As noted here previously, Palm Beach County Democrats have dumped politically incorrect 19th century presidents Thomas Jefferson (slaveowner) and Andrew Jackson (slave-owning Indian relocator) from their annual fund-raising dinner, tentatively changing the Jefferson-Jackson dinner to a Truman-Johnson event.

Since going public with those plans, county Democratic Chairman Mark Alan Siegel says party leaders have been lobbied by supporters of John F. Kennedy and will probably add the slain 35th president’s name, making it a Truman-Kennedy-Johnson dinner.

The event isn’t until November, so there’s probably time for more lobbying. Adding Jimmy Carter would make a complete roster of Democratic presidents from the Cold War. Watch this space to see if any other candidates emerge…..

Lawmakers closed out the $65 billion budget this morning that includes nearly $2 billion in taxes and fees, including a $380 million property tax increase if school boards approve it.

Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander and House counterparts David Rivera and Marcelo Llorente resolved most of their disagreements over the weekend and sealed the deal this morning without sending any unresolved disputes to Senate President Jeff Atwater and House Speaker Larry Cretul.

One of the losers in the deal: Florida Forever, the state’s land-buying program received no new money. But the budget chiefs did agree to issue $250 million in bonding authority from this year. They could not sell the bonds because of a decline in real estate transaction taxes used to pay them back.

The legislature closed a real estate tax loophole during the session that they hope will generate enough money to keep Florida Forever running next year.

A last-minute change this weekend shifted $25 million for Florida Forever to the Everglades clean-up program, bringing the total for that to $50 million.

Also included in the budget are more than $800 million in fees, including a hike in driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations and court filings. And smokers will pay an extra buck-a-pack for cigarettes to raise about another $800 million to be spent on the state’s Medicaid program.

State workers earning more than $45,000 a year will see a 2 percent salary cut but university workers are exempt. That amounts to a $30 million cut from general revenue, far less than the $100 million in state employee pay cuts the House had original proposed.

School boards, meanwhile, got the OK to hike property taxes an additional 25 cents per $1,000 of value with a majority vote. Voters would have to sign off on the tax increase at the general election in 2010. The tax increase would raise $380 million for school districts statewide if implemented by all 67 counties, including nearly $17 million for Palm Beach County.

Bright Futures will no longer cover tuition hikes, including the 8 percent tuition increase included in the budget. Lawmakers also gave universities the ability to raise tuition up to 15 percent.

Latest south-county internal Democratic feud: Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson is steamed at state Rep. Kelly Skidmore after hearing that Skidmore was speculating on his early departure.

Aaronson says he’s not leaving early.

Skidmore says she didn’t say what Aaronson thinks she said.

Read about it here.

Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander has his hands full.

He’s doing the work of three men on the other side of the Capitol: House budget co-chiefs David Rivera and Marcelo Llorento and Bill Galvano, the House’s chief gambling negotiator.

That’s not counting the other GOP leaders who are participating in the spending chats out of public sight.

A weary-looking Alexander wound up 12 hours of public budget discussions yesterday to start in all over again at 8:30 this morning.

Tomorrow he’ll start in on gambling talks with Galvano.

How’s he holding up after weeks of 18-hour days of budget crunching?

“I’m a farmer. I get up early and work late,” Alexander shrugged.
(more…)

Some South Florida lawmakers caught in the middle of a Central Florida commuter rail dispute made a last-minute appeal to legislative leaders to bail out financially troubled Tri-Rail.

Money for the commuter rail system operating in Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Broward counties was linked to a controversial $500 million-plus deal in which the state would have paid transportation giant CSX Inc. for tracks and improvements.

South Florida Democrats, including Sens. Ted Deutch and Dave Aronberg, were caught in the middle with a vote that would have okayed the controversial SunRail deal and created a $2-per-day rental car surcharge to aid Tri-Rail.

After nixing the measure, Deutch and Aronberg were among eight bi-partisan lawmakers who sent a letter to Gov. Charlie Crist, House Speaker Larry Cretul and Senate President Jeff Atwater asking them to redirect $30 million that would have funded the doomed Central Florida line to Tri-Rail.

“State intervention is the only possible solution for Tri-Rail,” they wrote.

The counties have said they can no longer afford the $7 million per year they spend to operate Tri-Rail. They say they need at least $30 million to keep the commuter line running.

Without the extra money, Tri-Rail officials say they will have to cut service by 40 percent and fire workers.

Exactly how much money leftover from the SunRail deal is in dispute.

State transportation officials said there’s about $80 million available, House budget co-chairman David Rivera said this morning.

The House wants to use about $13 million of that for libraries and about $65 million for petroleum tank cleanup.

But Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander, who supports SunRail, hasn’t signed off on that yet.

He already agreed to take $100 million from road projects which he said would have come from unspent SunRail money.

Alexander, R-Lake Wales, said before the letter was sent that more money for Tri-Rail likely isn’t in the cards this year.

“Given the lack of support for Central Florida’s rail project, it’s kind of hard to get excited about supporting South Florida’s rail project,” he said.

State workers making more than $45,000 a year will get a 2 percent pay cut – except if they work for the state university system.

The salary reduction comes after three years of no raises but spares lower-paid employees. The House’s original proposal would have cut at least 4 percent across-the-board for state workers.

About 20 percent of Florida workers will get thinner paychecks, House and Senate budget leaders said at negotiations this afternoon.

The issue was one of the sticking points between the House and Senate, which originally planned on a 1 percent pay cut for state workers earning more than $100,000 a year.

The man with the red pen delivered a subtle yet unquestionable threat to lawmakers over a dangling deal with the Seminoles.

House and Senate leaders have yet to start meeting to work out their differences on a gambling proposal encompassing a deal with the tribe and the state’s horse and dog tracks and jai-alai frontons.

A deal with the Seminoles could reap up to $500 million a year for the state depending on what lawmakers settle on, if anything. They have until Friday to pass a compact that Gov. Charlie Crist and the tribe must then agree to.

Crist, whose compact with the tribe was thrown out by the Florida Supreme Court, suggested that lawmakers finish up the deal…or else.

“If it doesn’t happen, I may have to cut things out of this budget that are put in there. The members are acutely cognizant of that. There are important things that they want to do around the state and that I want them to do,” Crist said this morning as he dropped in on a budget conference meeting. “In some ways the Seminole compact money gives us the opportunity to do some of that.”

Crist said it wasn’t a threat.

“No, no. That’s not what I meant. But it’s just reality,” he insisted.

After two years of Republican Gov. Charlie Crist clearing a path for his party to the political center, is the traditionally arch-conservative Florida House following suit?

“It’s probably less fiscally conservative than we’ve been in the past,” said House Speaker Pro Tem Ron Reagan, R-Bradenton. “But we’ve listened to a lot of our constituents who have said, ‘I can live with this tax or I can live with a little bit of an increase.’ “

After 60 days in the annual legislative session, the GOP-dominated House has agreed to changes condemned in years past as a violation of the party’s “small government” principles.

And as lawmakers head into overtime this week to wrap up the state budget, Republican House leaders say they’ll support a cigarette tax hike along with $800 million in new fees for drivers, court costs and state park visitors, among others.

More here.

Rep. David Rivera, a House budget chief, backed off two of his priorities: a request to ban using state money for college and university travel to Cuba or for stem cell research.

Rivera suggested he agreed to take the items out of the House’s proposed budget because there was no money for stem cell research in either his or the Senate’s proposed spending plans and because the Senate agreed to let his alma mater Florida International University issue bonds to build a health center.

Rivera dropped the items into the budget during horse-trading with Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander yesterday. Alexander also introduced a new item: a $5 million annual payment for one of his pet projects, the University of South Florida Polytechnic at Lakeland in his district.

Rivera also backed off another last-minute proposal that would have required first-time Florida drivers to take a driver improvement course.

Alexander, R-Lake Wales, said yesterday that the Senate would not approve issues like the driver’s license schools that were part of bills that did not pass or were not debated during the session.

Still unresolved is where to get $13 million for county and local libraries. The state must spend at least $21 million to draw down $8 million in matching federal funds.

Both sides agreed to spend the full amount but the House wants to take the money from transportation spending and the Senate does not.

Lawmakers won’t begin working out a gambling proposal until Monday, Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander said late Saturday evening.

Alexander, looking weary, said he was concentrating first on settling spending differences because of the time constraints that require a 72-hour waiting period before lawmakers can pass the $65 billion budget on Friday.

Alexander has a reason to be tired.

The Lake Wales Republican is the sole budget negotiator for the Senate.

But he’s got three House chiefs to deal with: David Rivera on education and economic development, Marcello Llorente on health and human services and criminal justice, and Bill Galvano on gambling.

House and Senate budget chiefs agreed to a $1.7 million payment this year to Marissa Amora and her family as part of the 11-year, $18.2 million settlement for the girl who suffered life-altering injuries while in the state’s care.

The state agreed to the settlement last year but Department of Children and Families officials failed to request this year’s second payment to the family as an oversight, they and Senate President Jeff Atwater said.

The payment was included in late-night negotiations between legislative leaders on differences over next year’s $65 billion spending plan.

Fear not, bookworms.

