ALL DONE: The Florida Legislature Show
v.2002b
Razor's
edge
Florida could be in for some rough fiscal times next year, after the
election, because of the way the Legislature put together this
year's budget.6/11/02
Robbing
from the people, giving to big business
How perfect. How perfectly perfect. The epitaph of the 2002 session
of the Florida Legislature is this:
Tax breaks for corporations, and the heck with the citizens.
That is the official policy of the state of Florida.
The policy of this state is that the Legislature will raise taxes on
parents who are buying their children shoes, and socks, and shirts,
and pants, so that the corporations of Florida can still get a fat
tax cut....5/17/02
Veto
of 'raid' on land funds is urged
Opponents say the budget will take $204-million from land
conservation funds while giving $262-million in corporate tax
breaks. 5/16/02
|
| Sierra
Club Tallahassee Report 5/9/02
AFSCME
Florida Legislative Update 3/23/02
ACLU
Florida Legislative Update 5/28/02
Loranne Ausley update
on two critical issues 2/28/02
Lois
Frankel on the Legislative Session
2/8/02
Democratic
chairman adds to complaint against House speaker
TALLAHASSEE — The state Democratic Party chairman has
amended a complaint accusing Republican House Speaker Tom
Feeney of using his office staff to do campaign work, a
violation of law. Democratic Party Chairman Bob Poe filed
the amended complaint with the Federal Election Commission.
Tallahassee
snookers
Sneak-attack techniques are being used to add questionable
provisions into legislation. Lawmakers should take the time
to undo the mischief. 5/12/02
Florida
Senates scuttles plan for tougher anti-corruption law
-
TALLAHASSEE · For three years, Gov. Jeb Bush has lobbied to put more
teeth in state laws dealing with corrupt public officials.--
But his efforts to make it easier to jail elected officials and their
top staff for such offenses as bid rigging, influence peddling,
bribery and misuse of public office have been repeatedly rejected by
the Florida Senate, most recently when it blocked efforts to address
the issue in this week's special legislative session.5/9/02
District
Plans Must Not Stand
Republicans in Florida's Legislature burst into
applause Friday when told the state Supreme Court upheld their
redistricting plans, which most Democratic lawmakers opposed.
Republicans should instead hang their heads in shame.5/6/02
Issues:
Losing
ground
In spite of roaring job growth and
increased tax revenue, Florida fell behind other states in a
number of critical areas. (Nov. 14, 2001)
What
happened?
Florida poured more money than ever
into its schools. A record number of its residents had jobs.
(Nov. 14, 2001)
Wage-earners
work harder just to keep up
The disposable income of Floridians
slipped in the 1990s from just above the national average to
just below it. (Nov. 14, 2001)
Program
can claim to save lives, money
Florida's Healthy Start program is
given credit in the battle against infant mortality. Other
causes await similar leadership (Nov. 14, 2001) |
|
News Clips
updated
06/22/04
(news clips have not been kept updated -
check
archives)
Legislative committee
contacts
How
to get information on 2002 Legislature - AP
More on the Leg.
Tampa
Tribune legislative review
Florida
Legislature Webpage
Florida
House Democratic caucus website
2001 Sessions:
|
Here is handy
contact info. for legislature committees,
etc.
Governmental Oversight & Productivity (2002 Session)
Location: Room 525, Knott Building
Street Address: 404 South Monroe Street
Phone: (850) 487-5177
Fax: () -
Sun Com: 277-5177
Staff Director: Ray Wilson Administrative Assistant:
Donna Kerce
Committee Members
Name District Phone / Assist Location
Garcia, Rodolfo (Chair) (R) 039 (850) 487-5106
Daniel Blake, Lizet Diaz,Frances Aleman Room 212, SOB
Sanderson, Debby (Vice Chair) (R) 031 (850) 487-5100
Vicki Pearson, Barbara Ferguson, Robert Finch Room 314, SOB
Burt, Locke (R) 016 (850) 487-5033
Nancy Kocher, Starr Ford, Judy Birnie Room 420, SOB
Lawson Jr., Alfred J. (D) 003 (850) 487-5004
Melissa Durham,Deborah Fairhurst, Berta Kemp Room 210, SOB
Mitchell, Richard (D) 004 (850) 487-5017
Dean Papatrou, Angenette Radney,Kym Galliah Room 205, SOB
Posey, Bill (R) 015 (850) 487-5053
Patrick Gavin, Matt DuPree, Russ Cyphers Room 326, SOB
Smith, Rod (D) 005 (850) 487- 5020
Tonya Shays, Pat Shays, Mike Murtha,
Nancy Williams Room 220, SOB
**********************
Finance and Taxation (2002 Session)
Location: Room 207, The Capitol
Street Address: 404 South Monroe Street
Phone: (850) 487-5920
Fax: () -
Sun Com: 277-5920
Staff Director: Alan Johansen
Administrative Assistant: Brenda Barineau
Committee Members
Name District Phone / Assist Location
Pruitt, Ken (Chair) (R) 027 (850) 487-5088
