Notes For Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Florida's "windfall" of new tax dollars will only help the state dig out of its hole.

To hear Gov. Jeb Bush's aides tell it, happy days are here again.

The governor's fiscal discipline -- aided by a rebounding national economy, the hot housing market and home refinances -- could bolster state tax coffers by as much as $2 billion next year.

But lawmakers shouldn't pop the champagne corks quite yet.

Like many other states, Florida has borrowed heavily in recent years to keep the state afloat. Last year, for example, about $1.3 billion in one-time revenue sources were used to finance recurring needs, such as education and social services. And about $700 million on the plus side of the ledger sheet is a one-shot cash infusion from the federal government to help states weather the poor economy and offset Medicaid costs.

So much for a $2 billion windfall.

Add to that voter mandates to reduce class sizes, offer pre-kindergarten classes and start building a bullet train, and lawmakers and the governor could be at least another $1 billion in the red before the legislative session even begins. "Hold off on the party".


BUSTED - "Bush aides considered fabricating voucher explanations".


COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM - Our "Jeb!", what a compassionate fellow:

Hundreds of developmentally disabled adults throughout Florida face eviction from group homes because of unexpected cuts by the state's child welfare agency.

"Protest decries cuts for disabled". At least the intangibles tax was cut.


HMMM . . . Tom Lee thinks the Florida Legislature should have a financial plan instead of flying by the seat of its pants trying to balance its budget every spring.

It's likely that millions of Floridians agree with Lee on that.

The Legislature's annual budget struggle is so politically charged that legitimate needs frequently get short shrift because various officials have different priorities, especially when money is tight.

What's significant about Tom Lee's idea is that he is in a position to do something about it. Lee, a Republican from Brandon, is chairman of the Florida Senate Rules Committee and is in line to become the Senate president for the two-year period following the November 2004 general election. "Florida financial plan".


CAN'T HE JUST LEAVE US ALONE? President Bush will make his 17th visit to Florida since taking office, holding fundraisers Thursday in Orlando and Fort Myers with a stop in between to discuss Medicare. "President to raise funds, tout Medicare bill in Florida stops". See also "President to raise money in Florida".


AIN'T THE PRIVATE SECTOR WONDERFUL - "Medical companies defrauded Medicare of $14 million".


BYRD - Byrd should quit hyping his political dreams of claiming a U.S. Senate seat at Ms. Schiavo's expense. There's plenty to do in Tallahassee without government butting into intensely private matters. "Johnnie Byrd's intrusion".


DON'T COUNT ON IT - Maybe it's time for the Legislature and Gov. Jeb Bush to decide that it's time to start actually paying for the growth that's sweeping the state -- or else stop doing so much to promote it.


Because we'll pay for it, one way or another.

The governor and Legislature have in recent years been cutting taxes while simultaneously pushing tourism and economic development with the state's accustomed enthusiasm. "How will we pay for a growing state?"


"SCRIPPS WAFFLES ON RESEARCH SITE" - With the ink barely dry on its $369-million deal with Florida, Scripps Research Institute already is reaching for the Wite-Out on its location.

Palm Beach County officials say the California biotech group is unhappy with the 2,000-acre tract it selected several weeks ago and now prefers a 100-acre site that is next to the north campus of Florida Atlantic University and the Florida Marlins' spring training stadium.

The late-inning change of heart is raising concern that the 50,000-job biotech cluster Gov. Bush promised to deliver over 15 years already may be in flux. "Scripps waffles on research site".

The site Scripps now wants "Lacks built-in, adjacent space for spinoff companies, the heart of the economic impact estimates." And, it would seem the state is helpless to prevent the change - after all we don't want to upset Scripps. And, we suspect, the quickly drawn up deal does nothing to protect the state viz. location of the facility. See also "Scripps decides against Abacoa" and "Landowners scramble over Scripps".


CONGRESSMAN JIM DAVIS FIGHTS FOR VETERANS - "Officials push abolition of tax that hurts veterans".


LOCAL GOVERNMENT AT WORK - "City's adoption of Christian document a source of discord".


STRAW POLL - Marquez says that "State's Dems want straw poll -- so why not?"


FCAT FUNNY BUSINESS - The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test is as powerful as it is controversial, the results determining not only the academic fate of individual students but also the grade given to public schools they attend. Despite the FCAT's influence on so many Floridians, however, its contents have remained - as far as parents are concerned - classified. "FCAT confidential".


HOME GROWN - Despite - or maybe because of - tough competition in the grocery industry, Publix Super Markets continues to thrive as the largest private company based in Florida and one of the top five in the nation. "Forbes list puts Publix among private giants".


GRAHAM - "Graham eyes future roles"


VOUCHERS - "Vouchers withheld from 41 schools". Oh, and by the way, the skimpy forms don't even have to be notarized: The forms were supposed to be notarized, a requirement that Education Commissioner Horne touted last month as bringing a higher level of accountability to vouchers. But the state has now dropped that requirement.


OFF TOPIC - "Reagan watchdogs in deity denial". 6:25 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]