Notes For Friday, January 03, 2003

THANK GOV. BUSH FOR THIS MESS. The deadline for submitting "'school recognition' spending plans is supposed to make the process more orderly. Instead, it tends only to underscore how farcical this politically inspired incentive program has become. Schools receiving tens of thousands of dollars for reasons that are not entirely clear or necessarily related to performance must now spend them more quickly -- or the state will spend for them. Thank Gov. Jeb Bush for this mess. He is so intent on applying his business approach to education, with punishments and rewards, that he seems uninterested in whether it actually works." St Pete Times editorial.
6:25 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

ANOTHER DEM TO MOVE UP? "Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections Pam Iorio has all but said she will announce her resignation today to run for mayor of Tampa." Today is the deadline. 6:15 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

NEW BOARD OF GOVERNORS. OLD POLICY? Palm Beach Post editorial on what appears to be an effort by Jon Ellis Bush to undermine amendment 11. Even though voters strongly approved a constitutional amendment to restore independent statewide oversight of the university system, "Bush's business and political allies dominate his 14 appointments to the new Board of Governors that will oversee Florida's public universities . . . includin[g] Carolyn Roberts, who led Gov. Bush's opposition to the amendment that voters passed by 60 percent . . . ." 6:12 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

LOCAL OFFICIAL WORRIED ABOUT "PHONY" STATE BUDGET CUTS. Palm Beach "County Commission Chairwoman Karen Marcus, in a 'State of the County' speech. Marcus urged residents to tell their state legislators and the governor to fix their own budget mess and not push the problem down to other governments." Marcus warned of "phony budget cuts by the state", which amount to little more than shifting responsibility (including funding of same) for certain functions to local government.

6:05 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

KENDRICK MEEK, A POTENTIAL DEM STAR. Read "Kendrick Meek set to fulfill a legacy".
5:54 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

BUSH APPOINTS CLOSE AIDE AS DCA REPLACEMENT; HOOD MARGINALIZED? In "Bush picks Cabinet affairs director for community affairs post", an AP Wire story, we read that John Ellis Bush has appointed Cabinet Affairs Director Colleen Castille to head DCA, which is to be merged with the Department of State (to be headed by Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood). However, "Bush said Castille will still play a role overseeing growth management, handled by Community Affairs, under the new department." It is interesting to see that growth management will now and after reorganization of the Dept of State be handled by a Bush appointee (and apparent confidante), rather than someone appointed by Hood. It would seem that Hood's role in growth management will be marginalized.

The 43 year old Castille is a "former fundraiser for Republican candidates . . . [who] worked as chief Cabinet aide to Gallagher, and to Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan when he was education commissioner." 5:47 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]