Daily Clips for January 4, 2010

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS Will Scott Take Aim at 'Real Outsider,' Uncle Sam? By Kenric Ward Sunshine State News Excerpt: Mark Ferrulo, Progress Florida, Executive Director: "We’re concerned about Governor Scott’s seemingly unabashed agenda to transform the 'State of Florida' into 'Florida Inc.,' a wholly owned subsidiary of big developers, utilities and insurance companies. We hope we’re wrong, but looking at the folks on Governor Scott’s transition team, his proposals to date and who is writing the checks for his $3 million inauguration, it doesn’t appear so." FEATURED STORIES Rick Scott, which way forward? Editorial Orlando Sentinel Related: Outsider Scott faces challenges in Tallahassee Related: Florida Gov.-elect Scott's eager to get on job In the weeks leading up to his swearing in today as Florida's 45th governor, Rick Scott wisely tasked teams with expertise in several policy areas to provide him with ideas he might tap as the state's chief executive. Scott takes stage lacking a chorus By Lloyd Dunkelberger Sarasota Herald-Tribune Rick Scott takes the field as Florida's governor today with anything but a full team in place. Scott, a Republican who will be formally inaugurated in a late-morning ceremony, has appointed only three of more than a dozen and a half top department and agency heads -- the fewest to this point of any governor in recent memory. Florida's foreclosure mediation program produces few results By Kimberly Miller Palm Beach Post Related: Foreclosures resume in South Florida after two-week hold Florida's required foreclosure mediation program has produced scant results for struggling homeowners. The vast majority of Broward and Palm Beach County homeowners who underwent mediation have not ended up with a settlement and just 6 percent statewide left the negotiating table with a resolution. FLORIDA POLITICS Freshmen form one-third of state House By Amy Sherman Politifact Florida Term limits for Florida's state representatives and senators result in a lot of turnover in Tallahassee after an election. U.S. Rep-elect David Rivera discloses $137,000 loan he received from mother's company By Scott Hiaasen St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Incoming congressman David Rivera has admitted receiving $137,000 in undisclosed loans from a company co-owned by his mother -- a company now under criminal investigation over secret payments from the Flagler Dog Track during its campaign to bring slot machines to Miami-Dade pari-mutuels. Rep. West defends Joyce Kaufman on Fox News Sunday, says she helped pick replacement By Luke Johnson Florida Independent Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace invited on U.S. Sen.-elect Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep.-elect Allen West, R-Fla. — perhaps the two 2010 candidates for Congress most faithful to the grassroots of the tea party — and asked them both about whom they picked for their chiefs of staff. Buchanan to chair caucus Staff Report Bradenton Herald U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, has been named chairman of the congressional Friends of Panama Caucus. Former Fla. GOP leader in court Associated Press The former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida will be back in court. Jim Greer has a pretrial hearing scheduled Tuesday at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando. POLITICAL RACES Campaign filing begins for March elections By Sussanah Bryan South Florida Sun-Sentinel Eleven cities in Broward County and three cities in south Palm Beach County are holding elections this spring. BALLOT INITIATIVES ‘Personhood’ battles continue in new year with Republican legislatures By Patrick Caldwell Minnesota Independent A favorable enthusiasm gap heading into the 2010 midterm elections signaled a marquee year for Republicans and conservative interest groups across the country. ACLU moves ‘to intervene’ to defend Amendment 6 By Cooper Levy-Baker Florida Independent The ACLU of Florida has filed a motion “to intervene as defendants” in the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Amendment 6 — one of two so-called “Fair Districts” amendments that limit the Florida legislature’s ability to draw district lines to protect incumbents and guarantee one-party dominance. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Scott names shipyard executive to head DEP By Bill Kaczor Tampa Tribune Gov.-elect Rick Scott tapped the business community today to fill another key position on his leadership team by nominating a Jacksonville shipyard executive to head the Department of Environmental Protection. Thousands of Floridians opting for ‘quick pay’ oil spill claims By Travis Pillow Florida Independent Oil spill claims administrator Kenneth Feinberg announced a “quick pay” option last month, which would allow anyone who has already received a payment from the Gulf Coast Claims Facility to accept a check worth $5,000 for individuals or $25,000 for businesses without providing additional documentation, in exchange for waiving the right to sue BP. EDUCATION Simmons to be in thick of education debate By Dave Weber Orlando Sentinel When the Florida Legislature meets in March and April, Sen. David Simmons is expected to be in the thick of education reforms proposed by new Gov. Rick Scott. Florida schoolteachers full of anxiety as Rick Scott era begins By Mitch Perry Creative Loafing Tuesday at noon Rick Scott will officially become the next governor of the great state of Florida. Unlike any other elected official we can think of in recent times, the chief official comes into office with his ratings down from his performance at the polls last November. End-of-course tests better than FCAT? By Opinion Staff Palm Beach Post For years Florida students, teachers and parents have griped about the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY New directions Editorial Miami Herald South Florida has long counted on sunshine and surf for its fortunes, attracting tourists and growing trade. But without visionary leaders to look for new opportunities ahead, we'll lose out. Rick Scott won't back down on promise to cut taxes By Gary Fineout Sarasota Herald-Tribune Gov.-elect Rick Scott, who will be sworn in next Tuesday, has no plans to back off his campaign pledge to cut property taxes by 19 percent in the coming year, even though the state's financial picture has worsened in the months since he first made that promise. Scott Becomes Governor Vowing to Cut Florida’s Workforce by 5% By Simone Baribeau Business Week Rick Scott, a former health-care executive who spent a record $78 million running for Florida governor, takes office vowing to cut the state workforce by 5 percent to help close a $3.5 billion budget deficit. Personal bankruptcies in Florida rise 16.5 percent in 2010 By Jeff Harrington St. Petersburg Times Florida posted the seventh-biggest jump in personal bankruptcies in the country last year, increasing 16.5 percent from 2009, according to an American Bankruptcy Institute report released Monday. Fla. has decades worth of development capacity Associated Press Florida's planning chief says it'll take decades to use up development capacity approved over the last four years. HEALTH AND SENIORS In Florida, a slow start to early health-reform insurance perk By Jeremy Cox Florida Times-Union For the thousands of Floridians who can’t get health insurance because they are already sick, the new health-reform law promises a lifeline: an insurance plan designed just for them priced at standard market rates. Rick Scott has yet to appoint head of agency that could investigate Solantic complaint By Liz Freeman Naples Daily News Nobody’s at the helm of the massive Florida Department of Health that’s in charge of licensing and wrongdoing investigations of medical professionals and for responding to public-health emergencies. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE, AND SOCIAL ISSUES Florida state legislator crafting Arizona-style immigration law By John Lantigua South Florida Sun-Sentinel The debate over the adoption of an Arizona-type immigration law for Florida is going on front burners statewide, and Palm Beach County will be one of the hot spots for that discussion. Unlikely law beats the odds By Zac Anderson Sarasota Herald-Tribune Her divorce was getting nasty and Carolyn Ann Vlk was afraid her Czech husband would flee the country with their young son. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Drywall insurance coverage still possible By Duane Marsteller Bradenton Herald A recent court ruling could close the door on homeowners insurance coverage of corrosive imported drywall, but attorneys say other, more-likely recovery avenues remain open.