In a time when money is tight and social service programs are under a microscope even children's programs are being examined.

Senator Joe Negron R-Stuart is sponsoring SB 1216 which would revise the membership of councils on children's services; require the governing body of the county to approve the purchase of real estate or the construction of a building by a council on children's services, and require a council on children's services to submit a tentative budget and millage rate to the governing body of the county.

The Crist administration continues to base its budgetplan on unsecured funding sources -- in particular, $1 billion from Medicaid, which has not received final congressional approval, and $250 million from a proposed pact with the Seminole tribe.

Director Jerry McDaniel of the Office of Policy and Budget addressed House Democrats on Gov. Charlie Crists proposed budget Wednesday, sayinghe was optimistic these measures would soon be finalized.

WASHINGTON -- Doubling down on dubious bets is characteristic of compulsive gamblers and federal education policy. The nation was essentially without such policy for grades K through 12, and better off for that, until 1965. In that year of liberals living exuberantly, they produced the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Now yet another president has announced yet another plan to fix education. His aspiration has a discouraging pedigree.

Howell Raines lost his executive editor's job at The New York Times for promoting the career of Jayson Blair, a black drug addict and fantasist who invented entire stories describing the hills of West Virginia from a saloon down the street in New York. But somehow, Raines still imagines himself a media Bigfoot who can pronounce on the State of Journalism, a one-man Pulitzer Prize panel.

Despite a setback on Tuesday, Democrats in both houses are still trying to repeal the law that blocks homosexuals from adopting.

Sen. Nan Rich, D-Sunrise, and Rep. Mary Brandenburg, D-Lake Worth, have introduced bills repealing the current ban prohibiting homosexual individuals or couples from adopting children.

Three bills governing red-light cameras appear to be on a collision course.

Two bills authorizing the use of cameras -- HB 325 and its companion, SB 294 -- cleared their committees with just one dissenting vote.

HB 1235, which would prohibit camera use for the purpose of levying fines, passed its first committee Wednesday on a 7-5 vote, with two lawmakers absent.

Gov. Charlie Crist had a solitary message to millions of Floridians Wednesday -- fill out the census form.

The census is very important for our fellow Floridians, Crist said at a press conference. Filling it out is an important civic duty.

Florida can get up to $400 billion in federal funding with an accurate census count, according to the governor. He said the state can also gain an extra congressional seat.

Bills supported by Gov. Charlie Crist and aimed at making Florida's 14 ports more competitive in the expanding global market took broadside hits Wednesday, with members of the House Economic Development Committee cutting away a whopping $420 million from what had been a $500 million ports package.

About the same time the committee was taking an axe to the proposed funding in the legislation, Crist and the bill's sponsors were holding a press conference to draw attention to how many new jobs the legislation would create.

It didn't help.

At a press conference Wednesday, Gov. Charlie Crist came out strongly in favor of two bills in the House and Senate that focus on making Floridas fourteen ports more competitive.

Crist said, International trade is an economic driver in Florida. Crist said that Floridas fourteen seaports generated $82 billion for economy and $1.7 billion in revenue for the state.

Crist said, Every $1 dollar invested in ports leads to a $7 benefit.

Jobs, jobs, jobs, thats what its all about, Crist said.