Daily News Clips for March 4, 2013

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS

Florida Insider Poll: Scott's money would deter GOP challengers
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Note: Progress Florida’s Mark Ferrulo and Damien Filer were among those polled.
A new Florida Insider Poll by the Tampa Bay Times finds more than 7 in 10 of the state's most experienced politicos say Scott is unlikely to face a serious primary challenge.

AWAKE THE STATE IN THE NEWS

Awake the State Planning Voting Reform Rallies Across Florida Next Tuesday
By Robert Lorei
WMNF Tampa
Excerpt: By some estimates hundreds of thousands of people became discouraged and did not vote because of new voting hurdles imposed by the state government. The progressive activist group Awake the State is planning a series of rallies and marches next week calling on the state to make it easier to vote.

FEATURED STORIES

Florida lawmakers to angry voters: We hear you
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
Related: A consumer’s guide to the Florida legislature
Related: Politifact: Tracking the top 2013 legislative issues
What a difference an election can make.

Legislature could tip hand on Medicaid expansion Monday
By Tia Mitchell
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Related: Romano to lawmakers: You know what you need to do on Medicaid
Related editorial: Medicaid expansion key for Florida
Gov. Rick Scott has said what he would do. So have the other three members of the Florida Cabinet.

Far from Tea Party roots, Scott prepares to address Florida
By Brendan Farrington and Gary Fineout
Associated Press
Gov. Rick Scott came into office on a conservative wave, promising to change Tallahassee, fight President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and make Florida as business friendly as he could.

Attacks on Gov. Rick Scott’s Medicaid move mask Adam Putnam’s big-spending record
By Marc Caputo
Miami Herald
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam criticized Gov. Rick Scott over expanding Medicaid, but Putnam may have a taste for big government himself.

Critics rap actions of Jeb Bush's education foundation
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Lobbyists are not allowed to finance perks like trips for state officials, but those at the Foundation for Excellence in Education get around that ban by being registered to another foundation run by Jeb Bush.

Sequester starts, as does politicians parceling out blame
By Lesley Clark and William Douglas
Miami Herald
The federal government will start cutting spending as early as Saturday, with President Barack Obama and congressional leaders unable to bridge their fundamental disagreement over spending and taxes.

EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK

By Chan Lowe
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Read the artist's commentary here.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Lawmakers facing big-ticket decisions in 2013 session
By Aaron Deslatte and Kathleen Haughney
Orlando Sentinel
From health care and insurance to teacher raises and election reform, the 60-day session starting Tuesday could be a political do-over for a Florida Legislature looking to rewrite some of its controversial recent history.

Democrats pre-but Rick Scott's State of State speech
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
After cutting more jobs than he created in Florida in 2012, failing to keep his promise to create 700,000 new jobs and a disastrous election year where the Florida GOP "got their teeth kicked in", Gov. Rick Scott is running away from everything he campaigned on to get reelected.

Around Florida: The 'revolving door' lobbyist issue gets watered down in ethics overhaul bill
By Matt Dixon  
Florida Times-Union
Dean Cannon was the House Speaker in 2012. He’s now a registered lobbyist with an impressive client list.

Every spring, lawmakers' quest for free gifts begins anew
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
Azaleas and hyacinths explode like fireworks in displays of brilliant color. The sweet smell of honeysuckle begins to waft through the air.

Young gun, old hand aim to clear legislative toxic air
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Intent on wiping their chambers clean of the toxic atmosphere that has permeated politics in the state Capitol and beyond for more than two years, Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford have made ethics, elections and campaign finance reform their top priorities for the 2013 legislative session that begins on Tuesday.

Rep. Pafford: From a U.S. Senator’s driver to Florida Dems’ policy driver
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
A Q&A with…Rep. Mark S. Pafford (D)District 86, Florida House of Representatives.

The roots behind the Rick Scott-Adam Putnam showdown
By Gary Fineout
The Fine Print
It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, especially those in "Scott world" that Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam came out so forcefully against Gov. Rick Scott's decision to back the expansion of Medicaid.

Stop absentee ballot fraud
Editorial
Miami Herald
Miami-Dade elections officials and the office of State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle have found an object worthy of praise — the computer.

POLITICAL RACES

Coy about his own future, Charlie Crist doesn't shy away from going after Rick Scott
By Anthony Man
South Florida Sun Sentinel
He directed some barbs at the governor and articulated a positive vision about Florida’s future, but acted coy about his own political intentions.

Scott's biggest election hurdle: Winning over his own party
By Jeremy Wallace
Ocala Star-Baner
Florida Gov. Rick Scott faces a dire political situation and his awkward relationship with the Legislature makes a rebound even more difficult. 

