This Is An Outrage - From the Palm Beach Post: "Florida is diverting $50 million in tax money this year to send more than 14,000 children to private schools."
"Which children? Don't ask state Department of Education officials. They don't know."
"Don't ask them what sort of curriculum the school is teaching, whether the teachers are certified, how well the students are doing, or even whether the state -- as originally promised -- is saving any money. They don't know."
"Because the law was written to please a Tampa businessman who gave $100,000 to the Republican Party, legislative sources say, the state does not have the right to know. What's more, even though the proposal was sold as a way to help "lower-income" Floridians, the wording of the law makes fully half of all elementary and middle-schoolers in the state eligible for a voucher." See "Vouchers may cost state more than billed".
And They Were Fired For That? "According to the majority of those who saw what happened at the Hialeah DCF office on March 4, state Sen. Rudy García's legislative aide Francis Aleman demanded that the lawmaker's grandmother be served before others waiting in line. There may have been unseemly remarks on both sides, maybe not." See "DCF's Skewed Priorities". See also "DCF firings cause concern".
No Mystery There - In connection with the above story about the legislative aide who allegedly was rude to DCF workers (and the workers were fired), the Miami Herald observes: "Why a publicly paid legislative aide was on personal business for her boss is a mystery." We don't think it is a mystery at all.
The Rudderless Ship Sails On - "Having nearly bankrupted the state through irresponsible tax cuts in recent years, the Legislature is now taking aim at one of Florida's strongest assets: the affordability of the state's public university system." See "Honor Prepaid Tuition Deals".
It Took Less Than Five Minutes - "Despite massive opposition from environmentalists and Congressional warnings that an unprecedented effort to restore the Everglades could be at risk, a sugar-industry-backed measure to ease pollution restrictions shows no signs of slowing in the Legislature. In less than five minutes, with no debate or public testimony, the proposal cleared its final Senate committee Tuesday and is now ready for action by the full chamber. The speed at which the measure was approved was in keeping with its trajectory since it surfaced just three weeks ago -- pushed by Big Sugar and its estimated 46 lobbyists." See "Eased rules on Glades pollution advance".
Tallahassee Embarassment - "The Legislature should be embarrassed by its lack of progress. And, "Mr. Bush would rob Peter to pay Paul, using about $1.5 billion worth of one-time revenues to meet recurring needs and abolishing trust funds that now support a whole host of vital state programs -- from new road building to the protection of environmental lands." See "Capitol chaos".
Is This What The Florida GOP Means By "Reform"? "Under complicated new rules that go into effect next month, enrollees of the Medicaid program designed to help pay the medical bills of the sickest, poorest people among us can have disposable incomes no greater than $450 a month - that's $5,400 a year - to maintain eligibility. To comprehend just how little income that is, consider that the federal poverty level for an individual is $739 a month. Social Security for people who have never had a job pays $565 a month." See "Desperation Of The Medically Needy".
The Education Governor - "Six months after voters approved a whopping new mandate to shrink public school classes, the state Legislature is poised to give public schools the smallest funding increase in seven years, with the exception of the budget cuts taken after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. And state universities are expected to endure deep funding cuts, even as they are expected next year to enroll more students -- who will be paying significantly more tuition." See"Schools likely to see shortfall of state funds".
Fee Increases? "After weeks of saying no to new taxes and gambling proposals, House Speaker Johnnie Byrd said maybe Tuesday to the idea of increasing traffic fines as a way to inch closer to the Senate's demand for more money in the bare-bones state budget." See "House budges a bit on budget".
What Are They Smoking In The Editorial Board Room? They're at it again at the Florida Times Union. See "Share the guilt" (note the gratuitous shot at labor unions to boot).
The Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund Works . . . "So why do Gov. Jeb Bush and House leaders want to kill it? Their budget proposals eliminate this trust fund, though not the collections. The fees and assessments that fortify it would be shifted to the state's general fund." See "Housing trust too valuable to shut down".