Political Bits and Pieces

Despite his reservations about the stimulus, Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp continues to act like a good solider for Gov. Charlie Crist. After blasting the stimulus in an interview with NewsMax.com last week, Kottkamp inspected the Tequesta Drive Bridge in Palm Beach County. The Tequesta Drive Bridge was paid for with federal stimulus moneySure the Legislature is in session but thats not stopping Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, from hitting the trail for his campaign to be attorney general. Gelber spent today campaigning in Tamarac and Deerfield Beach. Hell be in Miami Beach and Niceville on SaturdayTroy Stanleys dark horse primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw may be coming to an end soon. Stanley has been sending out frantic emails seeking donations to raise $10,000 to pay the filing fee to challenge Crenshaw. With no Democratic opponent and Stanleys campaign failing to launch, Crenshaw appears set for another term in CongressMiami City Manager Carlos Migoya is off to a fast start. Two weeks after being named to the post, after examining the citys 2007 and 2008 budgets in depth Migoya fired Budget Director Michael Bourdreax todayU.S. Sen. Bill Nelson will be with President Barack Obama on April 15 when the president comes down to the Sunshine State to make his big announcement on NASA and the future of the American space industry. While the White House is not talking, Nelson is hinting that flights to Mars will be on the agendaIt was lost in the hoopla over the opening of the Legislature but, last week, the Old Capitol unveiled an excellent exhibit on Gov. Napoleon Bonaparte Broward who presided over the state from 1905 until 1909. The exhibit covers a number of aspects of Browards career including his gun running missions to Cuba, his plans to drain the Everglades and his leadership of the Progressives in FloridaWhile he opposed slashing salaries for city employees 3% last year, Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton has now embraced the idea for this fiscal yearDespite the collapse of the economy and the erosion of revenue dollars from taxes on tourism, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer will continue to push for a new arts center for the city. Dyer is now pushing a $69 million loan program to finance the new centerFinally, in a story that has not received much attention here in Florida, Gregory Coler passed away last week at the age of 65. A moderate Republican who served in Illinois before heading down to Florida, Coler headed the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services under Gov. Bob Martinez. Coler supported modernization efforts during his tenure at the old HRS department but his time there was also plagued with charges of ethics violations from which he was absolved. Announcing Colers passing to his department, DCF chief George Sheldon offered a moving tribute. He was a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable and was a close friend to many of us, Sheldon wrote. Gregory Coler, RIP.