Career hit a dead-end? Boss driving you crazy? Well, cheer up. At least you’re not the guy leaning against the wall in this photo whose job for at least the next few weeks is to follow around House Majority Leader Adam Hasner and videotape his every move on behalf of the Florida Democratic Party. (Hasner is the Boca Raton Republican just to the left of Rep. Perry Thurston, who appears to be pondering the House Rules Committee room ceiling in this superb example of photojournalism.)

Depending on what footage the cameraman can collect, here the only three ways we can see this turning out:

1. In the heat of a House floor debate (preferably on boot day), Hasner forgets all about the steady, unblinking camera eye and has a meltdown for the ages. FDP communications director Eric Jotkoff resigns hours later, announcing he has nothing left to accomplish.

2. A bunch of unflattering angles of Hasner get set to 28-seconds of the Halloween soundtrack fading out just in time to hear “Paid for by Citizens for Ron Klein.”

3. Cameraman goes rogue — He keeps all of the footage out of Democratic hands and instead assembles a heartbreaking documentary about the secret world of legislative bill drafting.

The Florida State Library and Archive is saving snapshots of history, but it needs help on IDs. After a story in The Palm Beach Post readers are already pitching in. Here’s one:

From Terry Rowe of Palm Beach Gardens: Looks the original Temple (I think the first in Palm Beach County) located on Broward Avenue in West Palm Beach (runs north off Butler Street).

For others, see jump

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Tax-hating Sen. Mike Haridopolos took part in a Tally “tea party” this afternoon where several hundred protesters gathered outside the Old Capitol.

Earlier in the day, Governor Charlie Crist touted April 15th – tax day – as an opportunity for Floridians to take advantage of the new federal tax break crediting first-time homebuyers with $8,000 towards the purchase of a new home.

Hours later, Haridopolos dumped on the president’s stimulus plan at the protest – one of multiple events throughout the nation – even though more than $2 billion of his chamber’s budget depends on the stimulus funds.

Earlier this week, Haridopolos released a video blasting the federal stimulus package, calling it “something we simply can’t afford.”

Haridopolos, who signed a pledge not to raise taxes when he took office, addressed the crowd briefly.

The Melbourne Republican was accompanied by Senate Majority Office staff, who brought their own tea.

The aides didn’t dump their tea bags, however.

They brought them back to the office for consumption later. After all, it is a tough budget year, even for Republicans.

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The Senate will link a way to keep the state’s land-buying program alive to a measure closing a tax loophole.

Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson will file an amendment to his bill (SB 2430) closing the real estate transfer tax loophole that will steer some of the money generated by the taxes to Florida Forever.

The move will raise $50 million for Everglades restoration this year and $50 million for Florida Forever’s priority purchases. The Senate had slashed the entire $300 million for the land-buying program from the budget. Lawson’s amendment will include $10 million to issue $100 million in bonds for the two programs.

The proposal will also allow the state to move forward with $250 million in land purchases cut from the current budget earlier this year.

A state official seeking free air time could no longer award no-bid contracts thanks to an amendment sponsored by Greenacres Democrat Dave Aronberg today.

The “artistic services amendment,” tacked onto a state contracting bill (SB 2666) during the Senate General Government Appropriations Committee meeting, would require promotional-type contracts such as public service announcements, to go out for bid. State law now includes a rarely-used “artistic services” exemption that came under fire recently.

Attorney General Bill McCollum used the loophole to direct two no-bid contracts totaling $1.4 million to his former campaign ad producer. The TV spots starring McCollum promoted awareness of online child predators.

Aronberg is considering a run for Attorney General in 2010.

Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, was showered by a round of boos in his committee meeting this morning after postponing a vote on a controversial proposal for commuter rail in Central Florida.

Read more about the meeting here.

Inspired by the tax-protesting colonists who dumped tea in Boston Harbor in 1773 and by CNBC editor Rick Santelli’s famous February rant against Obama administration policies, hundreds of “tea party” protests are taking place across the U.S. today to coincide with the deadline for filing federal income tax returns.

At least 40 such protests are planned for Florida, with one scheduled for West Palm Beach today at 5 p.m. at the county Governmental Center.

Organizers of the West Palm Beach rally expect at least 1,000 people to protest growing deficits and “outrageous” federal spending on bailouts and economic stimulus plans.
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The controversial Central Florida commuter rail bill stalled in Senate transportation approps this morning.

And to the 73 people who had signed up to speak on the deal between CSX and the state (the price of which keeps changing depending on who’s asked): you might want to cancel your weekend festivities.

With just a few minutes until the scheduled 11:45 a.m. end of the Senate Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Committee meeting, and without enough support to demand a vote at a time certain, Chairman Mike Fasano postponed the bill until the next meeting, slated Monday.

