Notes For Wednesday, February 19, 2003

FLORIDA GOP CHEERING, WHILE ROME BURNS. "A House Republican caucus Monday night turned into a cheerleading session for Byrd, featuring denunciations of the Florida news media. Majority Leader Marco Rubio led the cheering after noting that newspaper editorial pages around the state have repeatedly attacked Republicans in the Legislature even as Florida voters 'return us to the House each time.'" Lucy Morgan.
6:01 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

NOW WE KNOW WHY JOHN ELLIS WANTS TO DOWNSIZE THE STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. "When Gov. Jeb Bush and the Cabinet voted two years ago to spend $10.2-million to buy a 300-acre mine near Ichetucknee Springs State Park, environmentalists applauded but wondered if the price was too high. State auditors have answered that question with a resounding yes. The state paid more than four times what the property was worth, auditors concluded in a scathing report released [by the Auditor General's Office] this week."

Bush, has had his problems with pesky auditors - Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist's daughter Janet Rehnquist, now Inspector General of Health and Human Services, is the subject of three federal investigations, and "[o]ne of the most serious charges is that she personally delayed a Florida pension fund audit at Governor Jeb Bush's request." Not surprisingly, in Bush's current budget he "has proposed merging [the Auditor General's Office] with another fiscal watchdog, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, and halving their $42.8-million budget." The St Pete Times coverage is here: "State paid too much for mine, audit shows - Since only 60 of the 300 acres can be mined, Florida overpaid by $7.8-million, the Auditor General's Office says".
5:56 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

HOW ABOUT A TAX CUT TO PAY FOR 20,000 NEW TEACHERS? "Florida needs to hire 20,000 more teachers before August because of the class size amendment, a growing number of students, and teacher retirements and transfers, the state Board of Education heard Tuesday." At least one Repub leader wants to something about it ("Senate president lists teacher pay as priority"). 5:38 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

"DRIVE BY CHARACTER ASSASINATION." "Republican Mike Haridopolos is considered one of the most conservative members of the Florida House, but in his race for a state Senate seat he is being painted as a big-spending liberal."

"In what State Senator Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, calls "drive-by character assassination", an anonymous and "mysterious organization in Virginia is spending thousands of dollars to attack Haridopolos, the latest in a series of shadowy organizations to influence elections in Florida. In this case, Taxpayers for Conservative Government formed on Jan. 31, the same day Haridopolos announced that he would run for the seat left vacant by the death of state Sen. Howard Futch. A special election is March 11. . .. The ads attacking Haridopolos, mailed to thousands of likely voters in the Central Florida district, describe him as a liberal who 'spent our tax money on a lavish trip to New York City.' They also call him 'Big Tax Mike' -- much to the amusement of legislative observers who view him as one of the more conservative lawmakers in Tallahassee."

Haridopolos "faces Republican Mary Beth Fitzgibbons of Kissimmee in the Republican primary next month. The winner will square off against Democrat Donna Hart of Kissimmee on March 21. Haridopolos said he doesn't think either candidate is involved in the attacks."

See "On the right, a Republican; some call him a liberal".
5:30 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

GAMBLING ON THE TABLE. "When gambling interests sought an expansion of gaming in Florida last year, they tried to tuck it into state legislation promoting the adoption of racing greyhounds. No need for such subterfuge this year: With the state dealing with a projected budget shortfall and a voter mandate to reduce class sizes, the gaming industry Tuesday got its warmest reception in years, testifying for more than an hour before a House committee about the benefits of installing video lottery terminals at parimutuel facilities across the state." See "Gambling industry now gets a warm welcome". 5:21 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

WONDER WHEN THEY'LL GET AROUND TO INVESTIGATING SEMINOLE COUNTY? "State investigators this week will send letters to more than 1,000 Central Florida voters who requested absentee ballots in last fall's elections but didn't vote. Officials at the Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office suspect some of those voters never asked for absentee ballots and may be victims of ballot fraud." Psst, it was an election where a Dem (Sen. Siplin) beat a Republican. See "State probes possible case of voter fraud"

In the 2000 election, unauthorized GOP operatives corrected, and re-requested absentee ballots for people whose requests had be rejected. That was plainly election "fraud" under Florida law, yet there was never an investigation by the State Attorney's office. 5:21 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

AS THE SESSION APPROACHES. "Creativity will be key if the Legislature is to balance the state budget without, as Senate President Jim King put it Tuesday, 'using short-term savings that create long-term pain.'" Tallahasse Democrat editorial. 5:21 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]

BUSH TO "COMPROMISE" ON LIBRARY? FlaBlog reports "The usually well-connected Lucy Morgan writes that 'an informal agreement to save the state library, archives and the Florida State Museum has been reached by Gov. Jeb Bush and interim Secretary of State Ken Detzner.'" 5:16 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]