Daily Clips for December 6, 2010

FEATURED STORIES Gov.-elect Rick Scott's 'outsider' role shaping his transition in Tallahassee By Mary Ellen Klas, Michael C. Bender and Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Florida's new governor has yet to name a single person to his administrative team, four weeks after the election. School reform at top of Scott's list By Gary Fineout Sarasota Herald-Tribune Gov.-elect Rick Scott has proclaimed that his No. 1 goal is creating jobs. New leaders may roll back enviro, health regulations By Zac Anderson Sarasota Herald-Tribune In their quest to reduce regulations, particularly on businesses, Gov.-elect Rick Scott and Florida's new legislative leaders are taking aim at a whole range of environmental protection efforts. Wealthy donors lining up to help Scott celebrate inauguration in style By Jim Ash Florida Capital News Well-heeled donors are lining up to make sure that Gov.-elect Rick Scott, the political newcomer who promised no more politics as usual, will celebrate his Jan. 4 inauguration in style. Haridopolos admits failure to disclose finances violated ethics law By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos admitted he made an ''embarrassing'' mistake when he repeatedly failed to properly fill out financial disclosure forms. A political approach on reforming schools Editorial St. Petersburg Times Contrary to what is best for students, Florida Republicans are once again drawing battle lines over education reform. EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK By Chan Lowe South Florida Sun-Sentinel Read the artist’s commentary here. FLORIDA POLITICS Caucus calls for black Democratic Party chairman, laments lack of election input By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau The head of Florida's black legislative caucus is complaining to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson that the mostly white Florida Democratic Party elite is ignoring African-Americans and has all but crowned a new leader without their input. South Florida senator becomes voice of opposition in Tallahassee By Anthony Man South Florida Sun-Sentinel As a new era of conservative dominance begins in Tallahassee, an unabashed South Florida liberal becomes the most prominent voice of the opposition. Gov. Crist content, optimistic for future By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News His term has been one of the most turbulent in Florida history, but Gov. Charlie Crist leaves office content with his accomplishments and optimistic about his future in or out of politics. Crist Couldn't Have Foreseen His Four Tough Years By John Kennedy News Service of Florida Gov. Charlie Crist stepped onto the Old Capitol stage at his January 2007 inauguration to the strains of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for a Common Man," promising a bipartisan and open state government, with property-tax cuts to ease the effects of a red-hot housing market. Crist Sought Plain-Language Govt. By Lloyd Dunkelberger Lakeland Ledger Among a myriad of initiatives launched in his first year as governor, Charlie Crist had a rather simple idea. Scott's CEO past will determine future By Lloyd Dunkelberger Gainesville Sun As a hard-charging CEO, Rick Scott had his way in the corporate world. Scott meets with Panhandle lawmakers By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News On the eve of a five-day "Let's Get to Work" tour to explore Florida's economic-development prospects, Gov.-elect Rick Scott told Panhandle legislators Sunday night he will personally phone anybody they think can help bring jobs to the state. Rick Scott should avoid knee-jerk reactions By Ron Littlepage Florida Times-Union Now I understand that Rick Scott is a relative newcomer to Florida and that he doesn’t know a whole lot about the state. Governor-elect big on sound bites, short on details By Michael Mayo South Florida Sun-Sentinel The conference room was small, and Rick Scott listened intently as five South Florida legislators — all Democrats — gave little spiels about their priorities. Big GOP tent?: Party working hard to expand base By Kingsley Guy South Florida Sun-Sentinel Demographic trends demand that the Republican Party do all that it can to reach out to Americans of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Enough with anonymous attacks in politics (and everywhere else) By Howard Troxler St. Petersburg Times I got home the other day and found a political brochure in the mail. Sheesh, I thought, don't they know the election is over? POLITICAL RACES Several Republicans may vie to take on Bill Nelson in 2012 By William March Tampa Tribune After the Nov. 2 Republican sweep, Bill Nelson is once again Florida's lone Democratic statewide officeholder, and a flock of big-name GOP candidates are lining up for a primary battle to take him on. Haridopolos plans run for US Senate By Bill Cotterell Florida Today Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos is ready to run for the U.S. Senate. