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Cannon to Senate: Finish session on time

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:21:45 +0000

TALLAHASSEE -- House Speaker Dean Cannon used his last opening-day speech as presiding officer to throw down the gauntlet to his Senate counterpart that the Legislature should finish its budget work within the 60-day regular session. "Each year that we convene, the Legislature has one primary responsibility – to pass a balanced budget for the State of Florida. Balancing a budget is easy enough to say, but as the failure in Washington D.C. attests, not as easy to do," the Winter Park Republican said in his remarks to the House today, as 'Occupy the State" protesters were being kept at bay outside the chamber by the House Sergeants office. "This will be the sixth straight fiscal year in which our revenues fall short of our projected obligations. And that means we will be required to, once again, make hard decisions -- to differentiate our wants from our needs and our needs from our priorities. But our prior insistence on fiscal discipline has paid great dividends. Although Florida was one of the state’s hardest hit by the national recession, we have avoided the kinds of financial crises that paralyzed governments in other states. We restored stability to our bond rating, and we created a steady, predictable climate for Florida’s businesses and Florida’s families. "It is my intention that this House work with our colleagues in the Senate to complete the budget during the scheduled 60 days of regular Session." Cannon's remarks were directed at Senate President Mike Haridopolos and Senate Budget Chairman J.D. Alexander , who have floated the idea of waiting until later this spring to pass a new spending plan -- in the hope that the economic climate improves, the federal government approves a Medicaid privatization, and the revenue picture improves. The quiet standoff has the potential to force extra innings because all the Senate has to do is nothing to force later passage. Cannon also called on lawmakers to begin the process of reforming Florida's higher-education system, saying lawmakers had "contributed to the problem by advancing parochial interests," such as Cannon's support for University of Central Florida appropriations.

Gambling ad wars

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:01:59 +0000

TALLAHASSEE -- On the heels of a successful first round vote on the destination casino legislation, competing business groups are launching television ad attacks for and against the proposal that would bring up to three destination casinos to the state. (Read the story of yesterday's committee discussion here .) The first ad is from the Associated Industries of Florida, which has been backing the gambling bill, featuring Ben Stein. On the flip side is the Florida of Chamber of Commerce, which is slated to host a press conference at 1 p.m. today announcing a campaign against the legislation.

House GOP advances three congressional options

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:36:47 +0000

TALLAHASSEE -- A House committee advanced three options for new congressional maps Monday that would create a new Hispanic-leaning seat in Central Florida and make the statewide playing field slightly more Democratic. The maps (named House congressional maps 9009, 9011, and 9013) would all increase the number of congressional districts competitive for Democrats,while dramatically reducing the number of cities and counties split apart by Florida's existing 25 congressional districts. In Florida's current congressional districts, Republicans have a registration edge in 17 of the 25 districts but that advantage shrinks to 15 or 16 districts under the three proposals. The proposed maps would also have performed more Democratic in the 2010 gubernatorial election and 2008 presidential one, according to election data. For example, Republican Rick Scott carried 19 of the districts in 2010, but would win 17 or 18 of the new ones. The House Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee had seven options presented for new lines designed to comply with Florida's new anti-gerrymandering provisions passed in 2010. Chairman John Legg , R-Port Richey, said the options passed did the best at accomplishing the goals of breaking up as few cities and counties as possible while preserving minority voting rights. "All seven of these are a major improvement to the existing map," said Legg, who called the process of selecting three a "non-political" one because lawmakers selected the three options that provided the fewest community-splits. The committee amended the maps Monday, though, to make slight changes to some districts. The changes would take Volusia and Seminole counties completely out of U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown's district, which currently stretches from Jacksonville to Orlando. Democrats on the panel voted against the plans, arguing there wasn't as much transparency as needed. While lawmakers held 26 public hearings around the state this summer, they were just now presenting the likely final contours of the plans they will pass during the annual lawmaking session that starts Tuesday. "We kept hearing 'Where are the maps?' I believe there was an important step which is missing -- to take these maps back to some of those locations," said Rep. Dwayne Taylor , D-Daytona Beach. "The citizen participation is, I believe, an important part of the discussion that is missing." But Republicans said there had been plenty of public discussion, and more to come in the weeks ahead. "Here are the maps," Legg said. "We’re narrowing it down and allowing for more public input along the way." This afternoon, separate House committees are slated to advance options for the House and Senate maps to the full House Redistricting Committee, which hasn't set a date to vote on them yet. The House and Senate are at odds over redistricting and budget timelines, with House Speaker Dean Cannon pushing to complete budget work first and Senate President Mike Haridopolos pushing to complete redistricting and delaying passage of a final budget until later this spring.