Elaine Keller, Carrie Lira Room 318, SOB
Rossin, Tom (Vice Chair) (D) 035 (850) 487-5356
Tracy Peters, Cathy Branch, Becki Siegendorf Room 200, SOB
Brown-Waite, Ginny (R) 010 (850) 487-5040
Tamara Potts, Judy Wells, Shirley Anderson Room 402, SOB
Campbell, Walter `Skip` (D) 033 (850) 487-5094
Michael Kaplan, Michael Dolce, Fatima Perez Room 414, SOB
Constantine, Lee (R) 009 (850) 487-5050
Paul Finelli, Chris Stewart, Bibi Ramos Room 310, SOB
Futch, Howard E. (R) 018 (850) 487-5056
Corkey Fields, Kathy Lane, Sherry Goad Room 312, SOB
Geller, Steven A. (D) 029 (850) 487-5097
Gail Schwartz, John Reid Room 222, SOB
Lee, Tom (R) 023 (850) 487-5072
Dee Fletcher, Ron Pierce, Becky Simons Room 405, SOB
Smith, Rod (D) 005 (850) 487- 5020
Tonya Shays, Pat Shays, Mike Murtha,
Nancy Williams Room 220, SOB
...(compiled by Sierra Club Tallahassee)
(Top)
GOVERNOR BUSH
CALLS ON FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO COMPLETE
PEOPLE'S WORK
Source: Executive Office of the Governor of
the State of Florida
~~Legislative Leaders reach agreement on
budget, school code re-write, and
other issues important to Floridians~~
TALLAHASSEE - Governor Jeb Bush today called
the Florida Legislature
into special session beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Monday, April 29 and
concluding 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 13.
Issues to be completed during this
session include the budget for fiscal year
2002-2003, the re-write of the
Florida School Code, legislation concerning
the misuse of the prescription
drug Oxycontin, the duties of the newly
created state chief financial
officer, the adoption of the 2002 Job Creation
and Worker Assistance Act,
the reorganization of the Miami-Dade County
Charter, and the naming of the
Florida Excellent teacher Program after the
late Dale Hickam, who was
instrumental in the creation of the program
(see attached proclamation).
"Upon the completion of this next
legislative session I am confident
that we will have finished the important work
that remains to be done on
behalf of the citizens of Florida," said
Governor Bush. "The agreements
reached by House and Senate leadership will
allow us to pass a budget to
provide for the education of our children and
protect our most vulnerable
citizens, establish a new school code that
will streamline our K-20
education system, adopt the 2002 Job Creation
and Worker Assistance Act
creating more jobs and keeping our economy
healthy."
Governor
Bush issued his call following two weeks of
talks between
the Governor Office, the Florida House and the
Florida Senate. Efforts to
reach agreements on these issues significant
to Floridians were led by Lt.
Governor Frank Brogan and the leaders in both
the House and Senate.
(Top)
_______________________________________________________________
Loranne Ausley
2/28/02
We are past the halfway point in the
legislative session and I wanted to give you an
update.
Tuition Waivers HB 1241
The bill reinstating the tuition waiver program
for state employees is heading to the House floor.
I have every reason to believe it will pass the
House, and we are working hard to keep it moving
in the Senate.
Human Resource Outsourcing
The Appropriations Committee has filed a budget
amendment giving DMS the resources to carry out
the HR outsourcing project. Rep. Richardson
and I have filed an amendment to put the money
back in each of the agencies which we will argue
tomorrow. Rep. La Casa has also filed a
substantive bill giving DMS the authority to
outsource the HR functions. Rep. Richardson
and I have filed an amendment which requires the
Legislative Budget Commission to determine that
the vendor will provide the state more
cost-effective and quality services than the
existing system. The good news is that the
Senate appears to be dead set against these
actions and has made their position very clear on
this issue.
I do have several other bills making their way
toward the Floor, both dealing with early
childhood issues. My Parents' and Children's
Day (HB 1283) bill hit the Floor yesterday,
which calls for Parents and Children's Day to be
celebrated the first Sunday in April. The
bill also encourages a private sector driven
public awareness campaign around early childhood
issues, so we are excited about that.
I also have a bill dealing with child care workers
(HB 1567) - which is a step towards creating
a real career path for early child care
professionals. This bill appears to be
heading towards the Floor as well.
2/12/02 update on two critical issues.
I am happy to report that the state employee
tuition waiver bill passed its first committee in
the House today on a unanimous vote! Its
next stop is the Council for Lifelong Learning.