The audience booed.

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West Palm Beach officials on Thursday formally open their new city hall, which Post‘s Jose Lambiet reports includes a nice treat for Mayor Lois Frankel: her new office includes a marble shower.

Here’s Frankel’s response:

“I didn’t ask for it. The designer did. I don’t even know if I’ll ever use the shower. But this building was constructed to last 100 years and it’s not been built for me. It’s been built for mayors after me.”

More here.

Gov. Charlie Crist and the Seminole tribe are continuing discussions about a gambling compact even as lawmakers in the House and Senate remain at odds about the issue.

Crist’s office has met throughout the week with tribal representatives and wants the Seminoles to put more money up front to be able to continue the blackjack and baccarat card games they are now hosting at the tribe’s Hard Rock casinos.

Rumors have been flying around the Capitol that the state is seeking a $1 billion down payment from the tribe, but those close to the talks on both sides say that figure is way too high.

The money would go to pay for education as lawmakers struggle to close a $7 billion spending gap.

House gambling go-to-guy Bill Galvano said that if the cash advance is enough and the Indians aren’t asking for something “crazy” in return (like roulette and craps?) he’d consider the proposal.
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U.S. Rep. Bill Posey says he is free of prostate cancer after undergoing surgery last year.

The 61-year-old freshman congressman said he was diagnosed in June and had surgery in December.

Posey, a Republican, told the Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers editorial board Tuesday that he didn’t want to draw attention to the disease during his campaign. Posey said he was concerned he would be defined by his medical condition.

House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, spent about 30 minutes with the “Leadership Gainesville” group on Tuesday and said he was looking forward not just to the end of session, but the end of his House career altogether.

Cretul, who became the most powerful lawmaker in the House about two weeks before the start of session, has passed out calendars to all House members that count down the days until the end of session.

But on Tuesday, Cretul said he was already looking forward to the end of the 2010 session, when he’d be termed out, able to spend more time on the porch with his grandchildren and eventually return to the process to lobby his elected officials.

Cretul received a few chuckles from the group at the end of the Q&A when he said, “I hope that was worth your time, I guess.”

Here’s how he left them:

“Seventeen days can’t come soon enough for a lot of us,” Cretul said. “This was a position I didn’t necessary seek or campaign for. But circumstances put me here.

“Everyday has been different. Everyday has been new. I can’t say everyday has been exciting. It’s been scary sometimes. But anyway, we’ll get through this, because we’ve got a good group of members and a good Senate and we’ll be out of here.”

Here’s your latest sign of the impending apocalypse: State Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, received some face time Monday on Fox News for his bill (SB 614) to better track purchases of prescription drugs and other controlled substances in Florida while House Republican Leader Adam Hasner of Boca Raton was praised by liberals for his bill (HB 879) to create a sales tax exemption for electric cars.

Aronberg says that Broward County has more pain clinics than McDonalds. In this interview with Fox News, he says it’s “an embarrassment” that the state doesn’t have a prescription drug database.

“What’s happened is Florida has become a pill-mill for the rest of the country,” Aronberg says.

Meanwhile, Hasner received this shout-out Tuesday from the Mother Nature Network for a “thoughtful” column on electric vehicles that appeared in American Thinker. From the MNN:

Hasner pointed out that 80 percent of Americans drive less than 40 miles a day, so their range limitations are not necessarily a deal breaker. Hasner campaigned in a 2002 RAV4-EV battery car…and won! It’s 120-mile range was more than enough for daily swings through his coastal district, and it got him to events in West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, too.

A proposal to extend term limits for state politicians has been removed from a constitutional amendment originally written to offer a property tax break to Florida’s veterans.

State attorneys told the Senate Ethics & Elections Committee there was no way the legislature could create two separate constitutional amendments with one resolution. Committee members then determined that including both proposals in one ballot question could doom the proposed tax break. The committee’s unanimous vote was taken April 7.

The bill (SJR 1550) from Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, originally included just the property tax break. The proposal to extend term limits from 8 years to 12 years was added by Community Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, during his committee meeting last month.

The bill and its House companion (HJR 1155) both have one more committee stop in their respective chambers.

Senate President Jeff Atwater said this afternoon that he will make sure the state fulfills its promise to pay the second year of an 11-year, $18.2 million settlement lawmakers approved last year for Marissa Amora. The girl is pictured above with the North Palm Beach Republican last year.

Questions were raised about the money after both the House and Senate introduced budget proposals this year that did not include a second year of payments.

“It’s my intention we’re going to take care of that,” Atwater said.

Atwater said he was told last year the state Department of Children and Families would include the settlement in its base budget each year. He said there might have been a “miscommunication” when DCF Secretary Bob Butterworth resigned after the legislative session and was replaced by George Sheldon.

