Thorny issues fill plates of legislators
TALLAHASSEE— TheFlorida Legislature opened an election-year session Tuesday with the Senate voting to crack down on sexual predators and lawmakers pledging a grab bag of goodies for voters — from tax cuts to cleaner water.
The opening day also focused on issues likely to prove more difficult, such as overhauling pensions for public employees and expanding gambling.
Gov. Rick Scott used his traditional speech to lawmakers to lob a blunt attack on his Democratic opponent, blaming Charlie
Crist for the state’s recession and issuing an election-year call to block tuition increases and cut taxes for motorists and businesses.
“Four years ago, people were down on Florida,” Scott told the joint session in his fourth State of the State speech. “Florida was in retreat.”
The GOPgovernor repeatedly blamed Crist’s administration for embracing “free money” from the federal stimulus for stifling job creation in the Great Recession.
Crist, who left the GOP, issued a statement dismissing Scott’s claims. “Sadly, for three years, Rick Scott has only delivered campaign talking points and pay-to-play politics. The people have had enough,” he said.
Spending battle
Theopening-day speeches highlighted the jockeying for political advantage in an election year that will color much of what gets done before the May 2 adjournment.
Republicans want to use a $1.3 billion surplus to pass tax cuts for citizens and businesses, fund water-cleanup projects in South Florida and provide more private-school vouchers for poor students.
Minority-party Democrats want the GOP to instead expand Medicaid; weaken the “stand your ground” law; raise the minimum wage; pass pay equity for women; and approve bills allowing drivers licenses and in-state tuition for children of unauthorized immigrants.
Florida Democrats wasted no time lambasting Scott’s speech for claims that the state was making “record” investments in education and the environment.
“He tried to mislead the public and delivered a series of spin-tested re-election talking points,” said Florida Democratic Chairwoman Allison Tant.
Pensions
Although GOP lawmakers are moving in lock step on issues such as reforming laws on sex offenders, other issues will prove more divisive.
House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, called on legislators to focus “on policy, not politics” and to pass a public-employee pension overhaul bitterly opposed by Florida’s Democratic-aligned unions.
“I believe if we can solve the problem this year, then in future years we have more money to hire more teachers, do more tax cuts and invest more in our infrastructure,” he said.
Republicans say the state’s pension fund has more than $20 billion in unfunded liabilities and needs to be revamped by shifting it to a “defined contribution” plan.
Ethics
Across the rotunda, Senate President DonGaetz, R-Niceville, urged his chamber to pass another round of ethics changes — including requiring lobbyists for special tax districts to register and to removepoliticians from office if they refuse to pay ethics fines.
“This session we will consider legislation to apply higher ethical standards and greater disclosure to local government, special districts, statutorily created corporations and direct-support organizations. They take public funds. They have a public responsibility. They must live up to the public trust,” Gaetz said.
Lawmakers also took up residency rules aiming to crack down on politicians who run for office without moving into the districts they represent.
The action was largely sparked by controversy over Sen. Maria Sachs. The Delray Beach Democrat was criticized for renting a Fort Lauderdale condo in her election