We will work hard to get it on the agenda and get
it to the House floor.
I have also been reporting to you on Rep.
Brummer's bill that deals with the collective
bargaining process. I argued against the
bill, as I feel it abridges state employees'
constitutional right to bargain.
Unfortunately, the bill passed on a 69-48 vote,
but we did get 4 Republican votes. The
Senate companion was supposed to be heard in
committee this afternoon, but was temporarily
postponed which might be a good sign. We
will watch its progress in the Senate and keep you
posted.
Loranne Ausley, 2/12/02
HB 641 Impasse Resolution
Rep. Brummer has a bill coming to the House floor
today that deals with impasse resolutions.
This one snuck up on me, so I am trying to get as
much information as possible before 2:00 to be
able to ask insightful questions. It does
not make sense to me to make changes in a
procedure that we spent so much time changing last
session. We have not even given the new
procedure (passed in Service First) a chance to
work......and we are going back in to change it
again?
HB 1241/SB 1356 Tuition Waivers
On a much brighter note, our tuition waiver
bill is up in its first Senate committee today.
This bill reinstates the space available tuition
waivers for state employees. We have worked
really hard to ensure that there is no opposition
to this bill, working with both the
universities and the community colleges. We
have also worked closely with the Comptroller's
Office who has agreed to help set up a system to
ease the administrative burden on the educational
institutions. I have spoken to the Governor,
the Lt. Governor and Secretary Horne and they have
all agreed to give it a close look. I have
also heard that the Speaker "likes the
bill," so I am optimistic that we will get
this moving on the House side as well. The
bill will be up in the Senate Government
Operations and Productivity Committee today which
meets in Senate Office Building, Room 37 from 1:00
- 3:00
Loranne Ausley, 2/5/02
Here is a quick update from my earlier message
today:
Rep. Brummer's Bill
This bill will be heard on the House floor next
Tuesday. They added an amendment that I
need to look at, but I am pretty sure this is
not a good bill. Will keep you posted.
Please let me know if you have any input.
Tuition Waiver Bill
Again, on a brighter note, Senator Lawson's
Senate version of my tuition waiver bill passed
out of its first committee in the Senate
unanimously!!!!! One Senator had some
questions, and we will get back with him to try
to alleviate any concerns he might have. I
have been assured by the Speaker's Office that
the House version will be referred and agendaed
soon! It will go first to Rep. Kilmer's
committee, so any of you who live in her
district might want to let he know how important
it is to you!
Loranne Ausley, 2/5/02
(Top)
|
(Top)
Click
here for today's clips and archives
 | check also newsclips and archives
|
| Butterworth
sues over district maps
Florida's Democratic attorney general has filed a
lawsuit against his Republican-appointed federal
counterpart, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft,
seeking to have three federal court judges -- rather
than the U.S. Department of Justice -- referee the fight
over Florida's new congressional districts
|
| 'Business
as usual'
Priority Number One for this just concluded special
session, was to deliver up a yet another special
interest tax break; another party favor for the
soft-money sultans.
|
| Budget
to privatize 800 jobs
Without public discussion, Florida lawmakers late
Thursday night slipped language into the $50.4 billion
state budget outsourcing about 800 human resources
positions.
|
| No
sales tax holiday
The Florida Legislature plans to end the back-to-school
sales tax break in a budget that raises tuition and
spends more on security.
|
| State
budget comes in at $50.4 billion
Leaders steer bigger shares of project money to their
districts.
|
| Personal
Projects Hit State Budget
TALLAHASSEE - How does a member
of the Florida Legislature slip a $1 million hometown
project into the state budget on the last day of
negotiations? ...
|
| Gov.
Bush and his cronies are taking the low road
Florida voters are stupid. Gov. Jeb Bush and Republican
legislative leaders must think so. ... That's
certainly the message they are sending by pushing a law
that would require that proposed constitutional
amendments carry a price tag outlining what implementing
the amendment would cost.-- On the surface, the
price-tag requirement makes sense, but in reality it's a
case of the governor and his cronies taking the low road
for political gain.-- Despite rhetoric to the contrary,
the law is aimed directly at a proposed constitutional
amendment that would require smaller class sizes in the
public schools.- The last thing Bush wants is for his
"I'm the education governor" re-election
campaign to get bogged down in serious debate about
overcrowded classrooms.
|
| We've
met the enemy and ... -- The enemy could be the
Legislature itself if, in its ongoing goal to cut back
the number of state employees, it failed to note one
thing.---
The Legislature is one of the few agencies of Florida
government that has actually increased its staff size,
according to the Legislature's Office of Program
Policy Analysis and Government Accountability.---
Downsizing, it appears, applies to every agency except
the one that makes the rules.-- How swell.
