Statewide Reports July 14-22,2002

Statewide Reports -July 14-22, 2002

NOTE -
If the link to the on-line articles has changed, search the paper's archive section by date and title - Palm Beach Post links are only good for the day posted, and there is a fee to access archived articles.

7/22/02

	Congressmen spent nearly $100,000 on lobbyists With political careers on the line, several Florida members of Congress spent thousands on Tallahassee lobbyists as state legislators drew new congressional districts. "It was money well spent," said U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, whose district continues to include the central Florida ranchland that serves as his political base.
	The new reward for good work? No work ... Gov. Jeb Bush's enthusiasm for Service First is evident in a letter he sent to each of about 39,000 state employees who earned performance bonuses last month. Bush has said all along that streamlining personnel systems will ultimately make state government more efficient - and, yes, smaller.-- Nobody ever said employing people was an end, in itself, for state government.-- But for employees such as Elaine Coup, the big picture is a little hard to keep in mind. Bush's letter congratulating her on her bonus coincided with one saying she'd lost her job in the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
	Restore whistleblower's job It takes guts to see something going wrong at work, and speak up about it.-- That's why Florida has a tough law meant to protect state employee "whistleblowers" from being fired when they speak out. It's troubling to see state agencies fighting to strip them of that shield.--- Mavis Georgalis was a manager at the state Department of Transportation until April 1. That day, she says, she was pushed by DOT officials into signing a letter of resignation. That happened, she says, because she and another worker filed complaints about the performance of DOT contractor Yang Enterprises. The department has since admitted that some of Yang's invoices were "questionable."
	Where has all the money gone? Retirement cash vanishes from 401(k)s For many American workers, 401(k) plans are their sole retirement money after Social Security and their introduction to investing in the stock market.-- Most companies have abandoned traditional pension plans, which guaranteed employees a set monthly income at retirement. Instead, they encourage employees to save for retirement in tax-deferred accounts that became popular in 1980s and 1990s while matching a portion of the employees' savings.-- But it means the responsibility -- and risk -- for retirement investing shifted from the companies to the individual, which means potential for losing one's entire investment portfolio.-- About 35 million people, or a third of all workers, participate in these retirement plans, with new groups, such as government workers, joining every day. Last month, Florida began to allow 600,000 local, county and state government workers to opt out of the state pension system and manage their retirement savings through an individual account.
	Cut Exorbitant Filing Fees - ...... Florida voters in 2000 passed a vital election reform. It lets independent and minor-party candidates qualify the same way as Democrats or Republicans, by paying the filing fee or submitting the same, smaller number of voter signatures.- ...But Florida lawmakers and voters still must make another key reform: Sharply reducing extreme qualifying fees, a huge obstacle. ...Florida has America's highest filing fees, equal to 6 percent of an official's annual salary for candidates with party labels, 4 percent for independents. Most states charge only 1 percent or 2 percent, some only $50.
	After mock election, new voting machines continue to be criticized The votes are in: Tiger Woods is America's best sports star, apple pie is the nation's favorite dessert, and the embarrassment over the 2000 election debacle won't end anytime soon.
	Spin Patrol Democrats nudge reluctant Butterworth on CFO race
	Reno makes candidacy official today Janet Reno, 64 and a day, will formally qualify as a candidate for governor today, leading a walk of state workers to the Capitol to file papers and stake her claim to a campaign many Democrats warned her against waging.
	Reno campaign machinery seems to be getting in gear - After months of struggling to raise money and build a political machine to rival Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, Reno's campaign has finally discovered a formula that capitalizes on the candidate's quirkiness and populist appeal.
	Reno gives Bush ads bad review - Ad: ``So how is Jeb Bush doing on crime? Ask the criminals. Early release is gone. Felons now serve at least 85 percent of their sentences. Gun crime, down 24 percent, 10-20-Life worked. Drug use is down 31 percent since 1998, while funding for treatment and prevention is up 58 percent.'' Reno: Reno points out that the requirement that felons serve 85 percent of their sentence took effect Oct. 1, 1995, three years before Bush became governor. She also claims firearm crime has increased since 1997, and that the state's murder, rape and robbery rates have inched up since 1999. Ad:''With Jeb Bush, leadership means results,'' the ad says. ``450,000 new jobs, the second-highest job growth in the country, the lowest crime rate in 29 years, the lowest tax burden on Floridians in a decade and a passionate commitment to education. Under Jeb Bush, education funding has increased by $3 billion. Gov. Jeb Bush. Listening, leading, making the difference for Florida.'' Reno: Reno provides figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that show unemployment claims in Florida are up by about 14 percent since 1999, and the unemployment rate is up from 4 percent in 1999 to about 5.1 percent today. She says Bush signed a $150 million tax cut for the wealthy last summer, slicing into social programs and education. Also, increases in education funding have been meager, she says, amounting to $10 per student over three years
	Democrats put GOP on grill over corporate fraud malaise State party members hope to use public irritation over corporate fraud as a campaign issue this fall.
	Florida counselor fired by DCF for not arranging child visits A longtime state foster-care counselor was fired after she admitted leaving an 8-year-old boy with an Indiana relative for four years without making sure child welfare workers visited him. Louise Taggart was fired July 8 by the Department of Children & Families. She is appealing her firing through a state grievance process, according to her union representative.
	FCAT rule hurts disabled students The Port Orange student fears he won't graduate unless the test is read to him.