“I take responsibility for that,” Atwater said.

Atwater said that the issue will be resolved when the House and Senate go to conference to hash out budget disagreements.

“I feel strongly we’re not going to renege on our promise,” he said.

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A water tower, a Florida City landmark, stands over the ruins of the Florida coastal community that was hit by the force of Hurricane Andrew. (AP Photo)

In a positive sign for the economy and Florida property owners, state financial officials said they could find twice as much money in the bond market to cover hurricane losses as they estimated six months ago.

“The picture is definitely better than it was,” said Ash Williams, head of the State Board of Administration, which manages Florida’s investments. “The bond market is loosening up a little bit.”

Williams said the state could expect to finance $8 billion in residential losses – up from an October estimate of $3 billion – and potentially cover losses if a Hurricane Andrew-type storm hits the state this year.

The announcement convinced Gov. Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet to abandon plans for extra financing for the state Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. Last year, Crist and the Cabinet paid Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway, $224 million in return for a promise of up to $4 billion in potential loans.

The state is still seeking a federal line of credit in case credit markets dry up after a storm.

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Hot off the November elections, then-Speaker Ray Sansom, R-Destin, brought his GOP caucus to WaterColor Inn & Resort in Santa Rosa Beach for a pre-session retreat.

According campaign finance reports published Friday, the Republican Party of Florida paid $47,895 to treat 74 of the 76 House Republicans and their families.

It was at the posh resort that Sansom delivered a message about the state’s dismal financial situation and announced there would be no money for local projects. It was also at the resort that news broke about Sansom’s new job with Northwest Florida State College, setting off an avalanche of stories about whether he received the job in return for tucking money for the school into a shrinking budget.

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Congressman and U.S. Senate hopeful Kendrick Meek is walking the familiar halls of the Capitol this morning trying to convince lawmakers not to delay the constitutionally-required class size reductions mandated by an amendment he pushed.

Meek, a Miami Democrat who formerly served in both the state House and the state senate, is working both sides of the aisle as lawmakers consider putting off limiting class sizes by classroom and keeping the current school average to save money.

Meek held a press conference after meeting with Senate President Jeff Atwater and House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands. Meek, who served in both the state House and the state Senate, has yet to meet with Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson on the issue.

“While well-intended…to start rolling back on class size at this time is only going to make the situation worse in the future,” Meek said.

Using school averages now might be okay, Meek argued, but could prove problematic in the future because non-teachers such as guidance counselors could be used to cook the numbers.

“The years of 40 in a portable should be a past nightmare,” he said.

Senate President Jeff Atwater hung this picture, drawn by Marissa Amora, in his committee room last year when the Senate panel approved an 11-year, $18.2 million settlement for the girl who suffered life-altering injuries thanks to the state’s negligence. Gov. Charlie Crist invited the family and the news cameras to the governor’s mansion when he signed the bill into law.

This year, lawmakers have scratched the girl’s money as they look to balance a budget with a $6 billion hole.

Last year, Marissa’s strongest ally was Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, who is now Senate President. He persuaded his colleagues to pass the bill and made an impassioned plea on her behalf from the Senate floor: “We are the last chance … the aunts and the uncles that this young girl needs … that this young girl will never cry alone again.”

Atwater, who won reelection in November, did not return a call seeking comment on the case. His spokeswoman, Jaryn Emhof, said in an e-mail that Atwater did not realize that the legislature needed to designate the $1.7 million because he thought it would be included in DCF’s budget.

She said that he would take a look at the case and see what he could do to find the money.

More here from The Post’s Kathleen Chapman. And click here from some coverage of Amora’s claims bill last year.

Senate Luddites, beware.

Sen. Mike Haridopolos is banning paper packets from his Government Oversight and Accountability Committee meeting next Wednesday.

Committee members are instructed to bring their laptops to the meeting and view the documents on-line in lieu of the hundred-plus page materials normally distributed to senators and their staff.

It’s all part of the Merritt Island Republican’s effort to do away with government-issued obsolete reports and, of course, save paper, which saves money.

“In this economy we need to look at ways to eliminate non-essential costs,” Haridopolos said in a press release issued by the Majority office. “The amount of paperwork we take to committee meetings seems unnecessary and I am confident we can have a productive meeting without a physical meeting packet.”

The public can still get their packets the old-fashioned way, in hard copies distributed by the Senate document center, or read along on-line.

The docs staff have already quit stacking daily calendars on the counter and instead only hand them out on request. And forget about getting extra copies of committee packets, lobbyists and concerned citizens.

The new Senate policy is one per customer. Nothing to prevent paper lovers from going through the line twice, however.