|
|
When
smaller means bigger
The state budget, now balanced by reducing it by more than a billion
dollars, is larger by nearly $60 million than it was before the
special 10-day session started.
|
| Bills
jeopardize workers' compensation law
TALLAHASSEE -- A New York judge once wrote that "No
man's life, liberty or property are safe when the
legislature is in session." Here, at the moment,
everyone's property is perfectly safe and few new
criminal laws are hatching. It's your life that's in
danger, if you work for the sort of employer who
wouldn't mind taking his chances with it.
|
| Capitol
offenses
Muzzling citizens, endangering patients, harassing
public employees and sponsoring sneaky gambling bills --
all in a day's work for your lawmakers.
|
| Legislator
admits remark was a little 'overboard'
A Jacksonville legislator said he "probably
went overboard a little" when he said the Bill of
Rights covers only U.S. citizens and not other
immigrants or visitors.-- State Rep. Dick Kravitz,
R-Jacksonville, made the statement in a Feb. 20 e-mail
to Jamal Baadani, president of the Association of
Patriotic Arab Americans in Military.
|
| Denying
voters -- It's outrageous that voters
probably won't get a say on tax reform.
|
| House
plan to divert money sparks dispute
The House committee's approval of a plan to use Florida Forever money
to reclaim water sparks a dispute.
|
| Angry
McKay assails critics of his tax plan
On Wednesday, John McKay came out swinging. Battered by industry
groups that are running attack ads against McKay's attempt to reform
the state's sales tax code, the taciturn Senate president has launched
a personal campaign to win support for his proposal.
|
| Senate
committee rejects its budget for school needs
School districts may have to raise taxes to give schools what they
need, said the panel, unhappy over education funding
|
| Bill
would allow ads on school buses
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida school buses now painted almost entirely
safety yellow could become partially Coca-Cola red, Publix green or
Taco Bell purple under a proposal now before the Legislature.
|
| Bill
targets hearings for unions
State employee unions would not be entitled to public hearings on
wages and working conditions when contract negotiations break down
under a bill House Republicans quickly approved Tuesday. Rep. Loranne
Ausley, D-Tallahassee, complained that the constitutional right of
collective bargaining would be denied to state employees under the
House bill (HB 641), which was sent to the Senate in a 69-48 vote.
|
| GOP
senators attempt to stretch term limits
Nearly three-fourths of returning Republican senators are quietly
finagling an extra two years for themselves.
|
| Proposal
would let any student use vouchers
Igniting what could be another explosive battle over education policy
in Florida, a group of leading state House Republicans are proposing
using public money to let any Florida student attend private school.
|
| Silencing
opposition to developers
As though the rules weren't already stacked in favor of developers,
some Florida legislators want to make it even more difficult for
residents to oppose projects that could harm the environment. Two
bills filed in the state Senate and two in the House would put limits
on those who can speak against a construction project based on
environmental concerns and scare others away with the threat of heavy
financial penalties.
|
| Video
Slots A Not-So-Sure Bet
"Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice;
shame on me." The old adage could very well apply to an idea of
expanding the use of video slot machines in Florida as a financial
boon to state coffers in general and public education in particular.
|
| Meeting
ends in infuriation when public testimony shunned
Several people who wanted to testify on an insurance measure Thursday
screamed at the panel's chairman after he took a vote on his own bill
without allowing public testimony. "I hope you can sleep,"
Coral Springs attorney Arthur Green yelled at state Rep. Frank Farkas,
a St. Petersburg Republican and the chairman of the House Health
Regulation Committee. "It was absolutely outrageous. I needed to
express that."
|
| Angry
crowd lashes lawmaker over lack of public testimony
TALLAHASSEE -- A crowd of angry consumers hoping to testify against a
health insurance bill exploded in anger Thursday when the panel's
chairman, Rep. Frank Farkas of St. Petersburg, pushed through a vote
on his own bill without allowing public testimony.
|
| Capital
hogwash
TALLAHASSEE -- Seldom have grown-ups spoken such nonsense, at least
not when sober, as did members of a Senate committee this week in
pushing along a bill (CS for SB 378) to close public utility records
to public inspection.
|
| House
quickly OKs 'Three Strikes' bills
Senate could take up issue next week The Florida House made quick work
Tuesday of a series of bills to re-enact the state's "Three
Strikes" law that a state appeals court ruled unconstitutional
last month.
|
| Effort
to limit student aid is wrongheaded
During last year's special legislative sessions, the war on terrorism
was used as an excuse for several ill-advised proposals - from
alarming open-records exemptions to not-so-subtle endorsements of
prayer at school-sponsored events.
|
| Senators
look at changes for child advocate agency - TALLAHASSEE ·
Bolstered by a state audit that found less than 60 percent of children
embroiled in the court system are represented by advocates,
legislators are working on overhauling the state's 22-year-old
Guardian Ad Litem program.
|
| Bill
would require `God' motto in schoolsThe House Council for Lifelong
Learning unanimously approved his measure (HB 915) on Thursday
afternoon. The bill would require every superintendent to post the
"In God We Trust" motto in all schools within their county.
|
| Justices'
review of death penalty met with shock
The architects of Florida's
death-penalty law were caught by surprise when the U.S.
