Daily Clips for January 20, 2011

FEATURED STORIES Lawmakers casting doubt on Scott's promises of tax cuts By William March Tampa Tribune With newly elected Gov. Rick Scott's first session of the Florida Legislature about to start, Republican legislative leaders are casting doubt on his campaign promises for tax cuts. Scott denies he's shutting out Fla. media, public By Bill Kaczor Associated Press Gov. Rick Scott turned aside criticism Wednesday that his administration is shutting out the news media and the public during an appearance before newspaper editors, broadcasters and the Capitol press corps. Gov. Scott to answer questions from public during Twitter town hall today Staff Report Florida Capital News Gov. Rick Scott will answer questions today on a microblogging website. Democrat Nelson seeks third Senate term in state dominated by GOP By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Sen. Bill Nelson has been here before — the lone statewide Democrat in a red sea of Republicanism. FDLE takes lead in David Rivera probe By Scott Hiaasen and David Ovalle Miami Herald Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle has removed one of her top prosecution teams from the investigation of U.S. Rep. David Rivera and asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to take over as the lead agency in the politically sensitive probe. FLORIDA POLITICS Rick Scott: Budget plan will cut taxes despite $3.6 billion shortfall By Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau As Gov. Rick Scott boldly predicted he would keep a campaign promise to cut taxes, both top legislative leaders Wednesday expressed doubt because of the size of the state's budget shortfall. All-new Cabinet, including first woman AG, meets By Jim Ash Florida Capital News Gov. Rick Scott presided over his first Cabinet meeting on Wednesday — the agenda was wafer thin, the atmosphere distinctly elephantine. Smokey Bear, orange juice and a light agenda mark new Florida Cabinet's first meeting By Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau The first meeting Wednesday between Gov. Rick Scott and his fellow Republicans on the Florida Cabinet included a photo with Smokey Bear and decanters of orange juice but little official business. Gov. Scott plans tax cuts By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Despite skepticism by top legislative leaders, Gov. Rick Scott said Wednesday he will rally public support and convince lawmakers to dig out of a $3.5-billion revenue hole and cut taxes at the same time. Boot-scooting guv fields media questions By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post Cowboy boot-scootin’ Gov. Rick Scott fielded questions from the media today at the annual AP legislative planning session, deflecting questions about how he plans to hand out tax breaks to property owners and businesses while at the same time cutting $3.6 billion in spending. Rivera and others used leftover campaign cash on computers, cigars and meals By Gary Fineout The Fine Print This past weekend the Miami Herald reported that an ongoing investigation into U.S. Rep. David Rivera was focusing on how he spent leftover campaign funds. Julius Melendez says Hispanic districts not key to electing Hispanics By Jeannette Rivera-Lyles Orlando Sentinel In a recent interview for an article about redistricting, Osceola School Board vice chair, Julius Melendez, shared a most interesting point of view. State ethics: 'Reform is essential' Editorial Florida Times-Union It’s good to see new Florida Gov. Rick Scott getting to work quickly on ethics. POLITICAL RACES Mike Haridopolos, the state Senate president, and U.S. Senate candidate By Aaron Sharockman St. Petersburg Times State Sen. President Mike Haridopolos told members of the Tallahassee press corps Wednesday that he hasn't decided whether he'd raise money for his 2012 U.S. Senate campaign during the spring legislative session. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Scott: We "clearly need" better growth management By Bruce Ritchie FloridaEnvironments.com Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday said he supports growth management but says it needs to be improved. Septic tank measure becomes law without Scott's signature By Bruce Ritchie Florida Tribune Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday allowed a bill to become law that delays a statewide inspection requirement for septic tanks. For Putnam, it's all about the water By Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam told Florida reporters and editors Wednesday that the most important long-term policy issue facing the Sunshine State is quantity and quality of water. Cabinet confirms Vinyard to DEP post; Eight top vacancies remain By Bruce Ritchie FloridaEnvironments.com New Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Herschel Vinyard, a former