	Plans put on hold for state rail expansion When it came to the future of passenger rail in Florida, Amtrak was supposed to lead the way. There were plans to expand its existing service, adding a twice-daily Jacksonville-to-Miami run down the Atlantic coast. Following in the tracks of rail pioneer Henry Flagler, it would serve travelers along the East Coast for the first time in 34 years.
	New rules may snag grouper catch New regulations would cut by 45 percent the amount of red grouper that commercial fishermen can take from the Gulf of Mexico.
	Red tide hits Pinellas County beaches Hundreds of dead fish washed ashore beaches in Pinellas County, killed by low levels of red tide off Sand Key and Indian Rocks Beach.
	Red Tide's toll on fish counted by the ton
	Butterworth closes gate on demand for services Palm Beach Post Editorial Private communities can't spend public money.
	Visions of future development collide on sunny Treasure Island The Gulf of Mexico is especially blue and vibrant on Sunset Beach, at the southern end of Treasure Island, one of the string of barrier islands along the Pinellas County coast. ... The people of Treasure Island, as in Madeira Beach to the north, St. Pete Beach to the south and many other waterfront communities, are wrestling with what their future should look like. From the perspective of a sunny, idle afternoon on the beach, one cheers for things not to change at all. But they always do; the only question is how.
	Growth Dilemma Plagues County TAMPA - During the past few years, Hillsborough County officials shrank the county's urban-service area, retooled the comprehensive growth plan and tried to use community planning to reach out to neighborhoods.
	Dredging up a pool of dissent -- But to the residents at the neighboring Marina at Tarpon Springs condominiums, it is pretty, full of life and worth preserving. They oppose a developer's plan to fill in the pool to create enough dry land for new stores at the northwest corner of Meres Boulevard and Alt. U.S. 19 N.-- "We're opposed to this, because, you know, enough is enough," condo association president Carol Petropoulos said last week.
	Florida's Great Northwest: more than a brand "Like the ballplayer getting booed by opposing fans, just getting noticed is an important sign of success - at least that's the way those of us at "Florida's Great Northwest" regard the recent attention being directed our way. ...Most importantly, "Florida's Great Northwest" is more than a brand. It's also the story of a region pulling together for a common goal. Instead of competition among neighboring communities, civic and business leaders across the region are working together to make this part of Florida a place where businesses and people will demand to be. In health care, education, infrastructure and every area important to quality living, Florida's Great Northwest is about teamwork to achieve greatness. Some may poke fun, but the people in these 16 counties will laugh last. Above all else, Florida's Great Northwest is about the future. It's about unlocking the natural assets of the region and tapping the energy of its people. It's about taking a great but underappreciated part of Florida and making it a place that conjures magical images whenever you say the name." (see great northwest)
	How to cut traffic jams (Palm Beach County) Don't let G.L. Homes game the system. ... G.L. Homes wants to build a development in the Ag Reserve that would not be allowed under current rules. How to "solve" the problem? G.L. wants the county to look at the project as if it were three smaller developments instead of one big one. A legal quirk places fewer requirements on smaller projects. The county should say no because the move is a ruse, because it would increase traffic jams and because bending the rules would encourage developers to drive up the price of Ag Reserve land that voters said in 1999 they want to buy and preserve.
	Water cleanup rolls on The state would set pollution limits for Lake Lafayette but not for the Ochlockonee River or Lake Jackson under a draft cleanup list that has been circulated for public comment.
	Editorial: Turtle nests need our help It's always sensible to leave sea turtle nests alone. When you see the staked and yellow-taped birthing areas on local shorelines, stay clear while the eggs incubate.
	Guest editorial: It's time we treat, not incarcerate, mental illness Mental illness is a stigma insurance companies need to face now, if for no other reason than for its cost- effectiveness.
	Guest editorial: The AOL Time Warner shuffle When President Bush declared on Monday that the nation was waking up with a hangover after the economic boom of the last decade, he could not have known how much more pain was on the way. By week's end the stock market had plunged a further 7 percent, reaching lows it had not seen since 1998. One of the week's biggest losers was AOL Time Warner, a company whose stock has been in virtual free fall all year. In an attempt to turn around its own flagging fortunes, AOL Time Warner announced a major management shake-up, designed to take the company in a new direction and undo the damage of a merger that now stands as one of the biggest blunders in corporate history.
	Pretending race doesn't matter won't make America better Ward Connerly again. As if a year that has given us corporate criminality, pedophile priests and a new Adam Sandler movie were not already odious enough, now the notorious University of California regent is back in the headlines. For those who don't know, Connerly is the black - and he would probably disavow that characterization - activist who spearheaded the successful 1996 drive to end affirmative action in Golden State government and universities.
	The silent privatizers Supporters of privatizing Social Security are quiet these days, but they'll re-emerge when they think people have forgotten the current bear market
	Cheney may be turning into a political liability WASHINGTON -- Dick Cheney is not your ordinary vice president.
	Federal work force growing again By Julia Malone, Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau After declining during the 1990s, the number of government workers started rising even before Sept. 11.
	The spy next door Mad at your neighbor? Turn him in. - "The last thing we want," explained Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, "is Americans spying on Americans." Who are you going to believe -- Tom Ridge or your own lying eyes?...
	Ridge: Consider Using Military To Enforce Law Domestically-- WASHINGTON - Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge said Sunday that the threat of terrorism may force government planners to consider using the military for domestic law enforcement, now largely prohibited by federal law.-- President Bush has called on Congress to thoroughly review the law banning the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines from participating in arrests, searches, seizure of evidence and other police activity on U.S. soil. The Coast Guard and National Guard troops under control of state governors are excluded from the Reconstruction-era law, known as the ``Posse Comitatus Act.''