House budget negotiators raided nearly $13 million from transportation spending to keep money flowing to county and local libraries.

That would bring the total for county and local libraries back to $21 million if the Senate signs off as expected at the next horse-trading session at 8 p.m.

Without it, the libraries would lose about $8 million in matching federal aid.

Palm Beach County would have to fire librarians and scale back on new books and other materials if the cut stays, county officials say.

Money for libraries is one of the budget issues unresolved that House and Senate budget chiefs are negotiating until noon tomorrow.

After that, House Speaker Larry Cretul and Senate President Jeff Atwater take over.
(more…)

The Senate’s penultimate 2009 floor session (maybe) on Friday was a mixture of rushed voting on bills, hurry-up-and-wait on items to come back from the House and an hour-long debate over the doomed Central Florida commuter rail.

The pols pontifications included some pithy ones. Here’s a sample.

“Everything else mercifully will end.” Senate President Jeff Atwater on limiting discussions to gambling, the budget and tobacco lawsuit bonding after Friday.

“So in order for South Florida to get $120 million we need to spend $780 million in the Orlando area.” Sen. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, on HB 1021 in which the state would have spent the larger amount on the Central Florida commuter rail and set a $2 a day rental care surcharge for Tri-Rail.

“I would be voting, I imagine, for the best of the evil.” Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, on HB 903, the worker’s comp bill.

“Look, the total difference between the two bills is simple. One is humane and one is inhumane.” Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, on the same measure.

“We thought it was visionary. They had another word for it.” Sen. Jim King on the renewable energy bill rejected by the House.

“We sent down a little Palomino pony. It’s come back as a Clydesdale.” Sen. Steve Wise on an education bill loaded up by the House and rejected.

“They want me to stop but I can’t stop. I’m so wound up.” Lynn again, this time on her joint resolution 532 dealing with property tax exemptions.

“It’s not like going to a wake and looking at a body in a coffin.” Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa, talking about plastinated bodies exhibits (SB 414).

“This is a bumper sticker in search of a bumper.” Dan Gelber on SB 1978 requiring schools to spend at least 70 percent of their budget in the classroom.

While he was at it, Gelber made a pitch for his U.S. Senate campaign: “You can put this bumper sticker on your car. Or you can put my bumper sticker on your car. It would help me a lot more than this, probably.”

He didn’t stop there. The highly quotable Gelber finished up with: “I’m going to vote no because I hate sound bites. At least for the rest of the day.”

Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander added $5 million this morning to the state university budget to hire teachers for one of his pet projects, the University of South Florida Polytechnic in Lakeland, located in his Senate District 17.

Alexander included the new item in a counteroffer to House counterpart David Rivera, R-Miami, during budget negotiations this morning.

The $5 million would be a permanent annual boost to the Lakeland school’s budget if the House agrees.

Alexander said he put the money in “so that we can put that effort which has been approved by the Board of Governors and get ready to go.”

The money will be go to “hire the faculty and get the students programs up and running. We can make that a reality just like we’re doing with our med schools and other things,” Alexander said.

The extra money for USF comes as lawmakers are trimming about 4 percent from the state university system budget and are hiking tuition 8 percent.

Axing state aid to public libraries could cost the state $8 million in federal funds.

Budget negotiators swept all of the $13 million in state aid to public libraries late this week, raising alarms among librarians and county officials.

Florida could lose $8 million in federal aid for libraries if it doesn’t spend the $21 million it spent last year. Currently, the budget includes $8 million in library funding but that would go to the Department of State instead of local governments.

Under the current proposal, Palm Beach County libraries would lose about $1 million this year and other local libraries in the county would be out another $400,000, according to Todd Bonlarron, PBC legislative affairs director.

The cut would result in layoffs and fewer books and other materials, Bonlarron said.

“In these difficult economic times, our residents are turning even more to our libraries to assist in job searches, in looking for means of financial assistance, and in researching opportunities for personal growth and development. If there ever was a time to assist our state’s libraries, it would be now,” he said.

Lawmakers are trying to find a way to restore some of the funding, Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander said this morning during budget negotiations with the House.

“It’s one of those issues we’re working through and trying to figure out how it can be done,” Alexander, R-Lake Wales, said.

Gov. Charlie Crist dropped by to check on the talks.

“Well libraries are a great thing. I’m sympathetic to it and want to make sure that we do everything we can to maintain them. It’s important,” Crist said.

Another Floridian is likely infected with the swine flu virus, Surgeon General Ana Viamonte Ros said this morning.

Nine cases have been referred to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta for further testing, including two from Palm Beach County. Two cases have been confirmed in Lee and Broward counties.

