Daily Clips for December 30, 2011

FEATURED STORIES

Gov. Scott's latest target: Florida's taxing districts
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
One of Gov. Rick Scott's first moves in the new year will be to call for a sweeping review of some of the state's oldest governments - Florida's more than 1,600 special districts.

Fla.'s Economic Pain, Anger Could Shape 2012 Race
By Greg Allen
NPR
Florida is once again poised to play an important role in selecting the president in 2012. Its Republican primary on Jan. 31 is the nation's fourth nominating contest.

2012 Session Outlook: Redistricting and Reapportionment
By Travis Pillow
Florida Current
As lawmakers head into an election year session during a tight budget year, the once-in-a-decade task of redrawing legislative and congressional boundaries could weigh more heavily on their minds than any other.

Bill tweaked to allow pari-mutuels to become casinos, give local voters veto over expanded gambling
By Nick Sortal
Orlando Sentinel
The co-sponsor of a bill that would bring destination casinos to South Florida is proposing significant changes, including measures that could turn existing pari-mutuels like racetracks and jai-alai frontons into full-fledged casinos.

Last shuttle flight is Fla.'s top story
By Mike Schneider
Associated Press
The end of the space shuttle program after more than three decades of flights to low-earth orbit launched past Gov. Rick Scott's shakeup of state government and the Casey Anthony murder trial as Florida's top story of 2011, according to a poll of newspaper editors conducted by The Associated Press.

BEST OF THE BLOGS

Rick Scott Made 2011 The Year Of The Train Wreck
By Inkberries
Beach Peanuts
Florida began 2011 with our new Governor Rick Scott, and it's been downhill ever since.

An Unlikely Year For Progress
By Ray Seaman
Progress Florida
It was springtime for Florida's extreme right in January 2011.

Ten reasons to champion the Affordable Care Act
By Darden Rice
St. Petersblog 2.0
How does the landmark health care reform legislation, called the Affordable Care Act, really measure up on the 2011 scorecard?

I Guess We Can’t Have An Honest Conversation About Unemployment
By Kenneth Quinnell
Florida Progressive Coalition
I asked last month if it were possible to talk about unemployment honestly in our political climate.

How the Moneychangers Have Deformed “Reform”
By Julie DeLegal
Folio Weekly
In the wake of a recent circuit court decision, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has rewritten a legislatively-composed ballot initiative that would, critics say, allow state money to go directly to private, religious school vouchers.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Some protesters think Tampa police are handing out too many trespass warnings
By Janelle Irwin
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
Occupy Tampa activists and some advocacy groups are wondering why the City of Tampa is giving trespass warnings to so many protesters.

The 25 Most Powerful People in Central Florida, Part 1
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
They affect the taxes you pay and the schools your children attend.

Amid fundraising binge, Republican intrigue in FL Senate President race continues
By Marc Caputo
Miami Herald
It's almost session. Do you know who your Florida Senate president will be in two years?

Scott names new public records director, replaces external affairs chief
By Michael C. Bender
Miami Herald
Bonnie Hazelton, director of the Office of the Ombudsman and Public Services, will take over as director of Gov. Rick Scott's Office of Open Government, Scott's office announced today.

Florida Republicans staff up media shop
By Michael C. Bender
Tampa Bay Times
The Republican Party of Florida today announced Kristen McDonald, a former Gov. Rick Scott intern, and Dan Dawson, a former staffer for CFO Jeff Atwater, will join the party's communications team.

POLITICAL RACES

Not everyone’s buying Gingrich’s anti-Agenda 21 cred
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
One of the ways presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has been trying to gin up support in tea party and far-right conservative circles is by talking about Agenda 21 — a lot.

Rick Santorum, surging in Iowa, a test for future of retail politics
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Rick Santorum has spent more time campaigning for president in Iowa than any Republican, but he's like the annoying uncle at the annual holiday party, invited because he's family, not because he's funny or charismatic.

Where Fla fits into Obama's re-election strategy
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Jim Messina President Obama's re-election chief, shares 5 of 40 paths to victory in this video.

Poll: Mack holds big lead in GOP Senate race
By Brandon Larrabee
News Service of Florida
U.S. Rep. Connie Mack has a strong lead on his competitors for the GOP nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, according to a new poll by TelOpinion Research.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

BP Oil Spill: Prosecutors Reportedly Preparing Criminal Charges
By Jillian Berman
Huffington Post
Federal prosecutors are preparing the first criminal charges against BP in connection with the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the worst of its kind in U.S. history, the Wall Street Journal reports.

BP money buys sports towels, Xmas lights, jingles
Staff Report
Naples Daily News
Sports towels and fleece blankets.

Everglades Restoration: Parties Produce Miracle
Editorial
Lakeland Ledger
Thanks to a pre-Christmas political miracle, some well-needed — and much-delayed restoration of the Everglades is likely to occur.

LGBT

Both lesbian moms have parental rights, Daytona court rules in custody dispute
By Rene Stutzman
Orlando Sentinel
They fell in love, moved in together in a house in south Brevard County and had a baby girl.

EDUCATION

Mavericks charter schools don't live up to big promises
By Lisa Rab
Miami New Times
Before the songs, chanting, and heartfelt tears, the ceremony next door to a strip mall begins with speeches.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

2012 Session Outlook: Economic Development
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Gov. Rick Scott helped usher in a whirlwind of changes in the state’s economic development strategy when he came into office early this year, calling for the merger of major agencies, streamlined rules and regulations, and more money for incentives for companies to move to Florida.

Many Florida lawmakers want internet sales tax but some want to divert revenue to tax cuts
By Janelle Irwin
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
With the 2012 legislative session just around the corner, state lawmakers are facing some tough decisions.

Fla. may let you buy Lotto tix with clicks
By Christine Stapleton
Palm Beach Post
The push to expand gambling in Florida has received an extra shove from the U.S. Department of Justice's decision to allow online sales of lottery tickets - a venture that some states are considering to ease deficits.

North Florida Broadband Authority: A Lawyer's Dream. A Look At The Numbers
By Stew Lilker
Columbia County Observer
Related: North Florida Broadband Authority: Money Is No Object
The evening NFBA Chairman Fulford approved the $10,000 retainer, Patton Boggs (the Firm) had already burned through $7,056 of it in two days.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Connecticut drops insurers from Medicaid
By Phil Galewitz
Kaiser Health News
Connecticut's decision stands out at a time when a growing number of states are requiring more people in Medicaid to join managed-care plans. Florida, Texas and California are among nearly two dozen states planning expansions in 2012.

Panel echoes governor's call to overhaul Medicaid reimbursement system
By Tia Mitchell
Miami Herald
A panel created by Gov. Rick Scott to analyze the state's taxpayer-funded hospital districts is echoing the governor's call for changes to how hospitals are reimbursed through Medicaid.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Lift gun law's cloak of secrecy
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
Five years after Florida's Legislature voted to cloak the names of people holding concealed weapons permits, the number of permits issued has more than doubled.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Education programs in Florida would reduce recidivism, costs to taxpayers
By Tabitha Cohen
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Prisoners are unpopular. We are all aware of this fact – politicians most of all.

Rothstein turns on the 'dear friends' he once spoiled
By Jon Burstein and Peter Franceschina
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Being Scott Rothstein's friend could mean huge benefits: VIP seating at Heat and Dolphins games, jaunts on private jets, black-tie charity events and "Boys' Night Out" excursions featuring strippers and hookers.