	No fingerprints In what was described as a "procedural vote" on Thursday, House members effectively blocked the introduction of any amendments that might have forced them to vote on whether to kill their raises. Let's see now: The federal surplus has evaporated, and the deficit is approaching $165 billion. The nation is at "war" with terrorism. The stock market is in free fall. Americans think the economy is going nowhere but down. And the business pages are filled with news of corporate layoffs and belt-tightening.-- Yup, must be time for another congressional pay raise.

7/20-21/02

	State's charter schools can't be marketing tools St. Joe Company calls in the favors. Charter schools are supposed to innovate education. St. Joe Co. wants to use charter schools to innovate real-estate marketing. In yet another example of a corporation using insider government contacts to make a buck, St. Joe Co. -- still better known as St. Joe Paper -- wants to build charter schools to serve developments the company plans to build on vast holdings in the Panhandle
	Lobbying is give and receive With their political futures on the line, several Florida members of Congress steered thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to lobbyists and Republican state lawmakers who played pivotal roles in drawing new congressional district maps.
	Bush Campaign Ads Tout Achievements That Predate Term - Two new campaign commercials by the Florida Republican Party tout the record of Gov. Jeb Bush, using verifiable government statistics for the claims, but some are selectively chosen, and some give him credit for policies and trends that predate his election.
	Voters not on ballot Palm Beach Post Editorial Film shows why a trial run was needed.
	New voting machines won't let Palm Beach forget 2000 election
	Loophole helps Libertarian Party get on the ballot Mitch Covington doesn't consider himself a political junkie and, until a couple months ago, never considered running for office. While he agreed with many of the views of Libertarians, the Tallahassee paleontologist didn't even attend local party meetings.
	More debates are needed to help voters A question for Florida voters: With the Sept. 10 Democratic gubernatorial primary just over seven weeks away, do you know where the candidates are on the issues you care about?
	Despite the debate debate, face-offs still matter Every two years there's a debate about debates with debatable results.
	Florida's kids still wait for a good guy to stand up I wrote the other day that Gov. Jeb Bush hadn't done much for the Department of Children and Families. ... "The chief issue is -- and has always been -- the same," they wrote. "Florida's child welfare system is overburdened, overwhelmed, understaffed and underfunded. It always has been. And it always will be until the citizens of Florida and their elected representatives, give deserved priority to Florida's dependent children and families."
	DCF computer system behind schedule, over budget - TALLAHASSEE -- A state computer system (dubbed HomeSafeNet) that will track abused and neglected children is years behind schedule in part because of federal requirements, high turnover of project managers, and trouble finding anyone to develop the system, a preliminary state audit concludes.-- The part of the system that already is operating is not as effective as it should be, in part because of a lack of computer skills and resistance by workers who are supposed to use it, the audit said.-- The Legislature has criticized the Florida Department of Children & Families for the expected cost of the project -- $230 million, compared with an initial estimate of $32 million -- and 11 years to implement it fully.
	Fired DCF worker's job history reflects flaws The counselor has a long history of paperwork problems, although some say the workload is impossible.
	Who's the next AG? It's the state's lawyer. The people's lawyer. Voters must decide what kind of person they want to represent them for next attorney general. And Bob Butterworth has created a hard act to follow.
	Dyer To Fight Corporate Misconduct TALLAHASSEE - Democratic candidate for attorney general Buddy Dyer is turning his attention to corporate corruption.
	Preserving rural life is activist's goal - SAMSULA -- Wanting a house nestled among pines and palmettos, Michele Moen moved to this rural community less than a year ago. Already, she sees her way of life under attack, and she is fighting back.-- She has raised her voice in protest against everything from a proposal to extend Elkcam Boulevard in Deltona to a new economic development plan for Volusia County.
	Tobacco-drive money goes up in smoke - Ever wonder why a pack of cigarettes costs so much? Look at spending by Florida's short-lived Committee for Responsible Solutions, and you might get an idea.-- Florida prides itself as the Sunshine State, but its ballot-disclosure laws get only a mid-level grade from a national group studying the issue.-- The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Foundation gives Florida a C on how easy it is for voters to track online contributions to the rising number of proposed constitutional amendments.-- There are 24 ballot-initiative states, and 17 earned D's or F's in the report released last week. Only four get A's or B's -- Washington, California, Massachusetts and Illinois. "In these states, you can click on the name of a political action committee, and it will be linked to the ballot initiative that it supports," said Galen Nelson, foundation director. "Florida's disclosure just isn't that clear."
	WorldCom woes could disrupt Florida's state government TALLAHASSEE — With the bankruptcy of WorldCom appearing imminent, Florida government's technology officials are working to avoid a shutdown of long-distance data, voice and Internet lines. "My main concern is that we have a continuity of services," state Chief Information Officer Kim Bahrami told the Tallahassee Democrat on Friday.
	Investor ally? Foley's account doesn't add up He'll need good auditors to hide his prodigious political debt.As companies across the country are "restating" their finances to please investors, politicians across the spectrum are "restating" their positions on corporate reform to please their own investors, also known as voters. Case in point: U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-West Palm Beach.
	Gephardt energizes Democrats to rout Bush The House leader tells state party activists that corporate scandals trace to 1980s deregulation.
	Democrats vow to defeat Jeb Bush this fall In the crunch of a critical election year, Democrats vowed Saturday to defeat incumbent Republican Gov. Jeb Bush and deal a blow to his brother's re-election campaign in two years.