Supreme Court stalled executions in the state Tuesday
while the justices determine if laws here and in eight
other states are unconstitutional.
|
| DIGEST
PASSED BY HOUSE COMMITTEE Permit bill opposed by environmental groups
A bill opposed by environmental groups was approved Wednesday by the
House Committee on Agriculture & Consumer Affairs. HB 819 seeks to
restrict administrative appeals and lawsuits challenging the issuance
of state environmental permits. Those who file unsuccessful challenges
could be forced to pay the legal costs of the permit applicants,
including utilities and developers. Environmental group
representatives said the measure would discourage people from taking
action to protect the state's air and water. Rep. Gaston Cantens,
R-Miami, said the bill is needed to reduce litigation that is costly
to businesses. Agriculture, home builders and business groups,
including the Florida Chamber of Commerce, supported the bill, which
was approved by an 8-1 vote. The bill will be considered next by the
House Council for Competitive Commerce.
|
| Legislators
eye legalizing video slots as way to cover budget
shortfall
|
| Momentum
builds to increase security measures
Proposed bills would toughen penalties and ID rules. But
some question whether any of them would stop terrorists.
|
| Legislature's
congressional district proposal shifts power to GOP
Republican lawmakers have remained faithful to the Grand Old Party in
the lineup of congressional maps to make it through Round One of
redistricting. In addition to adding two Republican seats to the U.S.
House, two of the three maps that cleared the House Congressional
Redistricting Committee on Monday throw at least one Democratic
incumbent into a Republican-dominated district.
|
| Senate
has questions about education study
Governor's staff met with group presenting the critical
report A long-awaited report on the state of Florida's
education system took a detour on its way to the Senate
on Wednesday and has lawmakers wondering whether Gov.
Jeb Bush had his hand on the wheel.
|
| School
report delayed for analysis
Some say the delay in response to a study critical of
Florida education is an attempt to downplay the
criticism.
|
| One
battle where truth is trumped by politics
TALLAHASSEE -- Suppose that somebody is saying something
that you think is untrue. Not only do they say it, but
they publish it. Not only do they publish it, but they
put a bunch of commercials on television.
|
| Sunshine
attack Legislators must have better things
to do than robbing the public of information.
|
| Lawmakers,
lobbyists go gunning for quail -- CHIPLEY - On the one side are
Florida's brightest and best - about 25 state senators and
representatives - outfitted in Filson camo, flanked by $5,000 bird
dogs and armed with imported $2,000 Baretta over-under 20- gauge
shotguns.-- They will blast through four or five boxes of number 8 low
brass shot before the sun sets Saturday on this isolated 3,000-acre
spread of longleaf and slash pines.-- On the other side, waiting in
their slatted crates are 1,000 quivering bobwhite quail. They have
been raised on farms in south Georgia and Alabama to provide the
entertainment for this weekend. -They have never heard a shotgun nor
seen a hunting dog....
|
| Before
you oppose tax plan, think of greater good
If the Florida Senate passes the service tax, you will have to pay tax
on laughter. You will have to pay tax on a sunny day. You will have to
pay tax on having a good time at the beach. You will have to pay tax
for every flush. You will have to pay tax on complaining about paying
tax. So call your senators today to "Ax the Tax."
|
|
|
| Freedom
Caucus takes taxes to task
GOP freshmen are devoted to reducing state government The
Republican-controlled House isn't exactly a breeding ground for new
taxes. Its leadership is dead set against raising them and has led the
way in cutting them.
|
| Editorial:
Last resort on canker
Stalled in the courts, state agriculture officials have turned to the
Legislature to get their citrus canker eradication program moving
again. A bill that would codify the state's much-disputed...
|
| Florida
considers Baker Act change
Law establishes when a person can be involuntarily confined -
A tragedy has set in motion a push to revise the state's law on
involuntary commitment. A deputy shot to death. A man with paranoid
schizophrenia shot dead after a standoff with a SWAT team. The Florida
Legislature, which convened last week for its 2002 session, has the
final say on whether the Baker Act, which allows someone to be
detained involuntarily for psychiatric treatment, will be amended.
|
| Sugarcoating
truth won't help taxpayers -- Judy Sanchez says Big Sugar is
cleaning up pollution "on their farms and at their own
expense."...
