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Our digest and commentary on today's Florida political news and punditry follows.
As Crist fundraises ...
"Another year. Another budget deficit."
A new financial report shows that all the tax increases, spending cuts and raids on savings accounts weren't enough for Florida's budget, which could have a deficit next year of as much as $2.6 billion. "The numbers are the latest sobering reminder that the federal stimulus package didn't so much stimulate Florida's economy as it did bail out the state budget -- temporarily."Amy Baker, head of the Legislature's Office of Economic & Demographic Research office, told the Senate's budget committee Tuesday that the state's sales tax-fueled budget of $66.5 billion won't get a huge shot in the arm, even in the holiday season.
"Christmas is probably going to be rough,'' said Baker, who presented the financial numbers to the committee. "I don't think you're going to see a Christmas like we normally see.''
Next legislative session also won't resemble this year's. It will also be an election year, so the chances of tax increases are slimmer from a Republican Legislature under a Republican governor who is running for the U.S. Senate in a heated primary.
This year, the Legislature and Gov. Charlie Crist approved $2.2 billion in higher taxes and fees. "Economists warn of another big Florida budget deficit". See also "" and "". Rubio back in the game
"Charlie Crist has a real race on his hands. Former state House Speaker Marco Rubio says that in the last three months he raised nearly $1 million for his underdog campaign for the U.S. Senate. That's a huge improvement over Rubio's previous fundraising and puts a big crack in the aura of inevitability surrounding Gov. Crist's U.S. Senate campaign." "With Marco Rubio raising nearly $1 million, it's game on in Senate race vs. Gov. Charlie Crist".
"U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio said Tuesday he raised nearly $1 million in the past three months to challenge Charlie Crist for the Republican nomination, turning what looked like a cakewalk for the popular incumbent governor into a potentially competitive race." In the previous fundraising quarter, Crist's $4.3 million dwarfed the $340,000 raised by Rubio. But the former leader of the Florida House from Miami gained momentum, winning 11 small, unofficial polls of county Republican clubs across the state and garnering raves in conservative media nationwide.
"The Rubio campaign has now proven it's a legitimate effort for the nomination,'' said John Weaver, a national GOP strategist who worked for former presidential nominee John McCain. "While the governor obviously is the front-runner, it is no longer far-fetched to see how Marco Rubio wins this race.'' "Marco Rubio boasts of success in fundraising". Rubio's "ability to raise money at big-league levels could convince wavering conservatives he's viable."The battle between moderates and conservatives for control of the national Republican Party, and speculation about Crist's presidential ambitions, drew national attention to Rubio's numbers Tuesday.
"Our PAC is definitely more interested today than it was yesterday," said David Keating, president of the Club for Growth, which sometimes spends $1 million or more to back conservatives over moderates in GOP primaries.
The organization favors Rubio but is waiting for him to prove he has a chance before backing its opinion with cash.
The Washington Post's political blog called Rubio's $1 million "the most important number in politics today." "Rubio's fundraising approaches $1 million". Daily winnuttery
Carey Baker & Scott Plakton. As Sansom revels in "victory" ...
... even the old reliable right-wingers on The Tampa Tribune editorial board are unimpressed: Florida lawmakers may be relieved a judge threw out the official misconduct charges against former House Speaker Ray Sansom, finding them a constitutional violation of the separation of powers. But his ruling recognized a legislative culture in which deceiving the public, misusing tax dollars and diverting resources to cronies is widely accepted.
That is hardly vindication for Sansom or the state Legislature. ...
The entire episode, and Sansom's and friends' efforts to cover their tracks, was disgusting. "Slippery behavior, after all, is hardly unusual in Tallahassee."The judge feared the official misconduct charge "could be susceptible to arbitrary application." And it's true, if lawmakers were subject to indictment every time they were deceptive in advancing legislation, most of the Legislature probably would end up in handcuffs.
But this furtive and carefully executed effort to use state money to help a private business interest is more bothersome than most of the legislative high jinks.
The judge let a perjury charge against Sansom stand, since it did not relate to the legislative process.
Tallahassee State Attorney Willie Meggs plans to appeal the ruling, which is appropriate, given the magnitude of the case. "Sansom finding should shame state Legislature".
Back at the runch, Florida's serial bar exam flunker has this to say: "Crist: Action in Sansom case proves system works". McCollum goes underground
Where's Billy, as "Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, the leading Democratic candidate for governor, said Monday that she raised $1.6 million, bringing her donations to $4 million. That's roughly four times what the 2006 Democratic nominee for governor, Jim Davis, had raised at this point in the campaign. Her Republican rival, Attorney General Bill McCollum, has not disclosed his July-to-September donations." Another one
"Florida panther found dead in Hendry County". Grayson hears them knuckles-a-draggin' behind him
"The Republican effort to unseat U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson next year continued to unfold Tuesday as Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty walked firmly out of the picture, saying he didn't want to join Washington's political rancor, and a deep-pocketed pro-business candidate emerged as a contender.
