Daily Clips for February 11, 2011

FEATURED STORIES Gov. Rick Scott's budget slashes spending for homeless, other vulnerable groups By Janet Zink St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Last year, agencies that help Florida's homeless received nearly $7 million in state funding to assist more than 74,000 people. Battle brewing over Florida's 2012 presidential primary date By Mary Ellen Klas Miami Herald Battle lines are forming over whether or not Florida should continue to hold its presidential primary election weeks before other states, a plan opposed by national party leaders. Merit pay bill passes key Senate panel By Leslie Postal Orlando Sentinel A teacher merit-pay bill won its first favorable vote in the Senate education committee today, with its sponsor saying, "We're not here to punish teachers." Experts question report on health of Gulf of Mexico after oil spill By Emily Nipps St. Petersburg Times A new report on the Gulf of Mexico after the oil spill suggests a bright future. BEST OF THE BLOGS Menace to Society: 7 Reasons Rick Scott is bad for Florida By Joy-Ann Reid The Reid Report When Rick Scott was running for Florida governor, he tagged his “let’s get to work” jobs plan “777.” Florida’s Unemployed Are Lazy Druggies, Say Republican and Business Leaders By Bruce Seaman Daily Marion All those unemployed citizens of Florida are the problem with the costs of unemployment insurance. Unconventional Wisdom: Candidate Development – The First Steps By Mario Piscatella MPA Political OK, you a considering a run for public office, now what do you do? Stupid, Broke, and Sick By Mustang Bobby Bark Bark Woof Woof Gov. Rick Scott's budget proposals for Florida are so drastic that not even the Republicans in the state legislature are happy with them. Environmental protection: hung out to dry by politics, again By gimleteye Eye on Miami Protections for the environment-- for our clean air and clean water and natural resources-- are under concerted attack by the Republican right. POLITICAL RACES When should Florida hold its presidential primary? By Keith Laing News Service of Florida A showdown is looming over the timing of Florida's 2012 presidential primary, with the leaders of both major political parties in favor of moving the vote from January and several top politicians opposing a delay. Republican presidential primary contenders to visit Florida legislature By Travis Pillow Florida Independent At the end of a media availability today, Senate President Mike Haridopolos said potential Republican presidential contenders will be visiting lawmakers in Tallahassee during the upcoming legislative session. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Environmental advocates fret over Scott's tax cuts to water districts By Brandon Larrabee Florida Times-Union A potential 25 percent cut in the property taxes collected by the state's water management districts has environmental advocates worried that the agencies' abilities to preserve the quality of waters like those that flow through the St. Johns River could be compromised. Environmental groups ask government to set up new Florida panther colony in Okefenokee Swamp By Craig Pittman St. Petersburg Times Federal officials have talked for 30 years about finding a new place for Florida panthers to roam without ever taking action. Meanwhile, development has nibbled away at the available habitat in South Florida. The great Gulf offshore drilling jobs hoax continues By Chris Kromm Facing South Politicians in the Gulf Coast are still attacking President Obama's slow-down on offshore drilling, even as more evidence comes in that the post-BP spill measure has had modest effect on the coast's oil economy. EDUCATION Scott pitches expansion of public school choice By Leslie Postal and Rafael A. Olmeda South Florida Sun-Sentinel Gov. Rick Scott is pushing to expand public school choice by allowing students more ways to transfer to other campuses, enroll in charter schools and take classes online. Gov. Rick Scott's K-12 budget called 'smoke and mirrors' By Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times For a Republican-controlled Legislature that voted to increase taxes and fees by $2 billion two years ago, the bipartisan boos over Gov. Rick Scott's proposed spending cuts might not be too surprising. Florida Board of Governors committee rejects some proposed university fees By Jodie Tillman St. Petersburg Times The Board of Governors' budget committee Thursday took up new student fees, its first-ever review since the Legislature last year handed over that authority. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Florida unemployment proposals would cut benefits By Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Unemployed Floridians would work harder to earn fewer state benefits under a pair of proposals on the fast track in the Florida Legislature. Haridopolos: Public employees must take benefit cut By Nathan Crabbe Gainesville Sun Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos told a University of Florida audience Thursday that state workers must face benefit cuts to help balance the budget. Bing Energy to move headquarters to Florida, lured by prospect of tax cuts By Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times Bing Energy of Chino, Calif., announced Thursday it would move its headquarters and production facility to Florida. Bring on the pain, governor says Editorial St. Petersburg Times President Barack Obama has a reasonable plan to help states like Florida that have borrowed billions from Washington to cover jobless benefits during this period of record unemployment. HEALTH AND SENIORS It’s all about Medicaid next week By Jim Saunders Health News Florida Florida Senate leaders next week will release their first detailed proposal for overhauling the Medicaid system, calling for a shift of hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries to managed-care plans. 'Optional' Medicaid services may be cut Associated Press Sarasota Herald-Tribune Dentistry, eyeglasses and mental health services for Medicaid patients may be cut as part of the state's effort to curb the $21 billion budget next year for health care for the poor and disabled. Scott slammed on database repeal By Carol Gentry Health News Florida Cops, grieving parents and editorial boards say they're appalled at Gov. Rick Scott's idea of repealing the planned prescription drug monitoring system, aimed at catching drug-dealers who go "doctor-shopping" for narcotics. WellCare settles with big investors By Jim Saunders Health News Florida WellCare Health Plans is continuing to clean up the mess of a Medicaid fraud scandal, reaching a legal settlement with investors that could have a price-tag as high as $200 million. Scripps Florida breakthrough blocks Parkinson's By Jeff Ostrowski Palm Beach Post Scientists at Scripps Florida have discovered a way to stop the progress of Parkinson's disease, the brain disorder that afflicts about 1 million Americans and has defied the search for a cure. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Gov. Rick Scott's prison overhaul plan hits resistance in Senate By Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Gov. Rick Scott's plan to overhaul Florida's prison system, in part by firing hundreds of correctional officers, hit a wall of resistance Thursday.