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY GOP leaders won't revisit oil drilling issue in state waters By Ray Reyes Tampa Tribune Republican leaders in Florida have criticized the Obama administration's decision to extend a ban on new oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico for the next seven years, saying the moratorium impedes economic growth and keeps the nation dependent on foreign oil. New Senate environmental chairman wants to repeal septic tank inspections By Bruce Ritchie FloridaEnvironments.com The new chairman of the Senate's environmental committee has introduced a bill that would repeal a new requirement that septic tanks be inspected every five years. Department of Environmental Protection and Georgia-Pacific face off over Rice Creek pipeline By Virginia Chamlee Florida Independent Paper giant Georgia-Pacific and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection traded heated letters last week, as the two sides debated the details of the construction of a controversial pipeline that will reroute much of Georgia-Pacific’s effluent from Rice Creek into the much larger St. Johns River. EPA Inaction on Water: Get the Lead Out Editorial Lakeland Ledger Why can't the EPA do its job without being prodded by a lawsuit? The real jobs killer in the gulf Editorial St. Petersburg Times The partisan rhetoric from Florida Republicans criticizing President Barack Obama's rational decision to reverse his oil drilling plan for the eastern Gulf of Mexico was predictable — and downright wrong. EDUCATION Legislator aims to ease class-size law, reduce fines By Leslie Postal Orlando Sentinel On their big class-size test, many of Florida's school districts got failing marks this week and now owe some $38 million in potential fines — money that would be painful to hand over in another bleak budget year. Legislators to watch ‘Waiting for Superman’ By John Kennedy The News Service of Florida Florida lawmakers will host a private screening on Tuesday of the film Waiting for Superman, the pro-charter school documentary that blames teachers' unions for much of education's woes. Scott transition chairwoman praises Rhee Leslie Postal and Denise-Marie Balona Orlando Sentinel Gov.-elect Rick Scott's decision to tap Michelle Rhee for his education transition team signals his interest in pushing hard for education reform — and quickly. Tougher Florida graduation rules on the way By Jennifer Edwards Florida Times-Union High school students are in for big changes over the next couple of years that will affect most of them in many ways and may prevent some from graduating. Sansom isn't the leader at-risk students need By Wendy Victora Northwest Florida Daily News Fourteen years ago, when I moved here to cover education for the Northwest Florida Daily News, Terri Roberts was the local school district’s chief financial officer. Counterproductive fine Editorial Pensacola News Journal It is counterproductive for the state of Florida to fine the Santa Rosa County School District — or any other district — for failing to meet class size requirements. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY GOP plans changes to help insurers By Gary Fineout Gainesville Sun Despite five straight years without a hurricane hitting Florida, the Republican-controlled Legislature is set to move quickly to enact a host of changes to help insurance companies. Bill Cotterell: State severs OPS from Social Security By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Social Security reform is called "the third rail" of politics because, as every subway rider knows, if you touch the line carrying the current, you die. Stimulus pumped $14.8 million into transportation projects By Christopher Curry Gainesville Sun When President Barack Obama signed the federal stimulus bill early last year, he announced it would represent the largest investment in the nation's infrastructure since the development of the interstate system in the 1950s. HEALTH AND SENIORS Scott cashes in with health industry By Jim Saunders Health News Florida As Rick Scott's campaign for governor gained momentum this year, optometrists started writing checks. So did nursing-home executives and hospital administrators. Death of woman after placement in ‘bed cage’ highlights controversial medical practice By Tristram Korten Florida Independent On May 18, 97-year-old Rose Strobel , who lived alone and was proudly self-sufficient, took an ambulance to Sarasota’s Doctors Hospital complaining of back pain. Tussle starts over $20 million health contract By Christine Jordan Sexton Florida Tribune The state may have to defend its choice to award a $20 million health information technology contract to a Melbourne based company after AT&T said on Friday it intends to mount a challenge. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Jeb Bush on tough immigration laws: ‘My children could be picked up just because of the way they look’ By Peter Schorsch St. Petersblog 2.0 Jeb Bush said today that if his children walked the streets of Phoenix they might look awfully suspicious to police. His wife Columba is from Mexico. Push to restore Fla. felons' rights renewed The Associated Press Tampa Tribune Several groups are renewing a push to automatically restore the voting and other civil rights of former Florida felons who have completed their sentences for nonviolent crimes. Report: Hate crimes in Florida dropped significantly in ’09 By Robert Napper Florida Independent Reported hate crimes dropped to the lowest levels in Florida since 1990 last year, according to a report released by the Florida Attorney General’s Office. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Florida lawsuit critics eager for their day in court By Brandon Larrabee Florida Times-Union In 2003, Gov. Jeb Bush tried to push an expansive package of civil-justice changes through the Florida Legislature.