In fact, sugar growers get multimillion-dollar tax breaks from the
South Florida Water Management District to partially remove pollutants
from their water before dumping the dirty aftermath into the
Everglades. District taxpayers also subsidize scientific research and
monitoring costs for the farms....
|
| Budget
cuts hit hard at Florida's care for addicts
Drug-abuse treatment at most of the state's big prisons is being cut
back severely. South Florida's pioneering drug courts will be
affected, too.
|
| Stressful
session has the players on edge
Everyone said it would be like this. But no one said it would start so
soon. Just hours after their great show of bipartisanship and unity
during Tuesday's opening session that featured a rousing State of the
State address by Gov. Jeb Bush, Florida legislators were squabbling
among themselves.
|
| Florida's
ugly secrets
The special interests opposing John McKay's tax reform plan want to
avoid any open and honest debate that would expose the inadequacies of
the state's tax structure.
|
| Florida's
sad record
Just five states are currently funding tobacco-prevention programs at
the level recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Sadly,
Florida isn't one of them.
|
| A
continuation budget
While Gov. Jeb Bush's budget does help the needy to some extent, some
needs remain, and those needs will grow.
|
| A
new reality -- It's important that
politicians not play games with budget numbers.-- Finally, Florida
lawmakers have real numbers to consider as they decide how much money
to spend on public schools. An aide to Gov. Jeb Bush conceded to
lawmakers last week that the governor's plan would restore school
budgets only to where they were last summer, before the economy forced
massive budget cuts.
|
| Cutting corners
The 2nd District Court of Appeal blew the whistle on legislative
sloppiness when it declared Florida's "Three Strikes Violent
Felony Offender Act" unconstitutional.
|
| Senator
must pay $311,000 election penalty - TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida
Elections Commission issued a final order Friday against state Sen.
Alex Diaz de la Portilla, ordering him to pay a record $311,000 fine
against him for campaign finance violations.
|
| Broaden
Base And Cut Rate
Boiled down to its essence, here's what a
far-reaching Florida sales tax reform plan means to you:
|
| Tax
plan headed to Senate
Senate committee approves sales-tax revamp A plan to overhaul the
state's sales tax system won approval from a Senate committee Friday
even as it spawned new questions. The Finance and Taxation Committee
unanimously approved Senate President John McKay's proposal to
eliminate a host of exemptions and cut the tax rate, an incendiary
idea that has dominated the session's first week.
|
| Opposition
to tax plan fills air with deception
For my first assignment in Tallahassee 20 years ago, I made my way
through the Capitol with a tripod, lights, microphone cables, sound
engineer and cameraman.
|
| Anger
greets tax overhaul
A plan to overhaul Florida's sales-tax system passed
its first test in the Legislature on Friday but ran into several dozen
skeptical taxpayers at an Orlando public hearing on the matter.
|
| Tax
reform plan chalks up a win
As the sales tax reform is hotly debated around Florida, a Senate
panel okays two related tax measures.
|
| Sales
tax plan gets first OK
Senate President John McKay's plan to impose a new, lower sales tax on
92 previously untaxed services and goods received its first
legislative...
|
| Book
eyes mapping of swelling districts
Those who don't remember history and fear they're condemned to repeat
it will take comfort in a new book on redistricting put together by 22
legal scholars and faculty from six Florida universities.
|
| Growing,
growing, drawn
Over the objections of Democrats who said the process was being
rushed, the state Senate committee in charge of drawing a new
congressional map passed its version 11-3 on Friday. Unlike the map
that a state House committee will consider Monday, the Senate proposal
keeps the Big Bend region intact, with the boundary lines for District
2 now held by U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Monticello, beginning at the
western boundary of Washington, Jackson and Bay counties and
continuing to the eastern boundaries of Lafayette and Madison and part
of Hamilton.
|
| Senate
takes stab at redistricting
TALLAHASSEE -- A state Senate committee on Friday approved the first
redistricting plan of the 2002 Legislature, creating 25 districts for
Florida's U.S. House seats.
|
| Speaker
vows to weather session-- While the Legislature's election-year
session is destined to get bogged down in bickering over redrawing the
state's political map and rewriting its tax system, House Speaker Tom
Feeney is confident that the 60-day lawmaking process will go
smoothly.
|
| Feeney
is snubbed, at least for now -TALLAHASSEE -- A plan to redraw
Florida's congressional districts cleared the first of many hurdles in
the state Senate on Friday, and it didn't include a new seat for state
House Speaker Tom Feeney.--
But the head of the state Senate congressional redistricting
subcommittee conceded Friday that the Oviedo Republican will likely be
given his ticket to Washington when all is said and done in the
once-a-decade reconfiguring of the state's political lines.