	Democrats pointing to issues to beat Bush in November TALLAHASSEE — With Election Day less than four months away, Florida Democrats are grabbing onto issues they hope can help them beat incumbent Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, but polls show they've got a steep climb ahead. Democratic activists point to a series of events they believe could keep President George W. Bush's younger brother from becoming the first Republican to win re-election as governor in Florida. They are not letting up on their criticism of the state's child welfare system under the governor.
	Battle lines clear for Reno, McBride FORT LAUDERDALE -- As Murray Hirsh drove through the massive Century Village condominium complex in suburban Pembroke Pines yesterday, he lamented the 2000 presidential election.
	Democrats plot to take back Florida At a gala, party leaders say their cash disadvantage is offset by their upper hand on the issues over the GOP.
	Democrats may skip two major races Two years after Al Gore almost grabbed the U.S. presidency thanks to Florida voters, the state's Democrats may end up as no-shows in two of four statewide races.
	Democrats buzz for Butterworth at annual rally-- ''I think I owe it to my friends to at least consider something,'' said Butterworth, who has served the maximum eight two-year terms as attorney general. He has until Friday, the deadline to qualify for state races, to decide.
	6 Florida congressmen retain seats unopposed
	Reno campaign gets a lift on South Beach MIAMI — American politicians have popped up in some strange places: Nixon in China. The Clintons in Chappaqua. Now, Reno in South Beach. Janet Reno, that is, the pickup-driving, sensible-pump-wearing former U.S. attorney general who is running for governor of Florida. Reno drew about 2,200 people Friday night to Level, one of the hottest night spots in the neon-lit oceanside club district.
	Reno says she's got momentum Celebrating her 64th birthday, Janet Reno says she can overcome the fundraising set backs.
	Reno gives Bush ads bad review A new round of paid political advertisements touting Gov. Jeb Bush's record as a crime fighter and economy builder are making their way around the state as the race for governor of Florida heats up.
	Teachers vs. Jeb -- who will learn a lesson come November? - You won't find a couple of political players with more irreconcilable differences than Florida's governor and Florida's largest teachers union.
	Redrawn districts give GOP an edge With congressional races in South Florida officially under way, the redrawing of voting districts by the GOP-controlled Legislature last spring is making Republicans the heavy favorites even in the most competitive races.
	No Lapdog to Special Interests The story should bring a smile and a chuckle to Florida voters, weary of the usual dead-serious news stories about candidates, political campaigns and elections. In a Sarasota-area U.S. House race, Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris faces an unusual write-in opponent -- Percy the dog.
	One Bush isn't just the other's keeper Maybe Gov. Jeb Bush should tell his older brother, the president, to button his lip and forget about trying to make the stock market better.
	Jury: Second Escambia official guilty of breaking open-government law PENSACOLA — A jury Saturday found a second suspended Escambia County commissioner guilty of violating Florida's open-government "sunshine" law by discussing public business in private on two occasions. Terry Smith, who stood and shook his head slightly as the verdict was read, was accused of breaking the law through two conversations with another suspended commissioner, former Florida Senate President W.D. Childers, last year.
	Pensacola activist files campaign complaint against homebuilders TALLAHASSEE — A Pensacola activist has filed campaign law violation complaints against the Florida Home Builders Association, 16 of its local associations and the Republican Party of Florida. Tom Garner accused both the state association and the state GOP on Friday of a "campaign contribution laundering scheme" that circumvented the state's $500 contribution limit.
	Judge Allows Agencies To Keep Money From Plates-- MIAMI - A federal judge ruled against abortion rights activists Monday who had tried to stop the distribution of fees from state license plates bearing the slogan ``Choose Life.''
	Malpractice war calls for academic task force TALLAHASSEE -- What Florida needs least, but is least likely to escape, is another malpractice war between doctors and trial lawyers. The rhetorical guns are already thundering. Arsenals are beginning to swell with money, the root of all political evil. This is good news only for politicians on the take and for the campaign advertising industry.
	Confusing school grades An administrative blunder points out, once again, the basic problems with the governor's school-grading system.
	FDA, state to look into procedures at St. Pete blood bank ST. PETERSBURG — Federal and state authorities are investigating how two people became infected with HIV after receiving tainted transfusions from the Tampa Bay area's primary blood bank. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will look into Florida Blood Services' procedures, including the handling and testing of blood.
	Hospital infections are killing patients-- Many deaths from infection are easily preventable, but soaring infection rates have been exacerbated by hospital budget cutbacks in infection control staffs and housekeeping services, the newspaper found.-- The problem has grown so severe that deaths linked to hospital germs represent the fourth leading cause of mortality among Americans, behind heart disease, cancer and strokes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infections connected to hospital-based germs kill more people annually than auto accidents, fires and drowning combined.
	Hormone study symbol of research lag Now they tell us. Women have been here before. Standing in front of their medicine cabinets, eyeing a prescription bottle with fear and alarm.
	No More Soda Pop For The YMCA - Good for the Tampa YMCA. It is eliminating soft drinks from its recreational centers. That's a smart move for the nonprofit organization that promotes exercise and good health.-- As the Tribune's Susan H. Thompson reported, the soft drinks are full of sugar and calories. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends an individual consume no more than 10 teaspoons of added sugar consumption in a daily 2,000-calorie diet. Yet a 12-ounce can of soda contains about 140 calories and 10 teaspoons of sugar. Moreover, researchers have found that odds of obesity increase 1.6 times for every additional soft drink a child or teen drinks.