Tuesday Morning Reads: Casinos, corruption and politics

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:30:00 +0000

TALLAHASSEE -- Welcome back to the morning reads after a long holiday break on our side. It was a rather slow time politically in the state capitol, but check the Central Florida Political Pulse for any big stories you have missed in the mean time. And with that, here are the top five stories you should be reading this morning. * The Orlando Sentinel has an end-of-the-year review on Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs' job performance. From the story: Teresa Jacobs took on an ambitious agenda in her first year as Orange County's mayor that at times rattled everyone from Central Florida's power elite to grass-roots activists. Her successes include helping to steer a SunRail commuter train past a skeptical governor, raising questions about the financing of the region's expressway authority and removing its executive director, supporters say. * The Tampa Tribune has an update on an attempt by Sen. J ack Latvala, R-Clearwater, to wrestle the Senate Presidency away from Andy Gardiner, who originally appeared the likely candidate for the job in 2014. From the story: A Clearwater Republican, Latvala is perceived by some as a comparative moderate mounting an insurgency against the conservatives who dominate the Legislature. Latvala disputes those perceptions, pointing out that he's already part of Republican Senate leadership and has a long history as a conservative Republican, earning a 100 percent rating from the American Conservative Union from the 2011 legislative session. * A former Broward County commission will soon be free from prison, the Sun-Sentinel writes . From the story: Former County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion has just weeks left to serve of his two prison terms and is scheduled to be released Feb. 27 from the federal prison in Jesup, Ga. Eggelletion was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for federal convictions for money-laundering conspiracy and filing a false tax return, and a state conviction for taking bribes from developers. * The Tampa Bay Times takes a look at the "New Florida" program and whether or not it has been successful thus far. From the story: he announcement came in 2010 with a promise to transform Florida's economy. With $10 million from the Legislature, higher education leaders were ready to set projects across the state university system into motion. The money was split into 31 grants — funding everything from research to new hires, all with the intention to create the state's new "knowledge-based economy." So, has it worked? * Politifact takes on an oft-repeated comment that Florida is the fourth largest gambling state. The verdict? Half true. From the story: So is there a preferred way to compare states to conclude which one is the largest, or fourth-largest, gambling state in the nation? Does it all depend on what point you want to make or what you are looking at? We posed those questions to experts in the industry as well as academics. Bonus Blogs * Buzz names winners and the losers of the year * Rick Scott after one year: Recalculation and Retrenchment

FloriDUH tip: Don’t call 911 if you have illegal drugs and weapons in your home

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:29:00 +0000

Marlene Annette Culver, 28, called 911 to report that she had been hit in the face by her boyfriend -- before having a change of heart and calling back to say everything was ok, reports The Gainesville Sun. But it was too late. Hmmm...think the change of heart had anything to do with the 9mm Ruger handgun, 9mm Luger "Tec-9", digital scale, electronic bill counter, grinder and more than 1-lb. of pot deputies reportedly found in the home? Get the DUHtails at The Gainesville Sun. Photo: Alachua County Sheriff's Office More FloriDUH

Report: Judge recorded wrongly calling defendant a "sexual predator with a younger girl"

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:22:00 +0000

Disorder in the court. Seminole County Judge Carmine Bravo must have a peculiar sense of humor. The judge called defendant Rodrakus Hooks, 33, who came to court for a sentence hearing on a driving without a license charge, a sexual predator, reports the Orlando Sentinel. When Hooks told the judge he couldn't go to jail because his girlfriend, seated in the courtroom, was pregnant, the judge responded, "You ain't got a baby. You're just a sexual predator with a younger girl." "I'm going to tell you straight up, man-to-man," the judge added. "You and I know each other. We've been around. If you're not married to the mother, she's having a baby. You're just someone she likes to visit." The judge also made other remarks, including his thoughts on the Occupy Movement. Curious? Then check out the video. Get the DUHtails at the Orlando Sentinel. Photo: Eighteenth Judicial Circuit More FloriDUH

Broward deputy jailed on domestic violence charge

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:47:00 +0000

A Broward County sheriff's deputy is jailed on domestic violence charges after allegedly attempting to strangle his live-in girlfriend.

