The House joined the Florida Senate in approving a measure Wednesday making mostly modest changes to city pension plans — backing away from more sweeping approaches proposed earlier to stabilize some of the financially troubled funds.

The only major overhaul included in the legislation (CS/SB 1128) limits overtime pay to 300 hours per year for benefit calculations for police, firefighters and other municipal employees. The cap would stop government workers from using what critics say is a common pension-boosting practice.

The legislation was approved 80-35 and sent to Gov. Rick Scott, who is expected to sign it into law. The bill also requires more oversight from the state’s Department of Management Services of the hundreds of local funds, including posting a five-year history of each plan’s financial status.

But it stops far short of what many cities had earlier proposed. The Florida League of Cities had wanted lawmakers to rework a 1999 law that fattened the pensions of police and firefighters that had been spearheaded by former Gov. Jeb Bush.

The lucrative pension provision was the first bill signed into law by the former two-term governor, who had been endorsed by the Florida Police Benevolent Association and Florida Association of Professional Firefighters in the governor’s race the previous fall. (more…)

A House committee approved a plan Wednesday to repeal red-light cameras that is pushed by a possible future speaker, but not before fellow Republicans acknowledged they had problems with the measure.

Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-New Port Richey, managed to get his bill (CS/HB 4087) through the Appropriations Committee on a 13-9 vote. Several Republicans said repealing the red light law approved last year would be a step backward in public safety — a point Corcoran disputed.

“This bill is about public safety and what we have to achieve is to make our intersections safer for our people, and not less safe,” said Corcoran, who said cameras now in use in many cities have caused a spike in rear-end collisions.

Corcoran, a freshman, already has been chosen by fellow Republicans to become House speaker following the 2016 elections.

 That gives Corcoran plenty of influence.  But on repealing red light cameras, he faces long odds.

The Senate has shown little interest in the legislation, even as Wednesday’s vote clears it  for the House floor. There, Corcoran looks like he’s in for a fight.

“I’ve heard a lot of big brother issues raised here,” said Rep. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater. “And I like personal freedom as much as anyone. But I can’t travel through a speed zone at anything more than 15 mph, and I can’t run through red lights, either.”

Democratic Rep. Joe Gibbons of Pembroke Pines also said there might be plenty to dislike about red light cameras. “But saving lives outweighs anything bad,” Gibbons said.  (more…)

Sen. Paula Dockery’s taking her commuter rail clout on board Tri-Rail next week to learn more about the beleaguered South Florida commuter train.

Dockery, a Lakeland Republican, carved out a niche in train transportation by single-handedly derailing the controversial Central Florida commuter system during the legislative session that ended in May.

Dockery objected to the state paying more than $400 million to transportation behemoth CSX Inc. for track and rail yard improvements. Lawmakers failed to approve the deal despite the support of Gov. Charlie Crist, House Speaker-to-be Dean Cannon and other GOP leaders.

More than 1,000 Tri-Rail riders have e-mailed Dockery in the past three months objecting to reductions in service caused by the legislature’s failure to come up with the cash to keep the system on course, she said in a press release.

On top of that, the state may have to give more than $250 million back to the feds if Tri-Rail officials cut back on service as planned.

Dockery, who is mulling a run for governor, will ride the rails from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale on Monday.

Democratic Sens. Dave Aronberg of Greenacres and Nan Rich of Weston will join Dockery for part of the ride.

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.

Tax Day is going to be a little more colorful in West Palm Beach.

Republican organizers are putting together an April 15 “tea party” at the county government center.

The protest will mirror similar so-called “tea parties” elsewhere in the country, all against Pres. Barack Obama’s economic policies, bailouts and stimulus packages.

The county’s Young Republicans vice president, Everett Wilkinson, says members are trying to convince local Conservative radio talkmeister Rush Limbaugh to be a keynote speaker.

For more, click here.