	FDLE says no cases in danger after Orlando analyst resigned ORLANDO — The actions of a Florida Department of Law Enforcement analyst who quit after he was caught switching DNA samples and altering data had no effect on evidence in criminal cases, the agency said. John Fitzpatrick admitted Feb. 1 to doctoring the results of a test designed to check the quality of his work and his Orlando lab's ability to analyze DNA.
	Florida death row inmates push their views on Internet JACKSONVILLE — Amos King, facing execution for the 1977 stabbing death of a woman, tells visitors to his Web site that he was wrongly accused. "I'm innocent of the charges I'm on death row for. I'm the victim of a frame-up," King writes. It's a familiar theme. Several dozen Florida death row inmates have Web pages where they proclaim their innocence and plead for money and letters. Although some sites are created by friends and relatives, such as the site originally set up for Gainesville student killer Danny Rolling by his former girlfriend, many of them are supported by people in other countries who oppose capital punishment.
	Whooping cranes catch Lucky break The first whooping crane to be born in the wild in the United States in recent times is stretching its wings in Central Florida.
	Florida's catch o' the day not mercury-free When Mike Thompson found an outdated brochure listing fish with high mercury levels in Florida, the old-time angler became worried about potential dangers of local fish he catches and eats.
	Red Tide leaves beaches stinky Residents hoping to cool off get an olfactory surprise -- dead fish washing up from Pass-a-Grille to Belleair Beach.
	What is there to say about dying? Plenty, and living wills are just the start.
	Spare me the eternal company of frozen geniuses Emergency codicil to the Last Will and Testament of Carl Hiaasen: I,being of relatively sound mind and body, hereby declare that I do not under any circumstances wish to be frozen like a fudgesicle after my death.
	President doesn't have absolute military authority over Americans No citizen shall be imprisoned or otherwise detained by the United States except pursuant to an Act of Congress.
	Phil Lewis: In freedom of the press, U.S. not No. 1 Last week in the Sunday Perspective section, we published a report on how free the press is in different parts of the world. Freedom House, the non-profit foundation that has been compiling such reports for two decades, noted that overall the press is enjoying for freedom around the globe. To compile the 2002 survey and reach that conclusion, Freedom House did a country-by-country report card.
	Washington Today: Bush's financial squad gets critical reviews WASHINGTON — At a time of economic uncertainty and stock market distress, President Bush's economic team seems to get little respect — on Wall Street, Main Street or Capitol Hill. His administration is drawing increasing midterm election fire from Democrats for its perceived chumminess with big business. The first U.S. president with an MBA degree, ex-Texas oilman Bush has appointed more former chief executive officers to top jobs than any president since Dwight Eisenhower.

7/19/02

	Opinion: Enclaves can't use taxes Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth says public money can't be used to pay for the upkeep of private developments, rebutting a mounting political movement to steer tax dollars into Palm Beach County's gated communities.
	Jeb Should Carefully Target Spending Of Toll Dollars - T hanks to a new law passed by the Legislature and approved by Gov. Jeb Bush, state officials can now take toll revenue from congested urban areas and use it to build roads in rural areas that are aimed solely at encouraging development.-- The law could well be a disaster - unless Gov. Bush establishes strict policies to guard against abuse.-- Environmentalists rightly claim the measure is a recipe for sprawl. But it also is a recipe for wasting limited transportation dollars. Under the new law, money generated from turnpikes in congested urban areas could be used to promote growth and enrich land speculators in the hinterlands, rather than relieve existing gridlock or meet the needs of areas where growth is already occurring.
	Audit program puts honor system to test With accounting scandals grabbing headlines and Congress haggling over new laws to make companies act more responsibly, it's no wonder that some business ethicists are looking askance at a pilot program in Florida that lets private CPAs do the people's work.
	Judge rejects felons' voting rights suit A U.S. judge dismisses the challenge to Florida's method for restoring rights of felons.
	Felons lose bid to alter vote ban A group suing the state on behalf of about 620,000 felons lost a bid Thursday to overturn Florida's 134-year-old lifetime voting ban against convicts.
	Katherine Harris: No regrets over role in Florida results SAN ANTONIO - Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris told a small crowd of Republican loyalists that in her bid for a seat in Congress she expects to be targeted by the national Democratic Party. .... She's still serving as secretary of state, but is the Republican nominee for Congress. ... "We didn't have a constitutional crisis or a threat to democracy in Florida - we had a close election," Harris said.
	Child welfare chief says he's concerned about Florida kids MOBILE, Ala. — One child placed into custody in Alabama was unaccounted for by Florida officials, and another received intensive treatment in a psychiatric ward without their knowledge. Alabama Department of Human Resources Commissioner Bill Fuller said in a news release Wednesday that 11 children placed in Alabama in foster homes or up for adoption were located at Florida's request.
	Group OK's plan for DCF aid Republican state lawmakers lashed out in frustration Thursday at the highly publicized failures of the Department of Children & Families, nearly scuttling a $2 million emergency plan to help Miami-Dade and four Central Florida counties cope with a backlog of child abuse investigations.
	Lawmakers approve fund shift to decrease DCF backlog TALLAHASSEE — A panel of state lawmakers approved shifting $2 million into child-abuse investigations Thursday in an effort to whittle down the backlog of cases. The money, which is coming from another area of the Department of Children & Families budget, would be used primarily in the state's southern and central portions.
	Caseworkers to shift into backlogged DCF districts Employees from all over the state will be loaned to Miami-Dade and Orange counties to help stem the crisis there.