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Search on for bodies of dead in Everglades plane crash

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:50:00 +0000

Federal authorities have confirmed that the plane that crashed on Sunday evening belonged to a company registered in Central Florida.

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Cops: Man used baby as shield during standoff

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:01:00 +0000

What a dad. It looks like this poor kid learned very early in life that some dads just can't be counted on to protect them. Volusia County Sheriff's deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call after neighbors reported hearing kids screaming and one gunshot, reports the Orlando Sentinel. Jude Antrum, a 44-year-old Deltona dad, held his infant daughter in front of him as a human shield for about 40 minutes while deputies pointed weapons at him. Get the DUHtails at the Orlando Sentinel. Photo: Volusia County Sheriff's Office / November 10, 2011 More FloriDUH

Monday Morning Reads: Planes, casinos and hospitals

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:30:00 +0000

TALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Monday. Hope all of you enjoyed the weekend, and in some cases a three-day weekend. Here are five stories you should be reading this morning. * The Orlando Sentinel reports that an error at Workforce Central Florida led to layoffs. From the story: Three years ago, a former financial controller at Workforce Central Florida says he made a startling discovery. For several months, he said, the agency mistakenly posted expenses twice, making it appear as if Workforce had less money than it really did. By mid-2008, those phantom costs were pushing agency executives to lay off more than 20 workers, he said. * The Palm Beach Post writes that lobbyists for public universities have largely avoided cuts for the last few years. From the story: University students who rail against tuition hikes, program cuts and administrator salaries that they say are better suited to corporate boardrooms are finding an unlikely ally: Republican Gov. Rick Scott . By posting the salaries of 52,000 employees of the state's public universities on the Internet, Florida's multimillionaire chief executive has helped fuel the placard-waving student crowd at recent Occupy Wall Street-style protests on state campuses. Among the revelations: University lobbyists, poised to ask lawmakers for another round of 15 percent tuition hikes in 2012, are among the system's highest paid, The Palm Beach Post found in a review of the records. * The Sentinel writes that the message coming from backers of a destination casino bill is that regulating the gambling industry will come at the price of having destination casinos in Florida. From the story: Florida's latest gambling proposals boiled down to this in a debate Friday: Is the creation of comprehensive gambling regulation in Florida worth three new South Florida mega-casinos that go with it. State Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, and state Rep. Erik Fresen , R-Miami, who introduced gambling legislation last month, told the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida their aim is better controlling the state's pari-mutuel facilities, slots "racinos" and Internet cafes. * The St. Petersburg Times reports that a year after leaving his post at the Department of Juvenile Justice, former Secretary Frank Peterman is still fighting charges that he abused his travel privileges during his tenure. From the story: In two days of hearings last month, two former top aides described Peterman's frequent flights between Tallahassee and his hometown of St. Petersburg as causing morale problems. They said he kept flying between the two cities — even after a legislative order banned travel by other workers unless it was critical to the agency's mission. * The Miami Herald writes that financial problems are straining the relationship between Jackson Health System and the University of Miami. From the story: For 59 years, they’ve been loyal partners working together to provide vital healthcare services to the poor and uninsured in Miami-Dade County. Recently, though, the relationship has become strained as Jackson’s leaders, struggling to reduce enormous losses, have tried to cut their payments to UM. And UM has launched new, potentially competing ventures of its own. Miami-Dade taxpayers pay $330 million a year to treat Myrtle Holmes and thousands of other uninsured people who seek treatment in the county-owned Jackson system. As part of the system that has evolved over the years, Jackson also pays UM when its doctors treat the uninsured at Jackson. Bonus Blogs * Clinton coming to Orlando for book signing * Mitt Romney's retooled 2012 campaign