Our "Imperial Governor" - "'He's really becoming an imperial governor,' marveled Bill Coletti, a Republican political and business consultant. 'He transcends all the petty politics below him.'" See "Budget woes seem to slide off Bush - for now, at least".
Wallsten: Tax Increase Looms - "Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida's Republican legislative leaders can once again brag that they have protected Floridians from a tax increase."
"But in passing the state's $52-billion spending plan late Tuesday -- finally ending months of feuding over an ever-shrinking pot of money -- the GOP-led Legislature has set itself up for what leaders know will be a painful budget fight next year. A slumping economy and mounting needs could well require a tax increase -- hardly the campaign-year message GOP leaders, from the White House down, were hoping for in one of the nation's most crucial swing states. It would be the first tax increase since Republicans took over the Legislature in 1996, and the first year that Bush would have raised -- not cut -- taxes." See "Lack of a tax increase this year likely to make next year tougher".
"Jeb!" And Wingnut Anna Cowin, Two Peas In A Pod - "Oddly, Gov. Jeb Bush is being coy about whether he will sign the bill. Bush's office says he will consider the measure when it gets to him, although press reports say Bush told Crist he would sign it if it passed. It is hard to understand why legislation that passed the Senate by a vote of 36-1, with the only "no" vote cast by Sen. Anna Cowin, R-Leesburg, should give the governor pause." See "Gov. Bush, sign this bill".
So Much For Collegiality - "One of the Senate's most powerful Democrats said he was forced out of his job as head of the Finance and Taxation committee following a dispute over a controversial worker's compensation bill. Sen. Walter ''Skip'' Campbell, D-Coral Springs, said he resigned Tuesday at the request of Senate President Jim King, R-Jacksonville. Campbell, who has been an outspoken critic of worker's compensation legislation that passed Tuesday, is one of only two Democrats who head committees in the Senate." See "Sen. Campbell says he was forced out of leadership role".
Budget "Right out of 'Oliver Twist'" - "The Florida Legislature debated a full slate of bills until late into the evening Tuesday and managed to pass a $53.5 billion spending plan and several other priorities on the last day of a two-week special session.". See "Legislature OKs budget".
It Ain't Over Yet - "As one special session ended Tuesday night, a second was being planned. Senate President Jim King, R-Jacksonville, said Gov. Jeb Bush is expected to call legislators back for a special session next month to address medical malpractice insurance reform. The session would begin June 16 and end at midnight June 19." See "Another special session called".
Workers' Comp - "It took stopping the official Senate clock to avoid a procedural deadline, and claimed a committee chairmanship along the way, but the Florida Legislature managed to ram through a workers' compensation reform bill late Tuesday that now goes to Gov. Jeb Bush. When the smoke cleared, insurance carriers were giddy, labor unions dejected and some legislators still unsure they had done the right thing in voting for the bill. But pro- business Republicans felt they had answered the pleas of businesses for relief from some of the highest workers' compensation premiums in the country." See "Workers' Comp Reform Shoved Through Senate".
Teacher Pay - "Teachers don't want it, school boards don't want it, but Gov. Jeb Bush does. Ergo, we will have a teacher bonus plan. So much for local control. So much for smaller, less-intrusive government. Those things make good sound bites during campaign season. When the rubber hits the road, however, Tallahassee calls the shots, and if local governments don't like it, they can forfeit their state funding. That's basically the way it is with the so-called teacher performance pay plan forced down the throats of local school districts by Tallahassee." See Dis incentive bonuses".
FCAT - "In a sharp rebuke of Gov. Jeb Bush, the Florida Senate adjourned Tuesday without approving changes to the state's high school graduation requirements, meaning thousands of seniors who failed the FCAT will finish school in the coming weeks without knowing if they're qualified to attend college. Senate leaders pledged to consider the measure next month, when lawmakers are expected to return to the Capitol June 16 for a four-day, second special session to consider medical malpractice insurance reform." See "FCAT plan, students left in limbo". See also "Reprieve from FCAT dies in Senate".