	Many DCF Job Vacancies Have Strings Attached
	Politicians demand overhaul for DCF - TALLAHASSEE - Even as Gov. Jeb Bush defends the work being done at the state's child welfare agency, a mounting chorus of both Republican and Democratic politicians are calling for sweeping changes at the Department of Children & Families.
	AG candidate offers reform plan for DCF Gov. Jeb Bush and the head of the Department of Children & Families got some support Thursday from an unlikely source - one of the Democrats running for the state's top legal job.
	Forums help kids' issues get heard "Who's for kids ... and who's kidding?" This is the motto that guides the Florida Children's Campaign. It's also what the campaign intends to find out with its annual candidate connection program.
	Governor's campaign cup running over Democratic candidates increase fund-raising as Gov. Bush backs off to avoid Democrats' getting public money.
	GOP asks television station to remove McBride ads ORLANDO — The Republican Party of Florida asked television stations Thursday to stop running an ad featuring Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride, claiming it violates election laws. The 30-second spot, which began airing Wednesday, introduces McBride and talks about his education plans.
	GOP: Teachers' McBride ad illegal The Florida Republican Party Thursday accused the state's teachers union of paying for an illegal ad for gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride and asked television stations to stop running it.
	GOP protests McBride ad A teachers union ad for Democrat Bill McBride that began running this week is illegal, Republicans say.
	Ad gets McBride attention from GOP The Florida teachers' union is putting its money and clout behind the longshot candidacy of Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Bill McBride.
	Reno outlines plan to lower drug costs for seniors While Congress continued to flail away at including a prescription benefit in Medicare, Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Janet Reno on Thursday proposed a state program to discount pharmaceuticals for seniors
	Reno vows to lower drug prices, attacks pro-Jeb ad Courting Florida's influential elderly vote, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Janet Reno unveiled a plan Thursday to lower the price of prescription drugs by pushing pharmaceutical companies to give the state massive rebates.
	Tonight's Reno dance party a hot ticket The host of the South Beach event says Reno might not be the only celebrity there.
	Gubernatorial candidate decries exclusion from Democrats' TV debate - Tampa · State Sen. Daryl Jones said his exclusion from an Aug. 27 gubernatorial debate between former Attorney General Janet Reno and lawyer Bill McBride "defies logic."
	Open Door To All Candidates At their best, televised debates between major political candidates hold the promise of fulfilling various important functions ... ... But a single debate, without all the official candidates invited, falls far short of being at its best.
	Charade is over Putting price tags on constitutional changes demands fairness.
	Elections supervisors decide against challenging death amendment TALLAHASSEE — The state's elections supervisors decided Thursday against filing suit to yank a proposal that would put the death penalty into the state constitution off November's ballot. The Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections said its members are still worried Amendment 1 — "Excessive Punishments" — will confuse voters, but the group's executive committee decided a lawsuit was not the best solution.
	Jury acquits Miami state senator of campaign finance violations - MIAMI -- A jury has acquitted state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla of 216 counts of violating campaign finance laws after less than two hours of deliberations.
	Attorney general race may grow Consumer advocate Walter Dartland says he's drumming up support.
	Lab worker puts cases in doubt FDLE analyst in Orlando altered a test case, casting suspicion on all his findings.
	Bush's daughter to be released from jail today Gov. Jeb Bush's only daughter is set to be released from the Orange County Jail before her court appearance today, roughly two days after she was sent there for violating her drug-treatment plan.
	Park in bobcat attack may reopen today - The park where two people were attacked by a rabid bobcat was still closed Thursday but was expected to reopen today, an official with the reserve said.
	SCORE ONE FOR MANATEES The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has no plausible excuse for delay in establishing the manatee sanctuaries in Florida that it agreed to in a legal settlement, a federal judge decided the other day. The judge ordered the agency to get busy with putting the protected areas into effect. Good.
	No further delays:Foot-dragging increases Florida manatees' peril It was a hand-smack of the highest order: A federal judge ordering the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to explain -- immediately, please, why it hadn't done more to protect Florida's manatees.
	Amtrak's woes leave passenger service on east coast in limbo ORLANDO — When it came to the future of passenger rail in Florida, Amtrak was supposed to lead the way. There were plans to expand from its existing service, adding a twice-daily Jacksonville-to-Miami run down the Atlantic coast.
	FSU to sue smart-card firm Florida State University continues to press CyberMark Inc. for more than $1 million it thinks the company owes FSU after it stopped servicing the university's multiple-use ID card.
	Escambia official's credibility questioned at 'sunshine' trial PENSACOLA — Testimony that convicted suspended Escambia County Commissioner W.D. Childers, a former Florida Senate president, of violating the state's open-government "sunshine" law came under new scrutiny Thursday. The testimony came from Escambia Supervisor of Elections Bonnie Jones
	The Economic Questions Of Recycling - ... ... As The New York Times noted, ``In truth, most of the glass and plastic we virtuously sorted was not being recycled anyway. Lacking markets, the city found it cheaper to toss them in with regular trash and ship it all to landfills. So the program was as pointless as it was expensive.''
	Recycling renewal Although recycling hasn't exactly been a hot topic of national debate in recent years, millions of unreclaimed bottles and cans represent an enormous waste of resources, energy and money.
	Editorial: Collier corruption Gifts and favors from lobbyists to government officials. That's the way it was. And that's the way it still is, with the disclosure of $2.7 million in Collier County utilities contracts since last June going to the firm of a lobbyist who befriended sewage department staff members with NASCAR tickets and baskets of steaks.
	Age Bias Trials Begin ST. PETERSBURG - Bill Hoover was 56 and facing a grim job market. ``I probably put out 600 resumes. I'd go and have what I call great interviews, but then nothing would happen,'' said ...
