U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, Florida's senior senator and former governor, will return to Tallahassee on Monday with a roofer's apron, hammer and hardhat to perform his 391st in a series of signature "work days."
Democrats and other observers read Graham's hastily planned work day -- with a lunch-hour news conference -- as a clear signal that Graham, a three-term senator who abandoned his bid for the presidency this fall, will seek re-election next year
FLORIDA GOP SHOWS ITS PRIORITIES -A $27 million projected shortfall will force agencies for the developmentally disabled to cut their budgets beginning Saturday, state officials said.
When House Speaker Johnnie Byrd was accused of abandoning a $2.9-million state contract with one computer company in favor of one picked by a political friend, he was quick to defend his honor. "Left with the options of paying a vendor for work he did not complete or letting the House computer system fail, I believe we made the correct decision," he wrote this newspaper. ". . . In an emergency situation, I turned to trusted and experienced professionals."
Asked to defend his actions in a court of law, though, Byrd suddenly seems out of the loop. He is now fighting a deposition in the lawsuit Hayes Computer Systems filed against the House, and his attorney told the court recently that Byrd has no "independent knowledge" of the decision and no "facts to add."
That's curious, given that some of the people who already have testified under oath say that Byrd made numerous personal demands and that Hayes' scope of work changed almost overnight when Byrd became speaker last fall. In fact, Paul Hawkes, a policy chief for Byrd's predecessor, says he didn't see much wrong with the Hayes computer system. Hawkes, who is now a state appeals court judge, said in a sworn deposition that "everybody was happy with the way it was progressing."More.
"JEB!"'S ATTACK ON 'GLADES HITS ROADBLOCK -A federal judge agreed with environmental groups and an Indian tribe Wednesday to appoint an expert to monitor Everglades pollution cleanup, in a defeat for the Bush administrations in Washington and in Tallahassee.
Government agencies and politically powerful sugar growers vigorously objected to the appointment of a special master to consider whether an 11-year-old Everglades restoration pact is being violated or will be soon. "Judge orders special master in Everglades cleanup dispute".
JAILS OR BOOKS?But the state can't keep balancing the budget on the backs of parents and students. Lawmakers this year budgeted $66 million to build prisons. Meanwhile, they agreed to tuition increases of between 8.5 percent and 15 percent for universities and a 7.5 percent rise for community colleges, while adding no money for student growth. "Pruitt calling it right".
SOMEONE HAS FIGURED OUT THAT . . . It's open to debate whether reducing the number of employees has increased government efficiency. "More phones, more work, fewer bodies".
"JEB!" THE MOVIE MOGUL - "Movie Fan Jeb Bush Has Greenlight Power in Florida". This piece - which includes an interview of "Jeb!", includes the following misstatement in the intoductory language: "Bush has been admired for keeping Florida's economy on track during tough times." We suspect that this falsehood will be repeated again and again as "Jeb!" continues to stride upon the national stage in preparation for 2008.
PAT ROBERTSON STANDS WITH "JEB!" -The organization which represents doctors who work in hospices and nursing homes said Thursday that Florida lawmakers and Gov. Jeb Bush are interfering with private end-of-life decisions by blocking Terri Schiavo's death.
Meanwhile, the conservative law firm founded by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson asked Thursday to be allowed to intervene in the case on behalf of Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler. "Medical directors oppose intrusion of 'Terri's Law'".
INSURANCE INDUSTRY: IF YOU CAN'T PAY, HIT THE HIGHWAY - We read that "Legislature mulls risk-pool insurance". This system creates a "high-risk pool insuring sick and otherwise uninsurable residents":
"I can buy property insurance on a luxury beach house in hurricane alley," [pool advocate Michelle] Robleto said. "Yet, if I have cancer or diabetes, I cannot buy health insurance outside the employer-based system. Our system is, indeed, missing something very important."
However,
Opponents, such as Steven Smith of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, argued risk pools are an inefficient solution, requiring big state subsidies and helping a small percentage of uninsured residents.
Taxpayers would end up paying most of the $6,000 a year in yearly costs for high-risk individuals, said Smith, who said a 6-year-old Department of Insurance study pegged that figure at about 20,000 Floridians.
"It wouldn't work," Smith said. "You need to know this is a subsidy program."
PHONE RATE HIKES -Earlier this month, Sprint, Verizon and BellSouth hit a speed bump in their drive for the largest phone-rate increase in the state's history.
But the triumvirate -- Florida's local-service "phoneopolies" -- could slam into a bigger road block today, with the release of testimony showing that their numbers don't add up. That's good news for consumers. "Reality calling". See also "Sounding off on proposed phone hikes".