shipyard executive, was confirmed by the Cabinet Wednesday. Bondi to press Feinberg on oil spill payments By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday her office will start pressing BP Oil and federal claims administrator Ken Feinberg to expedite payments to Florida businesses affected by the Deepwater Horizon spill last summer. Feinberg acknowledges ‘mistakes,’ says fund will ‘take another look’ at denied oil spill claims By Travis Pillow Florida Independent Oil spill claims administrator Kenneth Feinberg told a room full of representatives of Florida’s tourism industry that the Gulf Coast Claims Facility would “take another look” at denied claims when claimants file for final or quarterly “interim” payments. LGBT Rick Scott says he opposes gay adoption but won't challenge court ruling By Mary Ellen Klas and Carol Marbin Miller St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Related editorial: Scott shouldn't reverse adoption advance Gov. Rick Scott said Wednesday that he doesn't have any immediate plans to change the state policy on gay adoptions but he remains opposed to it, as does his new appointee to the agency that handles adoptions of children in state care. Man who fought gay adoption ban adopts 2 boys Associated Press Palm Beach Post A homosexual Miami man has officially adopted two brothers in a case that overturned Florida's three-decade ban on gay adoptions. EDUCATION School superintendents gather in Hillsborough to discuss reforms By Tom Marshall St. Petersburg Times Some two dozen Florida school superintendents and union chiefs gathered Wednesday to find common ground in the contentious debate over improving the state's education system. Will parent grades help kids or hurt teacher-parent relations? By Michael Mayo South Florida Sun-Sentinel If state Rep. Kelli Stargel has her way, I'll be getting my first parent grade in autumn 2012, when my daughter is in first grade. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Time bomb of rising bills awaits Floridians By Robert Trigaux St. Petersburg Times Through these tough economic times, we've kept some hefty bills artificially low. Nelson Presses Scott on Rail Plan By Keith Laing News Service of Florida U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson leaned hard on new Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday to punch the state's ticket for high speed rail connecting Tampa and Orlando, particularly since the federal government has offered to pay 90 percent of the cost. HEALTH AND SENIORS Florida Republicans join celebration as House votes for repeal of health care law By William E. Gibson South Florida Sun-Sentinel Applause broke out on the House floor and in the visitor galleries on Wednesday when Republicans fulfilled a campaign promise by passing a bill to repeal the sweeping health care reforms signed into law by President Barack Obama last year. As Health Care 2.0 begins, Democrats look to overturn failure in PR war By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Wednesday's repeal of the health care overhaul was a show of affection for voters that gave Republicans control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Health Care: Stop Arguing About Repeal and Focus on Enacting the Right Reforms By Dennis Maley Bradenton Times While Republicans in Congress have made the repeal of the Affordable Care Act a rallying call, vowing to repeal it in light of their post-election gains, industry experts remain unwavering in their assertion that reforms will move forward unfettered. Will feds thwart FL GOP on Medicaid? By Jim Saunders Health News Florida With Rick Scott in the governor's office and new legislative leaders vowing to overhaul Medicaid, a statewide managed-care program has looked like a sure thing. Funding gap threatens AIDS drug help By Fred Tasker Miami Herald Patients who need HIV/AIDS drugs but can't afford them could be in danger of going without if the Florida program that supplies the drugs runs out of money as threatened by mid-February, state officials said Wednesday. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES In Tallahassee, Only Thing Missing Is Cactus By Ralph De La Cruz Florida Center for Investigative Reporting Florida lawmakers, it seems, are having a Bugs Bunny moment. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Trial set for Sansom, Richburg and Odom, charged with mishandling state funds in local business scheme By Tom McLaughlin Northwest Florida Daily News Leon County Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis has ruled against Ray Sansom’s latest request to postpone his criminal trial. Judge: I'm temporarily sealing Jim Greer's tell-all book By Rene Stutzman Orlando Sentinel An Orlando judge today temporarily sealed the manuscript of a tell-all book ousted Florida GOP chairman Jim Greer was trying to sell to a publisher.