	Ex-Jacksonville nursing home owner wins $20 million from state JACKSONVILLE — A former nursing home operator won a $20 million judgment against the state Thursday after a jury found the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration illegally confiscated his 180-bed facility. Jack Carter sued the state after it placed Southlake Nursing and Rehabilitation Center into receivership because of unpaid bills and missing Medicaid payment records.
	Defense compares clients accused of torture to great presidents WEST PALM BEACH — The attorney for two Salvadoran generals accused of ignoring a "reign of terror on unarmed civilians" 20 years ago in El Salvador compared his clients Thursday to Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. After four weeks of testimony about brutality and massacres, the jury began deliberations Thursday on whether to hold Gens. Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova and Jose Guillermo Garcia accountable for the torture of a church worker, doctor and professor, who later fled their country in fear.
	There's no business like doggie business The official party line these days, no matter what the Dow Jones Industrial Average says, is that the economy is in good shape, unless you work for or own stock in one of those companies where phantom bookkeeping left all of the stockholders and most of the employees holding a very large bag.
	Wall Street's binge, our hangover Here's the TV image I intend to freeze-frame for my "Summer of '02" album: an earnest George Bush assuring an Alabama audience that "our economy is fundamentally strong" while the streamer below him follows the stock m arket down the graph and into the tank.
	Rumors of war Members of Congress are slowly beginning to awaken to the fact that they have an obligation to be something more than passive bystanders as the executive branch prepares for a possible conflict with Iraq.

7/18/02

	Exactly who is derelict at his job, Gov. Bush? Robert Mistretta makes this chilling prediction:If you open the file of any child who has come to the attention of the Department of Children and Families, you will find something wrong, something that the investigator hasn't done, for the cold, simple reason that she or he has too much to do. And whatever that something is, it will be enough to get the worker fired.- Mistretta supervised the last DCF worker who had the case of Alfredo Montes, the 2-year-old Polk County boy allegedly killed by an acquaintance of his mother because he had soiled his pants.-- The governor, that know-it-all, called Mistretta derelict. But when Mistretta tells his story, a sharply different picture emerges that the governor might find inconvenient but also instructive.
	Vacancies at Florida's child-welfare agency swell to 750 amid scandals - LAKELAND -- Vacancies in the state's child welfare agency have increased by 50 percent in the last two months, as the department has been scrutinized for the death of one child and the disappearance of another.
	State weighs spending for Dade The backlog of unresolved child-abuse investigations in Miami-Dade and four Central Florida counties has become so severe that a legislative panel is expected to approve today spending $2 million for investigative ''SWAT teams'' to cope with the problem.
	Spot check Editor's note: To help voters evaluate political ads, Times reporters review and analyze content.
	More debates, not fewer One Reno-McBride meeting isn't enough.
	Let Jones into debate Daryl Jones doesn't have the name recognition of Janet Reno or even Bill McBride, and his poll numbers are miniscule by comparison. Nevertheless, the state senator from Miami should be included in the Forum Club's Democratic debate in Palm Beach next month.
	Partying on South Beach: some tips for Republicans Maybe Gov. Jeb Bush is so far ahead that his re-election campaign staffers figure it can't hurt if they boogie on down to "Janet Reno's Dance Party" tomorrow night on South Beach.
	Both sides of gay rights issue brace for a bitter battle in Miami-Dade -Miami-Dade County’s bid to host the 2004 Democratic national convention has focused national attention on the battle over the county’s human rights amendment and jump-started what is expected to be a divisive battle for public opinion.
	When good dogs go bad Tallahassee authorities have made it official: Dogs are ineligible to run for Congress. The decision came as bad news for Percy, a black-and-white collie mix, and his keeper, Wayne Genthner of Sarasota, who had hoped to take on Republican Secretary of State Katherine Harris for the House seat being left open by the retirement of U.S. Rep. Dan Miller, R-Bradenton.
	Elections supervisors don't like death amendment TALLAHASSEE — Florida's elections supervisors don't like a proposed constitutional amendment putting the death penalty back into the state constitution — and may try to get it off the ballot. Voters overwhelmingly approved the provision in 1998 but nearly two years later the state Supreme Court yanked the measure out of the Florida Constitution, ruling the ballot summary didn't clearly tell people what they were voting on.
	Ruling Makes A Vital Point It's not enough to do the right thing; you also have to do it in the right way.It's not enough to do the right thing; you also have to do it in the right way.-- That's the strong and appropriate message a Tallahassee judge sent to state lawmakers. He blocked their well-intentioned effort to put estimated costs of implementing two controversial state constitutional amendments on the ballot, saying lawmakers overstepped their authority.
	Bush denies making pledge Gov. Jeb Bush's spokeswoman said there was a "total misunderstanding" if Rudy Maloy's supporters thought Bush would reinstate the suspended Leon County commissioner.
	Jeb Bush's daughter jailed after prescription pills found Authorities say Noelle Bush was discovered with the pills while she was in a court-ordered drug treatment program. She is sentenced to three days in jail.
	Bush daughter jailed — found with pills at drug center TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush's 24-year-old daughter Noelle was jailed Wednesday for having a prescription drug while in a treatment facility, violating a court-ordered drug treatment plan. Judge Reginald Whitehead sentenced Noelle Bush to three days behind bars in Orlando for contempt of court.
