PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS
Epilogue, media-coverage round-up to ‘Boo Rick Scott on Opening Day’
St. Petersblog 2.0
Excerpt: Thank you to the more than 1,200 people who signed up on the original Facebook page “Boo Rick Scott on Opening Day (even if you’re not going to the game). Thank you to Mark Ferrulo of Progress Florida for being my partner in crime on this project.
Legislators taking pro-business stance in this session
By Jonathan Mattise
TC Palm
Excerpt: "They've really demonized government in all aspects of our lives," said Mark Ferrulo, executive director of progressive group Progress Florida. "Gov. Scott, Senate President (Mike) Haridopolos and Speaker (Dean) Cannon, they just want this sort of completely wild, wild west of business in Florida."
FEATURED STORIES
Gov. Rick Scott, Solantic and conflict of interest: What's the deal?
By Kris Hundley
St. Petersburg Times
If you have a $62 million investment, representing the biggest single chunk of your $218 million wealth, and you put it in a trust under your wife's name, does that mean you're no longer involved in the company?
Gov. Rick Scott hears chorus of boos at Rays opener (includes video)
By Luis Perez
St. Petersburg Times
The line of protesters leading to the Trop was about 125 strong Friday, and they had one sentiment for Gov. Rick Scott.
Florida budget cuts will affect every town and tax bracket
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
Claiming a voter mandate to curtail a growing appetite for government services without raising taxes, Florida's Republican-run Legislature is steaming toward passing one of the most austere and conservative budgets in modern times.
Major Florida House elections bill emerges before committee vote
By Steve Bousquet
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
A sweeping rewrite of election laws, crafted in part by House Speaker Dean Cannon's office, surfaced Friday and drew strong opposition from election supervisors, unions, grass-roots advocacy groups and Democratic lawmakers.
Fla. Legislature likely to curtail abortion rights
By Bill Kaczor
Associated Press
With economic issues dominating Florida's political rhetoric, little was heard about abortion during the November election, but the results may profoundly affect abortion rights in the state.
EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK
By Jeff Parker
Florida Today
FLORIDA POLITICS
The best Legislature money can buy
By Carl Hiaasen
Miami Herald
I once referred to a past Legislature as a festival of whores, which in retrospect was a vile insult to the world’s oldest profession.
Florida — the sad state of our state
By Bob Graham
St. Petersburg Times
As the Legislature enters its second half, there has emerged a disturbing pattern of ignoring many of Florida's core values.
Halfway through session, some issues still unsettled
By Jerome R. Stockfisch
Tampa Tribune
Everyone knew the cuts were coming. With the state in a $3.6 billion hole – later revised to $3.8 billion– drawing up a state budget was bound to be a hatchet job.
Let the budget battle begin
By Marc Caputo
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
In the chess match of Florida's budget, the pieces are in place.
Republicans in Legislature hold all the political cards
By Mary Ellen Klas
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
In the next 30 days, Florida lawmakers are poised to make it easier for insurance companies to raise rates, make it more difficult for women to receive an abortion and hand over control of prisons to private companies.
Draw fair districts for all Floridians, as citizens mandated
By Deirdre Macnab, Jorge Mursuli and Adora Obi Nweze
Daytona Beach News-Journal
In last Sunday's News-Journal, U.S. Rep. Corinne Brown, D-Jacksonville, reiterated her idea that the Fair Districts amendments "will silence the voice of minorities in our congressional delegation." Nothing could be further from the truth.
Senate panel diverts low-cost housing funds
By Bill Kaczor
Associated Press
A proposal that would permanently divert at least $194 million annually in real estate-related taxes from Florida's affordable housing program to general state spending won approval Friday from the Senate Budget Committee.
Veterans are the focus of about 50 bills this session in Florida
By Katie Sanders
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
As a retired Army Reserve brigadier general, Judge T. Patt Maney looks out for veterans who show up in his courtroom convicted of crimes at home after a tour of war.
Gov. Scott courts controversy during session
By Zac Anderson
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Federal courts have been clear: Blanket drug testing of government workers violates their privacy.
Gov. Rick Scott is also Defendant Scott
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
Cynics might say Gov. Rick Scott is pushing tort reform because he's getting dragged to the courthouse so often.
When does all this 'deregulation' go too far?
By Howard Troxler
St. Petersburg Times
In 1995, the operator of a Pasco County dance studio was sentenced to prison after scamming more than $1 million from lonely, confused elderly customers.