|
| Old
bills dog Sen. Latvala's partner
Political consultant Jon Coley defends his actions in not paying his
bills or telling his current clients.
|
| Suit
asks court to redraw districts
Legislators now have redistricting task Florida lawmakers haven't
finalized their first redistricting map, but the matter is already
heading to court. U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings, D-Fort Lauderdale, Carrie
Meek, D-Miami, and Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, the only blacks in
the state's 23-member congressional delegation, filed a preemptive
strike against the state's congressional map Thursday.
|
|
Florida takes steps to reform job assistance for disabled - Two
weeks after the agency responsible for privatizing state employment
efforts for the disabled was accused of wasting almost $1.2 million,
Education Commissioner Charlie Crist is taking steps to wrest control
of the program from a controversial agency.--
Crist and new Education Secretary Jim Horne removed Carl Miller from
his job as director of the Occupational Access and Opportunity
Commission, the state agency formed in 1999 to oversee the
privatization of Florida's vocational rehabilitation efforts.
|
| State
seeks health assurances
Bill may help companies better handle rising costs A combination of
increasing health insurance costs and a dwindling number of insurance
providers has forced many Florida companies to start pulling the plug
on the health benefits they offer to employees, a new Florida Chamber
of Commerce study shows.
|
| Bill
would help rape victims prevent pregnancy
Stepping into a morally charged debate Thursday, a Florida House panel
advanced a bill that would require all health facilities in Florida -
even Catholic-run hospitals - to offer the "morning after"
pregnancy prevention drug to rape victims or to refer the victims to a
facility that does.
|
| Taking
another swing at '3 strikes'
TALLAHASSEE -- Legislative leaders are moving quickly to plug the
legal hole created when a state appeals court struck down one of the
Republican Party's most cherished anti-crime bills: The "three
strikes" law.
|
| Senate backs McKay plan to overhaul state sales tax -
TALLAHASSEE -- Senate President John McKay on Thursday rolled out his
most detailed plan yet for overhauling the state's sales tax code,
with a majority of senators signed on as cosponsors.--
The 26 cosponsors should give McKay the three-fifths vote he needs for
Senate approval, perhaps as early as next week. But prospects in the
House, where the plan needs 72 votes, are dim. And opponents have
geared up to unveil a new round of attack ads this weekend.
|
| Tensions
mount in tax debate
TALLAHASSEE -- From haircuts to overnight mail, nearly 100 services in
Florida would be taxed under a bold and controversial Senate plan to
broaden Florida's tax base.
|
| Controversial
sales tax plan adds 92 items
Senate President John McKay rolled out details on his sweeping tax
plan on Thursday, naming 92 services and goods that would become
subject for...
|
| Tax
reform opponents take their case to the airwaves
INSIDE Lawmakers haven't finalized their first redistricting map, but
the matter already is heading to court. -- Many companies may be
forced to pull the plug on health benefits, a new study shows.
|
| Ads
target 14 senators by name, McKay says
TALLAHASSEE -- On the eve of a critical vote to overhaul Florida's
sales tax structure, Senate President John McKay lashed out Thursday
at opponents he accused of launching a smear campaign.
|
| '3
strikes' law backed by Bush swings, misses
An appeals court ruled Wednesday that Florida's
"three strikes" law is unconstitutional, striking down one
of the issues Gov. Jeb Bush campaigned on four years ago.
|
| Battle-tested,
worthy
Certainly one of the lessons to be learned from the Enron debacle is
how important it is to keep auditing functions independent and honest.
That's as true in government as it is in the private sector.
|
| Lawmakers
pray together
Red Mass is celebrated for 'justice, peace' Incense wafted upward
Wednesday night and song filled the rafters of Co-Cathedral of St.
Thomas More as prayer upon prayer was heaped on Florida's three
branches of government.
|
| In
lean year, turkeys stuff budget
After carving $1-billion from the budget, legislators serve up more in
pet projects.
|
| Bush
says tax reform might hurt business
"We are not undertaxed in this state," he says, referring to
the McKay tax proposals.
|
| Legislative
panel votes to give state wide powers to search for canker - The
bill, easily approved by a House committee composed mostly of farmers
and commercial growers, would allow judges to issue a search warrant
for an entire county, granting agriculture agents the power to go
anywhere in that county searching for canker.
|
| Plans
for tribute take high road
Some Democrats agree to honor President Reagan, but perhaps not by
renaming a road.
|
| Security
measures require hard decisions, leader says
CLEARWATER -- U.S. troops have been fighting in Afghanistan for more
than three months, but Florida's battle against terrorism is just
getting started -- in the Legislature.
|
| Bill
lays out structure of financial officer post
TALLAHASSEE -- For the third consecutive year, lawmakers are trying to
figure out how banking and insurance will be regulated in this state.
|
| Legislature
briefs
Today is the third day of the 60-day session.
|
| Plan
to ease rules could hurt Everglades pact, opponents say
By Jim Ash, Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau
A Republican plan to streamline state environmental regulations could
backfire on Gov. Jeb Bush and his recent agreement with President Bush
to protect...
|
| Cities
may lose ability to limit car cell phones
TALLAHASSEE -- The movement to ban drivers from using
cell phones could be halted at least temporarily in
Florida.
|
| Lawmakers
Sing Same Ol' Refrain - TALLAHASSEE
- They cut more than 6,000 state jobs. They gave
manufacturers new protections against consumer lawsuits.