" Restaurant supply business owner Jerry Pierce, 68, said he would file to challenge Grayson by next week and would run with or without the party's support by tapping the veterans and pro-growth groups he's worked closely with for years.
While Grayson has made a national name by castigating GOP opposition to health-care reform, Pierce said he appears more concerned with delivering "pork" -- like the $50 million hurricane research center Grayson seeks for Central Florida -- than with curbing spending.
"That kind of thinking is destroying our country," Pierce said.
Pierce joins a pair of young business-minded Republican prospects also mulling a run: CNL Financial Group President Tim Seneff, and real estate entrepreneur Armando Gutierrez Jr. Neither returned calls Tuesday.
In the last decade, Pierce has contributed nearly $50,000 to GOP and conservative causes, according to federal election records. This includes more than $10,000 to U.S. Rep. Ric Keller, R-Orlando -- whom Grayson beat last year -- and about $15,000 to the Club for Growth, the activist group that helped Keller win the seat in 2000. Meantime, the ethically challenged Crotty, has the has-been cojones to sayhe was confident he could have beaten Grayson "handily." The two-term mayor -- and county property appraiser and legislator before that -- said he also saw a race as a "great opportunity to dispel some of the things that were said that were not true."
Crotty was referring to reports in 2006 that he made $100,000 in one year -- doubling his investment -- in a land deal with a developer friend who got favorable treatment on a strip mall project while the two were partners. Crotty was cleared of wrongdoing and won re-election that year.
But that controversy, his recent support for an unpopular 25-cent expressway toll hike and grand jury condemnation of a fund-raising "culture of corruption" at the expressway authority while he sat on the board, dimmed his political star.
Crotty wants his pal Dan Webster to run, but the Winter Garden ex-state senator remained mum Tuesday. Webster expects to make a decision this week. Meantime, check out the rest of the RPOFer bench, all of whom oughta have Grayson licking his chops:Three others -- state Rep. Stephen Precourt, R-Orlando, attorney Tico Perez, and former pilot Dan Fanelli -- have also expressed interest in the seat that covers much of Orange, and parts of Lake, Marion and Osceola counties. "Crotty's out -- but other Republicans may want to take on Grayson". "It'll take years"
"An offshore drilling advocate acknowledged it'll take years before the state can realize the promises of a revenue windfall from oil and natural gas exploration during a Capitol debate today." "Revenue from offshore drilling years away".
Meantime, Scott Maxwell is "looking forward to a healthy debate over offshore drilling." But one thing about Dean Cannon's drilling proposal that concerns me has nothing to do with coral reefs or potential spills.
It has to do with politics — and Cannon essentially inviting Big Oil to come in and take over our elections.
That may not be his intention. But Cannon's proposal would give the authority for approving oil leases to the Florida Cabinet. And it doesn't take a crystal ball to see where that leads.
All of a sudden, Shell and Exxon will need to make sure they have a petroleum-friendly face in the CFO's office.
And the Attorney General's Office.
Not to mention the governor's and agriculture commissioner's offices.
Billions of dollars in potential oil-company revenues will be in the hands of four politicians. "Perhaps not surprisingly, Cannon seems unconcerned about oil's political influence.""Everybody participates in the system," he said, "from the teachers and the trial lawyers to the environmentalists."
But oil has deeper pockets than the environmentalists. Much deeper.
In fact, with the amount of money at stake, oil's influence on these races could be unprecedented. (And that's saying something in a state where special interests buy politicians like tourists buy T-shirts.)
Cannon, the Winter Park Republican and up-and-coming House speaker, doesn't dispute that oil and gas interests may get more involved in Florida politics. But he believes that voters are smart — and that, if Big Oil tries to buy an election, voters will connect the dots.
"The media would appropriately cover that," he said.
Cannon has a bit more confidence in my profession than I do. "Scott Maxwell: Politicians slimy enough without Big Oil's slick talk".
Speaking of slime, The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board reports that "Republican Senate President Jeff Atwater, who wants to be Florida's next chief financial officer, ignored a blatant conflict of interest and named a new energy committee chairman [Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami] whose wife is a lobbyist for the secretive group pushing offshore drilling. That taints the integrity of the Senate's deliberations on drilling." "Stacking the deck for drilling". Related: "Atwater adds 500k to campaign". The latest Hasner tomfoolery
The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Florida should not backtrack on one of the state's most progressive changes because of ACORN politics." For decades, no state was needlessly tougher on ex-felons who wanted to regain their rights and get a chance to reenter society. The restrictions dated from Reconstruction, when the state's white ruling class wanted African-Americans who had done their time to keep doing it, even on the outside. ...
