Daily Clips for April 20, 2011

FEATURED STORIES

Florida won't join oil spill suit against Transocean, instead will file claim against BP
By Mary Ellen Klas and Katie Sanders
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Related: Mission to preserve gulf marine life forged in oil spill
Related editorial: Drilling off Florida: It's not worth it
Florida will not join the federal lawsuit against Transocean, the operator of the Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded a year ago, and will instead file a claim against BP, Gov. Rick Scott said Tuesday.

Gov. Rick Scott's office bills taxpayers $25,000 for consultant's work
By Michael C. Bender
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
A Memphis company that helped dig up dirt on Gov. Rick Scott's campaign opponents has relocated to the state capital.

Parties squabble over who's left off Florida redistricting panel
Associated Press
Palm Beach Post
The battle to redraw Florida's political district lines began with a skirmish over the perceived snub of a top Democrat from the chamber's redistricting panel Tuesday, the day before the first meetings about the once-in-a-decade process.

Florida Public Worker Pensions: A Battle Royal Rages
By Les Coleman
Public News Service Florida
The verbal war over public-worker pensions is fueling political debate at the state Capitol.

Florida may be do-or-die for 2012ers
By Alexander Burns
Politico
It’s all coming down to Florida, again. The fight for the GOP presidential nomination looks increasingly like it could be decided by a state with a rule-breaking, unsanctioned election that has thrown the presidential primary calendar in flux.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Today in Tallahassee: Elections, growth, redistricting
By Aaron Sharockman
St. Petersburg Times
A controversial rewrite of state elections laws heads to the floor of the House on Wednesday as members return to the capital after a two-day break.

New DMS secretary can't shake gov's plane sale
By James Call
WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee
Governor Rick Scott's nominees to run state agencies have been appearing before senate committees as the chamber prepares to confirm the nominees.

Legislators seek fix to laws allowing squatters to take property
By Jay Stapleton
Daytona Beach News-Journal
A real estate agent who sold a house in Deltona last year was shocked to find a woman already living in the expansive abode.

POLITICAL RACES

Poll: Jeb crushes Obama in Florida
By Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times
Jeb Bush would beat Barack Obama in Florida 57 percent to 38 percent, according to an 13-14 poll by Viewpoint Florida (aka veteran GOP consultants Pat Bainter and Randy Nielsen).

LeMieux makes first campaign pitch in Tampa to GOP activists
By William March
Tampa Tribune
In his first Tampa campaign appearance in the U.S. Senate race, George LeMieux sought to reaffirm his Republican credentials – and without mentioning it, his separation from former political patron Charlie Crist.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Gov. Scott tours Panhandle, says Fla. won't join multi-state oil spill lawsuit
By Bill Cotterell
Florida Capital News
Related: Florida seafood safe, but reputation marred by oil spill
Gov. Rick Scott, promoting Panhandle tourism and seafood in an anniversary tour touting recovery from the BP oil spill, said Tuesday Florida will not join in a multi-state lawsuit.

Oil spill's long-term effects worry UF experts
By Nathan Crabbe
Gainesville Sun
One year after the start of a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the plugging of the spill and oil cleanup effort might cause some to believe the problem is over.

Bills would change state environmental regulations, focus
By Kathleen Haughney and Andy Reid
Orlando Sentinel
The Florida House is poised to take up legislation today that could essentially undo Florida's 25-year-old growth-management laws, following Gov. Rick Scott's mantra that stripping away regulations that govern development will spark the state's sluggish economy and generate jobs.

Fla. House takes aim at growth control regulations
Associated Press
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Legislation that would repeal some state regulations designed to control urban sprawl and loosen others is headed for a floor vote in the Florida House.

Tougher South Florida watering rules resisted, despite drought concerns
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Despite lingering drought conditions, South Florida water managers are so far resisting environmentalists’ call for tougher watering restrictions to try to stretch supplies.

LGBT

Orange leaders approve same-sex benefits
By David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
Orange County leaders voted 6-0 this morning to extend health and other workplace benefits to the partners and children of gay county employees.

EDUCATION

School Choice expansion a top legislative priority
By Lynn Hatter
WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee
The Florida Legislature wants to give students and parents more options when it comes to choosing schools.

Pinellas school superintendent Julie Janssen says budget cut proposals will affect students
By Ron Matus
St. Petersburg Times
After weeks of anticipation, the scope of $60 million in budget cuts for Pinellas schools quickly came into focus Tuesday, with the School Board considering a slew of stark measures.

Broward’s class of ’12 might see some graduation changes
By Carli Teproff
Miami Herald
When members of the Monarch High class of ’11 cross the stage at Florida Atlantic University to pick up their diplomas, it may be the last time.

Duval superintendent prioritizes budget cuts; sports not one of them
By Topher Sanders
Florida Times-Union
The superintendent of Duval County Public Schools released Tuesday his prioritized list of cuts to make up a possible $82 million shortfall for the 2011-12 school year, and sports programs were not among the items.

Orange schools budget in better shape than others
By Lauren Roth
Orlando Sentinel
Orange County Public Schools are expecting to have about $150 less to spend per pupil next year, based on the current state House and Senate budget proposals.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Report details the cost of tax loopholes
By Travis Pillow
Florida Independent
The Florida Public Research Interest Group celebrated Tax Day by releasing a report that breaks down the cost of offshore tax havens, which allow corporations and the rich to avoid $100 billion a year in taxes.

Tax cap bill fulfills promises to lower property taxes, worries local governments
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee
Bills to lower tax rates for non-homestead and commercial property owners are working their way through the legislature.

Venture capital deals in Florida improving but remain puny compared to states like California
Staff Report
St. Petersburg Times
Fourteen private companies in Florida received a total of $114.6 million in venture capital funding in the first quarter of 2011.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Plan for tackling pain killer abuse puts focus on Florida as No. 1 pill supplier
By Michael LaForgia
Palm Beach Post
The Obama administration on Tuesday outlined a national plan for tackling prescription painkiller abuse, a move that intensified focus on Florida as the country's No. 1 pill supplier.

Democratic ads criticize South Florida Republicans who support GOP Medicare revisions
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
From President Obama to a series of low-budget radio buys, Democrats have gone on the attack against a Republican plan to change Medicare to a program in which the government would subsidize private insurance premiums for future retirees.

Congressional subcommittee to hold VA hospital hearings again
By Fred Tasker
Miami Herald
A congressional subcommittee will hear testimony May 3 on lax sterilization practices at Miami’s Veterans Administration hospital and four others that put tens of thousands of veterans in danger of hepatitis and HIV infection.

Where did that tumor go?
By Marty Clear
Health News Florida
No one knows where Ricky E. Gall’s tumor went.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Immigrant supporters attack opponents with TV ads
By Patricia Mazzei
Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau
A group of immigration advocates in Miami is turning up the heat on local lawmakers over an illegal immigration crackdown proposed in Tallahassee.