Unions and supporters plan protests
By Anthony Man
Orlando Sentinel
Organized labor is staging protests in Broward and Palm Beach counties, and across the nation, on Monday.
Tallahassee's power grab
Editorial
Orlando Sentinel
At the end of 2010 we cautioned that the Republican Party, more powerful now than ever in Florida's history, would have to combat the urge to abuse its power.
POLITICAL RACES
Florida Dem chair pins party’s hopes on redistricting, won’t rule out gov run
By Joy-Ann Reid
Reid Report
Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith believes Florida’s misshapen districts have hampered Democrats’ ability to win elections, almost more than any other factor.
As Rubio steps aside, state lacks candidates
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The Floridian with the best chance to get on a presidential ticket in 2012 is already taking himself out of the running.
Marco Rubio carefully reclaims spotlight
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
The frenzy over Marco Rubio had escalated into what an adviser called a "smoking, overheated machine," which was apparent in the 200 reporters surrounding him at Miami's Biltmore Hotel on election night.
Republican George LeMieux ready for U.S. Senate race
Staff Report
St. Petersburg Times
George LeMieux is set to enter the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, a possibly contentious contest in which the winner will face incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.
Presidential candidates quietly court support in South Florida
By Anthony Man
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Look twice. The man in the gray suit on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale or at the upscale Shoppes at Village Pointe in Boca Raton might be the next president of the United States.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Audubon Society wants to weigh in on suit against Rick Scott
By Janet Zink
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The Florida Audubon Society filed a motion in the Florida Supreme Court on Friday asking to enter a brief supporting a suit challenging the constitutionality of Gov. Rick Scott's executive order freezing rule-making.
Wasserman Schultz, Deutch, other House Democrats send letter to Boehner urging reconsideration of EPA cuts
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
In a letter sent to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, House Democrats expressed their concerns with anti-environmental policy “riders” in the forthcoming continuing resolution that would fund the government for the remainder of 2011.
Author says "water ethic" needed in Florida's future
By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.com
Florida doesn't need another white paper offering water policy recommendations to protect future water supplies. What the state finally needs is a "water ethic."
The enemies of Florida's environment
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
Republican Gov. Rick Scott and the GOP-led Legislature appear bent on destroying Florida's environment and overturning decades of efforts to protect it by governors and lawmakers from both political parties.
LGBT
Pentagon defends lifting military gay ban; U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Deerfield Beach, criticizes repeal
Associated Press
Miami Herald
Senior Pentagon leaders are defending repeal of the ban on gays serving openly in the military to House Republicans who labeled it as political correctness and social engineering.
EDUCATION
Many classrooms in Florida could be getting more crowded again
By Dave Weber
Orlando Sentinel
Class sizes in Florida public schools may be getting much larger again next fall despite voter-mandated restrictions that went into effect just this year.
High school students face changes in FCAT this year
By Colleen Wixon
TC Palm
Because of changes to the FCAT, there are going to be some differences in how high school students take the test this year.
More pocketbook pain for Florida college students
By Denise-Marie Balona
Orlando Sentinel
Florida university students can expect to pay at least 15 percent more for tuition next school year — a financial burden that comes at the same time state lawmakers are considering slashing all Bright Futures scholarships by about $1,000 a year.
Senate drops plan to suspend prepaid college program
By Denise-Marie Balona
Orlando Sentinel
State Sen. Evelyn Lynn has abandoned her plan to suspend the popular Florida Prepaid College program.
Are Bright Future scholarships going to the right students?
By Michael Vasquez
Miami Herald
Florida’s Bright Futures program began as a way to keep the state’s smartest students from attending college out-of-state — driven by fears they might never return.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
House panel clears plan to give governor $400 million for economic development
By Travis Pillow
Florida Independent
A Florida House panel approved a pair of measures that would consolidate six state trust funds dedicated to areas ranging from affordable housing to Visit Florida into a giant pot of money worth $400 million-plus, to be used by Gov. Rick Scott for “economic development incentives.”
Lawmakers hope to save money by privatizing jobs
By Lloyd Dunkelberger
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Thousands of state jobs for key services — ranging from caring for state mental health hospital patients to keeping some of Florida's most dangerous criminals behind bars — are set to be turned over to private companies this year.