In April 2007, the Clemency Board made it easier for nonviolent former criminals to get back their civil rights automatically, after serving their sentence or completing probation, without having to file lengthy, expensive petitions. ...
Last month, in a report on the program, the state's auditor general found that 13 ex-felons out of 203 cases reviewed got their rights back mistakenly. The best response would be to use the report to improve review of those eligible for rights restoration. ...
Release of the report, however, came as Congress was cutting off money for the Democratic-aligned Association of Communities Organized for Reform Now (ACORN), which some Republicans have made their latest talking-point target. Marco Rubio, who's running for the Senate against Gov. Crist, blasted the governor for approving a "mismanaged" program that ACORN basically created. House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton, stood in for Mr. McCollum, who's challenging Ms. Sink for governor. Rep. Hasner made it seem that Ms. Sink was contracting with ACORN to set ex-felons upon innocent Floridians.
In fact, ACORN is one of about 50 groups in the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. Others include the very dangerous League of Women Voters. ACORN was just one voice in the chorus calling for change in 2007. ACORN members don't staff the coalition, and the understaffed Florida Parole Commission handles the requests for rights restoration.
Those rights include voting, serving on a jury and running for public office, privileges that the state can restore fairly easily. The ability to hold certain jobs, however, is more of a public safety issue. The system should focus on that area, making that review tough but fair enough to give ex-felons the chance to become productive citizens.
Rights restoration in Florida, though, was not an ACORN plot. It was bipartisan change for the better, and partisan politics should not change that. "Grant political clemency". SunRail
The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Too bad U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's pitch on Monday for SunRail didn't play out in front of state lawmakers in Florida who still oppose the commuter train. Instead, he delivered it in Orlando to a room packed mainly with SunRail supporters, leaving it to them to spread the message." "A boost from Washington". Nice headline
"Trial lawyers hire former Supreme Court judge to figure out if they’re racist". "A web of relationships"
"The FBI's long-running undercover operation to ensnare corrupt elected officials, lobbyists and fundraisers is sending ripples of fear washing over Broward County's political and power class." So far, charges have been leveled against three Democrats -- a county commissioner, a School Board member and a former Miramar city commissioner -- and a connected Republican fundraiser.
At the heart of Broward's power structure is a web of relationships -- longtime friends and political allies in roles that could conflict with the public good. "FBI undercover operation shakes up Broward's political power class". Oh Mandy ...
"With federal agents and a grand jury investigating corruption in Broward County, former state Sen. Mandy Dawson, D- Fort Lauderdale, on Tuesday said she had been contacted and questioned about how she came to head an influential health policy committee of the Florida Legislature." "Ex. Sen. Mandy Dawson says feds have quizzed her about committee chairmanship". "The timing could not be better"
The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "The staff of the Florida Public Service Commission is expected to recommend new targets next week for how much energy the state's power companies should save through conservation efforts. The timing could not be better." "Powerful savings". "Misguided effort"?
The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "" The way officials throughout Florida, often at developers' behest, trample local growth plans is maddening. So, it's no wonder Hometown Democracy, a grass-roots movement, got enough public support for a 2010 ballot to alter that landscape. It would require public votes on any changes to local growth plans.
Something's needed to get officials to honor growth-management plans. And Hometown Democracy appears an earnest, provocative and intriguing way of making them do so.
But Floridians would make a big mistake supporting this misguided effort. "Initiative to give voters control over development makes it on the 2010 ballot". Thank you Mr. Obama
"School districts and nonprofit partners can benefit from a $650 million competitive grant fund for school reforms pushed by President Barack Obama." "Schools can compete for $650 million in stimulus funds". Write-ins get 11%
"Unofficial results tonight showed Thrasher with about 89 percent of the vote." "Thrasher to replace King in state Senate". Pay these people
The Miami Herald editorial board: "The new contract, which also cut costs by the district moving to a self-insurance program for its employees, is a good first step. But the next battle must be in Tallahassee, where South Florida legislators need to speak with a united voice and press for the money that belongs back home." "Miami-Dade teachers get a sensible deal". Try "investors" next time
"Customer fee for FPL pipeline is rejected". Background: "PSC to decide: Who'll pay for FPL's $1.6B pipeline?" ("State regulators are set to decide Tuesday if FPL should ask customers to shoulder the cost of a $1.6 billion natural gas pipeline or seek investors to pay for it.") |
