 140,000 Floridians were denied benefits, more than double the rate of the same period a year earlier as eligibility requirements have been tightened and obstacles to get unemployment have multiplied.
One-Fifth of Florida’s Nursing Homes Are On the State’s Watch List for Violations
Twelve of the homes have been on the the state Agency for Health Care Administration’s watch list for more than 100 days. The best way to pick a home for a loved one is to simply visit it, or to check a nursing home inspection database (link included).
After Fatal Plane Crash, Federal Investigators and One House Survivor Begin Picking Up Some Pieces
A plane traveling from Fort Pierce, Fla., to Knoxville, Tenn., with three people on board crashed into a house at 22 Utica Path off Seminole Woods Blvd. in Palm Coast shortly after 2 p.m. Friday afternoon.
Bill Filed in Florida to Repeal Red-Light Cameras as State Report Points to Fewer Crashes
A South Florida lawmaker filed legislation Friday to repeal the law allowing the use of red light cameras, following a report earlier this week that says intersections where they’re used have seen drops in crashes in most places.
Quality Concerns as Florida Medicaid Moves Millions of Poor and Elderly to Managed Care
Senior said much of the state’s negotiations with federal officials have focused on safeguards to make sure that Medicaid’s new Florida version would be based on providing services in people’s homes and communities and would not be a “nursing home light” system..
Fiscal Deal Delays Big Cuts in Food Stamps For Florida’s Poor, and Farm Reform
The nine-month extension would ignore comprehensive packages by the agriculture committees of both chambers, including provisions for dairy industry reform, disaster relief and cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.
Losing “Protection”
In Florida’s Environmental Agency
Some of the state’s strongest protectors of our natural resources were recently expelled from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Fifty-eight of the most knowledgeable and long-serving employees were let go in order to fulfill the governor’s promise/threat of less regulation.
Florida’s Year in Review: New Districts, New Voting Problems, Renewed Economic Hope
The biggest stories of 2012 ended up being an election and redistricting. A third ongoing story also pervaded the year’s news: The economy continued its long, slow rise from the ashes of the recession, and by year’s end the rebound – while facing the possible stomach-punch of a fiscal cliff setback – appeared to be solid.
Red-Light Cameras’ Legality and Other Florida Supreme Court Cases to Watch in 2013
Leaving behind months of political turbulence, the Florida Supreme Court in 2013 could decide a series of high-profile cases dealing with issues such as Palm Coast’s red-light cameras, the state pension system and medical-malpractice lawsuits.
Florida’s Own Fiscal Cliff: Gov. Scott Pleads With Obama to Help Avert a Strike at Seaports
Barring an agreement between longshoremen and shippers, Gov. Rick Scott and executives of Florida’s largest ports urged President Barack Obama to use his authority to keep containerized cargo moving while talks continue, saying any interruption would have a ripple effect throughout Florida and across the country.
Bill McBride, Centrist Democrat Who Challenged Jeb Bush in 2002, Is Dead at 67
Bill McBride, a powerful lawyer who unsuccessfully tried to unseat then-Gov. Jeb Bush in 2002 and later watched his wife, Alex Sink, also run for governor, has died. He was 67.
Time to Get Serious About
Mental Health in Florida
Florida ranks near dead last nationally in the level of expenditures for front-end community-based mental health services. Let’s not be penny wise and pound foolish when so many precious lives are at risk, argues Paula Dockery.
Florida Unemployment Falls Sharply to 8.1%, But Flagler’s Edges Back Up to 11.4%
Florida’s unemployment rate dropped sharply in November, to 8.1 percent, from 8.5 percent last month–and 10.1 percent a year ago–but Flagler County’s unemployment rate rose a decimal point, to 11.4 percent.
Polls: Scott Tanks, Gay Marriage Gains, Pot Wilts, Alternate College Costs Rejected
Even a majority of Republicans want an alternative to Rick Scott in 2014. Overwhelming majorities reject charging lower college tuition for science majors, and gay marriage makes a 10-point gain in latest Quinnipiac polls.
In Florida, an NRA-Dominated Legislature Steers Clear Of Gun-Control Conversation
The tragic mass killing at a Connecticut school last week has produced a stream of ideas on gun control and school safety at the national level — but reaction in Florida has been muted, at least in the form of concrete legislation.
Video: From Trayvon Martin to Crist Re-Rising, Florida’s Top 10 Stories of 2012
The News Service of Florida’s David Royse speaks with Florida Cable Television’s Steve Wilkerson about the state’s biggest stories of the year–from election flubs to the Trayvon Martin shooting to Hispanic voter registration to the return of Charlie Crist.
Abuse of Girls at Milton Detention Facility Exposes Flaws in Florida’s Juvenile Justice
The Florida juvenile prison for girls got a 100 percent satisfactory rating from the state a year ago, though two staffers have been accused of abusing girls there, and one was caught on video.
Floridians Pick New License Plate Design, With a Nod to Africa
After three weeks of online voting for the new Florida license plate, the design with the solid green bars and the artistic orange forming the ‘O” in the word Florida is the most popular. A total of 50,124 votes were cast in the online contest.
The Soft-Core Terrorism
Of Florida’s Gun Worship
Florida’s gun-worship is part of a lethal, juvenile romance for guns and a national disease that doesn’t hesitate to lock and load the words “gun” and “hobby” in the same chamber while vilifying those who’d imply a connection with the consequences.
Florida’s New Gay Lawmakers: Pride For LGBT Community, Perspective in Tallahassee
With the election of Resp. Joel Saunders of Orlando and David Richardson of Miami, Florida was one of seven states to break the straight barrier in legislatures. Nationwide, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender candidates were elected to the U.S. Senate and House, and dozens to state legislatures.
Title IX Lets Girls Be Both Quarterback and Homecoming Queen
Erin DiMeglio made history as the first female in Florida to play quarterback in a varsity high school game, and was elected South Plantation High’s homecoming queen. That wouldn’t have happened without Title IX, the landmark legislation assuring females the same opportunities as boys at both the high school and college levels.
First in Firearms: One Million Concealed Gun Permits in Florida, Doubling Since 2007
The number of concealed weapons license holders will top 5 percent of Florida’s 19.1 million residents in a state that is number one nationally in licenses issued.
Tony Bennett, Friend of School Vouchers, Foe of Unions, is Florida’s New Education Chief
Before losing a reelection bid as Indiana’s superintendent of public instruction, Tony Bennett was boasting of introducing a voucher program and limiting collective bargaining to pay and benefits. Bennett also favors national common core standards, which are coming to Florida.
Conflict Over Hammock Vacation Rentals Dominates Legislative Meeting, To Little End
Florida House freshman Travis Hutson and John Thrasher, both Republicans and the sum total of Flagler County’s legislative delegation, listened to almost two hours of direct lobbying and appeal from local leaders and residents Tuesday evening in Bunnell, but distanced themselves from the evening’s most contentious issue: vacation rentals.