One Palm Beach County likely victim remains hospitalized, Viamonte Ros told Gov. Charlie Crist at a morning briefing.

“Wouldn’t surprise me if we get more, frankly but that’s where we are right now,” Crist said before meeting with Viamonte Ros.

State health officials have received more than 700 calls to a toll-free number, 1-800-342-3557, set up yesterday afternoon to handle questions from the public requesting H1N1 flu information, she said.

“Everyone is on alert. All stockpiles have been deployed,” she told Crist.

Crist urged Floridians and visitors to “be concerned but not to be panicked.”

Results on the nine tests from the CDC could come as early as today but may be delayed because the center is overwhelmed by requests, Viamonte Ros said.

Crist gave Viamonte Ros his cell phone number before she left his office.

“If you hear some new information during the course of the day if you could just give me a ring,” Crist said.

“Absolutely,” she replied.

Judges would be allowed to consider domestic violence issues when determining child custody and visitation arrangements under a bill on its way to Gov. Charlie Crist.

Sen. Ted Deutch, a Boca Raton Democrat, sponsored the measure (SB 904) in response to the horrific deaths of two Lake Worth youngsters at the hand of their father.

Ten-year-old Nelson and 8-year-old Crystal Camacho died after their father, Tony, set his suburban Lake Worth home ablaze days before Christmas in 2006. Camacho died of smoke inhalation after stabbing Crystal in the back, severing her spine and leaving her paralyzed as flames engulfed their home.

Camacho’s ex-wife Jennie Carter had requested a restraining order and supervised visitation for the children. That was never granted.

Deutch read an e-mail from Jennie Carter before the Senate unanimously voted in favor of the bill.

“I thank Sen. Deutch and the other senators for taking time to listen to my heart,” Deutch read. “I haven’t had tears of joy since my kids were taken away from me and I owe it all to you guys.”

The Senate delivered a double whammy to commuter rail by squashing a proposed Central Florida commuter rail system and failing to bail out the financially troubled Tri-Rail.

They voted 23-16 against an amendment combining a $2-a-day rental car surcharge to raise money for Tri-Rail and okaying the controversial $500 million-plus deal between the state and transportation giant CSX to create a Central Florida commuter system.

The surcharge, sought after for years by Tri-Rail officials, would have given county commissioners in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade the ability to impose the rental car tax until 2014, when voters in each county would then have to sign off on it.

The proposal could have raised $180 million over four years for the rail system, necessary to keep service from slowing down and workers from getting fired, argued Sen. Jeremy Ring, a Margate Democrat who co-sponsored the amendment.

Supporters of SunRail linked the project with Tri-Rail to try to sway Democratic South Florida lawmakers who opposed the CSX deal because it leaves the state liable for accidents caused by the rail behemoth.

“How can I vote against three of my own counties? That is a very difficult position to be in,” objected Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami. “You know that old saying. You’re darned if you do and you’re darned if you don’t. So that’s where we stand today on this floor. Many of us.

Bullard voted in favor of the amendment, as did Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach. Palm Beach County Democratic Sens. Dave Aronberg of Greenacres and Ted Deutch of Boca Raton voted against it.

Lawmakers officially extended the 2009 regular session, scheduled to wind up today, for a week.

They’ve limited business next week to only bills that are in conference at midnight.

Right now that’s of course the budget because of the $6 billion spending gap they’re grappling with. Add to that the complicated gambling deal that House and Senate leaders will wrestle beginning this weekend. And they’ve also sent to conference a bill that would lower the amount of money tobacco companies have to put up in bonds when they appeal cases they’ve lost.

The resolution extending the session confused Sen. Ronda Storms who wanted to know if all bills could be considering after midnight tonight.

“I would want to add comfort if that’s your question or disappointment if that’s your concern,” replied Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach.

Discussions will be restricted to gambling, the budget and the tobacco bonding issue, Atwater promised.

“Everything else mercifully will end,” he pledged.

But not on time.

The Senate was supposed to close out the day at 6 p.m. But discussion about the controversial CSX/Sunrail deal prompted Atwater to extend the session to 8 p.m.

Lawmakers in both chambers unanimously gave state transportation officials the ability to pay losing bidders on big-ticket contracts.

The provision was included in a transportation package (HB 1021) similar to one Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed last year because of a different issue.

Department of Transportation officials have been paying the losing bidders “stipends” for years without the authority to do so. The change in law, if Crist approves it, would allow FDOT to keep up the practice on state road projects. The federal government also allows it.

Department officials say they need to pay the losers so they can use portions of their rejected plans in other projects.

The department has spent millions paying losing bidders over the past few years but has no record of how many of the rejected bids they’ve used or how much cash they’ve dropped on them.