	Local center caught Bush's eye long ago-- The Central Florida program that Noelle Bush sought for drug treatment is well-known to Gov. Jeb Bush and his family
	When it comes to pot, there's a reason Britain is great -- The British took a big leap forward recently, announcing a plan to downgrade marijuana's status as an illegal drug..... With this latest move, Britain is finally getting more in step with the rest of Western Europe, where only a handful of Scandinavian countries still treat marijuana smoking as a crime. In Spain, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands, they don't arrest marijuana users; in Spain and Portugal, not even hard-drug use is a crime.... And because Blair cozies up to George W. Bush on most things, maybe he could whisper in the president's ear that we have one of the most senseless drug policies in the world.-- In 2000, the last year for which the FBI has crime statistics, 743,000 people were arrested for marijuana offenses, 88 percent of them for simple possession. Before Rudolph Giuliani became mayor, fewer than 800 marijuana arrests were being made in New York City each year. After his crackdown on so-called quality-of-life crimes, the number skyrocketed to 52,000...
	Florida Medicaid plan drops thousands of elderly, disabled - ...As of this month, Stratos and as many as 5,500 other elderly and disabled Floridians fell victim to a change in Medicaid eligibility, enacted by Florida lawmakers in a 2001 special budget session to save up to $63.3 million in the state's nearly $10 billion Medicaid budget. ... "Right now, there's nothing we can do for her," Paula McAuley, a senior analyst supervisor at the Agency for Health Care Administration who oversees the Medicaid recipients, said of Stratos.-- "We are satisfied that there are places for everyone [who lost coverage] to go," Bush spokeswoman Jill Bratina said, when asked whether the rule change would be reversed.
	Medicaid changes prompt class-action lawsuit Sarah Stratos' life is in turmoil, all because of $11 a month. On July 1, a lower eligibility rate for state Medicaid benefits went into effect in Florida, and Stratos, an 88-year-old Daytona Beach widow, is now without coverage.
	Healthcare company pays $29 million to settle allegations HIALEAH — Tenet Healthcare Corp. has finalized a $29 million settlement with the U.S. government over allegations that one of its affiliates made false Medicare claims. A government investigation found that Tenet-owned Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah made false, fraudulent and misleading statements in its submissions to Medicare from 1994 to 1997 to inflate the amount of money it received from the government.
	Man sues jail's health care provider -"There is a financial incentive not to do their job," Rush said, "and that's what happened here."
	Doctors drop malpractice insurance Two doctors have stopped delivering babies due to the cost of malpractice insurance.
	Doctors, lawyers fight, but insurers to blame Malpractice 'crisis' is state's latest issue.
	Maddox: State needs medical investigator Florida is not doing enough to protect seniors and minorities from medical crimes, says Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox, a candidate for attorney general.
	Maddox proposes medical crime unit The attorney general candidate's new agency would pursue everything from drug overpricing to substandard care.
	Editorial: Conservancy keeps vigil on ill-sited condo project Plans have been rattling around Collier County government offices for a year to erect high-rise condos next to one of the area's most cherished nature preserves, Rookery Bay. Vigilance by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida is a natural, especially since the ecological organization runs a public wildlife attraction nearby.
	Second Escambia commissioner being tried on 'sunshine' charges PENSACOLA — Jury selection began Wednesday for the trial of a second suspended Escambia County commissioner on charges of violating the state's open-government "sunshine" law. Terry Smith faces two misdemeanor counts of discussing public business in private with another commissioner, W.D. Childers, a former Florida Senate president.
	Backroom dealers Commissioners Hartage, Hoenstine and Sindler ought to be ashamed. ... (they) voted against strengthening a county law that would have made public most private meetings between elected officials and lobbyists representing special interests. And if campaign contributions are any indication, they've been handsomely rewarded for their stance.-- ... Together, the three have received a staggering $65,000 from registered lobbyists and their clientele to finance their re-election bids, campaign documents show.-- ... Taxpayers finance government. And taxpayers should hold at least as much sway as deep-pocketed special interests in deciding how their hard-earned money is spent.
	Four staffers to receive pay cuts - County wastewater staff receive pay cuts for accepting gifts, meals from contractor's lobbyist Collier County's wastewater director and three of his underlings received pay cuts Wednesday as discipline for accepting hundreds of dollars in free gifts and meals from the lobbyist of a contractor paid more than $2.7 million by the county. Despite the county's zero gifts law instituted in the wake of a series of public corruption scandals, top administrators aren't taking information uncovered in their internal investigation to state prosecutors tasked with enforcing the county's local ethics law.
	Pompano lobbyists face scrutiny as development heats up - Pompano Beach is on the cusp of major change. Developers have proposed three massive projects for the beach area that would significantly alter the city's character and, according to detractors, ruin its charm and ambiance. As the commission debates whether to allow these projects to go forward, McGinn wants to make sure lobbyists don't gain control.-- McGinn has asked the city manager's office to study other government agencies to learn how lobbyists are monitored in hopes that Pompano Beach can adopt some of their ideas. Commissioners are expected to discuss proposed new rules this fall.
	Daytona Beach commission extinguishes fire-tax plan They lined up one after another Wednesday and persuaded a majority of the City Commission to burn down plans for a new tax on fire services. Commissioners rejected the tax on a 7-0 vote in the face of opposition from an overflow crowd of more than 200.
	Developer's man-made wetlands riddled with problems in Miramar-- Miramar· It began as an IOU for wildlife -- a 55-acre developer-built wetland offering refuge to birds and fish. But after years of effort, only half of the man-made marsh inside the 933-acre Monarch Lakes development has turned into the aquatic wildlife habitat that had been promised.
	No tax listings for li