Senate panel diverts low-cost housing funds
By Bill Kaczor
Associated Press
A proposal that would permanently divert at least $194 million annually in real estate-related taxes from Florida's affordable housing program to general state spending won approval Friday from the Senate Budget Committee.
Union Payroll Deduction Not Costly
By Glenn Marston
Lakeland Ledger
State Rep. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, would like her constituents in Polk County to believe that she was doing nothing to push down teacher unions by voting to ban payroll deduction of union dues in government offices.
Why I won't vote to raise the debt limit
By Sen. Marco Rubio
St. Petersburg Times
Our generation's greatest challenge is an economy that isn't growing, alongside a national debt that is.
Facing uncertainty with dedication
By Bill Cotterell
Florida Capital News
The top administrator of Florida State Hospital sent a memo to employees last week that sums up what a lot of state employees are worrying about.
‘Just say no’ to state employee drug testing
Editorial
Miami Herald
Anyone who puts their child on a public school bus, or dials 911 for emergency help, or flags a state trooper down the road, surely wants the government employees entrusted with their safety to be clear-minded and not under the influence of drugs.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Government appeals judge's health care ruling
By Greg Bluestein
Associated Press
The federal health care overhaul's core requirement to make virtually all citizens buy health insurance or face tax penalties is constitutional because Congress has the authority to regulate interstate business, the Justice Department said in its appeal of a ruling that struck down the Obama administration's signature legislation.
Caregivers for disabled call Scott's emergency 15 percent cuts of their payments 'draconian'
By John Kennedy and Ana M. Valdes
Palm Beach Post
A day after Gov. Rick Scott ordered deep cuts to community organizations caring for developmentally disabled Floridians, the state Senate moved Friday to impose tight controls on future spending.
State could lose money dropping drug database
By Kathleen Haughney
Orlando Sentinel
If Gov. Rick Scott and many lawmakers succeed in doing away with a drug monitoring system that 34 other states are using to track prescription drug abuse, Florida stands to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars earmarked to help the state crack down on pill mills.
Program that helps employers pay medical bills for retirees too young for Medicare could go away
By Richard Martin
St. Petersburg Times
Not so long ago, most American employers kept offering health insurance to their younger retirees until they were old enough for Medicare.
Scott draws more fire on APD cuts
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
Gov. Rick Scott’s office is describing his order cutting payments to community care providers for Floridians with Down Syndrome, autism and other developmental disabilities as a step needed to keep an overspending state agency from going off a cliff.
We must keep nursing-home watchdogs
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
Lynn Dos Santos remembers the time she walked into a nursing home in Sarasota and spotted a forlorn woman slouched in a wheelchair, her hair a tangled mess.
CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
FL Observes Anniversary of MLK Death Today
By Eric Mack
Public News Service Florida
>From public employees to child care workers, many Florida residents are pausing today to honor the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Florida House GOP's 'uterus' ban: A free-speech battle is born
By Frank Cerabino
Palm Beach Post
Have you heard about the uterus rebellion?
Pastor Who Burned Koran Demands Retribution
By Lizette Alvarez and Don Van Natta Jr.
New York Times
Before a Koran was burned at his modest church here on March 20, the pastor Terry Jones held a self-styled mock trial of the holy book in which he presided from the pulpit as judge.
Do the right thing on immigration
Editorial
Ft. Myers News-Press
It's true that only Congress can fix immigration comprehensively.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
Florida prison privatization proposals open door for politically connected GEO GroupBy Steve Bousquet
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The Legislature's push to privatize many more prisons, its most far-reaching cost-cutting plan in years, opens a lucrative door to politically connected vendors who stand to profit.
Foreclosure crisis: Fed-up judges crack down on disorder in the courts
By Christine Stapleton and Kimberly Miller
Palm Beach Post
Angry and exasperated by faulty foreclosure documents, judges throughout Florida are hitting back by increasingly dismissing cases and boldly accusing lawyers of "fraud upon the court."
Legislation would weaken, undermine Florida's judicial branch
Editorial
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
There's a coup brewing in Tallahassee. Some lawmakers — still stinging after the state Supreme Court struck three of the Legislature's flawed constitutional amendments from last year's ballot — have offered an array of proposals that would take authority and independence from the judiciary.
Crushing the courts
Editorial
Florida Today
Attempted power grabs are everyday events from Florida lawmakers in Tallahassee, but this one is a stunner
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