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Some leaders souring on nuclear power costs
By Ray Henry
Associated Press
As the cost of building a new nuclear plant soars, there are signs of buyer's remorse.

LGBT

Frederica Wilson, Bill Nelson among few Democrats not to sign gay marriage-equality brief
By Steve Rothaus
Miami Herald
Gay activists and allies won't soon be tipping their hats to U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami -- she's one of only 30 Democratic House members who this week didn't co-sign a marriage equality brief to the Supreme Court.

EDUCATION

Teacher raises, student safety, Bright Futures and more at stake in session
By Leslie Postal and Denise-Marie Ordway
Orlando Sentinel
Student safety, teacher raises, charter-school reform and changes in the popular Bright Futures scholarship program are among the key education issues lawmakers will address when they convene in Tallahassee on Tuesday for their 2013 legislative session.

Reforming school reform
By Thomas C. Tobin
Tampa Bay Times
After 17 years of pushing, prodding and tweaking, reformers have thoroughly remade Florida's education system.

House, Senate would create ‘education savings accounts’ to pay for private schools and tutors
By Travis Pillow
Tallahassee Democrat
Legislation filed by committee chairmen in both the House and Senate, would allow students to use state education funds to pay for private schools or other education options.

Scott’s Conversion over Teachers Questionable
By Cary McMullen
Florida Voices
Is Rick Scott really our next education governor?

School safety on table as legislative session starts Tuesday
By Jason Schultz
Palm Beach Post
It’s been nearly three months since the shooting massacre in Newtown, Conn., turned school safety into a national hot button issue.

Educators, decision makers saying deadline for Common Core won't be met
By Jeffrey S. Solochek
Tampa Bay Times
Florida schools are getting ready for big change.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

2013 Session Outlook: Economic Development
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Gov. Rick Scott has served up a full plate of changes to Florida’s economic development strategies in his first two years as the state’s chief executive, and the Legislature has largely obliged him, but they haven’t finished the banquet.

Weatherford gets revised pension numbers
By Bill Cotterell
Florida Current
Related: Senator proposes FRS overhaul
Related: State investments doing well, OPPAGA says
House Speaker Will Weatherford got a financial update on his idea to close the Florida Retirement System's regular pension plan to new employees late Friday -- along with a $70,000 apology from the state's actuarial consultants for not giving him what he wanted last month.

Lawmakers seek larger share of state budget, caps on property insurance rate hikes
By Kathleen McGrory
Miami Herald
Related: Time for Legislature to invest in Florida
State lawmakers from South Florida are taking a cue from P. Diddy as they head to Tallahassee for the upcoming legislative session.

Report: FL Families Still Struggle to Put Food on Table
By Stephanie Carroll Carson
Public News Service Florida
The Florida economy may be showing some signs of improvement, but that recovery has yet to trickle down to those who need it the most.

Shortchanged on the job
By Jeremiah Tattersall and Diana Moreno
Gainesville Sun
Have you or someone you know ever been shortchanged at work?

Jobless rate improves — but labor-pool dropouts skew numbers
By Jim Stratton
Orlando Sentinel
As the state unemployment rate inches down, Gov. Rick Scott rarely misses an opportunity to broadcast the news, sometimes blasting out four or five news releases in a day — such as this one from January's jobless report.

Florida tourism threatened by budget cuts, higher fares
By William E. Gibson
Orlando Sentinel
Airfares will go up. Lines at airports will extend "out the door." Foreign travelers will turn to other destinations outside this country.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Healthcare Law, Access Issues At Center of Scope-of-Practice Fights
By Lynn Hatter
WFSU Tallahassee
The nation’s healthcare system is changing.

Tax Changes Come With New Healthcare Law
By Lynn Hatter 
WFSU Tallahassee
The federal  Affordable Care Act  is aimed at getting more Americans insured.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Some Question Scott's Motives For Pursuing Another Appeal To Welfare Drug Test Ruling
By Sascha Cordner      
WFSU Tallahassee
A temporary ban to block drug testing in Florida for welfare recipients is still in place, after a federal appeals court validated a lower court’s ruling that the state hasn’t shown why it’s necessary.

U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson makes pitch for immigration reform
By Eloísa Ruano González
Orlando Sentinel
U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson made an impassioned call for immigration reform during an appearance this morning in Orlando while surrounded by Central Florida Hispanic leaders.

Farmworkers will march for rights, respect and fair food
By Lenka Davis
WMNF Tampa
The Coalition of the Immokalee Workers is starting its two week march for rights, respect and free food this Sunday.