Richard Hartsfield, an employee of the House Sergeant of Arms office, cleans the glass of the House gallery on Monday before the start of the legislative session today. (AP)

The bill (HB 7033) would delay about $1.8 billion in unemployment tax payments for Florida businesses. It passed 117-0.

Companies are supposed to pay a higher tax rate starting in April because Florida’s spiraling unemployment has zeroed out the state fund that pays jobless benefits. To replenish that account, the unemployment tax rate is set to jump from about $8 to $100 per worker.

“Recharging Florida’s economy and putting Floridians back to work is our top priority this year,” House Economic Development & Community Affairs Policy Council Chairman Dave Murzin said. “Making sure employers can afford to keep the employees they already have is part of that agenda.”

By delaying the tax hike for two years, the state will pay for unemployment benefits by continuing to borrow from the federal government and ultimately accumulate $675 million in interest payments. The bill includes an assessment on employers over five years to cover that cost.

The Senate is expected to approve the bill this afternoon and send it to Gov. Charlie Crist, who is expected to sign it into law.

A race for an open Panhandle state Senate seat may stymie success of a jobs package.

State Rep. Dave Murzin, House Economic Development and Community Affairs committee chairman, took a swipe at the Senate’s jobs package sponsored by Sen. Don Gaetz.

Murzin, a Panhandle Republican who is running for a Senate seat neighboring Gaetz’s district, was asked about the Gaetz proposal at an Associated Industries of Florida event in Tallahassee yesterday.

“It’s a great package. If I had a $150 million it might be some good ideas. But quite frankly I don’t have $150 million. I think I stopped counting at about $150 million,” Murzin, R-Pensacola, told the crowd of business lobbyists.

Gaetz’ bill includes a $1,000 tax break for businesses that hire an out of work Floridian and a variety of other corporate tax breaks or incentives to induce them to put the unemployed back on the job and to get them off Medicaid and other state benefits.

Murzin said his package will be more realistic.

“So yeah, we’ll take a look at some stuff but quite frankly we’ll roll out a jobs package, an economic incentives package, an economy package that actually works, doesn’t necessarily cost a lot of money because …an economic package that Floridians can afford,” Murzin said. “I’m not really into it for the is still trying to figure out exactly how much it will cost and how much it could save).headlines. I’m actually into it to put Floridians back to work.”

Gaetz, who is backing Murzin’s opponent Rep. Greg Evers in the Senate race, expressed tongue-in-cheek surprise at Murzin’s inability to come up with the money to pay for the package. (Gaetz says his staff

“Well, Rep. Murzin is welcome to his opinions. I wish him well this session. And in his future. I wish him well in everything except his aspirations to be a senator. In all other cases I wish him well,” Gaetz, R-Destin, said.

Dominatrix night at Ricks Cabana Lounge

But workers at Sheriff David Morgan’s office said Stevens, a Panhandle accountant, hasn’t worked there since Morgan assumed the post in January.

Stevens, 44, is also an owner of Rick’s Cabana Lounge, a nightclub in Pensacola, according to Department of State records and his PSC application. He’s listed as an owner of Ben Bartows Bar LLC, which has the same address as the bar.

State Rep. Dave Murzin, a Pensacola Republican who chairs the nominating council that included Stevens in the list of six candidates given to Crist, had called Stevens an “accountant extraordinaire.”

Rep. Dave Murzin, a Panhandle Republican who’s in a hot GOP primary against Rep. Greg Evers for state Senate, is holding a fundraiser coinciding with the popular “Downtown GetDowns” on Tallahassee Friday night.

The street parties take place each Friday night before a Florida State University home football game.

But an invitation to the Murzin fundraiser at the Florida Hotel and Restaurant Association in the heart of downtown in the capital city provoked United Way of the Big Bend President Ken Armstrong into calling for a time-out.

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