They handed over delivery of state services ranging from
feeding prisoners to processing paperwork to private
companies, and want to keep adding to the list. -- Bush
promised to make government operate ``more like a
business,'' and most of his advice on everything from
education to general government operations comes from
groups of state business leaders. ...
|
| Lawmakers
should cut niceties, not necessities
As the Legislature prepares to reconvene and to continue
to wrestle with a $1 billion budget gap, it needs to
find a way to close the gap without precipitating a
decline in Florida's business climate, our public
schools and our health-care system.
|
|
Off and running
Duties ahead in session will make for very active politics The 2002
legislative session is a unique political trifecta for Florida
lawmakers. There have been tax-reform sessions during Cabinet,
congressional and gubernatorial races. There have been redistricting
sessions while taxes were on the table. But no one in the House,
Senate or governor's office has ever juggled all three -
reapportionment, statewide campaigns and reform of Florida's
antiquated tax code - in the same 60 days.
|
| Florida's
future: What's best? What's fair?
Big Guns are out to get John McKay. He
was expecting it. You don't stump to expand the sales
tax to services, such as legal and accounting work, or
push to end existing tax exemptions for things such as
Super Bowl tickets and ostrich feed without attracting
the wrath of the comfortable.
|
| Florida's
future: What's best? What's fair?
Big Guns are out to get John McKay. He
was expecting it. You don't stump to expand the sales
tax to services, such as legal and accounting work, or
push to end existing tax exemptions for things such as
Super Bowl tickets and ostrich feed without attracting
the wrath of the comfortable.
|
| University
officials meeting privately
Top officials from Florida's universities have
been meeting sporadically and sometimes privately over the past 14
months to discuss and focus statewide policy positions.
|
| Bill
would encourage districts to privatize school services
TALLAHASSEE -- School districts may soon be required by the state
to solicit bids from private companies to drive students to
school, cook them lunch and clean up after them in classrooms.
|
| Do
the math
Most families would save money under the Senate president's tax
reform plan, but the broadcasters and business lobbyists don't
want you to know that.
|
| 'In
God We Trust' plaques pushed for public schools
Fred Galloway says he wants to put God into Florida's public
schools.
|
| Committee
agrees on growth bill
A scaled-down version of a growth management bill that failed in
the final hours of the 2001 legislative session was unanimously
approved by a Senate committee Tuesday. The new proposal (CS-SB
382) makes a number of changes to the last substantial growth
management law passed 17 years ago. It includes Gov. Jeb Bush's
top priority of making local governments consider school crowding
before allowing new development.
|
| Citizen
groups draw their own district maps
TALLAHASSEE -- Using a system that ignored party politics and the
homes of incumbents, two citizens groups have crafted
"ideal" redistricting maps for legislators and members
of Congress throughout Florida.
|
| First
Proposals Are Outrageous
When taking a basic geometry test, some state
senators flunked. That failing grade will be particularly harmful
to Broward County voters and candidates, unless lawmakers correct
their errors.
|
| Senator
to take command
JAMES E. KING JR. Position: Florida senator, R-Jacksonville.
Education: Two years at St. Petersburg Junior College; bachelor's
and master's degrees from Florida State University. Background:
Opened first employment and consulting business in 1969; sold his
company in 1997 for $15 million. Was elected to the Florida House
in 1986, serving there for 13 years. Served as House majority
leader from 1996 to 1999. Was elected to the Senate in 1999 and
named majority leader in 2000.
|
| McKay
seeks support for sales tax overhaul
ST. PETERSBURG -- The political fight to overhaul Florida's tax
system is looking mighty lopsided.
|
| Drawing
the legislative line
'Compactness and community of interest' key
Tallahassee and the Big Bend do not need two members of Congress, U.S.
Rep. Allen Boyd said Wednesday. Boyd, a Monticello Democrat who has
represented the sprawling 2nd Congressional District in Washington
since 1996, said he is worried that Republicans who run the
Legislature will split the Panhandle horizontally.
|
| Lawmakers
ready for new session
TALLAHASSEE — Elder care, security and health will dominate the
agendas of local lawmakers who h | | | |
